DNF’s and Moving Forward

I finally decided to re visit my blog. It has been a long time since I have written anything. I look back to when I first started writing and realize that I started blogging November 2012, 6 years ago after the birth of my son. I was very passionate about running and wanted to share my experiences and love of running to whomever would listen. I used to follow many other bloggers who would motivate me and made me want to be a better runner. I had hoped to do the same, but feel like I have failed. As the years progressed, I wrote less and less.  But I would like to give it a try again.

Life has gotten busy, but lets be real who's isn't? So where do I start ? It seems like I have tried to re start blogging many times. Blogging was therapeutic for me, like running is.  My last post was about my first ultra marathon, the Monument Valley 50 miler. It was a wonderful experience and I decided to sign up for a 100K race the following year. 

I have since run a few more marathons, finished a sprint triathlon and DNF'ed (Did Not Finish) my attempt at a 100K this past May. I had gone into the 100K race with so much hope and had hoped to at least finish so the DNF was a huge blow to me and my pride. I had always heard about people not finishing races because of different circumstances, but I never thought it would be me.

I was able to go to Boston this past April to cheer my friends at one of the coldest and wettest Boston Marathons in history.  I was inspired by so many and have not given up hope to maybe .... one day I will run it myself.

I decided to take the summer off to recharge. I have enjoyed the past few months running for pleasure and when I wanted to without following any training plans. I enjoyed training for my first triathalon. I spent more time on my bike and swam a little. The triathalon was something that I had always wanted to do and it was a good distraction for me. It allowed me to continue training but at a lower intensity.

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It was the first time in a long time where I was not obsessing about following a training plan and making sure I was out everyday pounding the pavement. I spent the summer riding and running trails with friends.

We took a family trip with friends to Lisbon in August and a few weeks later I did a mother daughter trip to Madrid with my daughter and a friend. Both these trips sidelined any running that I had planned to do. But I had an amazing time exploring new places with family. Seeing their faces light up from all the new things they were seeing and experiencing.

After, my DNF in May my friends decided that we should to another ultra next year. I really wanted to do it but the fear of letting them down was always at the back of my mind. I was having a bit of a pity party but in the end, we signed up for the Antelope Canyon 50 Miler in March 2019.   I am lucky to have friends who believe in me and are willing to drag me through the desert again. Come and follow me on my journey. 

I am going to try to post once a week, if not once a month to keep the readers updated on this next training cycle.  Honestly, I am not looking forward to the many miles that I will be logging the next few weeks leading up to the 50 miler, but I know I will be so thankful and overwhelmed when I am running in the desert in March.   I enjoy the friendships that I have made over the past few years through running, riding, and all the activities we do.