Recovery Week, 100 Mile Training

This week is a recovery week – thank goodness!

There are 10 weeks left of this training plan and then I run Umstead 100. This means that this week is a recovery week with 36 total miles. Last week was a disappointing training week; I didn’t do everything I was supposed to do. 

I found my Leadville Training log from last year and compared where I am today. 

Last year:  Planned was 65 miles. Actual was 23.6 miles.
This year:  Planned was 65 miles. Actual was 40.5 miles.

This year I’m doing much better but I really need to do the miles the training plan states.

Other things different this year: weights and core are making me more tired and grumpy every day. I also recorded hiking miles as total miles last year which I’m not doing this year.

Since I write these posts mainly for myself, because just writing and posting to the world is cathartic, I know what I need to do to be successful at a 100 mile race. I know I need to do the work every day. But here’s the thing: I don’t really enjoy race day all that much.
I love the process.
I love the daily goal attainment.
I love the planning.
I love the travel to places I’ve never been.
I love the people I meet along the way. 
These are the things I love about being an endurance athlete.

The races and adventures I sign up for keep me motivated to have an amazing life, every day. While today is a super low, unmotivated, feeling sorry for myself kind of day, I know that a few words I read or listen to will turn it around in a heartbeat. I look at my new tri bike still in pieces in the other room and I know as soon as it’s put together, and we have a warm day, I am going to be so happy to be riding it. I look at my race calendar of seemingly impossible races, all too close together, and I still know that I can do it all. I was told last week that I’m absurdly confident. Yep. That’s me. 

Here’s my next four weeks. Just writing this post and reading it often will make me do it all. I’ll report back at the end of it.