Calico 1/2 Slammer in da Hooooouse!

CALICO SLAM SERIES
Inspired by the Grand Slam of Ultra Running, which is the completion of the 4 premier 100 miler events in the country in one year, the Calico Slam will recognize runners completing multiple Calico Racing events.

Slammers must complete 4 Calico Racing events in any given 12 consecutive month period. Runners may choose among all Calico Racing events which ones they plan to run.

Calico 1/2 Slam: The Calico 1/2 Slam honors runners who complete the 1/2 Marathon race distance at 4 Calico Races in any given consecutive 12 month period.

Copyright & copy; 2007, Joyce Forier and Calico Racing, LLC. All rights reserved.

I've spent months and weeks preparing for this. Questioning all the time if I would do it. The reasoning behind finishing my Calico 1/2 Slam with 'Running With the Devil" was that Lovell Canyon in April was #3. I have to do 4. The only other options for #4 would have been the Devil in June, ET in August, Hoover Dam in October, or Angel (2011).

ET - it's a midnight race and I never have anyone who wants to run with me. I didn't feel comfortable being out in Rachel, NV all alone in the middle of the dark desert.

Angel (2011) - wait a whole year to finish?? yeah right.

Hoover Dam or Devil?? ..... Well Hoover Dam is so long away, and I still have my base from doing the other 3 I've done. So Devil it was!!

Today I finished that Calico 1/2 Slam!! I pushed myself to new limits of heat running and conquered this awesome Running With the Devil race!! And I finished my 1/2 slam in half the time alotted!

Something that was really cool for this new half marathoner was being able to compare my ability on the same exact course 6 months apart. I figured Angel had kicked my butt in January, but I have obviously progressed since then. However, with the heat factored in, I thought it would kick my butt once again. It didn't! I felt great the whole time. I did walk, a lot more than I would have liked, but isn't that always the case? On the course I said to myself "I'm walking more than I really wanted to... oh who am I kidding, I always walk alot! This is normal."

So while out there trying to take my mind off the heat, I started looking at the rest of the year and the things I already have lined up. And I decided that I want to be able to run without walking so much. Which means I need to go back to the drawing board. Basically, I'm going to go back 5k training but start pushing faster, harder, and stop taking walk breaks. I would really like to come in top 3 in my age group at a 5k and not due to a lack of runners in the race. We'll see if I have time to train for that too. I still do have to keep my endurance up for Silverman... oh yeah... that! I still haven't blogged about that! It's special enough to have it's own blog post, so that info is sure to come soon!

I'll add RWD pix when I figure out how to get them off my camera's memory. Anyone seen my camera USB cord???

Running with the Devil.... ironic name.

Today is my last day as this person... for tomorrow's race will change me. Maybe not on the outside, but tomorrow's race will change my heart & mind. It will strengthen my faith and my belief in how amazingly God has created us. It will push me to new limits I'm afraid to even face but will face because I like a challenege. Tomorrow will be half marathon #4 in 6 months. We'll begin at 12pm when it's 100 degrees outside. I've trained smart and I'm aware of the signs of heat exhaustion, heat stroke and dehydration. I will finish... hopefully. But I admit it will NOT be easy. It'll take a mental strength more than a physical strength.

I once heard a story from a man who had been overweight and had started running. He felt amazing & was doing a great job getting fit. He fell in love with running, like I have, just totally unexpectedly! But on his runs he said he'd come back feeling as if he'd been through a war zone. Battling with the Devil the whole time. The enemy likes to torture us with thoughts of self doubt and self hate, tell us we can't or shouldn't or aren't worth it. For me, those thoughts start long before the run is even taking place, with doubt and fear building up inside until I don't even want to go out and run for fear of failing. But what's failing?? There is no failing in trying! No matter if it's out for a mile or out for 13 miles, I'm giving it all I have. My life has drastically changed over the past year and a half. How ironic for this race to be named "Running with the Devil".... I feel like I do that all the time. But I also run with the Lord and HE is much stronger and more powerful than the enemy. So this too shall pass and this too shall be conquered. For if I try, then I have not failed.

So today as the fear builds inside that maybe I can't finish the race, I will look back on the past year and a half, and especially the past 6 months, and remember that the LORD IS GOOD.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. - Deuteronomy 31:6

Please pray for my mental strength & physical safety and strength.