Scratches for Me

Plans, plans, go away come again some other day...

Things are falling apart in regards to my ride season. My only goal all year, which I have mentioned ad nauseam on here, has been the Run for the Horses 50 mile endurance ride at the end of September. It has been on my calendar since last September when I found out about it the day after it ran.

Every conditioning mile, every gear purchase, every ride has been with this one goal in mind.

And now it may not even happen :(

Why? Logisitcs. Adulthood. Motherhood.

See this ride isn't just for me. It has a coinciding (and competing) ultra-marathon along with it. The hubby humorously thinks he could actually beat Gem and I (HA!!!) and so he smugly signed up for the 50 miler. There is no way I would let him beat us girls. No way!

The logistics of us both participating in the same event were already a little dicey. Someone has to be responsible for W which is why even going to a movie hasn't happened since Feb 2013. His sister was going to come down and watch W for us as well as stay at the house to take care of the pups (the cats can fend for themselves for two nights). Unfortunately she called this week to say that she couldn't get off work and can no longer come.

The hubby has already paid for his run entry, so he can't take care of W. That leaves me.

Now, my mom has very happily suggested that W goes to stay at her house for the weekend and that is still an option. She would take excellent care of him and I am sure he would have an enjoyable weekend, but I've never left him like that in 2 years. In fact, the July Biltmore ride was the first night I had spent away from him in over a year, but at least I knew he was home with his dad. I'm not questioning my mom one bit, but the thought of both of us heading out to have fun at a sporting event and leaving him behind just doesn't sit well with me at all.

So I think I am scratching from the event :(

I was looking forward to getting to ride with the runners, but there were some things that fell a little flat with me. Such as yet another ride this year at Biltmore. Don't get me wrong, it is a lovely place to ride. But it is pricey due to the venue and one reason I love endurance is all the new trails I wouldn't otherwise get to experience. All my rides occurring at the exact same location, on basically the exact same trails this year? Ugh.

Also, unlike at my huge bucket list ride (Vermont 100) the runner starts a whole 30 minute before the riders and run on a slightly shorter and different first loop. I'm assuming it has to do with safety or something, but this means that my first 15 mile loop won't have any runners on it anyway. And the chances of me catching up to the hubs on trail when he has a 30 minute head start and I have a 40 minute hold before I'm even on the same trails as him? Not so great. I would have to make up 1 hr 10 minutes on him and truthfully we both have mentally figured on a 9-10 hour 50, so I highly doubt I would be able to make up that much time.

We had already agreed that the winner (between the two of us) would not be based on the order we cross the finish line, but by our actual ride times (not sure of that would be pure ride time for me or include the holds) so not passing him wouldn't actually mean I didn't win. Gem and I are not front runners (although she would like to be) and this would be our first 50, so I would really be saving her early on.

I don't know...but I'm thinking that the picture in my head of going down the trail with the runners, including the hubby, just won't be the reality and that the reality of riding alone on the same trails I've done 2 other times this year just isn't going to be worth the guilt and worry of leaving W behind.

So..I think I am regrouping and re routing.

Oh! I've also scratched from Iron Mountain for numerous reasons I will get into later. My new plans are pretty awesome though, so stay tuned!!