2009 Training Blogs

For some time now I have been contemplating blogging about my running. This year I have some ambitious running goals so the time feels right to document the journey. I have been running ultra events for aprox 5 years now. In 2008 I completed 8 ultra runs. An "ultra" is defined as any event over marathon distance. In total I have completed 15 ultras ranging in distance from 50km (30 miles) to 80km (50 miles). Enough about the numbers!
I am one of those "ultra completers" not "competitors". I find the trails a place to leave any stress behind and a place to energize the mind, body and soul.
The big event planned this year is a 95 mile journey called the West Highland Way in Scotland. It is often completed by hikers in 5-7 days. My goal is to finish under the cut off time of 35 hours. 34.59! My hubby is originally from Scotland so it is quite exciting to run through some of the most beautiful and remote areas of the old country! Planning is underway for accommodation, crews etc...
This past weekend marked what I consider the first real training week of 2009. We travelled to Scotland at Christmas and it took what seemed like months for me to recover from a cold/flu combined with the jet lag. My irritated airway required a shuffling of meds to clear the passages so I could push on a run. All is clear now! I feel like I'm back to my usual buzz of energy. "Dialed up" is often used to describe the energy that ultra runners possess. I think this is quite descriptive! Is it the running that makes us dialed up or was it there before the running and that is why we run?