I run for...a happy new year!

This view at the top of Table Rock cannot be beat!

New year, new blog post!! I have lots to catch up on. My last blog post chronicled my experience at the Table Rock Ultra 50K. It's 4 months later and I feel like I'm still reveling in the awesomeness of that day. I think it's a positive sign that it's stuck with me this long. I am definitely using it as fuel for my 2018 goals. More on those later.

Such a happy day! Completing my first 50K!

After the Table Rock Ultra 50K, I had the super strong desire to get to that next step. Because I finished relatively unscathed, I wanted to capitalize on all my training to spring board into my first 50 mile race. There just so happened to be one right in my back yard...the Tunnel Hill 50/100 on November 11, 2017. So I had 5 weeks to get in some extra back to back runs if I really wanted to go for it. I gave myself a one week break and I completed 26 miles (7 & 19 miles respectively) the very next weekend. It seemed like it was going to be possible but then I changed my mind. The crazy part is that I changed my mind because I felt like it would be too easy. Lol. I've come to the conclusion that I crave elevation change in a race. In my opinion it keeps it interesting and it is definitely more challenging.

Once I opted out of doing the 50 miler, I began focusing my energy on completing our local Trick or Trot 5K sponsored by the agency for which I work. I do this race every year as a final cap on my racing season so it's more for fun than anything else, just an opportunity where I can dress up in costume and hang out with family, clients and coworkers. To my surprise this year, I won first in my age group and for best costume! That was an added bonus to an already amazing year for my "Year of the Comeback".

First in my age group and for best costume!

I took somewhat of a "break" over the holiday season but researching the whole time as to what was coming next and keeping my mileage up in case of a spontaneous decision to run a race. Sometime in December I finally decided what I wanted to do. Without further ado here are my goals for 2018:

1. Running streak of at least 100 days

2. Spring Marathon

3. First 50 mile race

Current status:

1. I started my running streak on New Year's Eve with a 7.6 mile run. I have run every day for the last 28 days and still going strong. Total running streak mileage equals 82.4 miles. I've learned so far that there is time in every day for at least one mile if not three or four. It's not that much time out of my day! So my goal is 100 days but I highly anticipate that it will go beyond that. After 100 days, I just can't imagine myself being like "Okay, that was cool. Now I'm done. No run tomorrow." I also recently saw on one of my ultra running Facebook groups that one of my idols (Catra Corbett) has been doing a running streak for over 5 years!! Say what?! This amazing woman had to drop from a 100 mile race because she had the flu but still managed to shuffle for a couple miles to keep her running streak alive. I strive to have that kind of determination. I guess in 5 years we'll see. Lol. :)

2. My decision to do a Spring marathon was kind of just because it made the most sense. For the last 2 years my mom and I have done the 10K on the weekend of the Illinois Marathon in Champaign, IL. Last year we both had a great race. For one, we didn't lose each other like we did the year before. Secondly, we both got PRs! Last year my mom went on to complete her first half marathon and has discovered that just crossing that off a bucket list is not that easy. Lol. So this year for the Illinois Marathon weekend she is going to do the half marathon. I looked at my training schedule and my mileage and I'm practically already trained for the half marathon so I thought I might as well do the full! April 28, 2018 is the date. We are 12 weeks away and training is going exactly to plan. I'm excited to potentially get a PR for the first time at the marathon distance.

3. This is the big one. There are literally hundreds of different 50 mile races I could choose from. I spent hours upon hours researching, planning, crossing off, prioritizing, wondering, dreaming, etc. about which race to choose. And wouldn't you know it that the race I've chosen is not for the faint of heart. It's a challenge for sure! I have finally settled on The Hitchcock Experience 50 mile race on December 8, 2018 in Honey Creek, IA. The race consists of a 12.5 mile loop (4x) with an overall elevation gain of 9856 ft (that's almost double what I did last year in the TRU 50K). The challenge of it is a big reason why I chose this race. Another is the location...I've never done a race in Iowa and I'm trying to expand on the number of states where I've done races. I ultimately would like to do a race in every state. (currently: IL, MO, OH, NC, GA). This race also has a 100 mile race along side it. In my research, I have found that cutoff times for the 50 mile race were more generous when a 100 mile race was going on at the same time. That will be of huge benefit to me, especially in a race that has so much elevation gain! Even though training won't officially start until August, you better believe that everything that I do this year is in preparation for this race. I want to achieve this goal SO bad I can't stand it. Because the truth is....I really want to be doing the 100 miler but I am trying to have patience and go through the proper steps first. Finishing this 50 miler will mean I'm finally ready to make the leap to the 100 miler - a dream that seems elusive now. One day....

