It's My Birthday....Tomorrow

13 days ago I was in Breckenridge, CO to tackle the Spartan Race Beast.  It was an awesome time and I still need to post my pictures and about my weekend trip.  Upon returning my wife asked me a question. "Now that you finished the Beast, what is your next goal?"  I didn't really have an answer for her.  I still have the want to finish a marathon.  I've attempted the Lincoln Marathon twice and had to revert to just finishing the half marathon.  The 1st time I was way under prepared. It was seriously my own fault that I wasn't ready.  The 2nd time I was more prepared, but didn't account enough for hydration, nutrition, and the temps and cramped out to walk the last 4 miles of the 13.1.  After both of those "mistakes" I wasn't sure that I'd ever get the want or confidence to attempt another.  You'd think I'd be okay since I have ran 21+ miles for a trail run, but in hindsight I was probably under prepared for that and didn't give it my all as well.

Leading up to the Beast I was listening to the Spartan Up Podcast and I listened to almost 150 episodes in the 3 weeks prior to listen all of them before I went.  I was also listening to the Obstacle Dominator Podcast and just finished the last few of those.  I also listened to all of the Orange Mud Adventure Channel Podcast from beginning to end...and more now.  And I have also started listening to the Ultrarunner Podcast as of yesterday.  I've had that one on my subscription list, but hadn't pulled the trigger yet.

Where am I going with all of this?  Well, I finally found the answer to my wife's question.  I should have trained and ran The Hawk Hundred tomorrow as the race falls LITERALLY on my birthday this year.  Okay, I probably wouldn't have been ready for the 100 miler, but with enough grit I could have possibly been ready for the 50 miler.  I certainly could have been ready for the trail marathon.  Next year I intend to work so that I can sign up for at least The Hawk trail marathon if not jump straight to the 50 miles.  I have been pushing the past couple of months on my speed and speeds that were hard for me before are a more natural speed now.  So, I need to work on this more along with my endurance.  I need to go for longer runs to increase my overall mileage.  This includes hitting up more trails to work on my trail running experience to help me get ready.  If I do the trail marathon next year, then the following I want to be ready for the 50 miler.  And then the next year do the 100 miler.  Now, if I can find enough time and energy to work for the 50 next year that obviously puts more pressure on me to move my timeline for the 100 up a year as well.

July 3rd this year I started meal prepping for all of my snacks and meals prior to leaving work every day.  I also have been drinking up to a gallon of water before I leave work to make sure I am well hydrated.  Aiding in the hydration I have naturally been using Nuun Hydration as I am a 2nd year Nuunbassador (Nuun Ambassador).  A couple of days after I started my meal prep I won the entry into any Spartan Race and talked with my buddy Pedro and signed up for Breckenridge after planning some quick logistics with him.  In honing my nutrition and all of my work at training I have lost over 10% of my body weight in just 2 months.  I started at 261 lbs. and am now down to 234 lbs as of yesterday morning!  I couldn't have done any of this without my wife's support.  She has helped me in gathering my foods each week and is behind me in my goals.  We are now working together and I am doing some meal prep for her as well to help her achieve some of her goals.

So, please wish me luck as I am making some long term fitness goals and what I hope to achieve before I turn 40.  Yeah, I said that.  I'm now creeping towards that number.