I turned 40 two weeks ago. The big 4-0. Of course, I told everyone and myself for that matter, that 40 is no big deal, just a number, I feel and look pretty good… for 40. It’s that “for 40” caveat that was getting to me. But I know a lot of fantastic and amazing women in their 40s. I look to them and hear that this is best decade yet, that these are the best years. In that spirit, I decided what better way to affirm that I am a fit, fabulous and youthful 40 than taking on the biggest running challenge of my life?
Two days after the big birthday, I signed up for the Pikes Peak Ascent. .. or more specifically, the Triple Crown of Running. After all my reluctance to run another full marathon, I can’t believe I’ve decided to take on this monster challenge instead. The Triple Crown consists of a series of three races: the Garden of the Gods 10 Mile Run on June 13, 2010, the Summer Roundup Trail Run 12K on July 11, 2010 and ends with the Pikes Peak Ascent the weekend of August 21-22. These races are all tough with significant elevation gains (needless to say the Ascent is biggest elevation gain 
) So the girl who loves to avoid hills and prefers to run at sea level, is gonna run up Pikes Peak…The hills which I’ve abhorred so much will now become my friends (or more likely frenemies).
We are also traveling to Seattle again this year for a family vacation and the Seattle Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon on June 26, 2010. It was a great race last year and I am looking forward to running this beautiful course again. It’s likely I will also run the Boulder Bolder on Memorial Day which is always such a good time.
We’ll see what the fall and winter bring. I think that training for and completing the Triple Crown will be one of the hardest things I’ve done to date. I know that training is going to be grueling. I know that I will shed some tears and that there will be a great sense of accomplishment if I can pull this off. I’m both nervous and excited – here’s to the best year(s) yet!
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