50K and counting

Ryan ran THIS again this year. And he did it with quite a bit of flair! He trained for months. And he did it. At the halfway point he told me and the kids he was "Great!" At the end, his quick pace wasn't as quick and I started to worry he'd been eaten by a bear. But he finished at 6 hours 45 minutes.

Amazing right?

Now he's training to run 100 MILES in September. OMG. It's ridiculous. 100 miles is so far. And so long.

He has 38 hours to complete it. He's asked a few friends who run AND can navigate the wilderness to run with him. One friend in particular is in the military and can navigate in the dark. Thank god because I can't do that. And when Ryan asked me to help him at night, (yes they run all night) I said, "But what if you want to actually RUN and you have to leave me in the woods. Alone. In the Dark. With wild animals.?" They would totally find me the next day with my face eaten off by something. I know it. And so he's asked me to help him with the last 10 miles. Which occur in the early evening. Ha ha..smart man.

I asked him. "How do I help you?" He said, "You run with me."

Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...ha ha ha...me....running....ha ha ha ha..I mean I'll run if my life depends on it, and even then I most likely will just drop to the fetal position and pray that sweet death comes swiftly and without much pain.

But I love my crazy running fool of a husband. So I've been running. Well...I've been "training" to run. Like the couch to 10K app on my phone. And by couch it means....I sit on the couch all the live long day eating chips and what not. And then in 3 short months I should be able to run a 10k. Oh no? That's not how it works? Oh.

I've been bitching and moaning like mad about the "training" I've been doing because let's face it. I don't run and I'm almost 40. And starting to run at 40 is just stupid if there's not a good reason. But Ryan listens to it patiently. He understands that it's hard for me, but that I'm doing it out of pure love and support to him. And then he says, "I just ask that all the bitching and moaning doesn't happen on the run. Cause it won't help." Point taken sir. Point.Taken.

Either way. I'll be huffing and puffing along side my poor husband, who at the point that he meets me, will have most likely run 90 miles straight through the Superior Forest, on a tiny deer trail, up and down peaks and mountains, for many hours straight, no sleeping.

Here are a few photos of the weekend of the 50K. I had several kids with me. Our neighbor runs and I had his daughter and Miles brought his best friend J. It rained the whole time so we spent a lot of time in the pool and sauna.

Ryan at the mid way point. Looking pretty good.

 Heading off to the peak of the race

 Ryan finishing the race 6 hours 45 minutes

 Chicken fights after the race. I can't believe he's standing.

Claire and Ryan won the chicken fights!

Our neighbor after the race. He's not participating in the chicken fights, or looking thrilled about having his photo taken.

The kids loved the sauna. Not sure what J is doing.