New Training Life!!!!!

For the first time in the last year or so I feel like I have a fire in my belly to train like I use to! I have missed that feeling soooo much that I wasn't feeling like myself. I have plenty of races coming up soon that I have every intention to push my hardest at each one and not pussy foot through it like I have. Since 8 Tuff is over I have been putting full force into ultra training. Coming up in 13 days is the Flying Pig marathon which I am pacing the 3:10 group. I def jumped on this opportunity cause the following Sat I will be doing my first 50K at the Dances with Dirt in Gnaw Bone Indiana. This will be a good challenge especially mentally. My body should be pretty tired from the marathon and then coming back in 6 days to do a 50k will test me. June 16 will be the Mohican 50 miler and then Sept 7th in the Hallucination 100 miler. So I do have my season planned out and ready to roll!

As far a training has been going, well not bad at all. Have been concentrating more on long mileage which I think I'm improving alot on since Vermont 50. Have alot of 20 milers under my belt along with a 29 miler. The 29 miler took place last Sunday on 4-15. I ran from my place up to Jasons to meet him and Grace. Then we did a 14 mile loop through Mariemont and down by Lunken and back up Delta where I dropped them back off at Jasons. I then continued my way back home by myself. I made my way through the overlook like I have a billion other times but this time didn't pan out the same way. As I came out of the overlook and made a left towards the conservatory I was bit by a dog running with its owner. It got me in the right calf pretty deep. So deep blood just instantly started pouring out. This was about mile 26 into my run, so I was def not in the right state of mind. Stupid of me I did not get her info, but I just unleashed a series of f-bombs in her direction! She was very sorry and def shaken up so I proceeded to tell her not to worry about it. At this point I was determined to finish my run, so I decided to start running again. I made my way down through the park where the must have been a race going on cause I came up on a bunch of walkers. As I ran past them, a few of them shouted "hey man, your bleeding pretty bad!" knowing this already I was scared to look down. I made it all the way back to the store and saw a buddy of mine driving past. He saw me signal for him and he came an picked me up and took me home. I ended up getting 4 stitches and a Tetanus shot. Running for the last week has been a challenge. Ive been favoring my right leg therefor my left leg (knee) has been feeling sore. Although yesterday I did a 15 mile trail run and I feel alot better. So I think Ill be good for the upcoming week of training and for the Pig!

One thing that I will start working on after the 50K is done is more up tempo long runs and maybe a few speed workouts. Not talking about 200 or 400's repeats but more like 1600 or 3200 repeats. Even though most of my races are LONG, I still need to have that speed. I believe this will help in the ultras as well. Hopefully Court (also doing the Mohican 50) and I will get a chance to go down to Tenn again to get some good trail work in. The pic below is the Pinnacle in Tenn where we start and the ridge with the fog is where we run out. Beautiful views!