Doing Something Different
Every once in awhile, I think it's mandatory to do something different. This may sound odd to you, if you're not a Planner, like me. I'm the polar opposite of Spontaneous, so every now and again I have to plan something Spontaneous. (I know.)
More rarely, I actually do something spontaneously. I'm trying to get better at this. Because my husband is kind of Captain Spontaneous. So, lately I am trying very hard to not insist on knowing which restaurant we're going to, what's on the menu, and what I'm going to order.
My Spontaneous Thing for January was to join an ultramarathon relay team less than a week before the event. And 2 weeks before running the Miami Marathon. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience!
I had seen the Vista View 360 Ultramarathon advertised for months before the race. I wanted to do it solo, but figured doing my first ultra as marathon training, 2 weeks before the actual marathon would be a bad plan. So, I needed to skip it. But I still had a bad case of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). And to make matters worse, they kept sending out those "YOU MUST register for this amazing event!" emails to remind me of what I was going to miss. So. Much. FOMO. Until... Cindy, my BRF (Best Running Friend-- also it's probably a better description to say BPD or Best Partner in Discomfort) came to my rescue:
Wednesday night before the Sunday ultra, she sends me a text-- "Any chance you'd be interested in joining us on Sunday for the Vista View 360 relay?" A teammate was injured and had to sit out. They needed a 4th runner. I needed an excuse to DO THIS.
I was in. In for one of the best race experiences ever. It was like a short Ragnar, minus the van and the long miles of scenery. We had a hill, a 1.2 mile lap and a tent. And a fabulous team.
We all took turns running a lap and then commiserating about and celebrating the challenge of the race and the heaviness of the legs (1.2 miles of fast hills, then 25 minutes or so of rest makes for some interesting conversations).
It was fun, exhausting, and very different.
Wednesday night before the Sunday ultra, she sends me a text-- "Any chance you'd be interested in joining us on Sunday for the Vista View 360 relay?" A teammate was injured and had to sit out. They needed a 4th runner. I needed an excuse to DO THIS.
I was in. In for one of the best race experiences ever. It was like a short Ragnar, minus the van and the long miles of scenery. We had a hill, a 1.2 mile lap and a tent. And a fabulous team.We all took turns running a lap and then commiserating about and celebrating the challenge of the race and the heaviness of the legs (1.2 miles of fast hills, then 25 minutes or so of rest makes for some interesting conversations).
It was fun, exhausting, and very different.
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