I am an Ultrarunner

Well, I completed the Bandera 50K on Sat. Jan 7th.  My second official "Ultra" (short for UltraMarathon...that means it's longer than 26.2 miles).  Two years ago, almost exactly, i completed the exact same race.  Then i got cancer, did treatment, trained, then ran it again.  Last time I did the race it was my "A" race...which means that was my focus, i worked up to it and i tapered, or rested for it. 
Last time i ran a 6:09.  A good solid race effort.  The weather was perfect for me (very cold...12-44 degrees). Everything went very well.  I Placed 7th female and 2nd in my age. 
This time around, i decided about 10 days before the race that I would do it.  I did  not taper.  I ran 26 miles 7 days before the race on Saturday.  The weather was beautiful for a picnic, but not exactly perfect for an ultra trail run. (55-75 degrees).

This year i ran a time of 6:19.   I felt very happy with that time.  This year the race was also much larger.  I placed 12th female and 4th in my age group.

Both years I started and finished the race with my good friend Lisa.  A funny thing, though, because last time we trained very much together and we ran the whole race together.  This time, we've trained differently and were apart for much of the race, and still finished together.  I felt there was something symbolic about that...of course :).

No the shirts were actually NOT planned! :)

I remember when i first admitted that i was a "marathon runner."  It was after i'd run my second marathon and had qualified for Boston.  Always before that i would tell people i was not really a runner...just a person who ran sometimes.  This past week at work, it started to become common knowledge that i run A LOT.  People began asking and began to explain that i ran 31 miles the past weekend, and that i'm planning to run 35miles tomorrow.   One person asked.....31 miles? what is that??Called.   "It's an Ultramarathon".  (Even if, a "mini-ultra" in comparison to many other ultra events).  Then i found myself speaking aloud..."I'm an Ultrarunner.  Yikes! I've never said that before!
A few days later i was having a discussion with Lisa about the issues that being an ultra runner can cause... and she mentioned these UTube videos.  This is funny! You Simply must watch!

I am an Ultrarunner

If you like that, you must also check out on UTube "Training for an Ultramarathon", and "...I am a Marathon Runner. I am injured."


I've officially signed up for the Nueces 50 Miler on March 3rd. 

35 this Saturday
3M half marathon next weekend
40 miles the Saturday after...
Then begin to taper

With all that said, i've had a few strange things going on.  Hormonal Mostly.  The HOT Flashes have been horrible.  Possibly worse since i depleted my energy at the Bandera race, but not sure exactly.
I've been a bit panicked by this port, since #1 i wore the wrong  bra without a band aid over it and literally rubbed holes in my chest, and then i read on the Carnations Blog that the thing was supposed to be flushed now and then, and of course my Oncologist had not mentioned that...In his defense, he just said get it taken out.  I've delayed makin the appointment to take it out because it is unclear how many days i cannot run after the procedure.  It was 10 days after they put it in.

So...now i have an appointment with the surgeon on Monday to discuss taking out the port.
I suppose we will also talk about the plans for my second surgery.  Left mastectomy and reconstruction.  I've still made no absolute decisions, but have had some productive discussions with my husband that have helped.