Race Week
I've got some races on the calendar
Better late than never, let’s kick this season off with the Twisted Fork 30k!
I wrote this last week and had originally planned to do the 68k, but was waiting to publish it until I was sure about the race distance I’d do. After getting some probably smart but not exactly what I wanted to hear advice from friends and coaches, I’ll be doing the 30k instead. Not worth risking what we’ve worked hard to get back to just because I’m feeling impatient and it sounds like a good time.
After a couple months of very low running volume and now easing back into UTMB training, my farthest run back so far has been about 16 pretty smooth easy miles. I’m not anywhere near real race shape and my top priority is still just staying healthy. So then why even pin a bib on? I’m missing the race atmosphere, a 30k tempo seems like it will be good for me, and I love the social block party vibes of a well-organized local race.
Both in training and in races that aren’t my primary objective, I pride myself on being able to put the ego mostly aside and run an effort that feels right for me. If that means I don’t win or I get dropped off the lead group, I can make peace with that and tell myself I’m saving it for when it matters most. But that’s easy to say now and harder to actually accept in the moment, when you know a certain version of yourself could probably be in a much better position than reality on the day.
I guess that’s why I’m writing this, to soften the inevitable hit to my ego when I potentially come up short in these next few races that aren’t really in my wheelhouse. I’ll race at an effort that feels like it’ll set me up well for UTMB, and maybe that will mean I’ll be pretty far back. Maybe it’ll mean I drop out if the femur starts hurting. Maybe I’m in better shape than I realize and it’ll be great. We’ll see.
After Twisted Fork, I’m planning to race the Broken Arrow Ascent in June and then spend the week out at TrailCon and Western States. Probably another race leading up to UTMB after that. Lots of TBDs in my life these days. All I know is I’m just happy to be running again.
Maturity and great friends shining through. Thanks for being a real example of a real smart professional Caleb!
Rightly said Caleb brother that while writing it feels easy to make peace but on the other side the ground reality meaning while we are racing it gets really difficult to come to acceptance terms that this is where our present fitness is and everything is a work from upwards here and not let the barrage of our own expectations hamper the present moment and rather cherish the ones we are in. Expectations are some sort of premeditated resentments. I know we have to have some time goal or expectations from our own selves in order to make a strategy for the race. Enjoy it to the fullest and take it easy brother, our goal is UTMB.