The Tune Up

Few things prepare you for racing quite like racing

Before Western States last year I raced five times— 4 local 50ks in Southern Utah and the Madeira Island 85k. While that might have been a bit excessive, I treated each of the 50ks as low pressure, moderate effort supported long runs where I happened to be wearing a bib number. It was a fun way to socialize with other people, support local races, practice nutrition and hydration, normalize running 30 miles, and (most importantly) desensitize myself to the anxiety of racing.

This year I’ve taken a slightly different approach, not hopping in every 50k I could find, but I’ve still found value in doing “training races”. Though I’m much more comfortable with the stress of racing now, there’s still something about being on a start line, no matter how small, that gets the heart pumping. The biggest challenge of doing these races before an A-race, for me, is letting go of ego and accepting that keeping a controlled effort that I can quickly recover from and continue training through is more important than pushing for a win. It has often meant that I’m letting lead guys go and finishing well behind them, which hurts my competitive spirit a bit.

A couple weeks ago I ran a 50k here in the foothills of Salt Lake City. Morgan and Marshall went with me to get a feel for what supporting/spectating a race with a baby would be like. It was a warm day and I got a good dress rehearsal for racing in heat, taking time to get myself wet at aid stations. I practiced fueling at higher levels than I’m usually comfortable with (and learned my limits after pushing that a little too far). The race also provided an opportunity to mingle with members of the local running community that I haven’t met before or don’t see as often, as well as some good friends.

Aubrey and I building our modeling portfolios.

This weekend I’ll be running the Twisted Fork 30k. It’ll be my one of my final longer runs before Western States, and I couldn’t ask for a better way to kick off taper time. Some of my best friends, Finn and Jules, are putting it on as their first ever event for their new race directing business. The courses showcase some of the classic loops in the Park City area that I’m very familiar with. They’ve managed to put together stacked fields for each distance and I’m excited to run with so many of my good friends and training buddies. While I’m trying to put aside my competitive thoughts, let it be known that my only goal is to beat Jack Kuenzle.

So next time you’re training for a big race, take a look at your schedule and consider swapping out some long runs for a tune up race or two. Test out your systems and get dialed in. Keep the effort under control and tell yourself it’s just another run.