One thing I love about running is how accessible of a sport it is. Lace up, step outside and go. No commute, no planning or extra equipment needed. Running is there for you when you need it, no matter what time of day, just you and the path ahead of you, one foot after the other. However, I am currently obsessed with the idea of hitting the trails again - which are no longer just a step outside of my workplace or home, making it not nearly as convenient as it used to be. I LOVE trail running and got two trail runs in this weekend which both required a small commute. Not only does trail running satisfy this hippie that lives inside of me that feels connected to the earth and believes my soul is tied to the woods, ocean and nature in general... but it is hard to describe how it makes me feel. The soft, unpredictable earth below my feet, the danger of roots and slippery leaves, mud, puddles and holes. The wildlife scurrying around, complete silence besides my own breath, the birds, and the wind shuffling in the trees. It's as if I'm connected to every human that has ever run - since the beginning of time, running in the woods has been the same as it is for me in that moment. I also love the hyper focus trail running requires. You have to keep your eyes directly on the path ahead - one misstep could mean a rolled ankle or worse. I have certainly fallen in the woods before, but thankfully no one is ever there to witness it.
I signed up for my first ultramarathon. January 9th - 50k.
Nothing too crazy - except more than half of it will be after the sun sets... night trail running, should be fun!
Since my last post, I have been researching ultras nonstop. I bought 3 ultra books (and pre-ordered a 4th). I started reading a book by Scott Jurek called Eat & Run. He's super famous in the ultra world. He has won almost all the elite ultramarathons - and recently just beat the world record for the Appalachian Trail speed record, which was 46 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes on the 2,168-mile route - and he beat it by 3 hours. He ran for 46 days - which averages almost 50 miles a day. Incredible. I find him particularly interesting to read about because he eats a plant-based diet. One of the most elite ultrarunners in the world, winning races without eating meat (and any animal products).
(Scott Jurek celebrating finishing the Appalachian Trail and setting a new record)
For those of you who don't know me well, I've spent about half of my life as some kind of vegetarian. I've never been someone to talk a ton about it, because it used to embarrass me and actually still does. Whenever you tell someone you don't eat meat, they either make fun or judge. For me - it is simply this: my body feels and runs better on a meatless diet. I've never really eaten much red meat. I can count the number of hamburgers I've eaten on just my fingers. For Ironman, I decided to try to start eating meat again. I felt that there was no way I would be able to get enough protein by sticking to a veggie diet when training for 15+ hours a week. I'll admit, it makes my life a lot easier to eat meat. Going out with friends and family... life is so much easier not having to explain this whole "vegetarian" thing to people. Despite "eating meat" again, I ate, probably (I didn't track it), meat at one to two meals per week. It was hard to force meat into my diet. Fish was always easiest. (I grew up eating a lot of seafood - byproduct of having a father who does accounting for most of the fishing industry!!) But, I'd say that I completed Ironman without much help from meat protein. The protein shakes I drink are Vega - a plant based protein, and I ate a lot of quinoa, yogurt, oatmeal, and veggies. I believe I got enough protein to fuel my body and am glad to see extremely successful athletes doing the same and continuing to excel within their sports.
I'm not saying that I think being a vegetarian is something everyone should do. Or that it will make you feel better and become faster like I feel it does for me. Or that you're wrong for eating meat, or anything like that. I'm simply saying - this is me. I don't like to eat animals. I love running in the woods. And I want to become an ultramarathoner. I am aiming for a 50 mile race as my next ultra goal after this one (maybe 100 miles eventually), but after my next Ironman. I still have some goals to accomplish in Boulder next August.
Quote for the week:
The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche
Song of the week:
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