The question on my mind and what has become a goal for this year (running) since over a year ago has been to run my first 100 miler. Yes, you read that right RUN 100 MILES! (it is not comfortable rolling off my tongue yet, but hopefully some day it will sound much less daunting than it does at the moment).
Maybe I should take a step back and clarify WHY and HOW my mind has gotten this crazy idea. I ran my first ultra (Swiss Alpine Marathon in Davos, Switzerland) last year. I didnt even know if I would be able to do well or even finish it, let alone meet an amazing friend, and reach a new place in my soul and spirit I have never experienced. Or that these things in combination would all change my life by leaps and bounds. I then went on to pursue racing and chasing this raw feeling of myself that is so exposed and vulnerable to all elements, as well as getting into and going right past my comfort zone last year in a number of races. The longest, toughest, hardest in every way, and definitely the roughest was a race in October in Attigliano, Italy (130km - le vie di San Francesco). Throughout the year I was on a personal quest of my body and it's limits and was incredibly motivated to qualify for UTMB (Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc - 166km) as well as Western States 100 (100 miler in CA). I qualified for both races and started to build a huge hunger and passion for more. While I didn't make it through the raffle for race entry in either of the two races I qualified for (more chances for entries next year), I had established a goal for this year to run my first 100 miler sometime the end of the summer or early fall. Beyond that, too much was out of my control and I could never settle on the race or location. The hunger and drive for this goal was present in nearly every moment of my life since that day in Davos last July and has officially come to the surface NOW!
I have been very active in some of the European race calendar this year and although it has been a rough year in many ways, I am here now and am ready to say, I will run the RUN RABBIT RUN 100 Miler in Steamboat Springs, CO in 11 days (insert quiet deep breath sigh whooooooooo noise here)!
I never imagined those words could come from my mouth/mind, but right NOW, this is me. I am the most ready I have been for this challenge. Hopefully there will be other times in my life when I am more ready. But, this is the moment, right NOW! This is what I have been dreaming of and this is what is in my heart. I dont know if I am ready, but I am here and NOW and in this moment following my heart and trying to listen to my body and mind. I have been searching for the right race and the right time (training and work) for the last months and looking for every sign (dreaming, some conversations, some rabbit sightings, dreaming, some positive and negative body vibes, some positive outlook and big picture life lessons, dreaming, some clarity, some resting, some rabbit sightings, some more conversations, dreaming, way too much thinking...)
And the best sign was this morning...woke up...best day in a number of weeks for the body and the mind - it was a clear and relaxed decision, today, I KNOW NOW that I will be in the US (yay!) in a great place in my heart (Steamboat Springs) to run my first 100 miler (on Friday, September 13th - yes, embrace that it is the 13th :) - only good vibes)! YES!!!
NOW we are talking and NOW you know. I didnt think I wanted to let many people know about this, in case it didnt go as planned...but I have grown and I would like to share this dream with you and have you come on this and many more journeys with me...to wanderweg of course :) It is usually quite wild on my adventures, just a warning...
11 days ... woah baby, life is about to change a lot, but I am ready for IT ALL!
Thanks for hanging on, but I have turned it up a notch...so hang on tight or tighter :)
+ WWWWW (Wicked Wild WonderWoman Willis)
((part of a ever increasing nickname created by my Mom, who will join me and crew in Steamboat :)
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