Karen writes: The NEXT big challenge

I've done it.  I've signed up for my first 50km ultra-marathon.  This will be in Brisbane in August, involving a flattish run made up of different combinations of  legs on a river-side course, map below showing different colours representing different leg choices.  Anyway, this will take me into new territory, part of me thinks mad mad mad, the last 8km of a marathon is always SO hard, why would I want to add another 20% on? Another part thinks its all about the preparation and I would normally walk at least an extra 6km on the same day as a marathon anyway, this is just putting it all together. Ultra-marathon has been on my list of things I want to do, I admit to rejecting a few in challenging terrains with lots of hills in favour of this urban version for my first, it starts at 7am and I have to cross the finish by 3pm, I can do this! I hope.

So in 14 weeks I need to be 'ultra' fit. Before that on the 22nd of June is the Wellington marathon. I'm packing the whanau up and we hop on a plane for a weekend family adventure in the windy capital, might get a chance to explore a little with weather permitting. Hopefully this time we will have our luggage actually arrive with us so that I don't need to be trying to find replacement running shoes the evening before the event like I did last year. The thought has just gone through my head that my next marathon counts a training run, that makes me pause somewhat.

On the training front, straight back into a 3-4 run week with one day of cross training - spin, it's not a heavy load. New coach Garyth has got me doing intervals. Actually he has been kind in the last couple of weeks since the Rotorua marathon and let me do my own thing, but the detailed plan for the rest of this week is due to arrive later today and he did make the threat of both STAIRS and INTERVALS.  Cant stand the things but if I want to be a better runner...