As of tomorrow it would be two months since my last post...I just couldn't let that happen :) Good thing I have some news to share...I JUST SIGNED UP FOR MY FIRST POST-BABY RACE!
A good idea? Probably not.
Will I be ready? I think so.
Am I excited? Of course!
Am I nervous? I walked away from the computer twice to give myself time to think it through some more, because, somehow, the last three weeks wasn't enough time to stew over it.
So, it's not like the old days, running ultras all willy nilly. While I will be biting off slightly more than I can chew, it's much more low key than in the past. I will be running the Xterra Trail Run 21k (half marathon) in Ogden, UT on September 20th. It'll be a birthday present to myself :) I did a bunch of Xterra races back when I lived in Chicago and always enjoyed the low key nature of their events. I'm not sure how this event will stack up, especially since it's the national championship race ;) No, I'm not competing, and anyone can sign up and run. I just want to run trails and be surrounded by other super excited runners. It has been TOO LONG. And these will be all new-to-me trails. Yay. My friends Beth, Betsy, and Tom are also running, so that was really the main selling point :)
I've been doing a fair bit of road running with E in the jogging stroller and hiking whilst wearing said baby, but I've also done a fair bit of not running...easy to do with a four month old babe and fully renovated priority list. Speaking of, how cute is this?!
Really stinking cute, that's how cute
Yesterday, I took Cadence up Millcreek Canyon and we ran to Dog Lake for the first time this year (and Cadence's first time ever). It was a glorious, glorious 6.2 mile trail run and it felt AMAZING. That's when I decided to put on my big girl pants and just sign up for the race already. It's sort of incredible what the body remembers and while I make no claims to having near the fitness I had pre-pregnancy, my legs have done a darn good job remembering how to run. And Cadence is a really awesome off-leash running partner. Come to think of it, this was our first time running together!
I start back to work part-time next week and I'm both excited and nervous. Nervous because it's going to be weird not having a tiny human attached to my person all day long, and because new things always make me nervous :) Such is life.
I have big dreams of a 100 mile run next fall, but we shall see. Best laid plans... For now, half marathon in the mountains it is!
Paige, out.