You get what you give

Tonight, we installed a cheap window shade.  For $5.00, we didn't expect much, nor did we need much.  As we cut and tore and ripped (not part of the plan), we ultimately installed this temporary shade and high fived each other.  We also agreed I would be in charge of any handling of this shade (read: man knows not his own strength).

You get what you pay for.

In running, you get the run you trained for.

And in life, you get what you put into it.  Simple as that.

I describe this past year as chaotic at best.  Not bad, just all over the place.  It was a busy year professionally and personally.  My balance felt not so balanced a lot of the time.  I started to dread my training runs.  Then I started to not do my training runs.  This was not the training I had in mind to prepare for Ghost Train 100 miler. 

My eventual downgrade from the 100 mile distance to a lesser distance was the right step for me and took the pressure off of me.  Though I still needed to dig deep for my newly committed to 30 mile distance, I was fairly certain I could manage the remaining training I needed to complete in order to finish the 30 miles.  Of course, the day of the race brought all the feelings of FOMO, but I never doubted my decision once I made it.

I just hadn’t trained for 100 miles this time.  So how could I expect my body and mind to carry me that distance?

Ghost Train was one month ago and I couldn’t be happier about my experience.  I started my training with a bang and ended on a much quieter note.   I got to run 30 miles with my friend Sue, be a part of her first ultra, and then run Susanne in for her final 10 miles to her 100 mile finish.  

Whether its money spent on cheap shades, effort spent on training runs, or time and energy devoted to the right things and the right people in your life, you get what you put into it.