12 DAYS UNTIL THE BIG DANCE!

Holy bananas…October 24 is coming FAST!

Started the morning at the Y with Pilates and Cardio Essentials, and WOWZA, the classes were busy! I absolutely love seeing everyone show up ready to move.

Now, if I could just get rid of this cold, that would be GREAT!

The good news? The body aches are GONE!

The not-so-good news? This unbelievable chest cold and fatigue are still hanging around.

DayQuil, NyQuil, cough drops, water, and rest have become my best friends lately!

Today’s training? An easy 3-mile walk. Nothing crazy. Nothing fast. Just some gentle movement while giving my body more time to recover.

And something else I’m working on today?

THE MENTAL GAME.

Sitting down, studying the Fall 50 course, and visualizing race day.

Seeing myself out there. Thinking about the different sections of the course, my fueling, my pacing, and how I want to handle those moments when things get uncomfortable.

Because training isn’t always about putting miles on your legs.

Sometimes it’s about preparing your mind for the miles ahead.

I’ve spent 18 weeks working toward this goal. Right now, I don’t need to prove how tough I am by pushing through sickness.

I need to get HEALTHY!

12 days. 50 miles. Hundreds of names. One incredible purpose.

Every name I carry represents someone whose life has been touched by cancer—those courageously fighting, those who have survived, and those we have loved and lost.

Running in honor of those still fighting and in memory of those who are no longer with us.

The excitement is building, even if my body is asking me to slow down for a few more days.

Project 9:30…the countdown is ON!

#Project930 #Week18 #Fall50 #12DaysToGo #IronSunshine

Visualization is so important!

 

Road Surface:

The entire Fall 50 course route is paved asphalt. There are no trails or gravel roads on this route. The portions of the course along the highway offer flat gravel shoulders to run on while most of the back roads do not.

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Road Closures:

NONE! The course IS NOT closed to motor vehicles. Be alert to the possible presence of motorists throughout the entire course.

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Exchange Points:

Exchange points must be used for team hand-offs. For safety reasons, exchanging outside of these points is prohibited. All nine of the exchange points offer ample parking, volunteers, bathroom facilities, food and drink, and a designated hand off point.

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On Course Food & Drink:

Every exchange point will offer cups, water, Gatorade, Clif Bars, oranges, bananas, apples, and chocolate chip cookies. Exchange #5 (mile 29) in Juddville will offer the “Half Way Buffet” with hot soup, sandwiches and heavy snacks in addition to the fruit and Clif Bars. TO CLARIFY: The on course food and beverage will be set up in a SELF-SERVE format. There will be no water station teams handing out cups of water or Gatorade. This is a relay/ultra, not a marathon.

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Course Signage:

Red Fall 50 signs will be located at every turn and mile marker along the entire course. Always run on whichever side of the road the course signs are located on. In most cases, you will be running against the motor vehicle traffic along busier stretches of roadway.

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Gear Check:

Gear check will be available for solo runners at Stone Harbor Resort in Sturgeon Bay during registration/packet pick up on Friday and at the start line on Saturday morning. There will be gear check bags available along with numbered bins that will be delivered to the corresponding exchange points on Saturday.

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13 DAYS until the BIG DANCE!

The Fall 50 in Door County, Wisconsin!

Holy bananas…how did we get this close already?!

Unfortunately, I’m still feeling a little under the weather. The last few days have been filled with DayQuil, NyQuil, lots of water, and plenty of rest.

Today I wanted to get my body moving a little, so I headed out with my sister Bethanne for a walk up the Bluff.

A little fresh air, a little movement, a little elevation but definitely keeping things EASY.

And believe me, my friend, I’m keeping it dialed WAY back!

Normally, this close to a big race, my mind is thinking about every last mile I could squeeze in.

But right now? HEALING is the priority.

I’ve spent 17 weeks building toward this adventure. One weekend of being sick doesn’t take away all those early mornings, long runs, marathons, and miles I’ve already put in.

So instead of worrying about what I haven’t done, I’m focusing on everything I HAVE done.

The work is in the bank. Now it’s time to protect it.

And with all those special names coming together for my race jersey, the excitement is still growing every single day.

13 days. 50 miles. One 9:30 goal. And a whole lot of purpose behind every step.

Week 17…that’s a wrap!

Here’s to feeling better, recovering well, and heading into Week 18 with a grateful heart.

Movement is medicine—but sometimes REST is the best medicine of all.

#Project930 #Week17 #Fall50 #13DaysToGo #IronSunshine

Project 9:30 | Week 17 of 19 • Saturday

Well…Saturday did NOT go according to plan!

Today’s training was supposed to be a shorter long run, somewhere around 12–13 miles of time on my legs.

Instead? Time on the COUCH!

Holy bananas…this sickness has officially GOT ME!

Coughing, body aches, exhaustion, and absolutely ZERO energy. Not exactly the Saturday I had planned!

So what did I do?

Watched the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona!

Nothing like watching incredible athletes tackle one of the toughest races in the world while you’re lying on the couch coughing, drinking water, and reaching for the DayQuil and NyQuil!

I missed out on a few things I really wanted to attend today, but thankfully everyone understands.

And as much as I wanted to get out there and run, I knew my body needed something completely different.

REST. REAL REST.

I did manage to get outside for a little fresh air and an easy walk, with a tiny baby jog to keep my movement streak going. Nothing strenuous.

It’s been a LONG time since I’ve been sick like this, and I’ll admit, the timing isn’t ideal with October 24 getting closer.

But here’s the thing…

One missed long run isn’t going to erase 17 weeks of training.

I’ve put in the miles. I’ve done the work. And right now, the best thing I can do for Project 9:30 is give my body the chance to heal.

Hopefully tomorrow brings a little more energy, a little less coughing, and a whole lot of feeling better!

Until then…

The couch wins today. And that’s OKAY!

Sometimes the strongest athletes aren’t the ones who push through everything. They’re the ones who know when to give their bodies a break.

Project 9:30…still moving forward, even when forward means resting.

#Project930 #Week17 #Fall50 #IronSunshine #MovementIsMedicine TrustTheProcess UltraTraining RecoveryIsTraining

9:30 | Week 17 of 19 • FRi-YAY!

Well…FRI-YAY! Or maybe not so much today!

Oh man, I can definitely feel some kind of sickness trying to sneak up on me!

Started my morning at the Y with Pilates and Cardio Essentials, but I could tell pretty quickly that my body was NOT operating at 100%.

Thankfully, I made it through classes, but afterward it was straight home for some DayQuil, rest, and a little downtime.

And since sitting still isn’t exactly my specialty , I spent some time working on all those special names for my race bibs.

Finished the evening with a short, easy walk. Nothing more. Nothing to prove.

The good news? It’s NOT race week yet!

With October 24 getting closer, the last thing I need is to push through something and turn a little sickness into something bigger.

So for now, it’s time to REST. RECOVER. REFUEL.

One thing I’ve learned through all these years of endurance sports is that sometimes the smartest training decision is knowing when NOT to train.

You don’t lose 17 weeks of hard work by taking a little time to recover.

The miles are in the bank. The excitement is building. The names are coming together.

And this body has one important job right now…

GET HEALTHY!

Project 9:30 continues—even if today looks a little different.

#Project930 #Week17 #Fall50 #930Names #IronSunshine MovementIsMedicine TrustTheProcess RunningWithPurpose