Prep for the Maine Coast 39.3 Challenge

Happy Wednesday morning friends!
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Back in the middle of the long, cold winter that JUST ended Eric and I decided that some spring time adventure racing would be great motivation and something fun to look forward to.
And speaking of Spring- it feels more like Summer out there! At least the hot temps showed up a little bit before race day this year. Maybe we will all be slightly acclimated....?

Yeah, it is HOT! Look at the sweat dripping off of Eric hahah gross.

 When you and your spouse decide that signing up to run a 39.3 mile challenge is your definition of "FUN" you might spend a minute wondering if you are sane. Questioning our mental health did little to deter either of us and just like that, we were official bib owners for the Maine Coast 39.3 Challenge- a 13.1 on Saturday and the full 26.2 on Sunday.

I knew going into this that the timing was not going to be ideal for me to do anything at a brisk pace. I am not the kind of runner who can stay healthy and happy and also run constant high mileage at race pace. However, I AM the kind of runner who can take it down a notch and have a blast. That is my plan for the weekend. (My next serious marathon will not be until late fall, I respect my body and know my limits!)

Eric hasn't run a marathon in a couple of years but went into his training with gusto while the weather was still just awful. And then..... His plantar fasciitis flared up for the first time in years... He had to back way off the mileage because health trumps all- even an attempt to win 3 medals and a sweet finishers jacket!
The good news is that he has still been active and plans to run the half and play the full by ear. Smart man.

YES!!!! Sweet bling for the win.

I'm really excited for this challenge, it will be a whole new experience for me and I'm not really sure what to expect. Possibly pain and suffering? I certainly am not fully recovered from Boston- while I feel fine and my shorter distance runs have been great fun I can feel that I'm not ready to push any kind of pace, especially for longer distances.
My goal is to finish healthy, to have fun, to cheer for my friends and enjoy the incredible scenery. I also plan to fully enjoy my 3 (yes, THREE!) medals and to wear them obnoxiously and proudly for a week post race. Or an hour, whatever!

I'm going to run a few easy miles this week since nothing good can come from overdoing it- I'll be overdone enough come Sunday night!
I think it is going to be fun- and yes, I do have an odd definition of fun. :-)