Making Training Fun….

I feel alive and free on the trails……

goofing around on old round bales…

YIPPEE …. 254 days until the VT 100!! There will be a few other races before that to get us ready.. Since the VT 50 this past September, we’ve taken very little time off from running. Guy has run the VT 100 six times, finishing four! He’s hoping to snatch up his 500 mile buckle this year, I’m hoping for my first 100 finish! We’ve decided for 2017, we’re really going to put a ton of effort into training. Learning to train our legs, minds and stomachs for the long haul, hopefully creating a much more enjoyable hundred miles….I’m loving my new book I bought.. “Running Your First Ultra” By Krissy Moehl. Krissy is an insanely accomplished Ultra runner. I love reading about her life experience with running and her training schedules are incredible!!! Lots of do’s and don’ts. With hard work and dedication, you can do this, whatever distance you choose. Check it out, it’s a keeper! A book I will keep coming back to!

We’ve really decided to document a lot of the training this year. You can follow me at VTRUNNERMOM on Instagram. I think when you reflect back on whatever your goal is, you totally remember the whole journey, not just the big day. I want to focus on each moment, each run, feeling more around me in the woods…listening to the brook, or the crunchy leaves under my feet, the sound of my breath as I conquer the hill. I was just saying to Guy on our run yesterday, that “I feel so alive and free!!” Coming through my injury, I have learned that life changes and it’s ok. I think change can empower us and give us strength to new things. I’ve definitely put more energy into running than riding my Arabians, but at this moment, it feels right! I feel for the first time since the accident, I’m listening to the little voice in my head and what’s in my heart…..Life keeps moving forward and I’m happy to be along for the ride.

Taking the iPhone along has created such funny memories…..we take it out and take small videos or snap goofy/inspiring pics of each other! It gives your heart rate a brief break and a chance to act like a kid again. I love inspiring people around me to get up and get out. If you enjoy walking, running, biking, swimming, riding, etc… try to spice up your training..We forget that we are actually training, because we make it FUN!!! Everything we enjoy in life should be fun!!

Guy head standing !!

Keeping a running log has kept me accountable, a great app I downloaded on my iPhone is “Running Log”. It keeps track of daily, weekly and monthly mileage and time. In October, I ran 84.20 miles! That was exciting to see….Usually I would just kinda guess, this makes it more of a game..