Plans Have DEFINITELY Changed

On Friday I received an email about the Bulldog 50k which seriously changed how I viewed the next few years of my life. Initially I was devastated but if there's anything I've learned from parenthood over the last 2 years it's the ability to adapt to change. (STILL LEARNING) 

I realized around this time last year that I wanted to try (and might actually be able) to run an ultra and a month after that found out about the Bulldog. I thought I might be able to run it last year but life proved otherwise and I was fine delaying my ultra to this year feeling that I'd be much more trained and ready. Today I am much better prepared to run longer distances and have done a few trail runs but know that I can definitely be ready for 50k (32m) by the end of August. But then I received the new 50k qualifying requirements.

NEW 50K QUALIFIER REQUIREMENT: Please submit one of the following:

(A) Official finisher at any previous 50K mountain trail run (give name/year/time), or .........

(B) Sub-4:00 finisher at any previous Bulldog 25k Trail Run (give year/time), or .........

(C) Sub-5:00 marathon finish within 12-months (give year/time)

A and B do not apply which means I would really have to hustle to accomplish C in time to register. I'd have to be able to pull a sub 5 this Sunday at the OC Marathon or in 2 weeks at the Pasadena Marathon. I think there's a good chance I could do sub 5 at Pasadena but I just don't want to. I don't think I want to do any big races anymore. I'm a RnR and LA Marathon veteran so I might feel comfortable doing established or organized races in the future but because I have a toddler and a husband with a crazy schedule the larger races and destination races are a logistical nightmare. 

The main issue is that I wanted to crush this goal this year. I didn't care about time, I just wanted to do it. To say I truly am Ultra Lauren! And why can't I hold off another year? Crush it next year? Because if Music Man and I choose to have another child I would like to do so before I'm 35. I know many parents are having children later these days but for my, and the baby's, safety I'd really want to be done with pregnancy before 35. It's also important to me that there isn't a huge gap in age of my children. Now if I can't get pregnant or something changes I'll be sad but I know I will eventually adapt. But children and family are so much more important than running an ultra marathon. So what I'm saying is, plans have definitely changed.

I still see an ultra in my future. Hello Bulldog 2014! ;) If I'm not pregnant in August I will definitely run the 25k. If I am pregnant, there's a good chance I'll still be able to run the 25k next year to qualify for 2014. 

So now I truly need to focus on nutrition and start seducing my husband ;)

Either/Or

Exercise: 7 mi run/ no idea what pace. Around 9:30 or 9:45 avg?

Little Man and I went out for our longish run today. I had planned to just do my easy 4 mile loop because Music Man is home but he suggested I run as long as I want (makes it easier for him to work without us as distractions.) So I upped my mileage to 6 and Music man was like "Might as well make it 9." I guess he really wanted us out of the house. ;)

I am still super sore from my Tuesday double and didn't think I had 9 in me but thought I could make it to 7. So we ran 5 miles to a nice playground and Little Man played for half an hour and we ran 2 miles home. It was a perfect distance in nearly perfect weather. A great start to the day.

So here's my dilemma: Urban Running Blogger Summit and Las Vegas 1/2 or Xterra Crystal Cove Trail Run?
I think it would be so fun to go to a blogger conference just to see what it's all about and to hear a ton of bloggers I follow speak. This seems like a good one because my in-laws are in Vegas so I'd have free room and board as well as a babysitter. (If you're reading this, Cathy, don't worry, it's not set in stone ;) And the Rock n' Roll is the following day so it would make sense to make it a package deal. But the Rock n' Roll is kinda spendy and I also don't know what Music Man's schedule is and would hate to make the trip without him.

I already had the Xterra in mind as training for the 2012 Bulldog and it's super close to my parents. The trail head is actually walkable from my parents house, in fact, I've probably done it close to 100 times. But only run the trails maybe 5 times. And although this is the the obvious choice I now have the darn blogger conference in my head and am willing to give up this training run/race in order to go.

So now my running and conference attending fate is in the hands of Music Man. Let's hope he has time off so I can get to Vegas! But truthfully, I guess I'm happy either way. Either/Or.

And here's today's pic:

Please remind me to stay away from stripes next time ;)

Have a happy Friday!