Now I have a goal.

Today I entered the Ghost Town 38.5 Mile Ultra in New Mexico. The race will be run on January 18. Some asphalt road, some dirt road and some primitive trail in the beautiful high desert of New Mexico.
This will give me the needed focus to do the training in preparation for the race. I am more likely to do a training plan when it has a race connected to it. So now the training begins.
I am also planning on doing Rocky Raccoon 100 in February. Let the pain begin.
So far my scheduled races are as follows: 11/23 Nifty Fifty, RI (if they have it.), 12/13 URINEO 50, 1/18 Ghost Town 38.5, NM, 2/7 Rocky Raccoon 100.
That's a start to 2009.
You probably noted the Nifty Fifty race as if they have it. I have been wanting to do this race over the years, but always something gets in the way. Then the race was dropped. This year I noticed it was part of the New England Ultra Series. Which did not happen. I have been in contact with the race director and he said he may have it if there was enough interest. He said he wanted to do it on November 23 instead if the December 13 date that was listed in the N.E. Ultra Series. I have not heard from him if it is a go or not. If it is I will be there.

Now cross country, which has taken a lot of my spare time. My number 1 boy runner won his 3rd invitational in 4 meets. As a sophomore he is doing great and this coming Saturday will be his true test, as there will be 3 to 4 runners at his level. We will see what kind of metal he has.
I think he will break the school record of 16:24. Of course he does not know how fast he can really go. He does have a 16:30 under his belt.
My number 1 girl has been doing well, but was having problems getting a PR. I finally figured out her problem. She was running her races, but not competing in the races. Her first mile she races for position, then her 2nd and 3rd she maintains position even if the girls in front of her slow down. I told her she needs to be more aggressive and after the first mile go after the next girl and then the next and so on. Her last invitational she did that and got her PR. She said she felt great and had a focus throughout her race. Even though many of those girls on the line may be nice, after the guns goes off each and everyone of them are the enemy and should be trampled. I think she gets the picture now.