What to do When Nature Calls?

First, let me start by apologizing for my lack of writing over the past two weeks. I have been busy prepping myself for another semester of graduate school and prepping my wife for her internship. I will do better to share my stories/adventures more frequently, regardless of their possible meaningless nature....take this next little number for example.

So, as the title may suggest, I was faced a troubling question this very morning. While enjoying my morning run through the summer dwelling place of our 3rd president (Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest), I was struck with question of "where is the nearest port-a-potty?" Typically when this sort of question arises, I am able to shrug it off and make it until I arrive home. However, this morning was a much different story. Not sure if  it was the French toast or the prime rib pasta that I had for dinner, but something was not agreeing with my  unstable bowels. Thankfully, I was at the most remote part of my run, I was wearing socks, and I was even able to find a large hollow stump to accommodate my needs. Yes, that is right, this morning, I was forced to defecate where Thomas Jefferson used to spend his summers. I sure hope that was not illegal. 

Now why did I share this somewhat disturbing story? NOt really sure, maybe because it is the most eventful thing to happen on my runs lately. However, I have been hitting the trails near the Snowflex on Candlers Mountain lately. and when I say "Lately" I mean late at night or early in the morning. Two out of my three runs on the trails in the past week have been in the dark. There is something truly exhilarating about running through the woods in the dark. I need to spend some more time up there in the daylight because I am not too familiar with the trails and tend to make wrong turns. Been lost twice so far.

I have recently ramped up my training in hopes to be fit enough for Holiday Lake 50k++. THe registration deadline for this race is this weekend so I need to make up my mind if I am going truly run this or not. I am lacking confidence right now because I do not feel my training is where it should be in order to run an ultra, let alone my first ultra. But, at the same time, I think that I may need to just register for the race and go for it. We'll see. I am looking forward to the unknown adventures of pushing myself farther than I've ever been. I have been researching a lot of races and am really hoping to have the discipline to run in most of the LUS and Beast Series races this year. I also plan on doing my fair share of the usual street races that are part of the Lynchburg Race Series. 

If you have made this far, I applaud you for not giving up on me after that first paragraph. Sorry about that. Don't worry, I won't make a habit about sharing such personal stories. However, look forward to more stories as I try to make every run unique in one way or another. Until next time, Jogon Mates!