SO LET'S MAKE A PLAN
I need to map out a plan. I am a fiend for competition. I cannot just run... I cannot just train. I need to race. I need to test myself against nature, the trail, the mountain, other harriers. That is my drive. And so, with all the great events across this beautiful globe, and with every resource available, I need to start mapping out a path to silence (silence my soul, my mind that I am at the upper tier of my abilities)... Here is a quick write-down of my immediate thoughts while researching the stratosphere for the next great race (I started typing 2012, instead of 2013... tells you where my mind is at) -
Sa, 02/09/2013 - Colyer 'Sno Big Deal 5.8 Miler (Colyer Lake, PA; 167 mi.)
Sa, 02/24/2013 - Chilly Cheeks 7.2 Mile Trail Run (Reading, PA)
Sa, 03/09/2013 - Laurel Run Switchbaker 10K
Sa, 03/30/2013 - Mt. Penn Mudfest 15K Trail Run (Reading, PA)
Su, 04/07/2013 - Tussey to Whipple 11 Miler
Su, 04/13/2013 - Bull Run 50M
Su, 04/28/2013 - Gunpowder Trail Race 5M
Sa, 05/04/2013 - The North Face Endurance Challenge 50 km at Bear Mountain (NY)
Sa, 05/26/2013 - Patapsco Trail Race 5-6M
Sa, 06/01/2013 - The North Face Endruance Challenge 50 mi at Washington, DC
Sa, 06/29/2013 - USA 10 km Trail Championship (Beech Mountain, NC)
Sa, 07/07/2013 - Sweet Air Trail Race 7-8M
Su, 07/21/2013 - USA Mountain Running Championship (Cranmore Hill Climb, NH)
Sa, 08/04/2013 - Bunker Hill Trail Race 11M
Sa, 08/17/2013 - Pike's Peak Ascent (Manitou Springs, CO)
Sa, 08/31/2013 - WMRA World Masters Mountain Championships (Janske Lanze, Czech Republic)
Sa, 09/14/2013 - Gunpowder Keg Ultra Trail Race 50K
Sa, 11/02/2013 - USA Half Marathon Championships (Moab, UT)
Sa, 11/09/2013 - USA 50 km Trail Championship
So, I have two over-arching peaks and goals. The first came to me to whilst I was injured: if my career ended, I had this horrible pit in my stomach that I had never raced over 50 mi trail. I feel it is a distance I can excel in, given my endurance and ability. However, timing is of prudence: I am currently coming off the worst injury of my 20+ years, and I cannot risk doing a lot of speed and/or hill work immediately and will spend the next 8 weeks building to 80 mi/week with no workouts, just running.
The second peak will be the WMRA World Masters Mountain Championships in the Czech Republic with the goal of medaling, if not, winning it all. Within that build, I would like to redeem myself at altitude and set the MD record at the Pike's Peak Ascent with a sub-2h20' effort. All the while, I will be attempting as many FKT's as possible.
The only wild card is that the IAU Trail World Championships are in July (or September) with that date to be finalized on January 31st. If the race is held in July (Wales), I will work to get in a highly competitive 50 km race in order to be considered for the candidate pool. However, workouts will dictate if this is a possibility or not.
* Alright, so I have already veered off this path. I registered for the Bull Run 50 mi, which is one week earlier than the Bel Monte Endurance Races. The Bull Run is the biggest regional 50 mi, so I might as well line up.
Sa, 02/09/2013 - Colyer 'Sno Big Deal 5.8 Miler (Colyer Lake, PA; 167 mi.)
Sa, 02/24/2013 - Chilly Cheeks 7.2 Mile Trail Run (Reading, PA)
Sa, 03/09/2013 - Laurel Run Switchbaker 10K
Sa, 03/30/2013 - Mt. Penn Mudfest 15K Trail Run (Reading, PA)
Su, 04/07/2013 - Tussey to Whipple 11 Miler
Su, 04/13/2013 - Bull Run 50M
Su, 04/28/2013 - Gunpowder Trail Race 5M
Sa, 05/04/2013 - The North Face Endurance Challenge 50 km at Bear Mountain (NY)
Sa, 05/26/2013 - Patapsco Trail Race 5-6M
Sa, 06/01/2013 - The North Face Endruance Challenge 50 mi at Washington, DC
Sa, 06/29/2013 - USA 10 km Trail Championship (Beech Mountain, NC)
Sa, 07/07/2013 - Sweet Air Trail Race 7-8M
Su, 07/21/2013 - USA Mountain Running Championship (Cranmore Hill Climb, NH)
Sa, 08/04/2013 - Bunker Hill Trail Race 11M
Sa, 08/17/2013 - Pike's Peak Ascent (Manitou Springs, CO)
Sa, 08/31/2013 - WMRA World Masters Mountain Championships (Janske Lanze, Czech Republic)
Sa, 09/14/2013 - Gunpowder Keg Ultra Trail Race 50K
Sa, 11/02/2013 - USA Half Marathon Championships (Moab, UT)
Sa, 11/09/2013 - USA 50 km Trail Championship
So, I have two over-arching peaks and goals. The first came to me to whilst I was injured: if my career ended, I had this horrible pit in my stomach that I had never raced over 50 mi trail. I feel it is a distance I can excel in, given my endurance and ability. However, timing is of prudence: I am currently coming off the worst injury of my 20+ years, and I cannot risk doing a lot of speed and/or hill work immediately and will spend the next 8 weeks building to 80 mi/week with no workouts, just running.
The second peak will be the WMRA World Masters Mountain Championships in the Czech Republic with the goal of medaling, if not, winning it all. Within that build, I would like to redeem myself at altitude and set the MD record at the Pike's Peak Ascent with a sub-2h20' effort. All the while, I will be attempting as many FKT's as possible.
The only wild card is that the IAU Trail World Championships are in July (or September) with that date to be finalized on January 31st. If the race is held in July (Wales), I will work to get in a highly competitive 50 km race in order to be considered for the candidate pool. However, workouts will dictate if this is a possibility or not.
* Alright, so I have already veered off this path. I registered for the Bull Run 50 mi, which is one week earlier than the Bel Monte Endurance Races. The Bull Run is the biggest regional 50 mi, so I might as well line up.
