SUPERIOR!!!!

Finally the Superior Trail Races (Fall version) are here!

For some like me that means running the Moose Mountain Marathon: 26.2 miles on the Superior Hiking Trail. For others that means running the Superior Trail 50 mile or the Superior Sawtooth 100 mile. And for others that means volunteering to make these races happen.

Not everyone emails or blogs, but the excitement level of those that do is very high... and it's contagious. I find myself pumped up by the excitement of the aid station workers making plans to provide the best support possible, the runners going back to complete some unfinished business, the runners going to attempt a certain race or distance for the first time, and everyone else involved for whatever reason. It's fun and easy to get caught up in everyone else's story, so every now and then I have to remind myself that I'm actually running too! :)


So speaking of me running, here's a picture of me finishing the Rochester Half Marathon a couple weekends ago. In the last year I've started running more miles, on more trails, with more hills, played around with low heart-rate training... and a couple months ago observed that I had gone from slow to deathly slow. It seems I'm making a little bit of a comeback as my Rochester Half time was a PR for at least the last 7 years.

Woohooo, right? Well, yeah. It's always fun to have a good race and do better than you expect. And some increase in confidence is a good thing. Being over-confident isn't so good though. Last Fall I ran a good half also, and then proceeded to crash and burn at Whistle Stop after deciding I should "PR or bust". That was just plain foolish and I have no intention of repeating that mistake.

But then again, it would be really cool to put in a good one on Sat! I would like to move from total survival mode on these long runs to where I push things a bit. hehe And that's part of the fun, isn't it? Where's the line between pushing a bit and crashing and burning? I guess I'll see if I can figure that out on Sat. At least I know that whatever happens, I'll be out there with a bunch of great people - both those trying to finish their particular race and those doing everything they can to help us along the way.

I hope all the Superior runners have a great day (or day and a half, whatever the case may be), and a big Thank You to race director Larry and all the superior workers making it happen!!