Okay, reading all these race reports and running a recent trail race and looking for running goals has me thinking about working in a new goal.
You can look at my log for my history, I've been running for 6 years now and got Boston checked off my list this year and have been struggling to find a new target. I did run an easy 50 mile trail race back in 2015, but then got focused on Boston and kind of ditched the trail running for a bit. I enjoyed the challenge of the 50 miler, but I intentionally picked an easy race and there was never a question of whether I was going to finish or not, just how my time was going to be. I finished in 9 hours and 31 minutes and was pretty happy with that. I did have to walk toward the end but kept up my easy running pace for the first 40 miles.
I ran another trail race in Montana later that summer with 8,000' of elevation gain/loss and 98 degree temperatures and that was much harder. It was only a 52K but took me 10 hours and 46 minutes to finish and my body was much worse off when I was done. Part of it was the elevation, part of it the temperature and I think part of it was that I hadn't trained very well for it. The trail was also very technical in quite a few stretches.
I then focused on Boston and it took me a couple years but I got it checked off. Fun and glad I did it, but not something I feel like I need to do every year.
Now I was back to looking for running goals and I've added a couple trail races and really enjoy the challenge. The only real drawback is that I don't have many trails near where I live (other than a 1.6 mile loop around my property that I have made) and I live in a relatively flat part of the world so training for elevation can be problematic.
SO, all that lead up to ask if you guys think my current plan is crazy or not based on my running history.
I'm thinking about signing up for the 100K at the Crazy Desert Trail Race in San Angelo Texas this March (I've run a trail marathon on that course and it is fairly easy, but does have some small ups and downs, I'm thinking it would be almost a very long training run for me) and then signing up for the Bighorn 100 miler in June. Historically I've always looked for the easiest courses to get the best time and there are some easy loop 100 mile courses but for some reason they don't seem to have the same appeal for me as a cover a lot of ground race. I've also looked at some of the rails to trails 100 milers but they don't fit my schedule quite as well.
Based on my previous experience with the Elkhorn, I'm worried about the elevation gain/loss on the Bighorn, but it really isn't THAT bad. The biggest drawback to the whole process would be the training volume and time away from my family while I am doing that.
I've just run a couple trail races this summer/fall and been very happy with how I did and that is part of what has me thinking about stretching the distance. I originally was thinking that a 100K would be my "A" goal, but now I'm thinking that would be kind of like just a long 50 miler, not sure I would ever get to the point where I didn't know whether I could finish or not. Part of me thinks that some of that is that you can finish a 50 miler or 100K in one photoperiod generally (start out in the dark a little but finish that day). I think that's part of the appeal of the 100 miler, you have to get through the night and that's where you can find out who you are and what you are capable of. (Or not capable of).
Very long narrative to kind of ask for any input. Should I look at easier 100 milers first? Should I bang out a couple years of 50 milers and then step up to the 100? Part of it is that I'm not getting any younger and probably need to start looking at getting this checked off if I'm going to.
Thoughts?
Thanks, Nathan
Age: 50 Weight: 224 Height: 6'3" (Goal weight 195)
Current PR's: Mara 3:14:36* (2017); HM 1:36:13 (2017); 10K 43:59 (2014); 5K 21:12 (2016)
I'm sure you can do it, and I like your reasons and choices for running 100 miles. If I knew then what I knew now I'd try to get into Mountain Lakes 100 as my first 100. My first was Superior 100 and it is very hard, but it has a 38 hour cutoff.
I think you want to look for a race that is scenic, at lower elevation, would likely not be hot, and have enough climbing to not be boring and keep your muscles involved more than a flat boring race. Your chances will be better if you have a pacer or crew imho
Istria 110k 4-6-2024
WS100 6-29-2024
UTMB 171k 8-30-2024
MCM 10-27-2024
Are we there, yet?
After your experience at Elkhorn (I DNFed the 50K a few years ago as the combination of gain and altitude was more than I was prepared for), I think a race with less gain than Big Horn would be a better choice for a first 100 miler. Have you checked out the website http://www.run100s.com/
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
Thanks for the replies and thoughts.
I do think I should plan for a crew and most likely a pacer at least the last 25 or 30 miles. I think I could get someone to help me out with that.
