The past year has been epic. I have to say it’s been my best running year ever. I’ve raced more than ever before. I ran more miles this year than any year in the past. I started running with a local trail running group. Having a community of runners who share my enthusiasm for ultrarunning is hugely motivating. I’ve always resisted group runs, seeing them as taking too much effort or having to run someone else’s pace being restrictive. While both of these things are true, the return far outweighs the investment.
I became an ambassador for Vespa/OFM and changed my diet to be low-carb and started using their products in 2022. It’s been a huge benefit to my training and I’m continuing my ambassadorship in 2024. I’ll post more about my nutrition and hydration as the year unfolds.
I hired a coach! My main 2024 goal is a sub-24-hour finish in a 100-mile race so I brought in someone to help me structure my training. It’s been awesome and I’m well on my way to my goal.
My 2023 Events:
- March – Mississippi Trail 50, fastest 50 miler before that day, Finished in 10:37:04
- June – Old Dominion 100-mile, DNF at mile 64
- August – Ragnar Appalachia, a great run with a fun group of friends, about 20 miles
- October – Red Barn Challenge, 12-hour, 54 miles completed, 1st place overall
- November – JFK 50 mile, took over 2 hours off my previous finish, 10:34:33, new PR
That’s 238 miles of racing, far more than any prior year. The highlight was winning the 12-hour Red Barn Challenge in Pennsylvania. I’ve only had ONE podium finish before this so winning was a huge shock. I entered the race on a lark because I was looking for a way to gauge my training status. I did NOT expect to do as well as I did, especially because of the mud caused by 8 hours of rain on the 1-mile course.
This just edged out the Mississippi Trail 50 in March as my favorite event of 2023. In Mississippi, I was aiming for a 10-hour finish and would have reached it but for two things. One, missing a turn and adding almost 2 miles to the race because I had to backtrack. And two, getting dehydrated in the heat of the day, which slowed me significantly until I could get caught back up on my water/electrolytes. Every race teaches you something, often the hard way.
Learnings
More learnings came from my low of 2023. I had to drop out of the Old Dominion 100 at the 64-mile aid station. I desperately wanted to continue but was having significant knee and ankle pain which slowed my pace to the point that I was going to miss the cutoff time at mile 75. Rather than risk a lasting injury my crew and I called it a day (night actually) and went back to the hotel. I say it was a low but I did enjoy the event and learned to help me in future races and when/if I return to Old Dominion.
The other low spot, that turned out to be a highlight, was getting Covid two weeks prior to the JFK 50 in November. When I got sick I was worried I wouldn’t be able to toe the start line. I recovered very quickly from the illness and was able to complete the race, beating my prior finish time by over two hours and improving my PR at 50-miles by over 2 minutes and 30 seconds! This was a testament to the training I had put in and to my overall metabolic health, which I credit for being able to kick Covid’s butt.
I’ve been training consistently since 2019 and my mileage, total number of runs completed, and average length of each run, have been on a steady upward trajectory. The other measure that continues to improve, and one I consider to be the most important, is the consistency of my training. I’ve taken fewer long breaks after races and have run more days per week. I believe these changes have improved my general health, resistance to injury, and ability to train harder more often, resulting in faster race times and more enjoyment overall.
What’s Ahead in 2024?
The motto for 2024 will be “Give Nothing Back”. Once you’ve improved your fitness and performance, don’t “give it back” by taking a long break. Yes, by all means, switch up the training to give yourself a mental break periodically. Maybe do more strength workouts for a period or concentrate on speed, rather than endurance, or visa-versa. Think about periodization when planning your year. This is something I began in 2023 and will double down on in 2024. The changes I’ve made to my diet and training have made this easy.
I’m motivated for 2024. Part of that motivation is having a race scheduled early in the year. This has forced me to concentrate on improving over what many take as an off-season. Is it tough to train when the days are short and the temperatures are low? Absolutely! But, because I’ve got goals, I’ve adapted to running with layers of clothing and a headlamp.
Events for 2024:
- March, Mississippi Trail, 100-mile
- September, Grindstone 100-mile
I’m sure there will be other 50k and 50-mile races but I like to keep some things spontaneous. What are your plans? Drop them in a comment or send me a message. Maybe we’ll race together somewhere in the coming year.