I'm An UltraRunner - What's Next? ... I'm glad you asked

Three weeks into the new year. I've neglected this blog as I settled into the new year & the changes to my fitness goals. That said, I've finally had time to sit with it & get over the fact that it finally happened.
On Saturday, January 12th, I completed my first Ultra Marathon. And I did it in a very different way than I set out to do so back when I first went out to achieve this in October 2018. I didn't blog about it this time, I didn't invite people to go and support & cheer me on. I continued to train using the final few weeks of the training program I had completed with Lauren Padula, but I didn't track my long runs or any of my runs for that matter. I didn't wear my FitBit as I didn't want any of my runs tracked. I didn't want anyone to know what I was doing this time.

Now before you say, it seems selfish after I started out so transparent in doing this, let me explain the why. After I DNFd at Lake Hodges 50k, I fell into a depression. I knew that with the exception of a few people, if anyone knew I was jumping right back into training I'd have to deal with everyone's opinions on why I should rest and give it some time. I wasn't willing to rest. I wasn't ready to give it time. And I wasn't open to anyone else opinions at the time. It struck me that I had let my mind be influenced by  everyone else's energy who were in what appeared to me as a caravan of Ultra Marathon Hopefuls at the time. I became too tied up in what was outside of myself that while it didn't affect my race or my pace, it affected my readiness to deal with the possibility of not finishing.

I had gotten so far disconnected from how I was preparing myself. I didn't think that EVERY long run, EVERY training run, EVERY challenging moment of my training I had done on my own. I had the support of my friends, but ultimately I was out there running, hurting and crying on my own. I went out there on January 12th with the only people I know out there being the Elevation Culture team, who were the reason I had even chosen to go after this goal.
I signed up for the SD50 Trail Ultra Marathon, knowing that my intentions were to run the race and circle back and add some distance to it to qualify as an Ultra Marathon. And amidst rain, holding on to fences to avoid mud, sliding in mud puddles, running across rivers and up mountains in the rain - amidst that all I finished after 8hours and 40minutes.
I AM AN ULTRA MARATHONER! I AM WEATHERPROOF! I DID IT!

The most important lesson I learned during this process is that I have it in me. When people told me I don't look like a runner, when people told me I don't have a runners body, when a doctor told me this couldn't possibly be healthy for someone my size - I continued & I proved I had it in me. I might not have what people see as the ideal runners body, but on January 12th, 2019, I achieved something most runners never have.

To further my message that in fitness there are no ideal bodies, I will again be challenging myself & challenging others perceptions of fitness bodies. In Summer of 2019, I will be participating AND COMPLETING my Yoga Teacher 200Hr Training in San Diego. I'm still toying with how I'm going to find the $2,550 price tag. But I have started a Go Fund Me to help with at least some of the cost. You can hear more of my story & donate or share the story with others at the link below:
gofundme.com/joalby039s-yoga-teacher-training
To support or learn more about my journey towards Yoga Teacher Training, please visit Help Fund Joalby's Yoga Teacher Training

SD50 Trail Ultra Marathon - January 12th, 2019

Crossing the Finish Line - Photo by Eric Chrisman of Elevation Culture