Recap

Training for Cactus Rose continues.

I worry about two things:
1. The Hills.  The elevation chart has been posted to our site several times.  It looks more like a heart rate monitor read out for an extremely healthy person than an elevation chart...but that's what it is.  It's not that I can't do hills, in fact there was a time that hills were something of a specialty of mine.  But where I live currently, there are NO major hills to speak of.  So most of my training is done on courses with the elevation change of a pancake.  Not a good way to go into an ultra that prides itself on drastic ups and downs.
To prepare for the hills, I've taken to doing lunges during my training runs.  I will run about 100 yards, do 20 lunges (10 on each leg), run another 100, do more lunges and repeat for about 8 sets.  I don't know if it will help but it is a tough work out.

2. The Distance. It's 50 miles on rough terrain.  Come on.  You'd have to be STUPID not to be a little concerned about it.

Lately, I'm afraid I'm on the verge of burning out.  I am so tired all the time.  I don't get excited for my runs like I used to.  I make myself get up and do them...and I'm logging faster times then I ever have before but the motivation and joy isn't there like it used to be.  Don't get me wrong...I still love to run, I just feel so tired starting the run that it is hard to enjoy it.

 Last month I did more then 175 miles - including a 20 mile long run and several tough back to back runs.  I am already well over 100 miles for this month as well and have a 24 miler planed for this coming Saturday.  After that I will go into a much needed recovery week.  I think I may need to cut back the speed work this week and do a full week of easy runs leading up to the weekend.