Managed to get out for a run tonight. Nothing big, just an easy 4 miles. Felt alright. Quads a bit stiff, feet a bit sore. Otherwise feeling good other than the normal complaints. I'm working on a race report, hoping for more photos to show up online to refresh my memory! 

Pre-race

Pretend this is dated last Thursday! I forgot to post it, it's also unfinished but now it really doesn't matter! 

I've ran twice in the past ten days. I guess that means I've been tapering for Snowdonia 50! Honestly I probably needed it. At least I know I won't be going into it over trained! 

I'm excited. It should be a cool run whether I end up being a Competer or just a Completer! 

I need to look at all this hard work that seems is for nothing as what it truly is: base building for the future. I may not have the ideal training schedule I want now but if I can overcome this time now while increasing my fitness under stress and poor conditions I can only hope it will pay off. 

Patience. Positivity. My time will come. 

All geared up for the race. The kit list is the same as Lakeland 100 so I'll have pretty much exactly what I had before with a tad less food, lower powered headlamp, and since it looks to be raining maybe a long sleeve. 

Hoping to head out about 4pm Friday. Race start is Saturday at 630am. 58 miles, 8000 vertical feet. 

Sorry but there's no tracking. There may be a Twitter feed or Facebook updates through the race director but I'm not sure. Here the info:

Website: http://snowdonia50.com

Twitter: @snowdonia50

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Snowdonia-50-Eryri-50/1437846893137349

I've accepted my situation. Snowdonia is a go even if I'm a "completer and not a competer". I think Cotswold Century is off. I really don't need it for any lottery or prerequisite so I may as well skip it. 

I've been hardly running at all but in the grand scheme of things I'm essentially tapering for Snowdonia I guess? Nothing I do now will help me in the race. 

The little dude is shifting his sleep schedule finally. Today he slept until 7! So it's happening. 

I just need to be patient. 

And like that motivation is lost. I didn't run at all Sunday. It's fucking impossible to clock decent miles currently in my life. 

I seem to set a high standard for myself. I know how fast I can be. I know I can do well in these races. If I have the time to train and recover properly, but as I mentioned the reality is I'm 38, married, two kids under 4. That time is extremely limited. 

Running is a very selfish activity and I try my best to work around my family which when my mornings are available is perfect. I'll bang out twenty miles before anyone is even awake. Perfect. No one even knows I've been gone. I currently don't have that luxury and it's just not working. 

I think I need to buck up, accept the reality, and just do what I can and be happy. Easier said than done. That means no Cotswold Century 100 (I've yet to register anyway). I'll run Snowdonia 50 in two weeks and try not to get too down on myself if I have a poor race. Who knows? It could actually go well. Then maybe run Beacons Ultra (46 miles) in November just because I'm registered and I hate to throw out the money. 

Snowdonia will get me in the lottery for CCC (Courmayeur - Champex - Chamonix), essentially a smaller version of UTMB in France/Italy which will qualify me for th Western States 100 lottery in 2017. So at least I'm on track still. 

I don't know. So many thoughts going through my head with this.  

I get so frustrated with myself sometimes in training for these races when the reality  is I'm 38, married, with kids. I do not have the required time to train properly to perform at the level I'd like however I think I can make it work. 

I can't. I can't and won't be able to until I get the morning back and a consistent sleep pattern. 

I work so hard to keep up this routine and then every few weeks it all crashes down. Consistency is lost. I'm exhausted from lack of sleep, forgetting to eat, or lack of time. I feel like I am able to carve out time, it's there, but when the motivation is weak that time is lost. 

I'm mulling all this over while trying to wake up at 2 o'clock in the afternoon in anticipation of a 20 - 25 mile run tonight after everyone is asleep. 25 miles is wishful thinking but with only running twice this week so far (16 and 6!) it really needs to be done. I'm not sure if I have it in me though. 

Two weeks until Snowdonia 50 so a bit early to taper since the past couple weeks have been shit but maybe it's the way it will be. 

Better rested than overtrained right? 

Got to go play Play Doh. 

