Getting My Mojo Back

I'm back at the gym, cross-training, strength training. There's been long runs - a 50miler, a 50k. Core workouts. And of course, you know, the whole training your mind thing.

It's hard to decide what races to do. I think I raced too much last year, but I had a blast. Or maybe I didn't race enough? The end of the year I was burnt out. I think I'm done with marathons. I'm just not fast enough anymore. I had hoped to achieve a 3:15 marathon, but don't know if I'll ever get there.

I love fire roads. I'm a strong runner on them. Uphills, I'm okay at. Not great. Downhills, I'm working on that. I'm not the best technical runner. I'm great at eating at aid stations, enjoying shooting stars, singing while running, hallucinating, drinking coconut water, running in costume. So which races should I do?

Very tentative schedule, full of ideas and way too many/not enough races:

• Caumsett 50k (as a training run, and to see the fab Ray K) - March 6
• Umstead 100 Miler - April 2nd
• Muddy Marathon (maybe...not sure if I like the idea of knowing I'll probably DNF...) - April 30
• North Face Challenge Bear Mtn 50 Miler (though super technical, it kicks my butt hardcore, but it's oh-so-close) - May7 or 8
• 48 Hour Race at 3 Days at the Fairgrounds (I'd like to test myself on 48 hours but at the same time, I don't want to kick my butt hardcore and make myself drained for more beautiful trail races...) - May 13-15
• Mayapple 100k (A nice course when there's no snow/ice/super cold puddles present) - May 21st
• Pineland Farms 50 Miler (Because Tony says it rocks, though should I get tickets to Flipside, that might conflict.) - May 29
• Peaks 50 Miler (Hello birthday run!) - June 4 (I did it on my first day of being 31, and I can do it on my last day of being 31!)
• Ultimate XC 50k - Quebec (Because the ultimate XC was my first ultra, and I enjoy getting my butt kicked) - June 18
• Vermont 100 (Probably not but I ADORE this race so can we leave it on here so I can pretend?) - July 16-17
• Burning River 100 Miler (Because Ray K wants me to do it with him) - July 30-31
• Burning Man 50k (Because I'm the RD and this is gonna be the funnest race again!!!!) - August 31
• Rio del Lago 100 Miler (Because Paige and Christian and many others say it rocks, and it sounds gorgeous!)
• Vermont 50 Miler (Sept 25) or Virgil Crest 50 Miler (Sept 24)
• What else???? I want to do another 100k or 50miler or 100 miler in October or more likely November. Thoughts?
• Fuego y Agua 100k, Ometepe, Nicaragua (Hiking it was tough enough so you better believe I wanna run an ultra there!) - February 2012

A bit much, perhaps, but I do little in moderation...

So suggestions, tips, races to do, offers to crew/pace, anything?