There you have it! My goals for 2018. The beginning of a new year also means that I do a lot of reflecting on my running journey as a whole. It helps keep things in perspective for me and I get a lot of inspiration from how far I've come. Here are some of the more interesting things that I've found:

Since November 5, 2011 when I started my running journey, my total mileage equals 3,759.

My initial commitment to myself was to run at least once a week. In the entire 6 years and 2 months since I started, I've ran 282 weeks out of 320.

I ran the most miles in 2014 - 804 miles.

The most amount of miles in a month - August 2016 @ 106.28 miles.
The least amount of miles in a month - February 2017 @ 3.43 miles (chronic sinus infections)
Number of miles in my first month (Nov 2011) - 6 miles
Number of miles in the last month (Jan 2018) - 82 miles (with 4 days to go)
Number of 20+ mile runs - 17 (10 in the last 2 years)

While my running journey is mine, I also seek to inspire others. I'm here to tell you that once you ignite the spark inside of yourself, you'll never know what you can accomplish. I share a lot of my past and my stats because in the beginning I was where so many of you are now. It's not easy but it starts with the simplest of steps/goals. If all you can commit to is once a week (that where I started), then do it! I promise you that after you conquer that, you will be on to the next thing and then before you know it, you'll be running marathons or even ultras. :)

I run for...50K.

It's official. I completed my first 50K!! The year of the comeback is (almost) complete. This was the biggest part of my comeback story this year - to train for and complete the very same race that was the beginning of the end for me last year. I finished in 10:38:12. My conservative goal was to finish in roughly 10 1/2 hours so I'm pretty proud of myself, even if it is slow. Just took a look at the race results and I just happened to be the ONLY Illinoisan to compete. The great majority of the people in the race were from North Carolina and I'm sure they are very familiar with the mountains and the trails. So overall, I can't complain. Here's the official race report.

Me & Hubby

The day started bright and early at 4:00am. I kept to my Keto diet that morning by taking in some MCT oil with my coffee and then eating a Quest bar for breakfast. My nutrition plan for the day was to stick to what I had been doing in training - almonds, reduced sugar craisins, and bacon jerky. I packed up all these goodies in the morning and as a safeguard I threw in one GU gel (Campfire S'mores flavor!! Yum!). I also packed plenty of Saltstick tabs to replenish electrolytes and filled my water bottle with Nuun. After packing my supplies and getting ready, I used the rest of my time to chill out. I read some pages out of my book "Born to Run" and then repeated my mental block busters to myself. About 5:30am my personal support team, comprised of my son and my husband, woke up and within 30 minutes we made the drive to the race start.

Me & my son

The race begins at the Steele Creek Campground, which is about a 30 minute drive from downtown Morganton. There were lots of runners that slept in tents at the campground the night before. Maybe one day I'll be that hard core. Since we got to Morganton late on Friday night, I had to do packet pickup before the race. I walked over and got my race bib and t-shirt. One last trip to the potty and then I was ready to go. I stood by the start line with my son and husband and I was in great spirits! Not too nervous at all. One woman came up to me and shared her concerns that I she had packed too much. She had on an unusual hydration pack that was obviously full of supplies and had collapsible poles attached. We chatted briefly about doing the race last year and she shared with me that she had just run the Boston Marathon this year. Wow! She told me she'd see me around and well, I knew I probably wouldn't be seeing her again. If she ran Boston, she'd definitely be too fast for me to keep up.

