Gettin Lazy

Well, not so much with training, as with keeping up with this blog.  If memory serves, it's been a couple of weeks since I've written anything.

A lot has happened in the world of ultra running since my last post.  The Marathon Des Sables was run earlier in the month and last week the world championship 100K was won with an average pace of 6:10 which simply blows me away.  The Masssanutten 100 is two weeks from tomorrow, and 2 guys from WV Mountain Trail Runners club are participating.  Adam Casseday and Dan Lehman will be among the field.  Dan broke a few ribs early in the month, and he's still going to run it.  What an inspiration?  I'm looking for Adam to be a top finisher, if not the top guy.  Dan and Adam have both been incredibly helpful to me in my training for Highlands Sky.  The running community is really an amazing group of people.

My training has been going pretty well.  I did a 23/8 back to back two weeks ago and 23/10 last weekend.  I have a 24/10 tomorrow.  I don't know what it is, but I continually fret before my long weekend runs.  I think I'm just getting burned out on Otter Creek, but it's the most convenient venue for long trails for me.  I guess I'll just keep chugging along.  A few weeks ago, I wrote of the washed out section of trail with the downed tree.  It seems to get more difficult to negotiate each time I pass it.  I just keep my fingers crossed that it doesn't get too muddy.  I can see myself getting down one side of the tree and not being able to get back up the other side.

I feel like I'm getting stronger, but am still filled with self doubt.  Adam suggested I start doing some hard climbs, and I've worked those into my mid week program.  I did my first repeat on the climb last evening and felt pretty good.  1.5 miles of fairly steep uphill, then down the back side and 1.5 back up on the repeat.  Next week is a cycle down week for me.  I'm probably ready for it.