Back in Business!

Woah, I guy leaves his blog unattended for two years and all hell breaks loose!  Two days ago I went to check on this blog, only to find out it was gone.  I couldn't find the slightest trace of it, nothing showed up when visiting the url, nothing it google search, totally gone.  So I have spent the last couple days e-mailing google support.  I still never really found out what happened to it, but I did get it back.  My first thought was that Blogger shuts down blogs after being inactive for a certain period of time, seeign as how the last time I updated was in April 2010 I figured I was a prime candidate for that, but after doing some research I came to the conclusion that Blogger does not shut down inactive blogs.  It seems the only way I blog is shut down is if the owner does it themselves or if it is decided by automatic algorithms that the blog is spam.  So my best guess is that the blog was somehow labeled as spam and removed.  My be it had something to do with all of my comment sections getting hi-jacked by spammers!  It's like weeds growing in a garden.  But I am back to trim the weeds and tend to the flowers.

It's been a very long time since I have run with any consistency, really, about 4 years.  Hard to believe but true.  I ran in 2008 and 2009 but no solid spells of training, and hardly anything in 2010 and spent a good portion of 2011 thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail.  But I am now officially back in the game.  I have attempted to make comebacks multiple times of the past few years but I was always lacking motivation.  I would train for a little bit then not feel any desire to continue, unfocused, unmotivated.  Then it hit me, the only thing that has ever motivated me to train with any consistency is up coming races.  With that deadline looming overhead it gave me something to focus on, something to look forward to.  so what is a non-practicing ultrarunner to do?  Sign up for a 100 miler of course.

So I now have 6 months to go from 0 miles per week to 100 miler.  I will be running the first annual TARC Boston 100.  This is an event put on by the Trail Animals running club of Boston, MA.  they put on multipule low and free ultras throughout the year in the boston area.  It was the Vermont 100 that orginally tickled my fancy to start training again.  it is only a 45 minute drive from where we live and also the same time of year.  But looking at the $250 price tag turned me off.  Not complaining about the price.  The ultra scene has changed a lot in the last few years.  If folks are willing to pay $250 to run a race then races are going to charge that much, and I know the Vermont 100 raises money for a good cause.  But I just don't want to spend that kind of cash to run around in the woods at this point in time.

And so the training begins.  I'm starting off by just trying to gauge where I'm at and getting my feet back underneath me.  I've been running 3 miles twice a day every day this week at 8:30-9:30 pace to ease myself into things and see how my body response.  So far so good.  Next week I will start some more structured training, but will work into it gradually (well not that gradually, truth be told I am going to try and jump into things much faster than I should as long as my body doesn't give me any negative feed back)  I will be training differently than I used to for ultras.  I'll be placing more emphasis on speed work, hills and intervals with he goal of really pushing myself to see what I can achieve.  I plan to keep my mileage relatively low.

But more on that stuff later.  This is just a reintroduction entry.  From what I can see the run blogging scene has changed quite a bit since I have been away, a lot of new interesting blogs to check out.  I look forward to connecting with many of you and hope I can reconnect with old blogging friends who might still be around.