Anxiety...

     It has been a week and a half since I finished Pinhoti and I have been in recovery and review mode of my training over the past 5 months. In all reality my training dictates that I should have had a much tougher time out there than I did. That being said I know that aerobically I am on solid middle ground but know that I need to change things up to focus more on short speed. This is where the anxiety comes in...

    In the past I have run a great many of my races trying to raise money for the Lead the Way Fund and the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. Pinhoti was the only race that was all me for me other than my first marathon. With the Across the Years coming up at the end of December my mind is spinning. I have this crazy idea that I could possibly get in 120 miles or more...a dream come true would be to qualify for the US National 24 hour team and hit 135 miles. BUT...I really want to see if I can, for once, make a real contribution to the Lead the Way Fund. I just need to work up the gumption to contact Mr. Regan and find out the best way to tackle it...

    Then there is the Pine Mountain 40 miler. MY race. In my backyard. I am marking the course on Saturday and sweeping on Sunday. I am actually more anxious about that weekend than I am about the Across the Years event. I think the biggest reason is due to the fact that last year I ran it two weeks after the JFK 50 miler and my ITB was in excruciating pain afterward. Then again, it could be because I miss the "herd" so to speak. I will be reunited with many of my running club (Georgia Ultrarunning and Trailrunning Society; i.e. GUTS) buddies out there for the first time since I have been back and am excited and nervous for the reunion. I have missed the community of wild woods people getting together on the trails and whooping it up for a weekend of intense, peaceful and fun-filled trail running. These folk are all talented and traverse some very challenging terrain with the grace and fluidity of woodland creatures...with the occasional fall...lol.

     I do need to find an alternate event to the Red Top Rumble also. I had entertained the idea of running it fast enough to finish and then run the 1 mile fun run with my 9 year old daughter Faith. Of course, as I log on tonight I find out that the race with 300 slots sold out in 2 days...wow. Hopefully I can find an event for her soon as she is chomping at the bit to get out there and get a good trail run in...