I have recently been able to get back into the swing of things with my run training and have brought my weekly mileage back to the positive side of 50.  Which is a good thing since today marks the first day of my 16 week training plan / countdown for the JFK 50 Mile Memorial (my first official ultra).

Of course saying that I learned just yesterday of a nice low-frills marathon / 50 mile race not too far from home in Ipswich, MA that occurs two weeks sooner.  I am considering contacting the Race Director to see if the 37.5 mile option will be available again this year, as it apparently was in years past.  I know, it probably isn't the best idea considering I will be racing the Marine Corps. Marathon two weeks before and pacing two others between now and then, but I am a little anxious about the distance having never run more than 30 miles (in just over 5 hours) before.  Combine that with the fact that I have only participated in one race (last Thursday's ++" in which I finished 4th overall, same as last year but with a time 35 seconds faster over the 5.2 mile course) since July 4 and I am starting to get a bit antsy.

Which is why I am glad that I finally took the plunge and joined my local running club, the Somerville Road Runners (www.srr.org), so that I can undertake some structured workouts with other competitive runners - many of which are much faster and more accomplished than me.  I have only attended two of the weekly track workouts but am already feeling a better sense of place while also learning better control of my faster paces.  Though that is much easier to do on a measured oval than on roads and trails so I am waiting to see how it carries over into my long runs and tempo runs.