I can't believe it. After almost 17 months of staying put, I'm finally getting on a plane tomorrow for the Mt. Hood 50! Packing was a long and arduous process since I had to pack for myself, but also for my two kids who are going to sleep away camp next week. I think I started putting things into bags 2 days ago. My bags are finally 95% packed. I still need to throw in a few more items for the kids.
My bags + bags for camp
I'm super grateful that I'm going to be getting to the start line healthy. Fingers crossed that nothing happens between now and Saturday. My left ankle that had been bothering me most of this training block is now barely noticeable. I have a bit of tightness in my right quad, but that has been able to warm up after a few miles on recent runs. This week's runs have all felt really good. Just short little runs, but it's still great to run feeling strong and relaxed. I really think that all of the cross-training, mobility, slant board, icing and massage has kept me healthy.
Mentally, I'm in a good place for the race. I'm excited to get to go out there and run on the PCT and take in some amazing views. My daughter just gave me an arm tattoo that says, "GOAT of Moms" with a little picture of a goat. She's awesome and my middle son donated $4 to the fundraiser I set up for the race. It's going to be so cool to see the shed/barn the farm will be able to build with this fundraiser. Today, I've already reached 90% of my original goal of $5,000. Hoping I can get closer to $9,000 as a stretch goal.
I am the proud recipient of my daughter's first tattoo.
I've spent a lot of time this week mentally preparing for the race. I printed out an elevation map of the course with all of the aid stations. My approach will be to just get from one aid station to the next. Chunking the race up into 5 miles at a time will make it much easier. On the back of the elevation map, I wrote down some mantras and reminders that might help me through rough patches.
You can always keep moving.
Check in with your body. Do you need to eat, drink or take salt? Check your form. Breathe. Enjoy the journey.
If you're feeling bad, tell someone they look strong.
In the sunny sections- I am powered by the sun.
Do not think of pain as pain- it's a temporary sensation that means that you're working hard.
Ride the magic carpet up those hills. C'mon butt cheeks!
50 miles, endless smiles. Keep smiling.
Bring a good attitude.
You're ok.
Today is the celebration for all of your training.
Finger crossed that all goes smoothly for the flight. Summer travel is never fun. I'll definitely be aiming to get to the airport early. I decided to bring one bag to check in and another with all of my race day essentials that I'll carry on. Packed plenty of snacks for the long flight and downloaded some running movies to watch on the plane. I also brought "The Happy Runner" with me in case I want to read something. There are some fun positive messages in there and also some goofy sections that will make me laugh.
When I arrive in Portland, number one priority will be to figure out the food situation. I'll need to figure out a couple of dinners and I'll definitely want to pack something for after the race. I plan on making a big batch of something on Friday so I can have something in the fridge for after the race. On Sunday, I don't want to have to worry about cooking at all. I'm assuming that I won't be wanting to move much. Hoping to be partially recovered by Monday or Tuesday so that I can enjoy some of the local hiking trails, even if it's just a stroll around a lake or a very slow hike up to catch a view or two. Right now, the weather is looking perfect for the week. Can't wait!
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