I'm a runner in my 50s training for my first ultra marathon, and this week I'm deep into the final training block, and apparently full-on race nesting mode. From color-coded calendars and meticulously packed aid station supplies to convincing myself I definitely don't need brand-new gear, I'm sharing the funny, obsessive, and surprisingly relatable side of getting ready for a big endurance challenge. Along the way, I talk about training highs and lows, the support of an incredibly patient husband, and why I'm finally starting to believe I might actually be ready for this ultra.

How I Procrastinate

• Sleep with Rock Stars, the Gen X Sleep Podcast
• Country Fried Rock, Podcast Archives from 2009-2020
• Music Playlists
• Support This Podcast
• Dive Bar Music Club, the Low Key, High Taste Happy Hour for Music Nerds

Chapters

• 00:04 - Introduction to Ultra Marathon Training
• 00:14 - Preparing for my first Ultra: The Art of Packing and Planning
• 01:57 - Preparing for a Trip
• 03:57 - Ultra Training
• 03:58 - Preparing for Travel

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Well, hey, y'.

All.

Welcome to Mama Runs and Ultra.

I'm a runner on the downhill side of my 50s, training for my very first ultra marathon.

And this podcast is me saying all the quiet parts out loud of what the hell am I thinking?

Well, I am officially in my final training block for my summer ultra, and I'm just wondering, is it normal to already have everything completely packed, including everything in my vest except for filled water bottles and bladders for my race that's a month away?

Yeah, totally normal, right?

I feel a little bit like people who are nesting when they're going to have a baby.

Except I don't know how that is because I had a premature baby, so I was completely unprepared.

We hadn't even had a baby shower yet when he was born.

I did, however, paint our hallway red brick orange when I was like five months pregnant.

I don't know what the deal was.

Wasn't even really a color I liked, but yeah, that's how I'm feeling.

Like I literally have everything ready, the wagon for aid stations, completely packed and ready to go with every single little baggie labeled.

But I will admit I am also the person who travels like this all the time.

I was a theater kid growing up and it's sort of like when you' an assistant stage manager and you're the person in charge of laying everything out on the table and every single thing has a specific spot.

It's that.

So I have like the baggie for foot care, the baggie of first aid, the baggie for potty issues, the sunscreen, bug spray, extra lube baggie.

Yeah, that's me.

And it's already blocking my front door.

I'm sure this is totally normal.

I also have all of my lists.

So, like, I'm the definition of adult adhd.

But I do have certain, like, behavior mod things that I've always done for myself.

And one of them is I operate off of paper calendars that are very, very carefully color coded.

And this is the only way I can get anything done.

So I have done my color coding, handwritten everything for my own sake, and then I have made the digital version of it for my family.

And yes, I've made two paper backups and I already have them in plastic protective coatings.

Yeah, I'm totally that person.

I'm this way for every single trip.

I'm sure my family finds it hilarious, but it helps me feel like we're as ready as we can be.

So, yeah, that's what we're doing.

Meanwhile, I Did have my husband do like a little NASCAR pit stop practice with me of laying everything out so that when I come in, I don't have to tell him what to do.

And I super appreciate that he is playing along with me for all of this stuff.

This was like a couple days ago.

And then this morning he's already awake before me and I came in where he's drinking coffee and I noticed he had like laid everything out without me there as a practice run.

And I was like, oh, thank you, thank you, thank you.

And he said he wanted to be able to be sure he could do it all without me telling him where to put everything.

And this is awesome.

He's awesome.

But also he's infinitely smarter than I am.

So it's hilarious that he even had to practice twice.

I am definitely the comedy break of this family.

Anyway, yeah, I still final training block, feeling really good about it.

Had some big, big, big miles.

Felt great about them.

Much to my shock, it's been those little recovery runs a couple of days later where I've felt like garbage.

But at least now I've seen a pattern of that enough to know that apparently that's normal for me at least.

I don't know if that's normal for other people.

It's normal for me.

And part of the reason that I went ahead and packed all my clothes is that I definitely have that last minute mental desire where you suddenly start buying brand new everything, which is ridiculous.

I'm only gonna run in things I've.

But my brain is like, no, no, no, you need these new shorts.

They're better, faster, have more pockets, blah, blah, blah.

And I'm like, no, I don't need those.

And the other side of my brain is like, yes, yes, you need two pairs of them.

So that's where I am right now on ultra training.

Looking at this last block.

Like, I think it was this previous block that really was the one that made me go, okay, I'm gonna be ready.

I am going to be able to get through this day.

And looking at this last block, I'm like, yeah, I'm fine, I'm good.

I got this.

Which is like, on the one hand it's sort of dismissive, but on the other hand it's like not false bravado.

It's like, o. I feel very good that I have put in the hard work thus far.

So fingers crossed, you know, six weeks from now I may be like, whoa, buddy, that was.

Yeah, I don't know.

Fingers crossed, fingers crossed.

Say it enough times it'll be real, right?

Yes.

So yeah that's where we are right now in ultra training.

I need your advice.

What do you do with this like last month when you have these like I'm gonna call it nesting.

These nesting feelings of getting ready for it.

I really desperately need every piece of input you could possibly give me.

You can leave that on YouTube or any of your favorite podcast apps.

Just put it in the regular old comments section.

We could really use a few more five star ratings and reviews with even just a quick phrase that's positive in the comments section and shout out Montana.

I don't know anybody up there but y' all are our number one state by far with people all over the state listening to this so thank you very much.

I obviously need to go to Montana.

Alright going to look over my checklist 12 more times.

Maybe 13.

My lucky number.

13.

Yeah I'm that person heading out.

Gizmomma runs an ultra.