No.
Really.
Why?
One of the great things about the running community is
the diversity of speeds and capabilities. I have friends that are super
talented and win races. And I also have friends that run a few 5ks every year.
All of those friends have something to bring to the table. And they all want to
run, which is awesome.
I’m not a naturally talented runner and not what most
people would consider “fast”, but I have friends who are! On a good day they
let me pick their brain and I sometimes get a glimpse into what it’s like to be
fast runner. In turn, I get to tell them what it’s like to be a back of the
pack type. It’s a totally different race experience. Before one of the first
few half marathons I ever ran, my husband and I had this conversation:
Husband: How will you know where you’re going?
Me: Well I’m sure it’s marked. And I’ll just follow the
person in front of me.
Husband: But what if YOU’RE in the very front?
Me: Then hell has frozen over and we have bigger problems
to deal with.
I’ll never know
what it’s like to lead a race. But thanks to some very talented friends, I do
get to hear what it’s like. So in a way I get to live vicariously through my
talented running friends! All the awesome without all the work! Genius.
So, back to ultrarunning…. My friend Ben did his first 50
miler and his wife Steph did her first 50k at a race I was at to do my first “real”
trail half marathon. My race was SUPER fun and I got to see Ben and Steph
finish and was thrilled at how great they did! Steph finished her 50k and made
it look so stupid easy that I immediately decided that I would do my first 50k
at that race the next year (and I did). I also took it upon myself to say hey,
Ben running this 50 miler is the closest I’m ever going to get to running a 50
miler, so I’m gonna live vicariously through him! Look at me! I’m “running” my
first 50 miler! It was great to see some people I know get out there, try
something new, and absolutely KILL it!
Unfortunately, it went SO well for them, that they both
started talking to me about how doable it is.
“Oh you could do that, Erin”
“You just need to find the right race, Erin”
“Anyone can do this”
“It’s not as bad as I thought it would be”
On and on and on and on… and I kept telling them that I’ll
try a 50k, but anything else is ridiculous. It’s silly nonsense. Then I ran my
first 50k. It hurt. Then I ran my second 50k. It hurt a little less. Then I
watched Steph blow her first 100 miler outta the freaking water. And of course,
she made it look easy. And of course…. She and Ben started back in on “Erin’s
first 50 Miler”. What race could it be? What kind of cutoff?
HEY HEY HEY HEY
HEY! WHAT? NO. That’s crazy.
But they had done their job. They had planted the
seed. So when I found a race that was
flat and had a VERY generous cutoff time…. Welp. That’s when it went from, I’LL
NEVER DO THAT to…. what does a 50 mile training program look like? Then I started
training for my first (and last? Maybe first) 50 miler.
http://prairiespirit100.com/
Oh crap.
