I feel like a hot mess, as they say. I’ve had no shortage of stuff to occupy me since we last spoke by blog post. My parents are coming to visit at the end of the week. The house is a first class mess. There has been work stuff. Baby Teething stuff.  (Pro tip: Don’t go shopping for Halloween candy when you’re stressed. Bag of Twix, anyone?)

It’s a familiar story. Stuff going on. Life – it happens. However, the number one thing that occupies my headspace lately is I signed up for an ultra – a 50K the first weekend of November.

Wow, I signed up for this thing in June? I think it's safe to say post-natal hormones were partially to blame.

Wow, I signed up for this thing in June? I think it’s safe to say post-natal hormones were partially to blame.

And I’m kind of freaking out about it.

This combined with some other junk going on right now is making it difficult to express thoughts in a coherent way. So my blog post this month is a list. Because lists make me feel like I’m doing something productive, like I’m in control. And in an effort to not go mad, here’s my list of Things. These things all start with the letter T. Why T? Because it’s Tuesday. There are also ten things. Hopefully you sense a theme.

  1. Terror
    Maybe that’s a strong word. How about trepidation? Serious, unflagging trepidation I’m not going to be able to do this. The course is a 12.5K lap x 4. While that does make it easier to “chunk it up,” as SBS would say, I’m a little worried it will become tedious. [Editor’s note: Let’s give Amy bonus points for another “T” word!]
  2. Training
    I felt really well-trained for my marathon in October (Twin Cities! A PR! Thank you, Find Your Strong Challenge Peeps!), and then The Wall I didn’t hit on the course materialized in my life as exhaustion, sickness, and an affinity for spending my early mornings under the covers instead of running in the dark before work. (Daylight, I miss you.) There was a time in my life when I envied those gifted to be professional athletes. But I don’t anymore. I think I’ve figured out my limit for serious training maxes out at about the five-month mark. Physically, emotionally – I’m spent. The last four weeks since Twin Cities have been seriously low in mileage due to a number of reasons: personal illness, schedule conflicts, and aches and pains I’m trying to baby as much as possible so they don’t become bigger deals. I’m just trying to get to the starting line right now.
  3. Taper
    Taper madness is a real thing, as a lot of you know. I’m suddenly having a gear crisis and agonizing over every little clothing and footwear detail. The sock that suddenly doesn’t feel right. The strap of the bra that never chafed before but now leaves red streaks. Long sleeves? Jacket? OMG, IS MY HYDRATION PACK GOING TO FREEZE? It has been a struggle to resist buying ALL THE THINGS.
  4. Terrain
    I know from experience that trails (hey, another T-word!) are more difficult for running than roads. Or let’s put it this way: Trail running requires so much more of me that I can’t just tune out, lest I trip and fall flat on my face (been there, done that). I’ve put in 90% of my work this season on asphalt or concrete in preparation for the surfaces I knew I’d be running in Twin Cities. When I pore over my run statistics after a jaunt on the trail system, I can tell I’m working a lot harder, despite the slower pace.

    Visited the Church of the Trail Run this past Sunday.

    Visited the Church of the Trail Run this past Sunday.

  5. Tooth: I lost part of my tooth yesterday biting into an energy chew. Seriously. The Over-40 fueling/dental struggle is real.

But then I think of the other Ts I should be focused on.

  1. Tenacity
    I have it, if nothing else, and if there ever was a time to call on it, it’s now.
  2. Track (record)
    Of gutting it out when s**t gets real (hard), in life and on the course.
  3. Time
    I don’t have a time goal set for this other than finishing in the allotted time and not getting pulled off the course, either via a course official with a stopwatch or a medical team with a stretcher. No worries! No need to race. In fact, a new distance means an instant PR. Bonus!

    My Saucony Rides on a perfect fall day last week.

    My Saucony Ride 7s on a perfect fall day last week.

  4. Thrill
    Being a part of the marathon challenge group and hearing about first-timers experiencing their first marathon brought back memories, for sure. It’s been 11 years since I’ve had that thrill – the anticipation of the unknown and the joy of completing a new-to-me challenge.It’s one of the reasons I signed up for this 50K, this new, crazy distance: to have that feeling again.
  5. Thanks.
    Finally, I am thankful I am able to do the things I do, to run the miles I run. I may have no idea how this will all shake down, but at the very least, I’ve been promised a lot of good food and awesome BAMR company (and a few days away from home – a real ladies’ weekend!).

    Just a few of the BAMRs I'll have fun with for this thing.

    Me and a few of the BAMRs I’ll have fun with for this thing.

And even though it doesn’t start with T, I have been promised #ThereWillBeAppleCrisp.

Have you experienced any thrills while running lately? A new distance? A PR? A new running friend who helps you tackle those daily miles?