I do realize the Bighorn is a little more elevation than would be ideal for a 1st time attempt at 100 miles... And that is actually part of the reason I am wanting to tackle it. Although I did finish the Elkhorn 52K (8,251' climb/descent) I have wanted to go back and run it again just to show that I could do much better. I went out way too fast and my legs were full on cramping 12 miles in after a huge descent and I really never recovered and just pushed through it for the next 20 miles. I think I could go back on the same training and just run a smarter race and take hours off my time. Not sure if I could or not, but at some point I may try it.
According to their website the Bighorn 100 is 17,500 climb and 18,000 descent over 100 miles so just over double the Elkhorn but over triple the miles so not as much climb per mile. I've stalked the list of 100 milers backwards and forwards and really there aren't a lot that have less than 10,000' of elevation gain/loss. The ones that are less than that are generally on a rails to trails type course or an easy loop type course.
My ideal course would be a point to point but there aren't a lot of those and the ones that I have found have even more elevation gain/loss than Bighorn. Bighorn is close to where some friends live and logistically wouldn't be too bad. It is a good time of year for me as well.
I'm just not sure if I'm trying to bite off more than I would be able to chew with the 100 miles and the elevation. But I know it is what I want to do. Not sure I would get the same satisfaction out of just running a flat as a pancake loop 100 miler.
Probably the smart thing to do would be to add a couple mountain 50 milers in my plan for the summer of 2019 and then plan for the 100 miler in 2020.
Cobra Commander Keen
I have no idea where you're from, or if you'd be willing to make the (possible) journey, but what about the Heartland 100 in Kansas? It's a 50-mile out-and-back. There's also a 50k/50mile in late April on the same course.
Registration won't open until December, but the race will be the 2nd weekend in October. It's all on dirt/gravel roads, with a total of ~4,500' of egain - about as flat as you can get without rails to trails.
This one is on my radar as my first 100 (and I'll likely do the 50 as well).
5k: 17:58 11/22 │ 10k: 37:55 9/21 │ HM: 1:23:22 4/22 │ M: 2:56:05 12/22
Upcoming Races:
OKC Memorial 5k - April 27
Bun Run 5k - May 4
I'm in Texas, but don't mind traveling for a race.
I generally don't schedule goal races in the fall because my entire reason for starting to run was to get in better shape for hunting season and I don't want to end up scheduling a race that would interfere with a possible hunting tag that I might draw. I apply for hunting tags in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Alaska and Texas each spring and sometimes I don't know what tags I'm going to draw until June.
This year I was able to run a somewhat local 50K trail race last weekend because it didn't interfere with any of my hunting tags, but for a big travel race I only have a certain amount of time off I can take in the fall and I generally am going to use those on hunting trips.
I looked at the the Prairie Spirit 100 Miler at the end of March (which is a rail to trail race) but that is a bit early for a traveling race for me from a vacation standpoint as well (I'm a CPA). I can pull off non travel type races on a weekend that time of year but hard to get in something that is going to take weekdays off of work that time of year.
Trails
I did the 50k there this year...it was May 5th and the hottest day of the year so far...80 something. The course is open...no trees, no shade I DNF'd at 26 miles with heat exhaustion. Not mountain trails but the rolling hills are no joke.
My two cents would be that Bighorn is not what I would recommend for a first 100, especially for someone who lives in the flat. You're in Texas, what about Rocky Raccoon? Javelina? Umstead? Yes I know those are boring loop courses. But they're all also great races and less likely to destroy you. Talented, experienced trail runners DNF at Bighorn.
MTA even these "easy" courses are not flat as a pancake -- Javelina has 8,000' gain -- and are far from boring. Javelina in particular is a huge party. Of course you'd have to wait a year (it's this weekend).
You guys are speaking from experience and making common sense! LOL.
I guess I should give up on the idea of the Bighorn 100 in 2019. Thanks for talking some sense into me.
I'm scared of the Rocky Raccoon because tree roots are my nemesis. My only race to ever DNF was the Whispering Pines trail race and I was running with a barely healed collar bone and the Dr. told me not to run the race but if I did, just don't fall and I lost count of how many times I fell but it was well over 10 times in 20 miles when I threw in the towel because my fall frequency was increasing as I got tired and I didn't want to finish at the expense of a broken collar bone. I'm still tempted but it is the weekend between my 2 biggest work jobs of the year. Still tempted.
