The Aftermath

What do you do after running 59.8 miles in 12 hours? What seemed like a lot to me now is nothing in comparison to what I've run. I was on this utter high after my race for a few days, then real life set back in: my lack of security clearance (therefore lack of co-op, meaning I sit around all day doing mostly nothing) and my lack of  income due to that lack of job. Ah well, I guess it could be worse. I am lucky enough to be staying at home with my family where I do not have to pay rent or anything else really.

I have been slowly getting back into running. To be honest, I feel fine (minus a slightly tight right hamstring), but my old HS coach, who was a really big ultramarathoner in the 90s, said I need to back off and ease into it. He says I shouldn't have my miles back up for another 4 weeks. This has me worried since my 24 hour race is in 8 weeks, but I'm being good and slowly easing into my miles. I only got in 16 miles last week (mostly because I was busy and lazy this weekend and didn't get to run). It is nice to not have this pressure to hit a certain mileage in the week, but it is starting to freak me out that I will not be ready for my 24 hour race.

I had a pretty funny dream last night about my 24 hour race. It was a loop like it will be in real life, but it was really small and it was through a zoo! I had to dodge bears of all different types, monkeys, and some made up animals that my dreams invented. I somehow was in 2nd place, but was being lapped. For some reason, during my dream, the loop was small, but still 8.4 miles like in real life. I was wondering how she could have lapped me so quickly, but alas, I could not change it. I woke up at some point in the dream where I was trying to fend off some creature that does not exist in real life. Weird weird dreams, I tell you.

Well, I'm going to get in 6 miles today. I'm hoping to get my miles up this week to at least the mid-20s. I will be in Philly this weekend visiting friends and doing a scavenger hunt with my fraternity, so the weekend will not be the best time to run, but we shall wee.