Zion 100

So I'm all signed up for the Zion 100.  I actually went and bought the map of the course, downloaded a training schedule *shutter* and started training.  I do not do training schedules very well.  I have always hated "having" to do a certain number of miles at a certain pace.  It makes it not fun for me, and I've always said if it's not fun I can't do it.  This time I'm going to do it smart and follow a training schedule in the hopes that I can finish 100 miles.  The heaviest days in the schedule for first-timers at 100 milers are 30 miles one day and 20 miles the next, then two days off, then lower miles for three days (10, 12, 15), then do the heavy miles again the next weekend.  It focuses on those high back to back mile days and then the rest to heal, instead of speed days like you would in a marathon.  I really like that about it.  It counts "time on your feet" over a couple days time rather than speedwork days and careful counting of mileage.  Every time I try to do speedwork, I get injured in some way.

Speaking of injuries...  I've been doing nothing but treadmill all summer and have developed a strained hip flexor.  I ran outside today 10 in the morning and 7.5 in the evening and didn't hurt a bit.  I guess the longer stride and faster pace on the treadmill was hurting my hips.  I'm so glad it's cooling off so that I can run outside now!  It feels so much better.  I never thought I'd say that.  I've always loved the treadmill so much.  I think getting older makes you have to constantly change the way you do things with the way your body is reacting.

Anyway, the long run days are going to be Fridays and Saturdays.  They kinda have to be, I think.  There may be Saturdays when I can't due to family stuff, so I will have to juggle on those weeks.  But for the most part, I am going to try and do them Fri/Sat.  On Fridays I'm going to try to wake up at about 5:00 AM and run for about an hour and a half until Noah needs to be up and getting off to school.  Then after the last boy leaves for the bus at 8:20, I will put Sarah in the jogger and jog her to school the 2.5 miles, drop her off, leave the jogger and run while she's in school (2.5 hrs)  and get in however many miles I can do in that time, then jog her home.  I don't know how many miles that is going to amount to.  Then I have to do another long one the next day sometime, someway.  It might be in the evenings, which requires I eat really carefully.  Big meals eaten at any time of the day don't sit well in your gut during a run in the evenings.