Well, this is it. I have three business trips and three races in the next three weeks.
Not different than any other autumn but they are big races, and important trips (and a bunch of other stuff).

My overall attitude for the 12 hour in a couple days is that Im more than satisfied with 50k, which is a million percent achievable, and will be my 3rd ultra in less than 6 months. If I finish with miles greater than that, its just a bonus. Likely I’ll do more but Ive given myself permission to be satisfied regardless, viewing it as a training run. I’ll just enjoy the experience (it’s a great course and amazing crew) and avoid injury – as my first
100 miler is just two weeks later!!!

I am also pretty relaxed when it comes to said 100 miler and here’s why.
My mantra is I’d rather DNF than DNS. Last year 55 people out of 262 did not finish, that’s almost a fifth of the runners (17 didn’t start).

That means, Yes Im going to attempt it, and Im going to find out what Im capable of. Not what Im capable of forever and always, but in that specific moment. And it might be more or less than what Ive done before but Ive never done this course before and it is a significantly difficult course – no one can argue that.

So it is an adventure. A journey. Something I cannot predict the outcome of. It is very exciting.
Ive run 50k on a trail in 7 hours before – and guess what – it took me that long to do 20 miles on this course. Its brutal but lovely and fun.

My dream. Well, my dream specific to this race – is – that I finish of course. Im even cool with last place. I just want to make all the cutoffs and not get DQ’d, but I know that that is not unlikely (note aforementioned stat).
I am not letting myself off the hook here, Im fully hooked. I have just been going over and over this in my head lately, usually while riding my bike and I really am ok with just figuring out just what I can do – and then using that as a point to play off of in the future.

I have definitely shifted from wanting to BQ, to wanting a Western States Qualification.

I am an Ultra Runner. Lets go.