making plans

My birthday is coming. That number isn't getting any smaller. So to celebrate, I'm going to do something I've wanted to do for a long time - run the entire Wildwood Trail.

This idea has been kicking around for almost a year, but it wasn't until I told an energetic friend (@dorthybitestoto) that I wanted to do it that the plan fell in to motion. I would have probably let the idea slide away like so many other things without her reminding me that we were, in fact, doing this run for my birthday. So if you have something you want to do, tell a friend - your odds of getting it done will go up exponentially.

Incredibly, we've got some more ladies who want to join us. It's helpful to be involved with a group of ultrarunners - they think these kind of adventures are tons of fun and great training. I've been studying the maps, figuring out support points, and trying to estimate our arrival times along the way so that others can join us on the adventure. Good maps really help out with this kind of planning. The best Wildwood maps can be found on the Art of Geography.

Right now, we're planning on 13 - 14 minutes miles, which includes stopping time for photos, food and other trail adjustments. Wildwood has been pretty muddy this year, so we know that it will be slower going than it would be during the summer. We are also all in training, so none of us want to fry our legs before upcoming races. It's amazing how much more ground you can cover when you take it slowly.

Aid wise, I am planning to carry a backpack with Honey Stinger chews, peanut butter sandwiches, water, S-Caps and maybe some Ruffles. I am still trying to work out my best fueling options. Last long run, I had no desire for candy or bananas, so I need to figure out what I do crave.  I definitely will bring some coca-cola this time, especially if we have people meeting us with aid.

This should be good practice for planning future adventures. There are many great trails in Oregon and Southwest Washington that I am excited to explore, and I am hoping this first adventure will give me the confidence to put more together.