I made it to the start line. The race director made his announcements and we started promptly at 7:00am to the sound of banjo music. Just one of those things that makes me love this race so much. I knew from last year that the first 5 miles were where I needed to make up some time if I wanted to start off on the right foot. I started out faster than I typically would and stayed pretty well within the middle of the pack. The first mile is completely flat but you are running through a giant field (that will also be the last mile of the race). After that you hit the first section of single track trails. This section slowed me down some because runners were lined up one by one trying to make it through. After this section of single track, you cross another big pasture and on to some rolling hills. These hills are very similar to most of the hills I run during training so again, this is where I knew I could push myself a little harder. Up and down on soft grass laden trails with the sound of creeks nearby. This part is SO enjoyable. First aid station comes in at mile 4.8. I made it there with an average of about 15min/mile (my aggressive goal). It was a hot day so I filled up my bottle and away I went.

After aid station #1, I knew what was ahead. This was the part that got me last year. Lots of single track trails, lots of creek crossings, lots of switchbacks up the mountain. I stayed in a positive mood the whole time and kept thinking of getting farther than I did last year. The switchbacks were still a challenge for me this year but I did not let myself stop. I powered through the pain and the fatigue and just kept climbing. Shortly after I finished with the switchbacks, I made my way up to aid station #2 on the gravel access road. This is again where I knew I could push myself a little harder because at the end of it was aid station #2 and my first cutoff time. Aid station #2 comes in at mile 10.2 and you must make it there by 11am - that's 4 hours from the start time. Last year I barely made the cutoff and this was a big factor in my decision to drop to the 30K. This year I made it to the aid station with an hour to spare! And to top it off I was feeling great! I filled up my bottle once more and took some time to rest before heading out on the next part. The guy at the aid station gave me some great advice on using my time on the gravel access road wisely. He forewarned me about the climb to Table Rock and wanted me to make sure I made the cutoff.

There's Table Rock in the distance. How much farther?!

On to Part 2. To make the 50K distance (and the elevation gain) more manageable, I broke the race into 3 parts. The first part was everything I did last year up to aid station #2. Part 2 was the meat of the race. 10.2 mile aid station to the Table Rock summit and to the last aid station cutoff. This is what I was most worried about. As I made my way from aid station #2 to aid station #3 at mile 16.5, the very slightest bit of doubt started to set in. Thankfully I was at the back of the pack with some amazing runners. Every so often I would pass someone or someone would pass me and I would hear "Good job" or "Looking good. Keep it up." or "You got this." So, so wonderful to know that there is a sense of "we're all in this together" when you're running one of the hardest races around. The trek to mile 16.5 was not an easy one. I tried, like the guy at aid station #2 said, to use the gravel access road to my advantage but it was steady uphill for at least 4 miles. I got to aid station #3 though and filled up my bottle once more. So far I had only eaten some bacon jerky and about half of my almond/craisins mix but I was still feeling satiated and had not experienced a bonk yet. Still feeling good I made my way to the summit of Table Rock.

This next section was nothing but single track trail and it was ALL. UP. HILL. Every single bit of it. I began to panic for the first time in the race because I was having a hard time remembering whether the next cutoff time was 1:00pm or 2:00pm. About 30 minutes before I reached aid station #3, I had texted my husband to ask him and he gave me his reply: "Looks like 1:00pm". Time to push. I really didn't think I was going to make it to the summit before then. My husband also tells me that aid station #4 is the summit but that didn't sound right to me either. Then he tells me that the summit is at 19.3 miles but I was pretty sure it was around mile 17 or 18. AHHH! What was happening?! I tried not to think about the time too much and just kept pushing. The uplifting part about this section up to Table Rock is that you also pass all the people who've already reached it and are on their way down the mountain. Everyone was SO encouraging. Once again I was flooded with these cheers: "Looking great", "Good job", "This is the hardest part. I swear.", "You're 15 minutes from the top. You got this." I even saw that lady from the start of the race when I didn't think I was going to see her at all! I stayed positive and repeated my mantras to myself. At one point, the most I felt like I could do was climb for 30 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds. Climb for 30, rest for 10. I did this for what seemed like forever but it was really only like a mile. Once I reached the rocky portion of the Table Rock Summit, I felt such great relief. It leveled off some and became easier to climb but then....I would turn a corner and there was another section to climb. Then another corner, another section to climb. How is this possible?! How can I still be climbing?! I looked down at my watch. Big mistake. 12:54pm. If the cutoff was truly at 1:00pm, I would not make it. How could I bring myself to say "I reached the summit" but then have to drop due to not making the cutoff time?

