May 2016 IRL – making goals and making it happen
| June 7, 2016 | Posted by Melinda under Uncategorized |
It was YESTERDAY when I realized I hadn’t done my IRL and link luv posts.
At least for once the reason I lost track of time is a good one – too distracted getting my runs and rides in!
The ponies
Farley has gained a little bit of weight on the all-you-can-eat diet and ML has gained a similar bit of weight so I think it’s going well so far, but it will be another 30-45 days before I think I’ll be able to say anything with confidence.
S* (exercise rider) got on Farley for about 30 min 2x a week in May. Additionally I managed a 3 mile lead line run and 2 trail rides that totaled about 20 miles in the last 2 weeks.
Farley is sound, sassy, and probably ready for an LD the beginning of July. I had initially thought I would ride her in an official LD on July 3rd, but the more I think about it, the more certain I am that we will just stage our own LD on some local trails.
Which is why I have so few LD’s on my record. Unless I’m starting a young horse that needs race experience, the expense and time to ride an LD is really hard for me to commit to without some other compelling reason. Twenty-five or 30 miles is too easily done at home.
The motivation of putting a specific ride on the calendar has certainly given my riding a new focus, so while I may not actually go to an official ride, I’m keeping the date (July 3rd) sacred and acting as if it is a hard and fast commitment with money and an entry behind it
Here’s the horse plans for the next couple of months:
July: LD on Farley
August: ML goes to the trainer
Sept: 50 miler on Farley
Oct: Local ride and tie event on Farley?
In mid June I need to get a solid 3-4 hour training ride on Farley, along with some shorter rides sprinkled in to keep her tuned up between now and July 3rd.
Rider Fit
32.2 miles total.
Considering the longest run was 5.7 miles, I ran lots of shorter runs. Many of them were interval runs since that is what my body responds to best when trying to build maximum fitness in the least amount of time.
Seven months ago I had written a rough monthly outline through May of what my running focus would be for each month. In May I had a 100k planned that would hopefully mean my first WS100 qualifying lottery ticket. As injuries occurred and the giant time-suck-otherwise-known-as-house took center stage, I was nowhere near ready for a marathon effort, much less a race totally just over 2 marathons. Realistically I’m 6 months behind where I thought I would be at this time.
It was incredibly disappointing to see the race reports of people running that 100k (Quicksilver) knowing that’s where I had planned on being, as well as my back up race (50k at Ohlone) come and go.
Perhaps because of that disappointment I managed to finally make myself take a hard look at my calendar and goals and set some new goals. I deleted the 100 miler in the fall off my calendar. With that regret gone I looked at the available races and weekends. The soonest race I can run in due to other commitments is a 50k in late July, with a second option (marathon) not until mid August. I wish there was a half marathon in late June or early July that worked as an interim goal…but there isn’t. The July 50k would be a stretch…..but without a risk of failure what motivation would I have to train?
Like setting a date for Farley’s endurance rides, putting some races on the calendar has clarified my running and given my lagging motivation a definite boost.
- I can’t possibly run as much as I should between now and them so I’m making up the difference with lots of GSM (general strength and mobility) exercises. Now when I want to skip my core work out I just ask myself what exactly is going to get me up those giant hills at the 45k mark in a mere month?
- The ONLY time I have to run consistently right now is in the mornings. I’m not a morning runner. Waking up at 5am to run is TORTURE. So what. Toughen up. How bad do you want this? When the alarm goes off at 5am I follow one simple rule – I get up and I run. Period. Bonus: I no longer have to choose between running and going to the stable in the evenings.
- I’m trying to change my assumptions of how training for an ultramarathon looks. I can’t always get away for 3 or 4 hours and do 20 miles all in one chunk. However, sometimes I can run 3 or 4 times during the day and get similar (or more) mileage in. Breaking up the long run isn’t always easier either – convincing my body to start running again after a couple of hours of rest when it’s had time to stiffen and get sore is an act of mental will power, as is climbing on the treadmill for hill repeats after everyone else has gone to bed for those last couple of miles. Bonus: Over a day I’m running at more different times during the day – first thing in the morning, in the heat of the afternoon, and late into the night.
Let’s get ‘er done!
FWIW, if you want to drive over the hill:
Sun, Jun 26: Reno 5000 Half Marathon, 10K & 5K in Reno, NV
http://www.reno5000.com/event-info.html
i will already be over the hill vetting for NASTR. Wonder what Matt would think of doing a little diversion on the way home?? We will probably have the Motorhome.
Emailed race management to see how much is trail and how much is asphalt (might have to push a stroller, which are allowed) and whether there is an alternative to the “mandatory packet pick up” Saturday 10a-1p since that won’t work while I vet NASTR.
I agree with you on the LD thing for sure!! I have a hard time paying to go do something I can do easily on my own. However, that being said, gotta start somewhere. Griffin and Q will both be in one (Q as a buddy horse) in August. Hope next weekend goes well for you to get in the miles!