The Race is the Reward

Hill Repeats at Spring Hill

Well it's taper time again.  After a long winter of hard work, I've done all I can do.  It's time to let my body and mind rest, recover and rebuild in preparation for my next big celebration of life and running: The Grand Canyon Ultra 50 Miler.

Ever since I moved away from road running and racing, and into trail/ultra running, I've viewed the race as the reward.  Honestly, most training runs are rewarding as well, but many are done with my eye on the prize.  All the hard work during a training cycle is usually to get me to an epic place where I can be a running tourist of sorts.  Never before has this been as true as now.  Training through a cold Manitoba winter, with relentless hill repeats on short hills and long incline/decline treadmill sessions hasn't always been easy.  It hasn't been easy to juggle family and work commitments. But my goal was to prepare for an 80km tour of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon on foot in a single day.  And in less than 3 weeks I will do just that!

Just getting to the start line healthy and ready to race is a HUGE accomplishment for any ultra runner, and especially for one working full time with a family.  I have several friends who are running their first 50K race this weekend at the Spruce Woods Ultra.

I hope they each celebrate the day.  Celebrate the commitment and sacrifice that it took to get there; celebrate the ability to run not only 50K, but for weeks and months on end to complete the training; celebrate the friendships made, the lessons learned, the satisfaction of knowing that what once seemed impossible is not so impossible after all.  And of course, every first time ultra runner needs to celebrate the fact that they now consider being called crazy a compliment.

You know you're a runner when...you start planning your parties AT your races!

I will be out at Spruce Woods running the 1/2 marathon distance as part of my taper.  It will be hard to practice patience and to run easy as I know I should, rather than to race it; but that is exactly how I will need to start the GC50 if I hope to finish strong (or at least not a crumpled mess).  I can't wait to cheer my friends on and to celebrate their accomplishments as they cross the finish line!