What did I get myself into?

Back in January, I agreed to be a team member of a group in my ward and run the Wasatch Back Relay. Sigh. Okay, now, I do run. I don't run far and I don't run fast - but I do run and I thought this would be a great opportunity to really step it up and do something worthwhile, challenging, but most of all motivate me to work out every single day. Our team captain, Miss Marianne, being the excellent team captain she is (not to mention sponsored marathon runner - you see all the red flags already, don't you? I'm a fool) sent us out a training regime to follow so we could be prepared come June 20-21st. The first couple weeks are a breeze and I didn't really take it seriously. "Oh I run that anyway" I thought, "I have time before I actually have to start training." Well the days came and went. My life changed a bit the last two months with the addition of "the boy" - so I lost focus (as one naturally does) of my previous goals - life and otherwise. I still ran each week - but I didn't strive to improve my distance nor my time. "I've got plenty of time...and look at the cute boy I found," was my constant excuse.

Well friends, "the boy" and I are no longer (no no no, it's okay :) I still really like the boy but it was the right thing to do. Never fear. I'm completely fine...ish) and yesterday I went out and ran 5 miles. True. Which seems really good but it was 5 miles on a flat consistent track and in perfect weather. The Wasatch Back Relay stretches from LOGAN to Park City and is 176.6 miles, overnight, on weaving, hilly, high elevation asphalt! You just got that sick feeling in your stomach for me didn't you? That "oh yeah, you're screwed" feeling. Yeeeeah. Here was the training plan I was SUPPOSED to be following the last two months. I have highlighted where I should be by now.

INTERMEDIATE TRAINING PLAN:

Date	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat	Sun
Feb 4	3M	4M	3M	4M	3M	5M	Rest
Feb 11	3M	4M	3M	4M	3M	6M	Rest
Feb 18	4M	5M	4M	5M	4M	6M	Rest
Feb 25	4M	5M	4M	5M	4M	7M	Rest
Mar 3	5M	6M	5M	5M	5M	8M	Rest
Mar 10	5M	6M	5M	6M	5M	10M	Rest
Mar 17	5M	7M	5M	6M	5M	8M	Rest
Mar 24	5M	7M	5M	7M	5M	12M	Rest
Mar 31	5M	8M	5M	7M	5M	10M	Rest
Apr 7	5M	8M	5M	8M	5M	13M	Rest
Apr 14	5M	6M-H	5M	8M	5M	12M	Rest
Apr 21	5M	7M-H	5M	3M/3M	5M	14M	Rest
Apr 28	5M	8M-H	5M	9M	5M	5M/5M/3M	Rest
May 5	5M	8M-H	5M	4M/4M	5M	16M	Rest
May 12	5M	8M-H	5M	9M	5M	6M/4M/4M	Rest
May 19	5M	8M-H	5M	5M-5M	5M	18M	Rest
May 26	5M	8M-H	5M	9M	5M	5M/5M/5M	Rest
Jun 2	5M	8M-H	5M	3M/3M	5M	14M	Rest
Jun 9	5M	6M-H	4M	8M	4M	7M	Rest
Jun 16	5M	4M	3M	2M	Race	Race	Sleep!

Schedule Key
H = Hills - start and finish hill workouts with 10 min of easy running
/ = Multiple Runs - two to three runs within 24 hours
M = Miles

Here is a pic of the Relay I will be running in 3 months. Okay okay okay. Deep breaths. Of COURSE I'm not running the whole damn thing. Ha ha. That would be RIDICULOUS. I will be running only 3 legs of said damn thing. 12 people on our team, 36 legs, and most of them(the legs) considered moderate or easy. The very hard and hard ones I am leaving up to other team members. My team IS made up of marathon runners. They are obligated to take the 7.6M, "very hard", death hills and elevation disaster, runs. Seriously. I've ever only run a 5k and that was so crowded I didn't even get to RUN the first "K." I know I can run 5m on a track and feel fine. So I'm not THAT far behind in the program. Plus, now would be a GREAT time to find something else, anything else, to focus on for a couple months (assuming that's as long as it will take to not feel a little sad inside from time to time). So here's the plan - start training. What did you expect? That's really as far as I've gotten. Just start. I'm going to try and just pick up right where I SHOULD'VE already been and see how it goes. Now, if you recall I've been struggling with a "foot" issue - as in possible stress fracture in my foot from running on old old old, old old, running shoes. I bought new shoes to counteract this issue - and unfortunately it worked. My foot feels awesome. Well, dammit. There's no backing out of this - and besides, backing out or giving up is completely against my character - ask anyone...

Oh dear, what have I gotten myself into?