Never half ass two things when you can whole ass one thing.
– Ron Swanson
Ultrarunning is no longer under the radar. Events that spent decades as the province of just a few dozen crazy people now have thousands of even crazier people trying to get in. The most popular races have lotteries, with qualifying races to enter the lottery, and some of the qualifying races even have their own qualifying races. If you did not get a ticket for your race or are just getting into the sport, now is the time to decide what you are going to do before everything fills up for 2020.
So what to do? My advice:
1. Only sign up for a race that makes you excited to run. Do you like to run up and down mountains or do you like fast and flat? Do you like the logistics of coming back to the same place or do you hate loops? Does marching up a trail at 3 am sound like a challenge or does it sound miserable? Genuine enthusiasm makes up for a lot and makes the work preparing for a race easier. Look at the course, read race reports, and ask: does this race get me excited? If not, move on.
2. Pick a single race as your point of focus. The best runners in the world, those who’s only job is to run, usually pick one “A” race for the year. Some recreational runners run crazy numbers of races. While that is fine, it comes with the tradeoff of never truly running a great race. A truly great race takes months of smart, targeted, and dedicated practice, supreme mental focus, and leaving everything on the course. A max effort race – whether a marathon or ultra – should take months to fully recover from.
2A. As a corollary to #2 above, its OK to have a “B” race that is used to train for the “A” race. A half-marathon before a marathon, or a 100k before a 100-miler can be great training IF the runner avoids the temptation to go all out in the training race. Finish those with gas in the tank.
3. Whole-ass the race. When you toe the line, you should be in top shape, have done your training, and mentally expect to achieve success. You must know deep down that you are going to crush the course. To do that, pick a race that gives you plenty of time to train, with gradual build-up in volume to avoid the classic runner overuse injuries. How much time is enough? It depends on the athlete and the race. A complete novice wanting to run a marathon should plan on at least six months of training. A novice wanting to finish a 100-miler would probably be best served by developing a two-year plan, with the first year focusing on a good 50-miler or 100k. A veteran probably already knows what they need. For me, starting from a good base, I want at least 6 months – preferably more – for a 100k or 100-miler and at least 4 months for a marathon.
4. Consider whether you want to run the race with a buddy. Ultramarathons are substantially more difficult to do completely alone – thus the popularity of crews and pacers. An alternative to pacers, provided you can find the right person, is running with a friend of comparable ability. Sometimes you will be the weak link. Sometimes they will be the weak link. But the overall chance of success, particularly at 100 miles, is increased by having a dependable teammate. Some races with a lottery, like UTMB, allow you to enter as a team; you either both get in or neither gets in. Thus, if you want to run with a friend, check the race entry rules.
5. If you have a long-term bucket-list goal race – like the Boston Marathon, Hardrock, Western States, or UTMB – consider what races will allow you to qualify. For marathons, its pretty easy to find a qualifying race. The hard part is making the cutoff. If you want to qualify for Boston or another marathon with a qualifying cutoff, find a fast course with a good chance of cool weather. For ultras, it’s more difficult. Many 100-mile races require a previous finish of a 50 or 100-mile race. UTMB requires you to amass a certain number of points in a certain number or races over the prior two years just to get in the lottery. Western States has a list of specific races and times that qualify for the lottery. Hardrock has a much shorter list. Unlike the Hunger Games, the odds are never in your favor and it will realistically take many years of entering these lotteries to obtain entry. So, if you want to run these races, pick the races that qualify for multiple big boys.
| Race | Hardrock | WS | UTMB 6-Pointer |
| APRIL: Ultra Trail Mt Fuji (Japan) | Y | Y | Y |
| MAY: Hardcore 100 (Philippines) | Y | Y | Y |
| MAY: Cruel Jewel | Y | Y | Y |
| JUNE: Bighorn | Y | Y | N |
| JULY: Hardrock Hundred | Y | Y | Y |
| AUG: UTMB (163 km) | Y | Y | Y |
| AUG: Fat Dog 120 (Canada) | Y | Y | Y |
| AUG: Angeles Crest | Y | Y | Y |
| AUG: Cascade Crest | Y | Y | N |
| SEPT: Wasatch Front 100 | Y | Y | N |
| SEPT: Bear 100 | Y | Y | Y |
| SEPT: Run Rabbit Run | Y | Y | N |
| SEPT: IMTUF | Y | Y | N |
| OCT: Grindstone | Y | Y | N |
6. The race must fit in your life. I have a job, four kids, and a busy life. Some races, however awesome, just are not happening right now (I am looking at you Grant – we are running Comrades one day but I can’t this year!). Pick something that fits with your schedule/budget/family life. There are thousands of possibilities, just find the ones that work for you.
7. Understand that you don’t have to officially race to find an adventure. Some of my most fun adventures involve remote off-trail backpacking in wilderness areas. These adventures can be as strenuous as you want, and except for the cost of getting there they are free. There are also many “unofficial” courses like the Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim, Wonderland Trail, Nolan’s 14, and the Pfiffner Traverse, and various mountain High Routes. Don’t feel confined to races if you want to try something else.
What did I decide?
For 2020 I signed up for the Castle Peak 100k. I had never heard of it until a few weeks ago and I started researching races. Here’s how I applied the criteria above to pick this race:
- Is it Interesting? – Lots of vertical, part is so technical it uses ropes and required a special waiver, you get a belt (not a buckle) for finishing – cool, and it’s in Tahoe which is both beautiful and easy to get to.
- Is it a big enough challenge to be the focus of my training? Yep.
- Can I whole-ass it? Yes, lots of time to execute a training plan and toe the line it top shape.
- Qualifiers? It’s a Western States qualifier. Finishing will get me 16 lottery tickets. Yeah.
- Buddies? Likely running with friends (if they sign up before it fills out).
- Other non-race plans? In the works.
What should you decide?
I don’t know. But if you spend some time researching races and applying these criteria, you should be able to find something to occupy your time this year. If you have any questions leave them in the comments below and I will try to answer them.
Vamonos Baby! 
.jpg){kind=link}