If you're lucky enough to be in the mountains, you are lucky enough.

When something bad happens, you have three choices: let it define you, let it destroy you, or let it strengthen you.

Monday, February 18, 2013

5 weeks done, 5 days to go.

I am really excited. It's almost not even funny how excited I am - more than I was since Old Dominion 100 in the summer of 2011 - to go to a race. The sure sign of it is digging out reports from said race of previous years and reading them up, starring at the elevation profile, making sure I am aware of aid stations, and laying out my racing clothes. It's all ready. Am I?

I had exactly 5 weeks of solid training that I can't complain about. From January 7th (somewhere after the flu finally wore off and allowed the body to cooperate) until last Saturday, I followed my own set schedule of workouts, improving times and heart rate, extending miles, yet taking recovery seriously, and adjusting my eating to a healthy way, what lead to a good body composition change.

I finished it up with a week where my mile repeats were fastest for Texas living, my 13M hill-to-tempo combination cut full 10 minutes off my 2-weeks-ago time (which I was already thrilled about), and my 5k on Saturday was a full minute under January time (and fastest for this decade since last summer when I went back to short races for fun, with PR in 2003, after which I haven't run 5k's).

But then the stomach virus hit the family. Harrison brought it over on Wednesday, and he got it worse - up all night throwing up and having diarrhea. Larry was on the line next as someone who took care of him through it all - and he came down Friday morning. Stephen and I held it till Saturday, and we were hit the least in terms of symptoms, yet it still drained me terribly (after 5k I pretty much laid on a couch not eating or drinking through Sunday evening). The shuffle on Sunday night for customary 2 miles was pathetic - as it was this morning, but the appetite is back. And since Larry fully recovered and smashed his best trail trial time on Sunday, I expect to get out tomorrow for one more quality run.

That said, it's a 50k. Not my distance - and it's a 50k with 7,000 feet of climb. Which is what I like. On rocky trails - what we should be prepared for. On a day after it rains there, what with leaves might be treacherous.

Regardless, I am super-stocked about going. I don't have photos to share today, thoughts, or details. I just wanted to lay out there that I can't wait to make it to the start and play. For all it's worth!


4 comments:

Larry said...

Will definitely be an interesting time. Won't be coming anywhere close to a 50k PR on that course. Still, exciting, though! :)

Gretchen said...

That's a sweet elevation profile with all the climbing at the end. Looks awesome! I'm sure you will do well - get out there and have fun!

Carilyn said...

So exciting to have a fun race coming up, Olga! And with all that climbing and descending on technical trails, it looks like a tough race - which you always rock! Have a great time!

Sarah said...

Best of luck to you. Sounds like you're ready!