Seven Days Until Final 2009 Ultra

2009 has been filled with a lot of great runs.  I crashed & burned during some of them but, finished strong during others.  I'm the type of person who learns things the "hard way" in life and this has definately applied to ultra running as well.  For example, just last week during the Pine Mt. I only drank 1/2 of the fluids that I normally need and suffered for it greatly.  Why do I keep doing stupid stuff like that?! 

Despite my rookie ignorance, I am grateful to have gained so many incredible friends from running this year.  This has made running all that more special.  I enjoy the caveman/primate type bonding that takes place on the trails.  It is impossible to duplicate another runner handing you a sweaty handfull of gummies thirty miles into a race and then running together off the sugar buzz for the next few miles.  Screaming, laughing, and grinning like you are the luckiest people on Earth.

Just 10 months ago I found myself toeing the line of my first marathon (Myrtle Beach).  Since then I have had the pleasure of finishing seven ultras, a few half marathons, and some other shorter road races.  I screwed up a lot in each of the races, but learned some stuff too.  I learned that the human body can do a LOT more than we give it credit for IF you want it to.  My friend Wayne Downey summed it up beautifully heading back from Pine Mt. last weekend.  He said to run an ultra,

"You need want, but have to have desire too.  You can wan't to do it forever, but you never will unless you have the desire to train and actually do it."

So heading into the eigth & final ultra of 2009 I can already guess that being lost may be at the top of my "screw up" list for this one from looking at the map  :]

I'm excited about screwing up & learning more stuff in 2010!  Cheers to a strong finish for this year in Virginia Beach!!!