Time For A New Plan

So, there has been a change of plans. As I stated when I first began training, there was only one thing that would keep me from toeing the starting line of the Ozark Trail 100 on November 6. That was if Jakob were to have a gymnastics meet the same weekend. I knew when choosing a race in the fall there was a good chance something would be scheduled. My fear has been realized. Not only is there a meet, it is the National Future Stars Testing in Colorado Springs. This will be a huge event for Jakob where he will be compared against boys from all over the United States. There is nothing that would keep me from being there to support him in what I am sure will be a great challenge.

I have been telling Jakob’s coach for the last several months to remember not to schedule anything on that weekend. He sent me a text two weeks ago saying, “Guess what weekend Future Stars Testing is?” I have been spinning about it in my head for the last two weeks. There is no way I could miss it the meet. There are no other races in the right time period close by. There are some the first weekend of October but that’s a month less training and there is a meet then too. I don’t want to give up the run after already spending so much time preparing and thinking about it. I already paid my almost $200 fee! What the heck am I supposed to do now?

After thinking over all my options and discussing them with Sara, this weekend while floating down the Big Piney river we began to formulate the new plan. I have decided to do my own solo run on day of my 40th birthday. I will run 100 miles at Busiek on October 30. Who needs an actual race? I don’t need anymore t-shirts and didn’t plan on winning any trophies anyway. The whole lure of the run is me on a trail against the distance and I can do that alone just about anywhere. Well, a little help from friends is always nice.

Sara came up with the idea of making it into an actual birthday party of sorts. She will set up a campsite that will serve as my aid station that I will pass approximately every two hours. It’s close enough to Springfield that friends can come by and support and maybe do a lap or two with me and hopefully help her stay awake all night. The hardest part of this new run will be passing by friends and family to head out for another lap! I need to measure the exact distance of the intended loop but I believe it will be about 7 miles done a little more than 14 times. Who is going to train a little and run a lap with me?

There are several logistics questions to be answered still but it feels good to have a new plan.

Week of June 14 - 35 on foot, 48 by bike
Week of June 21 - 32 on foot, 48 by bike