Umstead is sold out for 2019 already. Javelina and some of the other Arizona ones are also on my radar. If the Coldwater Rumble wasn't so quick I would be tempted to try it out. The Grandmaster looks somewhat similar and is a better weekend for my work side of life. It is it's first time, but looking at some stuff it looks pretty well organized. It's also a month later so I could possibly be ready by then. It seems awfully short from now, but part of what started this was not wanting to let the physiological effects from this last trail race to be wasted. Way up in the corner of Arizona, it may be too much of a challenge to get to and from in a weekend especially with a 100 miles to run while I'm there.
Oh well, I need to get to work and quit looking at race schedules.
Thanks for the information so far.
Duke Of Bad Judgment
My 2 cents:
- Pick a race that you are excited about, don't settle for a race that isn't exciting just because it's a little easier. Training for either will cost you (e.g. time away from family) and if you are excited you may train harder.
- Pre- and post-race logistics matter. E.g. when I read that you have friends "close" to Bighorn, I thought "maybe that would work". My first 100 was a 90 minute drive from my house, and started at 10am - I was able to sleep in my own bed the night before and the night after. The run was plenty hard but I didn't have the pre- and post-race to sort out also.
- I don't think you have to spend years building up. You can, but you don't have to. After doing a bunch of marathons, I did a 50 miler on basically no trail/ultra training and had a blast. I did my first 100 a year later, after doing a couple more 50 milers and a bunch of 50ks. If you take the leap quickly, just expect to have some issues that you might have sorted out if you'd gone slower. E.g. I had blisters on the balls of both feet for the last 40 miles in my first and it was fairly painful. But I finished and that experience motivated me to solve that problem for future runs.
- Friends have run Bighorn the past couple years and refer to it as Mudhorn. One friend is a top 10 finisher at Western States and he said that the mud was so bad that he only covered something like 17 miles during the night hours (maybe 9 hours of darkness?) You might get better weather than that, but consider that you might be fighting mud in addition to elevation.
- There are no easy 100 mile races, but some are harder than others - heat, altitude, climb/descent, technical trails, etc.. Try to pick a race that doesn't tick every "hard features" box this first time. My first (Cascade Crest) had a lot of climbing and difficult trails in spots, but there were a lot of nice trails, it never got that high, and the weather is often mild.
+1 to all that. Especially about not having to spend years building up. I used to think "man, I'd love to run a 100 miles someday, but when will I find the time to train for that?". Fortunately friends convinced me I already had all the training I needed. I was fine.
Kettle Moraine might also be a good prospect, you can drop at 100k if you choose and still get a buckle, 100 milers get a kettle instead. No altitude, but a lot of small hills which can wear on you.
Personally I'm not a fan of 100s where you can drop to 100k mid-race. All too tempting, especially your first time out.
Slower but happier
I like the idea of using shorter ultra races in the build up like 50k 50 mile. The 100k for me is long enough to get into some me problems of a hundred. 50 mile or less really do not. Such as gi stuff, blisters, msk pain, mental fatigue. Really there is not a specific way that ive found to train for the back end of 100 challenges. After doing just a couple, ive concluded the best way for me to train for 100 is doing 100s, trouble shooting then thinking about what was right/what went wrong.
I second being excited about the race rather than just checking the box, you need that for training.
2020 goal: couch to 5K, currently working on the couch block
2 that I'm considering are the Silver Moon in California https://silvermoonrace.com/ and C & O Canal in Maryland https://cocanal100.com/
The SIlver Moon is on my birthday and the C & O is on my wife's birthday. We have done races on one or the other of our birthdays quite a few times. The SIlver Moon is one of those short loop races (2 miles) that I think could get boring, but from a crew type perspective it would really make things easy. The C & O covers some ground and is flat. It's a bit larger race but would pose some crew issues and the loop races always seem like there are a lot more people just because of the size of the course. Travel looks like it would be a bit easier getting to and from Silver Moon.
I guess I need to think about just picking a race that I have a decent chance of finishing instead of picking a hard one that would make my chances of finishing much less.
Thanks again for the input on this.