8/9/14: day the program will be completed
13: weeks in the training program
6: days left
31.6899: miles of the ET course
1,200: feet in elevation gain in the first 12.8 miles
44: people ran the ultra last year
19: of those people who were women
6: women finished faster than six hours
4:39:55: hours; fastest female to finish the course
8:22:56: hours; slowest female to finish
???: my time will likely be somewhere in between those two
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419.19: miles logged since this started
34.93: average mileage per week
52.15: biggest week of miles
20:51: shortest week of miles
9: miles, completed on Day 1
(what program starts with a 9-mile run?! Ow.)
2: miles; shortest run to date
20: miles; longest run to date
4: sandwich runs (so tasty)
10: Hill Days attended
7:45: mph; fastest speed work (7 miles)
9: miles; longest speed work (at a 7:50 pace)
0: times I was unable to complete speed work (a new first!)
0: times I saw Nic Cage (coincidence?)
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5: states ran in (CA, UT, NV, WI, IN)
14: runs out at Red Rock
4: new animals encountered in various states (moose, owl, coyotes,
and that cute little green snake. Five if you count Grace the
Doberman)
1: number of breakdowns (short and quick; no damage done. Only
perspective gained)
1: number of times "Born to Run" was reread
2: number of times "Eat & Run" was reread
9: number of NEW running books purchased; I *may* have a problem
3: times my mantra changed
(Started with a scared and totally unhelpful "I'm probably going to die." Then it morphed into an angry "Mental demons? Bullshit!" and finally, it leveled out to an encouraging "You are stronger than you think.")
4: times a wave of gratitude has washed over me during a long run, making me realize, "I am really lucky I get to do this."
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The first hurdle: get to the starting line uninjured.
Check.
Next up? Those 31.6899 miles.
Bring it.