A Walk In The Park August 20, 2008

warning: this post is all about me =)

Today I’m at home finishing packing for my adventure. What adventure? you may ask?  Well…. it’s a little endurance event that my brother and I cooked up a few years ago while out on a backpacking trip together. Starting tomorrow (3:30 ish a.m. – 5:30 at the trailhead) a group of 9 of us are going to start off on a trek around the Wonderland Trail…a trail that circles Mt. Rainier. The trail is roughly 93 to 97 miles long depending on detours and which book you read. There is close 40,000 feet of elevation gain and loss and typically people take anywhere from 7 to 12 days to finish it….We’re attempting to do it in 3. yep. THREE. Once you’re finished it’s as if you climbed and descending the mountain a few times.

Our first day is roughly 36 miles. Day two is roughly 34 miles. And day three is close to 27 miles. We are traveling fast and light (well at least light =) and have a support team (angels) who are setting up our camp and cooking our food for night. They’ll take care of us when we ramble in. The first day is a guaranteed 15 or more hours on the trail. Why am I doing this again?

Last time we did this I was pregnant so couldn’t go. Out of the 11 that started only 4 (?) finished. I haven’t mentioned anything about this until now partially because i’ve been trying not to think about it too much and partially because I wasn’t even sure if I could get ready for it in time and still not sure how I’ll do. I’ve been doing all my training by myself so I have nothing to measure against…it will be an interesting trip for sure. I at least have to complete the first day because once you start there’s no way out but to finish =) actually I guess that’s the same for the following two days too.

So for the last few months while my family slept I’ve been waking up at 5 a.m. (NOT my thing) to go run, swim and lift weights. Fridays I ride my bike. I try to get it all in before Fiona wakes up so that I’m not taking anytime away from her. On Saturdays I still get up at 5 – for the same reasons – and go for 3 to 5 hour runs since getting to the trails is too hard for me if I want to spend time with Fi. At least I’m home usually before she eats breakfast and she’s had a little daddy time. Sundays I rest.

So I’ve put in the time. I have the gear. Now I just have to do it! I’m SO NERVOUS!!! I always get nervous before events – but this time maybe it’s different. It feels so wrong to be so far away from fiona…i didn’t feel like this when i went to europe even! Fi will be staying with her dad and I won’t probably see her until saturday night or sunday morning. I’m really having to focus on channeling this all in a positive direction. Another new experience for sure.

So – that’s it…now it’s out there. My return to endurance events in a grand grand grand scale. I will post next week sometime to let you all know how it goes. Send me lot’s of strength. Strength to endure. Strength to manage the certain discomfort =) and Strength if I have to throw in the towel.