Almost there...but not quite

As I neared the summit, I saw a familiar face from the back of the pack. She cheered me on as I came up to join her next to the photographer. The photographer took my picture and then it was up a few more steps to get my race bib marked. I thought it was weird that they would go through all that hassle if I was going to end up dropping the race. So I asked the lady in front of me, "Do you by chance know when the next cutoff time is?" She said, "Oh we have plenty of time honey. We have a good 48 minutes or so." Wait, what? The cutoff time was actually 2:00pm!! Hooray! About that time we made it to aid station #4 with about 45 minutes to spare. Hallelujah! Everyone at this aid station was so relieved. It was the last cutoff we would have to make before the end of the race. I took quite a bit of time to rest at aid station #4 because I just wasn't feeling right. When I sat down I started feeling lightheaded and ended up lying on the ground with my feet up on a cooler. I stayed horizontal for awhile before I got up to fill my bottle again. I attempted to eat a PB&J but that just made me sicker. I decided to just push through the feeling. The section right after aid station #4 was another short jaunt uphill before taking the plunge down the gruesome trails you just climbed.

The view from the top!

Finally!

Back down I go...

You would think after 17-18 miles of running mostly uphill that you would welcome the chance to go downhill, to give yourself a little "break". Nope. Not the case. In fact, after running uphill for 17-18 miles it is the hardest thing ever to try to control your legs to run downhill and OUCH does it hurt. There's a tendency to want to let yourself go and especially make up the time that you spent climbing uphill but there's just no way it can be done safely unless you are very, very skilled at running downhills and do this for a living. And I am not that person. Haha. I think I went downhill just as slow as I went uphill. Eventually I made it back to aid station #3, which was also aid station #5. All I needed was to fill up my bottle and I was off again.

Part 3 of the race...the last 10 miles. I had about 4 1/2 hours to do it. I totally got this. For the first time all day, I felt the need to crank up my music and not because I needed the motivation, but because I was ready to celebrate this accomplishment. For the most part, the trails the rest of the way down were easy compared to all the rest. I covered some new territory but eventually got back to the same section of gravel road and single track that we ran on the way up. I felt the urge to take in some GU right before aid station #6 and I'm glad I did. It was just the kick in calories and carbs that I needed to make it the rest of the way. At aid station #6 I switched over to filling my bottle with Gatorade for the extra calories and off I went to the last 4.8 miles of the race. Right here and now I was in uncharted territory. I had never ran this far before. Would I feel any different?

1 mile to go. 1 happy girl.

I absolutely felt different in the most wonderful way possible. It's not really something I can even explain. Yes, my legs were hurting. My feet were DEFINITELY hurting. I couldn't be certain but I was pretty sure that my feet were bleeding or had blisters on them. My back hurt. Even my arms hurt. But I soldiered on. I walked when I had to but I pushed myself to run as much as I could. The nice rolling hills from the first 4.8 miles were a comforting sight. The air was cooling. Finishing this race was becoming a reality. Last section of single track. Boom. Last mile through the pasture. Boom. I crossed the bridge and turned towards the finish line. There was my son waiting and cheering me on. A group of runners sat at a picnic table cheering me in as well. I saw my husband as I closed in on the finish. The race director stood at the finish giving me a high five as I made my way across. My prize? A gray 50K hoodie that I will cherish for a lifetime. This feeling. This feeling right then and there...is priceless. It's this crazy, undeniable thirst and desire for more and more adventure and more and more life. There will be more races like this in my future. There will be a 50 miler and a 100 miler. As long as I continue to have blood in my veins and air in my lungs, I will continue to push myself beyond my limits to see how far I can truly go.

That's it! After the race we spent the evening in Charlotte, NC. I got my pizza and chips as my reward meal. I definitely had some nasty toe injuries...one black toenail and a gnarly blood blister on another. It's day 4 post-race and I don't have any more soreness. Finally feeling back to normal again. Now I'm settling into a post-taper run routine. I'll be training soon in the hopes of gaining another PR at my 5K race in October. That's really all that's on the race agenda for the rest of year but you never know!

