Gearing up!

(A little self-photo shoot before heading out on a trail run...no big deal.)

It's been just over a year since I attempted to run the Wasatch 100 in September 2009.  After running 3 ultra-marathons that summer (defined as anything over a standard marathon = 26.2 miles) I was ready for a 'racing break.'  I had started to despise my training runs and I knew I needed to get 'back to the basics' with my running and start running again because I love to... not because I have to.

After a leisurely summer of lots of trail running (and very little road running), I'm in LOVE with running again and I am READY to commit myself to getting back into racing.  I've got 10 marathons under my belt and I'm ready to add some more notches.... and maybe a few more notches on the ultra-marathon belt, too, if I can find an interesting race (but NOTHING over 50 miles... I've learned my lesson!).  I'm going to find some races in Boston for the upcoming year and maybe research a running group to join.  I've never needed motivation to go on runs but I've found that running with groups keeps me honest on my distance and my pace and I tend to push myself A LOT more when not running alone.  Any tips on running groups or interesting races in the Boston area?  Let me know!

**Addendum** So today... doing what I do best (a.k.a. online SHOPPING!), I bought a Garmin 405 GPS watch for running!  I did trail runs all summer with two peeps that had Garmins and they LOVED them.  Also, a blogger that I read loves hers, too.  I don't need much motivation to spend money. :-)