19.3 miles = unlimited magic.

But before I could earn that, I had to earn this:

Yup, not too shabby for a fun run, if I do say so myself! 😀 But let’s back it up again…to the morning of September 1, 2013…

Still flying high over the magic of the Disneyland 10K, I woke up refreshed and surprisingly relaxed. I was rooming with my pal Ashley and when my alarm went off at 3:45 AM, she was already up and prepping!

I had laid out my race clothes the night before (my ritual) and so all I had to do was change out of my PJs really…woot to a low maintenance morning! I pared down all my options in anticipation of the high humidity (short socks, no armwarmers, etc) and was sure to apply sufficient Body Glide to avoid any chafing, and popped my new sunglasses (that I…

My 15km road race earlier this week has given me a bit a reality check on what needs to happen over the next month so I’m prepared for the longer distance, physically and mentally.

Physically, I think I’ll be ok. I need to make sure I fit in more long training runs between now and the Jozi South Half Marathon and be a little stricter with eating healthily. I’m not too concerned about setting any kind of time because I have no reference to how long this is going to take and also, I really just want to finish rather than be worried about setting a certain pace. I’m guessing though that it’s going to take me approximately 2:30hrs, generally I run at about 7 minuter per km.

I’m going to aim for two runs of about 5-8km per week and one longer run of 12-15km, plus my two usual…

“You paid $650 to do a race?  What do you get for that?”

I heard those questions a hundred times when I was training for Ironman and always responded meekly with something like, “Well, a t-shirt, a medal, and the right to say I’m an Ironman.”  I knew I’d get a lot more, but it was hard to express in the beginning.

As I sit here today without a race on the calendar, it becomes a lot clearer.  It’s the first time since I started running in January 2013 that I have not had a firm goal on the horizon, and I can already tell how easy it would be to fall out of pattern.

Signing up for Ironman felt like the epitome.  I would do many races along the way, but that big gorilla was always hanging out in the corner.  I couldn’t escape him, and in a twisted…

Instead of running 20 Km I just ran 6 Km. My quad is still sore so I decided to do 20 Km tomorrow and take an easy day.

I read an article by the Great Joan Benoit who said as she gets older she listens more to her body and does not act  like a slave to her training schedule. She would never miss a work out when she was young  even if she was ill or injured. Now in her mid 50s she only trains once a day ( well she did say mostly once a day) and only does one day of speed work a week.

Only two weeks to go until the Melbourne Marathon. True I have a few aches and pains but who doesn’t?

7. You keep reading – and re-reading – reviews and recaps of the race obsessively, as if they will reveal some sort of magical clues about your race. (Here are my favorites – both full and half recaps: Run DMT, Juice Boxes and Crayolas, See Kitzzy Run, (Just) Trying is For Little Girls, The Average Marathoner – feel free to share yours if you have one in the comments so I can read it 300 times).

6. You realize you haven’t yet booked accommodations – so, you check out the website and find out that the host hotels are all sold out. (But, then you find something anyway and it’s all magical again – phew)

5. Your mileage is finally rocking again! 😀

4. You stare at strange figures for hours on end.

3. Your fridge looks like this.

2. You practice your finish line…

A Jungle Ultra Marathon

An Incredible Footrace Through The Unforgiving Amazon Rainforest!

The Jungle Ultra is an extremely challenging 230km footrace from the Andes in to the heart of the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest.  Beginning in Cloud Forest at a height of 10,500ft your race will begin with stunning views of the Amazon before you begin the long descent into the midst of the jungle.  You will face temperatures of up to 38°C and humidity levels of 100% as you encounter the tough terrain of the jungle and face the numerous inclines and declines of the course.  With over 70 river crossings to cool you down and test your adventurous side, including zip wires, rafts and simply wading through the water, the Jungle Ultra offers you the chance to explore an area so pristine and remote that few are permitted access alone to the region.

As well as the challenges presented…