Fall Plans........

I have been thinking about everyone doing Superior and Kel's post kept coming home, that was a great post for gaining insight to just how long the 100 is.

So yesterday as I got to work, I thought about everyone that was doing the 100, they were an hour away from their start, I thought about my pre-race nerves from other events. Were they thinking (freaking out) about fuel, pace, hydration, weather, course and/or were they calm and relaxed? While we were at dinner they were 10 hours into it, how were they managing themselves, staying positive, enjoying the scenary, chatting with fellow runners, zoned out and alone, anticipating the coming darkness (I can only imagine where I would be), when I woke up they were 22 hours into it, for some they may have a few hours left but for many they will be out there for another 12+ hours. Wow, that is a long time to be on your feet, I have a lot of respect and admiration for what everyone is trying to do. The battle within they are all going through would be interesting to experience, maybe next year I will be willing to try.

I have been giving a lot of thought over what I want to do this fall, would I like to get a couple more states completed, yes, would I like to run my first 50, I think so. Do I want to travel to other locations, consume dollars, family time, spend weekends driving to and from, not really.

So I think I will do what I mentioned in my last post, I will create my own events. My plans will be to do a double marathon weekend and then do my first 50 mile training run.

So next weekend, I will do my double marathon.

After I do this, I will know that next year I can run back to back marathons to get 2 states completed in a weekend. If I have trouble then I will know that I need to adjust training and I can work on that. I also think I need to be able to do this for my confidence prior to attempting my first 50. My plan will be to run 26 miles or 6-7 hours whichever comes first on Saturday and then repeat it on Sunday. I am debating where I want to run, Afton, River bottoms (Eagan), River Bottoms (Jordon), River Bottoms (Bloomington) and/or Lebanon Hills.

I know if I run the River Bottom Eagan loop - Cedar-494-Fed land-St. Paul, that I can easily get in 18 miles without backtracking and adding 8 more wouldn't be a problem, I will have to figure out my hydration drops but other than that it should work out well. Or I could run the Bloomington loop - Cedar to 169, can't remember the total distance but it should be 13 miles one way or I can make it that. Or I could do a couple loops at Afton, would be harder on the body but the hydration would be easier. Or I could run Lebanon Hills, I would do a couple 13 mile loops so the Hydration is covered. My other option is the River Bottom down around Jordon, I have never run here and I think it would be a good spot to carve out my 50 regardless it's always fun to run somewhere that I haven't been.

So I will give some thought to which course or courses I want to do, figure out my logistics and then go for it next weekend............