I’m sure that after a hiatus this long, I’ve lost all my dedicated readers. However, to those 2 of you who may still be out there wondering what’s happened to me, I’ll tell you.

Life happened.

It’s interesting how drastic your life can change in such little time. Right now, the only running I’m doing is with the high school cross country team I’m assistant coaching. Most of The kids are wonderful! I’m having a blast getting to know them while encouraging them to run and instructing them in various drills. I’m also student teaching freshman English at a different high school and that’s a great experience as well. My focus has gone from the next big race to getting through the school year in one piece. It is a whole different type of challenge.

So, gone are my 100 mile hopes, at least for this year. I do hope to get in some trail running and maybe a 50k or 50 miler in sometime this school year. However, time is scarce, and enjoying my weekend might take priority over running for 6+ hours. In the meantime, I’m honing my speed skills to keep up with the team so maybe my focus will be more marathon oriented. Boston qualifier anyone? Ha.

I’ll leave you all with a picture of me and Tony enjoying one of my last days of freedom until next summer. Ah, the good ol’ days…

So I guess I’m sorta training for a 100 mile race that I may or may not end up doing. In 8 weeks.

You’d think this wouldn’t be something so up in the air, but that’s the kind of person I am. Fortunately, training for a 100 isn’t necessarily that strenuous. (ha!) I’m not strictly following a training plan, because that’s never something I do. But, I am using one as a guideline and deciding what works best for me. In general, this is what I’m trying to do the next few weeks:

1. Get higher daily mileage. No more 3 mile jogs unless is a recovery run, or my second run of the day. Try to get in more 8-12 milers on a regular basis.

2. More double days. This’ll fit in my schedule better.

3. More rest days. I will try to take 2 days off/week from running, just to rest my body from the high mileage days.

4. Do a few 50k’s, and 15-20 milers as well as back to back long runs. Not sure how this will work out, but I’m going to improvise and work around my schedule.

The reason this training is so haphazard (besides the fact that, well, that’s how I am…) is because my life is going 0-60 in the next few weeks and I have no idea how successfully I’m gonna juggle everything. Starting in a couple weeks I’ll be student teaching at one high school in the mornings, assistant coaching cross country at another high school in the afternoons, and taking graduate teaching credential classes in the evening. Oh, and working at ZombieRunner whenever I can. So while I’m fortunate to have a job that will work around my schedule, it’ll be interesting to see how I can manage to fit in running and sleeping with all that’s going on.

Two other random things. One: I got this super cool new toy.

Now, I’m insanely afraid of riding bikes. I fell off once when I was 5 and got a gash above my eye that required stitches and left me with a lovely black eye for a few weeks.

While this is far from traumatic, I’m a giant weenie and a scaredy cat in general. I’m going to conquer my fears and start biking because it’ll be good cross training. And because Tony got one, and I’d be jealous if I didn’t get one too.

Two: I’m trying to eat healthier. I know, original. But I’m not trying to lose weight or lean up or anything like that. (Although if I turn into a skinny mini I’ll be okay with that, as long as I keep my muscles 😉 ) The main reason I want to eat healthier is because I want to see if I can notice some health gains. I want energy, and to sleep well, and to have clear skin, and no wrinkles, and all the wonderful things that can happen with a healthy diet. I want to fuel my muscles and replenish them when they’re worked and take the best care of myself that I can. Not that I eat just crap now, but I tend to crave sugar and eat more refined carbs and processed food than is necessary. Especially sweets and ice cream. And popsicles.

So maybe keeping my diet clean with help me deal with the stressful and busy schedule I have coming up this fall.

I know this post was a little random and a little aimless. While I probably won’t have tons of time to blog this fall, I’m sure I’ll have some entertaining stories to tell. You can’t teach high school, or run 100 miles, without seeing some interesting things…

Off to run Crystal Springs 50k on Saturday. First 50k since Tahoe!