Prelude to Race Season 2014

I've never been more excited about a race season than I am this year.

But FUCK...that was a long winter.

However, the winter was used as an advantage. I trained, and I trained, and I trained, and I did some more training. My favorite type of training is Crossfit. I love it, because like running, I continue to grow and improve. Jeff, my trainer, has been the most stable and useful source of my fitness. Even though we are polar opposites, I feel like we really balance each other out and have learned so much from our fitness behaviors. . I knew we would work out well, when I almost puked and walked out when he made me do 300 burpees as a warm up. Almost a year and a half later, I still see huge improvements and gains in my fitness. 

I learned a lot from my race and training schedule last year, and it is a huge goal of mine to NOT make the same mistakes I made last year. The biggest mistake I made last year was that I got burnt out. I worked too hard to place in races that really didn't matter that much to me. So by the time I got to the race that DID matter, I was done. My body and mind could not take another day of the pressure or realizing I had absolutely no personal life at all. On top of that, my mother became extremely ill a week before the Worlds Toughest Mudder. After spending days in the hospital with her, I knew my mind was not focused and did not care about that race anymore. I needed to do some soul searching and find the joy of my passion again. 

Georgia Death Race, Leadville, Devils Backbone, and WTM are the main goals this year. However, doing as many tough mudders as I can to be around my first fitness family...my mudders. A couple Spartans thrown in the mix with some other fun runs to keep me humble :)

I feel like my runs are symbolic of the person I have become.  I spent last year dabbing my foot in different types of runs. I felt like Obstacle Course Racing was going to be the main idea for 2014, but I realized and accepted that my heart is with ultra mountain runs. Will I ever win one of these events? Fuck no. But my heart and soul will continue to grow with these amazing challenges, and folks.. that is the WHOLE POINT of running.

Race season starts on Saturday. I am running the most runs I have ever ran this year. I can only hope and pray that my training will put me on some podiums again. Although, if it doesn't, Im so blessed to be at a fitness level I never imagined being at. Im also EXTREMELY blessed to be surrounded by an amazing and inspiring fitness family. 

Until Georgia.... :)