UPDATED: I can't keep calm, I'm running an ultramarathon!

I have been looking forward to attempting an ultramarathon for some time. Even though I signed up for The Hawk 50 miler earlier this year, that doesn't mean that it actually stuck in my head that it was actually going to happen.  For those that don't know, an ultramarathon (according to Wikipedia) is defined as "...any footrace longer than the traditional marathon length of 42.195 kilometres (26.219 mi)."  They typically start at 50 km, or 31 miles...then go to 50 miles, 100 km, and 100 miles.  There are several other distances that care covered, but these are the most common.  My longest race to date has been at the G.O.A.T.z Trail Run back in 2014 and I ran ~21 miles.  And I've done some half marathon distances and an endurance event (read Obstacle Course Race, or OCR) that was the Spartan Race Beast that was ~12.5 miles up and down the Tenmile range of the Rocky Mountains in Breckenridge, CO.  So, going up to 50 miles is a leap no matter how you look at it.

I wish that I could say that I am excited about running this race, but I am not.  Okay, let me correct that....I REALLY AM!  I'm scared that I will let myself or others down and not be able to finish.  I'm also scared that my lack of training, to how well I want to be trained, won't be enough and I won't be able to continue or complete the race in the allowed time and that I will miss a cutoff.  I know that I have a very, VERY generous cutoff that I am up against (31 hours), but it is still a fear of mine given my lack of experience.

I signed up on January 7th of this year.  I figured that I had plenty of time to train for it.  Did I do enough training?  No.  HECK NO!!! Life's ups and downs have kept me mentally stressing and not focused on it.  A couple of months ago I created a training plan.  A pretty aggressive one.  I started okay, but my long runs tended to suffer and get cut short or left off for one reason or another.  So, I am naturally worried about what I can do.  According to UltraSignup.com, it estimates that I should be able to finish in around 15:28:07.  That is 15 hours, 28 minutes, and 7 seconds.  When I have looked at how I have been running my goal was to finish in under 15 hours.  According to them I will be close.  I am not totally sure how I will do, but I will give it everything that I have that day.  Maybe I will be fast enough and they "let me" upgrade to the 100 miler and I totally kill myself. Bahahahaha! Not likely!

If you want to track me that day they will have live tracking available from Timer Guys.  The website is timerguys.com.  Since the event isn't going on all you can do is find the general description of the event HERE.  The 50 mile starts at 7:00 AM CDT on September 8th, 2018.  My bib number is 586.

Oh, I did forget to mention something.  September the 9th is my birthday, so this is actually going to be a run to celebrate my birthday this year!  Maybe every year if I get daring enough to make it some sort of tradition for myself.

Until next time, keep those beats coming!

Welcome to the Orange Mud Dirt Unit!

The Dirt Unit - Orange Mud's Ambassador Program

You read that title correctly! I got an email from Kevin at Orange Mud last night.  He is the Social Media Manager for Orange Mud.  I have used a couple of different water bottles from Orange Mud and I currently am using the Double Barrel HydraQuiver quite regularly.  I'm eyeing the HydraQuiver Vest Pack 2.  There are 2: version 1.0 and version 2.0 with some improvements.  We'll see if I get one of them.  If I do get one, I will need to do it soon so that I can break it in.  Why you might ask?  If you didn't read my last post (Time For Changes) then you don't know that I am signed up to do my 1st 50 mile run next month.  I am running The Hawk 50.  This will be my 1st Ultramarathon attempt.  I would want/need to get used to running with it beforehand.

If you have never looked at Orange Mud before, they are worth checking out.  OBVIOUSLY! I use the products, isn't that enough reasoning!?  If not, how about this...the CEO/Founder, Josh Sprague, created the products originally out of his own need to fill his own void.  Once he found that it worked he figured others might want a similar tool in their hydration arsenal.  Thus Orange Mud was born from Josh's destroyed gun holster and the Kansas clay that he runs on so often.  There are are hydration packs for running, biking, SUP, and plain old walking.  They have "The Wrap" (seen at left) that is a towel that velcros around you at events so that you have a towel to change behind or simply keep things clean.  It also can wrap around your car seat to keep it clean like Caden and I did after a mud run. And no fitness company would be complete without some specialty clothing and gear bags.

For all of my friends and family that either want to try the products, or expand their current lineup...I have some good news for you.  You can use the code CECILVFRIENDS to get 15% off!  How is that for awesome!?  You can benefit from me running for Orange Mud!

Me sporting the Double Barrel HydraQuiver
at the Market to Market Relay in Nebraska.

Until next time, keep those beats coming!