Back To The Basics

“Running is a very natural activity. If you get too caught up, you find yourself constantly seeking to make running something that it isn’t. You should let it be what it is - a very simple activity. Running has become too complicated for many people and they wind up turning sour on the sport, or losing the focus of their direction.” -Bill Rodgers

I put in a lot of miles of running while training for the Leadville Trail 100 and the North Face Endurance Challenge in 2012.  After my North Face race, I was exhausted and I lost my love for running. During the North Face Challenge, I remember thinking at different points on the trail that I hated running.  My body was beat up and telling me to stop.  So I decided to take some time off after the race.  I did not run for the next few weeks, and it wasn't until a month later that I decided to go out on my first run.  That was all it took.  It wasn't a long run but it did get me thinking about what's next and I started to get that itch to run again.  

I have an exciting 2013 race schedule planned, and I'm determined to take my running to the next level while keeping things simple.  Last Saturday I went to Murphy Produce (where I buy all of my fresh fruits and veggies), and I dusted off my running shoes. It was a great week of running in which I put in more than 43 miles.  Every single mile was ran without a watch and all five runs were ran without a planned route.  I love running like this because it's the purest form of running there is.  This week was exactly what I needed to get back into the ultra mindset. 

"My philosophy on running is, I don't dwell on it, I do it."-Joan Benoit Samuelson