The Sunday night long run happened and it seemed to be a good thing. I did my Arley - Severn Way loop (16+) and then made up the final few miles around town. It was late when I finished. A good thing. I struggled with the last two miles. A good thing. So I'd assume the effort was just right. With the sleep deprivation and lack of food/water I'd categorize this run as a bonk run. I needed these things bad the final miles! 

It was dark early so I'm glad I had my big 'ol Petzl Nao headlamp. Motivation was tough as always but mentally overcoming this and the discomfort of the bonk can only be a good thing. 

I didn't take any photos. It was a dull night and darkness fell early it seemed. 

Monday I did get out to ride mountain bikes and as expected it was super fun as always. Riding with my co-worker at Cannock Chase was great. Finally was with someone who could ride the entire XC loop. Had a look at all the "black" (most difficult) graded sections but only rode a few of them. Since I ride maybe once a year my confidence wasn't as high as normal. Most of these were rock gardens with minor drop offs. The rest of the riding was fun single track. The craziest thing is seeing trails rated for difficulty, it really puts the trails I cut my teeth on into perspective! Essentially 75% of the riding in the southwestern US would be graded "black"! 

It was also nice to actually get a workout in. Other times I've been out with "weekend warriors" and although still fun, it's not really exercise, more of a noodle around.

Monday JKD I was worthless. The little dude hadn't slept well in a few nights, add in a nighttime 20 miler, mountain biking, and I was cooked. Just couldn't focus. 

Knocked out 16 miles with the little dude on Wednesday at the Wyre Forest. He puked up his breakfast due to a hidden burp before we left so I wasn't expecting much. However he had some milk around mile 11 and was good to go. I like to see it as he needed to hit up the aid station! 

Actually a nice break. I rarely am able to just sit and be outside. Or maybe I just don't make it priority to, I'm always on the go. Reminds me of the Colin Fletcher quote, something to the tune of "sitting on a mountaintop thinking about sitting on a mountaintop thinking about nothing at all". I always liked that idea and now married with kids those precious opportunities I used to live have been replaced! 

The Chariot will be hung up for a while as my daughter will be at home for three weeks. Her daycare gig is on hold for a bit over the school break. Training is and becomes more difficult now. As I've mentioned before those Chariot runs seemed to be very effective. The way I see it if I can at least get in three runs of 11 - 20+ miles each week I think I should be good. Although "junk miles" are important, time on my feet is what I need. 

With Snowdonia in three weeks focus on two more 20+ runs and anything else hills, then taper the week before the race. Depending on how I recover from the 58 hilly and possibly technical miles one more 20 before Cotswold? Otherwise just try to be consistent. Consistency has been tough, I had been doing great but then fell back a bit but still keeping the focus on long runs. 

Anyway...... I'm rambling on now. I keep comparing now with my pre-Superior 100 training and I'm doing ok. I can't get my calisthenics habit to stick. I'm not as consistent, but I've got more long runs. I do what I can. 

Well it's Sunday and I've ran twice this week for a total of 20 miles. Life isn't treating my training very nicely. Not too sure how I feel about it all. Stress is high with the wife's job, moving house, still getting settled, kids, etc. I'm fairly proud of the sod I laid in my yard though! Just hope it lives!

Hoping for a solid long run tonight. Have family in town starting this afternoon which are normally 50/50 burden/help. More like 75/25 now I reconsider! It is good to see them though since its unfortunately a very rare occurrence, even for the "local" family.  

I think I need to get a race vest out, load it with my big headlamp, food, water, normal camera and just go. Having extra stuff and the option of brightening the darkness is motivating. 20 - 30 miles would be nice and ideal. 

Tomorrow I'm getting away to ride mountain bikes with a co-worker of mine at Cannock Chase. Very very excited! Cannock is a mountain bike "trail center" with sweet maintained single track and all the amenities at the parking lot (food, showers, bike wash, bike shop!). Think of going to an alpine ski area but for mountain bikes and it's free! Check out their YouTube page!  

The guy I'm riding with has fitness too! Ironman finisher, ultra runner, now full time cyclist due to a knee injury from getting hit by a car bike commuting. He's stoked too so it will be fun. Not that I mind riding with the less fit, it's all fun, but getting the heart rate up and covering more miles will be great. I look forward to hearing "let's do another lap!" versus "I'm tired let's get some food."