I’m training for the Hitchcock Experience — a monster of a trail race here in Iowa in the Loess Hills (Iowa is not flat!) — and my first 50-mile race. I ran the half marathon last year and absolutely loved the challenge of that course. So I’m taking on the ultra distance (there is also a 100-mile option).

Week #8 was a cutback week, and I took it to heart — only running three days (I was supposed to do five) and half-assing two of them. My weekly mileage was only 16.1 (I was supposed to do 36). To be fair, I was stressing out about grad school and my biopsy (which happened last Friday) which is, thankfully, benign; however, I still need to somehow schedule surgery to have the mass removed (I have my consult with the surgeon next week). In any event, my body apparently like the rest, as I PR’d my 10-mile race on Sunday at the Capital Pursuit by NINE MINUTES. What the?!

WEEK AT A GLANCE:
Monday – Rest Day
Tuesday – 4 miles Rest Day
Wednesday – 8 miles, Trail 5 miles, Trail
Thursday – 6 miles + Kickboxing 1 hurried mile on the treadmill before Kickboxing
Friday – Rest Day
Saturday – 8 miles NOPE
Sunday – Capital Pursuit 10-Mile Race

WHAT’S ON TAP?
Chicago Marathon… eeek. And preparing for grad school starting next week. Double eeek.

WHAT’S FUN?
Our local lululemon store and associated “Sweat Life” group hosted a kickboxing workout this week at Farrell’s (location on Hickman in Urbandale). I had so much fun! And I am positively HOOKED and cannot wait to do their 10-week challenge after my ultra training wraps up in December (it was fun to hit things again haha). Even more amazingly, the gym/lululemon gifted us our own pair of hand wraps and gloves — so I’m already geared up! There’s another location even closer to my house and I realized that a few of my neighbors go regularly (one teaches classes, too).

SEPTEMBER MILEAGE: 83.2 miles
WEEKLY MILEAGE: 16.1 miles
MILEAGE FOR THE YEAR: 739.81 miles
LAST RACE: Capital Pursuit
UP NEXT: Chicago Marathon