Change of Plans

Before we get started, this is NOT my secret.  If you’re reading this and hoping to find out my secret, you’re not going to find it in this blog.  I mean, it’s a secret, right?  Shhh!!!

I thought seeing how COVID19 has been lurking for a while, I’d update y’all on the changes in MFH and my 2020 racing plans.

I’m guessing all of you have had at least one race cancel or go to virtual? That situation has hit our house as well.  Instead of dwelling on canceled events, MFH (My Favorite Husband) and I have been focusing on the  #SilverLining in all of this and being incredibly thankful for the gift of running!  It really is a gift to be able to lace up those shoes and grab a few miles here/there!

MFH is not one to register for many races.  Racing just isn’t his “thing.”  We’re all different and for MFH, he just enjoys running so it’s a rare day when he’ll register/race an event.

His first race was supposed to be this month.  He was on a relay team for a marathon on Heritage Trail.  He was a sad panda when early on the race was canceled with no virtual option.  The way this event was structured, a virtual option was pretty much impossible.  Sometimes that’s just how these things work, right?

His second race we were both registered to run together!  It was the Bix7 in Davenport, Iowa.  We’d never heard of the race before we’d moved here but apparently this is a big. deal. race. in the Quad Cities. It’s 7 miles so a runable distance for both of us and we decided to sign up. About a month ago, that race was canceled but it does have the virtual option!  YAY!!!  Sometime in the month of July, we’ll be running this virtual race together.  It will be fun!!!

August, I was to be running the Wedel Farm 50k.  This is in Argyle, Wisconsin.  Both MFH and I have discovered that Wisconsin is a beautiful state!  Rolling hills….just pretty everywhere you turn!  We were really looking forward to our time in Wisconsin.  The race was actually only an hour from our house so we were super excited about that, too.  No hotels or anything like that.  We could just hop in the car, drive to the trail, run and come home.  Easy Peasy!

A week ago I received an email from this race stating they were going to cancel this year’s event.  I was a sad panda about this but wasn’t grumping about it or anything like that.  The COVID19 thing, if nothing else, has taught us to be flexible in our plans and really, in the grand scheme of things, it’s just a race, right!?!

The Wedel 50k was supposed to be a training run for my September 100k in Winterset, Iowa.  Bear in mind, I had no idea if the 100k was going to happen or not?  Still, it was necessary to train because you never know, right?

I’ve been excited about the Booneville Backyard 100k because it’s on the rolling hills/gravel roads around Winterset, Iowa.  If y’all remember back a few years to the movie: Bridges of Madison County?  Yea~that’s where this race is.  The bridges~I get to run through 5 of those bridges during the race!  I’m such a dork, I get excited about stuff like that!  PLUS~Winterset, Iowa is the birthday place of John Wayne!  Guessing I won’t bump into John Wayne OR Clint Eastwood but those bridges are still there!

Plus, check out this race bling!!!  I think Aiden needs this, don’t you?

Seeing as the August 50k in Wisconsin was canceled, I kinda had my eye open for a summer 50k to use as a training run.  I found this ultra, a 50k, put on by the same race director as my September 100k!  They had posted a big thing about how they were able to hold their events because the state of Iowa had eased some restrictions.  I thought to myself, Sweet!

After chatting with my coach and MFH, I went to register for the July 50k in Coon Rapids, Iowa. It. was. full.  I was such a sad panda!!!  I was, Oh Noooo!!!

What can you do?  Nothing really. You just figure that’s how it’s supposed to be and move on.

Then, for some weird reason, I went back to their UltraSignUp page the next day and and guess what!?!  They’d started a wait list!  YAY!!! That hadn’t been available the day before.  I registered and was #3 on the waitlist.

Holy cow but I was nervous.  I mean, the race is July 12 and today’s June 18.  That doesn’t leave much wiggle room for training!  My coach asked how soon they’d let us know if we were in and I had no idea?  We kinda sketched out quasi training plan for just in case I got in.

Yesterday, I found out I was in!!!  YAY!!!  I’m so excited about this!  July 12, MFH and I will be in Coon Rapids, Iowa where I’ll be running the Whiterock Ultra (50k).  It’s quasi~technical trails.  I think Aiden and I will have a blast out on there in a few weeks!

Now, here’s where the changes to my 2020 racing season get a huge monkey wrench thrown into the works.

Back this past winter, I had blogged about an April surgery I was supposed to do?  That surgery was canceled due to the COVID19 crisis.  This COVID stuff has reached our lives in so many different ways!

Anyway, my surgeon reached out to me about a month ago about rescheduling my April surgery.  It REALLY needs to be done, people.  It has gotten a lot worse since I blogged about it earlier last winter.  Here’s the link to that blog if you aren’t up to date on the gross and personal nature of this pending surgery.  It’s embarrassing to me to talk about it and IMO, very TMI:  http://w0ep.us/TM/?p=5968

The surgery has been rescheduled for this coming September 30.  At first the down time required for recovery bothered me?  Now I’m like,  Do what has to be done and just fix this thing!!!

Because I have to have no running for close to 12 weeks (I can walk as much as I want) that messes with the NYC Marathon.  UGH!!!

A few weeks ago I deferred NYC to 2021.  This thing needs to be fixed so bad that I sacrificed the race I’ve been trying to get into since 2012!

That brings you up to date on what all’s currently happening on the running/racing front at our house.  Wishing y’all many happy miles in the remaining year!!!

#IRun4Aiden

 

 

 

One thought on “Change of Plans

  1. Garry Waldon

    Sounds like you are being smart, Melinda! Go run! If you get this way, Deb and I might even cheer you on! We won’t run, but we’ll cheer! Might even find an IPA for after, or before!

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