A look back at failure

I have an addictive personality, and I like success.  The engineer in me applies the simple logic, focused training achieves success.

Lack of training, by default, equals lack of success.

The failed R2R2R run felt eerily similar to my first Boston Marathon. I feel like I have unfinished business. It took a full month for me to mentally let go of my lack-luster Boston performance.  It took focusing on VT50 to get my focus back.  Looking at the rear-view mirror, the pre-event training was identical for both events.  A period of high mileage within 3 months of the event, which dropped drastically due to one reason or another (training race recovery, blood clots, and sprained ankles).  

In reviewing my training logs, my 2014 year-to-date mileage is lower than normal, resembling a very inconsistent 2012 training year.  I peaked at 96 mpw in early February, which was good enough to get me through Zion 100 in the first weekend of April.  Between the February's higher milage and the Zion race, I had to take time off for clots in my lungs.  Once I was approved to run, it was only if I took it easy for a week.  Next thing I knew, my first 100 was three weeks away.  There wasn't much I could do to prepare for the race besides keeping my legs fresh.  After Zion, I took a couple weeks off to recover.  Then two weeks of build-up, then another sprained ankle that took me off my feet for two weeks.  Voila, Grand Canyon was a week away.  

Did I see this coming...nope.

"You'll never be brave if you don't get hurt.  You'll never learn if you don't make mistakes.  You'll never be successful if you don't encounter failure." - unknown

I will be haunted with this miss.  It will provide me direction moving forward.  Motivation.  I am already looking ahead to the next attempt.  I've already initiated a group discussion about a group run with the Shenipsit Striders for 2015 or 2016. 

"Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat.  It is a temporary detour, not a dead end." - unknown

I have plenty of time to train correctly for my fall race.  Though, I have the responsibility to pace my Sean through his first 100 miler in July.  I refuse to let him down, so I am going into this as if I was racing it. He is going after a sub 24hr time.  However, I am sure in the back of his mind he has David's 21hr 11min performance in mind as well.  Nearly two months to train.  No injuries.  No clots.  I can do this.