I run for...the mountains

Less than 24 hours before race day. I'm a mix of nerves and excitement. Last year's performance is constantly in the back of my mind. There's an obvious fear that I won't finish the like last year, that the elevation will prove to be too much. On the other side of that fear is knowing that I was able to run 20+ miles of the same course and roughly 4000ft of the total 5700ft of elevation gain. Last year being able to complete the 35K left my dignity in tact so that I could avoid the dreaded DNF and it was definitely the most difficult run I've ever finished in my life. This year I know better. I know the course. I know the climbs. I know when to step on the gas and when to pump on the brakes. I've trained for this.

Elevation Profile - Last year I made it to the 10mi turn around

The 50K course map

My plan going into training this year was to get some more trail experience and do more overall that would make me a better runner. In comparison to last year, I've definitely made an improvement. In addition to the endurance aspect of training, I focused on what would help me with the elevation - trails, stairs, and hill repeats. I also did more core work and cross training this year. Lastly, some jump rope to help with my foot strike and coordination. I don't want another fall like last year! Although, it could have been a lot worse.

24 hours before race day this is what I'm focusing on: hydration, nutrition, and mental training. As far as running goes, I know I've done all that I can do. I've been tapering my mileage for the last 3 weeks so my primary goal has been to be the best me I can be at the starting line. Hydration and nutrition is simple for me. Now that I've transitioned to a LFHC diet like Keto, I'm honestly not as worried about bonking out on the course but I am increasing my salt intake quite a bit. My hydration strategy has pretty much been the same for the last 5 years. I drink to thirst and make sure I alternate between electrolyte drinks and water. It's going to be hot day on race day so although there are plenty of aid stations, I plan on bringing both my hydration belt and my handheld with me on the course.

Mental training part 1: Every year this means something different to me. This year it's more important than ever. I've reviewed last year's race over and over again. I know that in the moment deciding to drop to the 35K was the best decision for me but I cannot shake the feeling that mentally, I could have been better prepared. I big reason for last year's failure had to do with not understanding the course or the elevation and have lofty goals for myself. Once I realized I could not run my 10-11min miles, I immediately got discouraged. This year I'm more realistic. I have three goals: a conservative one, an aggressive one, and one somewhere in the middle of those two.

#1 (conservative) - Pace: 20min/mi     Overall finish time: 10.5 hours   

#2 - Pace: 17min/mi     Overall finish time: about 9 hours    Projected finish time: 3:56pm

#3 (aggressive) - Pace: 15min/mi     Overall finish time: about 8 hours

Mental training part 2: As I'm writing this, I'm currently listening to my Ultra/Mountain playlist.A mix of motivational songs and mountain songs to keep me focused on the task at hand. I don't plan on listening to music on the race course but will listen to it all the way leading up to the race. It will also be ready to go on the course if needed for an extra boost. This year's theme song - Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons.

I was born to run, I was born for this

Whip, whip
Run me like a racehorse
Pull me like a ripcord
Break me down and build me up
I wanna be the slip, slip
Word upon your lip, lip
Letter that you rip, rip
Break me down and build me up

Whatever it takes
'Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins
I do whatever it takes
'Cause I love how it feels when I break the chains
Whatever it takes
You take me to the top I'm ready for
Whatever it takes
'Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins
I do what it takes

Mental training part 3: I've come up with some mental block "busters" to help motivate me during the race. Typically I will come up with a mantra or two each year but this year I've created a whole list. I need all the motivation I can get.

1. One foot in front of the other. 1, 2 (this has a nice cadence to it and I've used it during training runs)

2. I love doing this (sometimes I need convincing)

3. My legs don't hurt 

4. I can breathe. My lungs are open.

5. I did 21 miles of this course last year.

6. I did 4000ft of the 5700ft of elevation gain last year

7. I run for those who can't (and I will keep those individuals in my mind throughout the race)

8. I run in remembrance of those I've lost (and I will think of them individually)

9. Pain is only temporary, the feeling of achievement lasts forever.

10. Keep going.

11. Run happy. Smile.

12. I have completed 4 marathons. I can do this.

13. I can eat whatever I want after this. (Carbs included!!)

14. Giving up is not an option.

15. The time is now.

16. Be fearless

17. You are tougher than you think you are

18. Think - easy, light, smooth & fast (from Born to Run) 

So that's it folks. Nothing left but to conquer that mountain. This has been quite a journey this year. Last year's failure. Being sidelined from running for at least 2 months. Surgery 6.5 months ago. A spring PR at the Illinois Marathon 10K. Signing up for Table Rock 50K again. Training on the trails and through the heat. All to hopefully be able to officially call myself an ultrarunner and on to my first 50 miler or 100 miler. 

