40 is the new 20

When you turn 40 they (not sure who 'they' are and why 'they' are experts on this) tell you that it is the new 30. That may be true, unless you enter the world of ultra running. Here being in your 40's and beyond as a woman is even better than you could imagine. These woman are rocking it out. My last 50km had a woman in her 80's running! How many 20 year olds even do that?

Last week 40 was an important number to me. Not because I was turning 40 years old, no that ship has sailed. It was because I was doing a 40 mile training run. Now if you would have told me a year ago that I would be doing a 40 mile training run I would have laughed at you. If I met someone who told me that they went out and did a 40 mile trail run for training I would have been in awe. Well, now I can look in the mirror and be in awe. Not because I think I am awesome or think I am doing anything extraordinary but because I am slowing taming the monster. What once was super scary and really unfathomable is becoming my every day reality. I am slowing chipping away at it, one mile at a time. And guess what? I am having so much fun!

A friend asked me why I am doing this. It's not an unusual question, but usually if someone asks there aren't enough words to explain it. I guess it is because I enjoy working towards something that seems out of reach. Making a plan and executing it and being flexible enough to make adjustments. Testing my limits and finding that they are so much further than I could ever imagine. I'm sure my limits will be stretched extensively from now until the finish line of the Leadman competition.

A year ago 20 miles was a long training run for me. Today 40 is the new 20:)