T-24 Hours

In 24 hours from right now I will be in a nature preserve, suited up in my version of running armor (hydration belt, gaiters, sleeves, my favorite/lucky running tank top), taking a deep breath and doing my best to stay as relaxed as possible.  I will be surrounded by nervous energy, and incredible natural beauty. 

It's hard to wrap my head around that as I sit on my couch listening to the birds outside my patio door, leisurely drinking coffee.  But today is the day that I look back to the last 4+ months of training and reflect.  This has been, hands down, the most difficult training cycle I have ever dealt with.  Winter was long and harsh, with incredibly long streaks of below average temperatures, arctic wind chills, and a layer of ice over everything.  The second treadmill in the row at Anytime Fitness and I had a very intimate relationship.

Elevation chart and water stations for tomorrow.  (Nope, not a PR course.)

One thing that kept me pushing through those long, brutal weeks was the connections I have with the people around me.  The athletes I coach, the people I've connected with on Twitter, my good friends, my boyfriend, and my family.  I had a great group of people who support my love of running and the time I put in to push my own limits.  That's one thing I love about this sport of ultramarathoning - people support each other, help each other, and are human. 

Plenty of people ask me why I do these things - what possibly could be so great that it gets you to sign up for, and train for this stuff?  For me it's two things -

1 - Nature.  I am renewed and peaceful when I'm surrounded by natural beauty.  I love the quiet, the smells of the pine trees, the views of the lakes, the wildlife, and the meditative aspect of hearing the footfalls and rhythmic breathing.  No phones, no email, no one needing anything of you. Sure, technically you're in a 'race' and there are people around you, but it truly feels like it's an internal journey to not just cover a ton of miles on your feet, but also to get really deep into yourself and dig deeper than you thought possible to get yourself across the finish line.  That component leads me to the second reason I do this -

2 - Authenticity.  I often tell people that it's impossible to fake it after 20 miles.  There's no acting.  You get to a point that you have no choice but to be who you are - the good and the bad mixed together in a truthful representation of who you really are as a person.  And I think it's beautiful!  It's gritty and raw and you come to see the most beautiful moments of really broken down people.  Someone who is exhausted offering words of encouragement to someone who is debating stopping.  Someone who hit the wall ten miles ago offering their extra gels to someone who ran out or lost theirs.  I's humankind being themselves, in a situation that is unfettered with outside influence, just enjoying the natural drive to push limits and come together in times of difficulty. 

These are the two things I will think about tomorrow when I start to struggle.  Thanks to all of you for your support through this training - I draw a lot of inspiration from the wonderful people in my life. 

“And still, after all this time, the Sun has never said to the Earth,
"You owe me."
Look what happens with love like that.
It lights up the sky.”  

Tomorrow's internal and physical journey will be fueled not just by my own thoughts, but the connections I've cultivated, and the interactions with those around me on that trail.  Our true selves will shine through, we'll push each other with encouragement and sincerity, and we'll each light up the sky in our own way.  I'm fired up about the love I have for those moments, and thankful to have made it through the training while staying healthy.  Okay Chippewa Moraine 50K.  I'm ready for you.