Stay tuned for the race report to come in a couple days. Thanks for everyone's support!

I run for...my comeback.

We are halfway through 2017 and yet I feel like I'm just at the beginning of my journey to a comeback. In March, when I wrote last, I had just started running post-surgery, training for a 10K and hoping to finish better than I did the year before. Well I did exactly that! I finished my 10K with a PR!! (1:12:01) It was just the spark I needed to remind myself how far I've come, not just since my surgery, but since my entire running journey began 6 years ago. I am stronger than I think I am. Comeback milestone #1 ✅

In my last blog post in March I was also talking about scouting out my next ultra race. Well I have officially signed up again for the Table Rock Ultra 50K. I could not get this race off my mind. Yes, it will be difficult. No, I didn't finish it last year. BUT, I did run 35K of the race. AND, something I realized....the 35K was an elevation gain of 4,000 feet. The 50K elevation gain is 5,700 feet. SO I already completed much of the climb last year. This was a major confidence booster for me and reminded me once again that anything is possible. Comeback milestone #2 ✅

Now that I'm returning to my inaugural ultra attempt, I will have to change some things. I didn't finish last year for a reason. Sometimes it's really hard to nail down one specific reason why a race goes horribly wrong. However, last year I feel pretty confident that I did not get enough training on the trails. Trail running typically equates to elevation gain so last year, while my distance/endurance was exactly where it needed to be, this year I somehow need to get more elevation gain in on my training runs. One way to do that is to continue doing hill repeats (5 x 600m, 7 x 600m, etc.). I've already started doing this is accordance with my training plan and so far it's gone off without a hitch. The next thing that I've heard helps, when you don't have mountains in your backyard, is to run stairs. I'm writing this already 6 weeks into my ultra training and I have yet to do this but my goal is to attempt it at least 1-2x this month. I have to admit I'm not so thrilled about running stairs. (Is anybody?!) And of course, the last thing to help with the elevation gain is to finally get some real, bonafide experience on the trails. I'm happy to report that this is already occurring.  I have 2 runs under my belt on an easy trail close to home. This weekend I have a trail run scheduled with a moderate level of difficulty and the hope is to eventually get some trail experience on the Table Rock Ultra race course before race day.

Trail run!

I love the trails!

Besides working on my elevation/trail experience, I will also focus on doing more to become a better runner in general. I've started doing a few things but I'm constantly on the lookout for opportunities for growth and development. The first thing I'm doing, which is totally new to my training, is jumping rope. I heard in a podcast that this can be helpful to trail runners because it enhances coordination and helps them be more aware of their foot strike, a skill that's especially needed out on the uneven terrain of the trails. Secondly, I'm putting more effort into cross training. Cross training has always been a part of my training programs in the past but I would typically discount its benefit to me because it's not "running". Well now that I'm actually doing it I can attest to its benefits. From what I've noticed it helps me with strength, endurance, recovery and boredom. It's not subtracting from my running like I thought it would AND I'm enjoying it. I ride my bike, dance, do yoga, walk, swim and would be in favor of trying other things as well. Along with cross training, core workouts have also been a neglected part of my training in the past. This year I've been sticking to it and doing even more than what's required. My training plan incorporates core workouts onto the end of training runs 2x a week. These are typically short 10-15 minute core workouts. In addition to that I'm doing 2-3 longer core workouts as part of my cross training or weekend runs. Core strength will help me become a better runner too through stability, coordination, and endurance.

