Day 4,284—5 Runs until the Shippey 100! I can Close my Eyes and See the Course—

 

       The sun was shining, but it was windier today than it was yesterday. The weather also looks slightly colder next week, but I am still not worried about it. I have all the gear already. It will take a while to pack all my drop bags, but I have done this enough times to know what I need and what I want. I am going to make a special effort to buy less food than I have in the past for my drop bags. I am also not planning to bring coolers or any kind of hot drink in a thermoset like I have done in the past.

        I should already be thinking about what I want in my drop bags. I wish I had a better system. I have done these enough times, but I also have new classes this week, and tomorrow I have a meeting after school, followed by a class, so it is going to be a long day. I should stop thinking about it because dreading it is only going to make it worse. I am thinking right now that Wednesday will be my first night I am able to focus on my drop bags and getting ready for the race. I will either go shopping on Wednesday and get mostly packed, and then I will need to finish packing on Thursday night and go to the meeting and the drop off on Friday night.

        This one you run in a different direction than we did last year, so even though I feel like I know the trail well by now after putting 264 + miles on it. It will still be different.

        Today, I was focused on not straining myself but getting a decent run in. I also have also started thinking about the joy that usually comes from the 100-mile run and then going to sleep sometime Sunday after I get home to have all day on Monday to spend in the bath. I don’t have work on Monday, but I will have to check to see if I class and what my daughter’s school is doing. This is usually the race that a lot of people in my family come out to cheer me on, but I think I might ask everyone to stay home for this one. Last year, it seemed so stressful for my wife and kids to make it, so I am going to tell her she can stay home. I am glad Joel told me he would help pace me through the night, so I am looking forward to that. It will be a huge help to have some company in those cold and dark hours early in the morning but having done it before helps. I can close my eyes and imagine so much of the course.