Training for my next goal race has been uneventful, albeit, difficult at times coordinating the workouts, since the beginning of June. There are eight weeks left to get ready for Bear and it's been a nice change of pace to not have the pressures to finish a race as a qualifier for other races, such as Western States or Hardrock. That was taken care of back in May at Massanutten. While I didn't run as well as I wanted to in May, due to an early season injury that prevented me from running for 5 weeks during the peak of the training schedule, I now realize how insightful Olga was in having me give it a go. It allowed me to get the proverbial monkey off my back early in the year.
Today was probably the most challenging training session I've had thus far, although is was only for 2.5 hours. I spent 1.5 hours on the treadmill in the local gym doing two, thirty minute repeats on a 7% incline. They were definitely challenging, even though I've been doing many versions of this particular workout for several weeks. Normally, the hill repeats involve an uphill run to the gym and then a run back home, afterwards. The mental aspect is probably the most challenging and the fact I am soaked to the bones dripping with sweat after only 30 minutes on the treadmill. After the 1.5 hours was complete, I jumped in my car and took the short drive back home and laced up my trail shoes for an additional 1 hour jaunt on a local, meaning literally out my front door "local", trail. The 98 degree temperatures didn't feel so bad since there was a very slight breeze and the humidity wasn't stifling in the mid afternoon.
As soon as I finished the run and pressed the stop button on my watch, I almost immediately sunk into an unfamiliar fatigue. I soon realized that it was mental strength and focus that had gotten me through the 15 miles of running. Although I was tired, it is satisfying knowing that something I don't consider one of my strengths got me through the remaining miles of my run. Tomorrow's 30 miles will be tough, but I am looking forward to it as much as a child on Christmas morning.
The Bear has awakened and it has been a singular focus in my mind since the beginning of June. The next eight weeks will be progressively more challenging, but I'm grateful I'm in the best mental state since I began running back in 2005. I'm going to need that mental strength in September--big time!
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