Hello! Wow, it’s been about 9 months since I last published a post. If you are reading this and have been a follower of my blog before my hiatus, thank you for sticking around! 🙂
After a much needed break from running I am back and already training for my next set of races. What races you may ask, well the much anticipated is the Gasparilla Ultra Amber Challenge! Somehow my BRF, Pretty Lil Mudder and I managed to convince ourselves to do a challenge race together. It all came down to the Disney Glass Slipper Challenge as part of the Princess Half Marathon weekend and Gasparilla. Unfortunately, both races fall on the same weekend. After weighing the pros and cons of both we found ourselves clicking the submit button confirming our registration for Gasparilla.
For those not familiar with Gasparilla, you may be asking what is the Ultra Amber Challenge? Well first starters the Gasparilla Distance Classic is a local race here in Tampa as part of the yearly Pirate Invasion Celebration, which also features three different parades, the race, film festival and music festival. As far as the race, you have your standard 5K, 8K, 15K and half plus three different challenge events.
- Michelob Ultra Challenge, that consists of running the 15K & 5K on Saturday and on Sunday, the Half Marathon & 8K…30+ miles over two days!
- Michelob Ultra Amber Challenge that consists of running the 15K & 5K on Saturday and Half Marathon on Sunday. This is the event we are registered for!
- Michelob Ultra Lime Cactus Challenge that consists of running the 15K on Saturday and the 8K on Sunday.
Having already completed one challenge race before, I feel confident in my capability of completing this challenge race. I am already in my third week of training and things are going well so far. I just completed my first back to back long run this past weekend and the most challenging part of the run on the second day was not the tired legs but the wind, lol.
Through the training I do have a one race that I am registered for, the ever St. Pete Beach Classic. If you’ve been a follower of my blog you know that this is my favorite race, so how could I not participate?? This race will also come in handy as I have registered for the Classic Duo Challenge, which is the 10K + 5K. It is crucial to me that I get a practice run in of back to back races as this will be something I face on the first day of Gasparilla.
Along with my training runs, I plan to continue to incorporate my CG workouts. I know it is imperative that I maintain strength training and yes this does mean I plan to do two-a-days with a run and CG. Of course as mileage gets higher and I need to focus more on my running, some of the CG workouts may need to be scaled back but I just need to listen to my body and with the support of my family and friends I know I can make it through the next 13 1/2 weeks. 🙂
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Like The Runner Within on Facebook
Follow The Runner Within on Twitter
Follow The Runner Within on Instagram