Preparez Pour la France!

France....I'm ready for you!!

Training is done, count down is on and taper madness has started! France, here we come. And watch out, USA team is super strong this year. I am going to give it my all. It is a true honor to be representing our amazing country.

Due to my serious love for the trails, it has been an effort to take my feet to the roads and train my muscles and body to adapt to the asphalt. My personal opinion, if you are running roads, train on them. If you are running trails, train on them. Look at your race, and find a route that will simulate the course, and then love it. And the best time to get out there is when you don't want to.

The Worlds 24 hour race is held in Brive, France - May 13-14. This event is held on a course that is just under a mile in length. Yes, that would be over and over and over again...for 24 hours! From the website, it looks like there are over 25 different countries represented. Just imagining all the different languages spoken is mind boggling! If you would like more detailed information, check out their site: http://24h-brive.fr/ .

So, my training for the 24 hour race has been a .9 loop right outside my house on the school grounds that my kids go to. I have a walking section that I've worked into the loop. This has been wonderful for me to work out my pacing. Also, being that this loop is so convenient, I get out at crazy times for short jaunts to just throw me off my comfort. Important to run when tired, run when you want to sleep, all a part of training your mind and body to deal with stresses that come up, which they will...especially in a 24 hour race.

Last week I did a 6 hour race as a training run. I raced the clock, not people. Not an A race...for the most part, stuck with my plan. 41.26...with alot left in my engine. All a part of muscle memory, strategy planning, confidence building. Planned my fueling, walk breaks, pacing. Now I feel completely good to go.

So now what, with a little over a week to go? Well, this week can make or break my race. I can keep testing the waters and keep pounding away the miles but that will not let me build up and rest - that will break me down. What I can do is get enough rest, make sure to eat healthy, visualize my goals, clean my house (yes, a part of taper madness) and start packing (and unpacking, and repacking, and over packing....). Now is the time to have an ATTITUDE. To say, Yes, I am ready, Yes, I am strong, Yes, I am going to represent this awesome USA team and kick some serious asphalt.

....and, after that, be happy to throw those road shoes aside, slip on my Montrail shoes, and head out to the happy trails once again.....