Quick Fargo update

I ran a two minute PR and came in with 3:34.24! Full report to follow!

Fargo Tracking

Okay! My bib number is 286 and if you go here on race day, you can track me. Race starts at 8:15 am. Temps are looking better all the time - weather.com says high of 72 with thunderstorms. Weather Underground updated this afternoon to a high of 70. SSW winds = perfect! I'm chomping at the bit and ready to go and I love running in the rain! Good luck to everyone racing this weekend - let's tear it up!

Fargo in 5.

T minus five days! Now, I go away for the weekend and the weather forecast jumped up 10 degrees. What's with that? Right now it's sitting at a high of 79, breezy, and a chance of thunderstorms. Like I try to always say this closer to race time - perfect! We're still a decent amount of time away, weather prediction wise, though. It does bring up a slight hesitation, as their water stop spacing is far from spectacular. At least, according to the race map. The map shows water at 4.25ish, 6.4ish, 8.25ish, 10.5ish, 12, 14, 16, 18 (yay, normal!). Then nothing until 21.4ish, then another at 22.5ish and nothing after that. There is, however, another spot on their website where they just list the aid stations. This listing is a more normal every two miles starting at mile three and every mile starting at 21. That's a pretty major difference in aid stations . . . So I'm contemplating bringing a handheld - either a normal size (so big!) or my tiny one (so small!). But, first things, first - I asked them if the map or the listing is correct. If the listing is right, then I won't need to bother with my own water but if the map is right and it's warm out, my own water might be good. Of course, in this day of instant gratification, I want my answer now! I don't want to wait until the next business day which is when a response will probably (hopefully) come. Whine.

It looks as though there is runner tracking, though that also confuses me a bit. You go here. And maybe only on race day it gives you the option of the Fargo race? And it looks like a map thing so not something that sends you text or email updates.

I'm ready for the race, now! I had a good race at Western Waterfront - tried to focus on pushing it just a little without full out racing it. There was someone in front of me that I think I could have caught had I pushed the last mile harder, but I didn't want to leave my Fargo legs on the Western Waterfront trail I ran what felt like one of my better races there, though times aren't comparable since it's a little short with the new course.

5 days is a long way away! But, I still need to wash my running clothes and get packed and finalize details, so I guess time is good. I'm definitely of the type that likes to pack one of everything, just in case the weather changes dramatically. I would much rather lug things around then realize on race morning that I sure wish I brought my sleeves. Or hat.

I'm crazy busy this week - I joined a retriever training class on Tuesdays, NMTC race on Wednesday (though I won't race it, probably just run it easy), trail work Thursday (unless I'm behind on packing), leave on Friday! So I'd love to say I'll post again before I leave, but maybe not. Since I'll be home Saturday night, I'll try to post on Sunday :) If you don't track me, though, you can look up my results here if you can't wait to hear from me.

Birthday present!

I finally jumped on the bandwagon and got a pair of Vibrams! They were on super sale at the Midwest Mountaineering Outdoor Expo down in the Cities so even if they don't work out for running, they'll be worth it for other things. I've been on one run with them so far - I'm being super careful since I want my knee to be happy with them but I've walked around them a bunch, too. So far I love them! They aren't so good with slippery surfaces, though, like hardened, slick snow or frost covered rocks and, I would imagine, mud. There is a new version of the KSOs out that have a sort of tread on the bottom, so those are probably better for slippery, but they weren't on sale so I went with the original KSOs. They are super comfortable on my feet, though, and it's very neat to feel what you're running on. My feet seem to stay much warmer in them, too, since they move around so much more than in shoes. I also suddenly understand my friend Marcus and his quick, short gait going down hills . . . I was, of course, in between sizes leading to almost 45 minutes of trying to figure out which pair to get. I went for the larger size since they were instantly comfortable, with the thought that socks would then fit in them, as well. I'll keep you updated with how they go.

So the big dilemma in my life right now is how I'm torn between the Fargo marathon and my spring ultras. Every time I run trails, that's what I love to be on and what I feel like I enjoy most. However, I have made plans to run Fargo with a friend of mine (hi, Kelly!) and we're going for a 3:30 and hope to go to Boston together. Running with Kelly is super exciting and I still want to get back to Boston and show it what's what or at least not have a miserable race there. Fargo looks like a fun marathon - it's run through Fargo, has lots of music, and it sounds as though there's lots of local support. Kyle will come with and camp and I'm friends with Kelly's husband who is awesome about getting multiple places in a race.

I'm pretty sure I'll be disappointed if I don't go for a fast marathon while I still am in my 'peak years' - like how I say that as though I'm sooooo old? I don't even turn 30 until next year :) I have this one fast marathon from a couple years ago and that's it. I need to do it again - I feel as though I haven't even gotten close since then, though, now that I think about it, I have run within 6 minutes of my PR since then. The only problem is that running a good road marathon requires, get this, road training! How silly. Winter coming will help that, at least, with snow forcing me onto roads more often. There's also the part where I have to get my road head back and I worry that I don't have enough time to do that, though I have 24 weeks come Saturday. So I know some of my indecision/hesitation is coming from fear - and if that's the main part then my only answer is to buckle down and do Fargo.

The other part is that running Fargo means not running the Chippewa 50K hard (if at all) and not running the Spring 50K at all as it's the same day as Fargo. However, again, it's not as though this is my last year to run races. I don't have to do the same races every year. Plus, I'm thinking that some road running/getting my road head back should help with my speed (or lack thereof) in ultras. And running two road marathons (I signed up for Grandma's with the cheap prices since we already reserved campsites in Two Harbors but right now I am not planning on going at it hard, especially if success comes in Fargo) in the beginning of the year could prevent me from running too many ultras in that first half and burning out/injuring myself for the second half of my year.

I plan on keeping long trail runs in my schedule and doing two long runs on the weekend, one road and one trail, as I'm heading back to Voyageur for sure. The trail run long will be secondary and shorter until after Fargo but it'll still be there. So I'm sort of following two different training plans at once and trying to merge them.

Also? I'm excited for track workouts!

So, thanks for listening to me talk things out. That seemed to have helped me quite a bit. Time to go register for Fargo. The next decision is whether running Chippewa at all is a good decision.