Nearly Here...

Yes, Christmas is close, but so is my first 6 hour race! 

I do love Christmas, but will not see any of my family so I am not super excited about it.  I love my in-laws and the big party was last Saturday with a smaller get together on Friday evening.  Yet there is nothing like being with my siblings who know everything about me and still love me.  Those traditions of opening gifts on Christmas Eve while saving the stockings for Christmas morning.  Oh, the fun of stockings!  Mom loved to find the most unusual little things to throw in to add to the laughs.  Christmas is not the same without her...

Okay, on to the race...  Monday morning, December 26th, at 8 am it will start.  Six hours around a .95 mile loop.  Fortunately, it is a pretty little loop and I will get to see the other runners often!  (And there is an actual toilet at the aid station!)  My training is a little haphazard as I just signed up and only had 2 runs over 3 hours.  Those two runs I practiced a run walk technique.  The first was an 8:2 ratio and the second was a 9:1.  Both worked well, but I am leaning toward a 10:2.  Eight minutes of running ends so quick as does only 1 minute of walking.  Of course, as I tire, anything goes to keep moving.  I did discover that walking was almost harder late in the 4 hour run. 

Then there is the fueling...one of my biggest struggles.  PB & J is okay early, but is unsettling later.  Plain old white dinner rolls work throughout.  Bananas worked wonderfully and a boiled egg with lots of salt was delicious!  Nuun is the best for keeping my stomach happy and the trips to the bathroom at bay.  My goal will be to eat and drink.  If my stomach goes sour, hopefully, it will be very late in the race...  Otherwise, I will keep working at it and moving along. 

I really do believe, that if all goes well, I can do a full 50k.  That is definitely my A Goal.  Other than that is getting to the marathon distance.  If everything goes poorly, I just want to keep moving for the whole 6 hours.  For the next few days, my biggest goal is to stay calm and not let the race nerves get me!  That is truly my biggest downfall!.

If you happen to be in Tigard near Summerlake park next Monday, stop by and offer some encouragement or even run a couple of laps!  The fun is almost here!