One of the things I’m supposed to do as part of my Montrail deal is submit a race schedule for the coming year. Actually, you are asked to submit one with your team application and I did that; however, you are asked to submit another one following the signing of your contract. The request for a revised tentative schedule is a wise move as my race schedule is reasonably different from and significantly more settled than the version I submitted in late October.
Whilst I would have enjoyed running Western States for a fourth straight year, my loss in the lottery last weekend is also a bright spot. Because of it, I can do some races that I’ve never done as well as some that I’ve been meaning to go back to for more than a couple years.
Not only do the individual races on my calendar excite me, the entirety of my schedule is a thing of beauty. In choosing the races I want to run, I progress from 50k up to 100 milers in incremental steps over the course of four months. Then, after building a huge endurance base (and taking a couple weeks of down time after Vermont), I can devote an adequate amount of time (a couple months) to sharpen for the final race of my season. Here it is:
Feb 3 – Uwharrie Mountain Run 40 Miler – Uwharrie Nat’l Forest, NC
Mar 3 – Seneca Creek Green Way Trail 50k – Damascus, MD
Mar 24 – HAT Run 50k – Havre de Grace, MD
Apr 14 – Bull Run Run 50 Miler – Clifton, VA
May 6 – Miwok 100k – Marin Headleads, CA
May 27 – Rocky Mountain Double Marathon – outside Vedauwoo, WY
June 9 – Laurel Highlands Trail 70.5 Miler – Ohiopyle, PA
July 20 – Vermont 100 – Woodstock, VT
Oct 13 – 24 Hours of Boulder (as an ultra relay) – Boulder, CO
Nov 17 – JFK 50 Miler – Washington County, MD
Of the above noted races, the races fill many different roles. For instance, Uwharrie and Seneca Creek are nothing more than supported training runs at which I will run at an easy effort throughout. Bull Run Run … well, it’s here and I should run it – another good workout. Miwok is supposed to be an incredibly beautiful run and I just want to be there to see it and get in a good workout. Similarly, the Rocky Mountain DM offers the beauty of Vedauwoo and a good workout… on the other hand, if I am near the front I will try to defend my title there. The 24 Hours of Boulder will be a fun team experience… that we hope to win. When you take all of those races out, you get my “focus races” for the year: HAT Run, Laurel Highlands, Vermont, and, most surprisingly of all, JFK.
In addition to many semi-official training runs and “fat ass” events, I am considering the following races at the moment. Chances are some other races will fill in my schedule as supported training runs.
Feb 10 – Holiday Lake 50k – Appomattox, VA
Apr 16 – Boston Marathon – Somewhere, MA
Apr 28 – Promised Land 50k – Bedford, VA
I am also committed to pace at the following events.
Jan 13 – H.U.R.T. 100 (Steve Burton) – Oahu, HI
May 19 – Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 (Mike Mason) – Front Royal, VA
