Last one

Saturday morning marks the end of my 2012 racing season. I will be running a local 5K. My racing season started back in February. The season has stretched out 10 months and I will have run a total of 15 races.

I'm really happy to wrap up the season. I have done things I never thought I would have done years ago. I have run two 50 milers, a 24 hour race and two marathons. My ultra races were huge to me. So much time and training have been put into it. There were days I didn't feel like running, but I did because I needed to. All of those runs helped me accomplish my goals.

When I first started running half marathons, I said to my husband that I never wanted to run a marathon. He said I would at some point. He jokes with me that "I showed him". Most people run a half marathon and then move up to the marathon. I didn't do that. I went from half marathons straight to ultras. That was a huge jump. I decided to make that huge jump because tons of people run a marathon. If you know me, you know I like to be different. I try not to go with the crowd.

I figured after running two 50Ks in 2011, it was time to run a marathon. I ran a marathon two weeks before my first 24 hour race. I called the marathon a training run. The week of the marathon, I probably ran over 80 miles. When the marathon started my legs weren't that fresh. It was what I needed. I needed to know how my legs would feel during the upcoming 24 hour race. I didn't give up and kept shuffling along. When I finished, I was happy to be done. My second marathon was run on a very hilly course. I decided to hang with a pace group for this marathon. I was with them for the first 10 miles and lost contact with them when I chocked on water at an aid station. The hills were very tough and many times I thought of just dropping out. I talked myself into kept going and eventually ran through the finish line. Marathons aren't my favorite, but I will run them to help train for ultras.

This weekend I won't be running an ultra, but something short and quick. I will love every step of this race and I hope to do the best I can. That is all I can ask for.