Another positive step towards my comeback is that I just completed my first 20 mile training run a week ahead of  schedule. Even 6 years into this marathon/ultra training journey, I am still amazed at the ability to push myself beyond what I thought was possible. Even knowing that I've done it before....it still feels like an impossible feat once I get out there. This is the mental part of training that most people don't realize. Running 20 miles and beyond is a constant battle between telling yourself you can't and convincing yourself you can. Then when it's all said and done you really feel like you can do anything. Next up for me is 22 miles. Just 10.5 weeks stand between me and my second attempt at the Table Rock Ultra 50K. This is my mountain, literally and metaphorically, and I will do whatever it takes to conquer it for my final milestone in the year of the comeback.

I run for...healing.

This post is a long time coming...almost 6 months to be exact. If you will think back with me, my last blog post was a recap of the Table Rock Ultra, a race that was disappointing to say the least. It seems as though since then my running journey has been through its ups and downs. After Table Rock I knew that an ultra was still my dream. I trained to run the 50K at Table Rock so the mileage was there. I quickly signed up for my next attempt, the Land Between the Lakes Ultra in March.

Training for the Land Between the Lakes Ultra started off great. I kicked things off in the first week of November with a 10 mile run. The weekend of Thanksgiving I ran a total of 23 miles in 3 days. I was feeling great, ready for the opportunity to redeem myself. Then in December things started to go downhill. I was hit with a sinus infection that had me struggling to get through my workouts. Despite going to the doctor and taking an antibiotic, I was not recovering. (This has been an ongoing issue for me the last 4 winters. I have had sinus infection after sinus infection with no relief until spring hits). My doctor finally recommended that I see an ENT. It was about that time that I quickly realized that running made my sinus inflammation worse. The doctor advised that I take it easy. I followed doctor's orders as much as a stubborn and crazy runner can. I still got in about 10-15 miles on the weekends but the fatigue and pain in my sinuses made it hard for me to keep up with my weekday workouts. Not to mention I had all of this going on with the stress of the holidays upon me.

January 1, 2017 was my last long run in training for my redemption race. 13.1 miles to kick off the new year. A week later I had strep throat. When the antibiotics for that were finished, I still had symptoms and was diagnosed with yet another sinus infection...3rd for the winter. I had my appointment with my ENT and it confirmed what I had feared...I would require surgery to fix my sinus issues. The scan of my sinuses showed that almost my entire left side was swollen shut. That was the pain and the pressure that I was feeling for months! It was somewhat of a relief to have some answers but with this news, my journey to the Land Between the Lakes Ultra was over.

I ran one time between January 1 and March 1 (the date of my surgery). After being down and out for 3 days after this short 1 mile run on the treadmill, I gave up trying to tough it out. I would just have to wait until after my surgery to get back into the swing of things. I walked A LOT and it was so depressing. All I wanted to do was run. The fear of the surgery almost had me wanting to reschedule for later in the year. Then I remembered how much this has been affecting my running and I knew I needed relief sooner rather than later.

Surgery went SO well! Of course it was painful but I only had to take a few days off work and after about 5 days, the difference was remarkable! I could breathe much easier, my smell and my taste improved, and I had no more pain and pressure. In this moment, it was hard for me to pull back on the reins and not jump straight into running. I waited the required amount of days (10!!) before easing into some exercise once more.

Day 11 post surgery - walked 30 minutes.
Day 13 post surgery - FIRST RUN COMPLETE - 2.26 miles on the treadmill
Day 15 post surgery - 2.72 miles OUTSIDE

First outside run!

And today, 18 days post surgery, I completed 3.7 miles outside. I would call that progress! It's so weird for me to be in this place. After every marathon there was definitely time for recovery and healing but it was 3 weeks at the most and I could still do some easy running/jogging. Two months of NO running is completely new for me. Starting from square one is completely new for me. So this year is all about healing and staging a comeback! I need to prove to myself once again how strong I am. I need to recover and heal from the disappointment of failing to complete my 50K last year. I am going to better, stronger, faster.

The first goal on my journey to a comeback is to complete the Illinois Marathon 10K with my mom. Last year we ran this together in the freezing rain and ended up losing each other at the end. It was hours (probably not that long but it felt like it) before we found each other. My goal is simple - to finish with a better time than last year. After this my slate is clean and I will start the scouting process for what races I want to run this year and I will start to plan my training in accordance.

Ready for my comeback!