Back from the TARC running camp all smitten with bug and mosquito bites. And it feels terrific! Logged a good sixteen odd miles back in the trails after a month’s rest and met a good bunch of folks. It’s always so inspiring to attend these TARC meets. Last year at the camp, it was my first ever deep exposure to TARC and I was blown away by the positivity, humbleness and expanse and depth of knowledge these (ultra)runners and other campers brought in. What really makes TARC outstanding is its inclusivity and support framework. They’re open to anybody who is remotely interested in the outdoors and just let the sheer culture of this community take over the reins.
In hindsight, that experience at camp last year deeply impacted my outlook towards running. From barely training for any of the half and full marathons and winging them for the most part, I diligently trained for a 50 miler early this year. The primary intention was to understand my body better and get into a better fitness regimen. Pretty ironic that I ended up spraining my ankle badly during the main event and had to drop out. A run for which I’d logged more than 300 miles in training! Endurance has always been my forte and however arduous it be, I have never ‘given-up’ during a run/hike over the last ten or so years that I’ve been exploring outdoors. As I was walking back to the car that day, I was in second thoughts if I should have pushed it and completed the run. Something that I didn’t have a definitive answer for then and neither do I have now. All I knew was that my morale did take a beating for sure. Wapack and Back remains an unfinished business and I will have to get back on those rolling peaks to make peace.
The camp this weekend was a much needed fix. Just being there surrounded by folks who have DNF’d before consciously for practical reasons and physical limitations took some load off my shoulders. Overall I believe I also had good quality runs this weekend. I felt much stronger on the trails and my average pace definitely seems to have gone up. I can’t wait to get back to a good training regimen again. I definitely do want to make it to more of the weekly runs at the Fells and should also probably join the Blue Hills group whenever feasible.
As a more tangible target, I have my eyes on the StoneCat 50 miler this November. The India trip may be a mild deterrent but I think I should be able to find a way around that…
