Each year by now, I usually have a clear idea of what races I am going to do for next year. I thought I would start running more marathons to catch back up on races I did not have a chance to do this year.
Anyway, I found some unfinished ultras I want to do and they are taking a higher priority. So my 50 states marathon would have to wait a bit longer, maybe until 2026. There are still a few more weeks left for the year. I might change my mind. I might have roon to throw in a few new states for my marathons.
So what am I try to do in 2025? When I ran the Burning River this year, plus other races, I wanted to go back to do them. Burning River is part of the Mid-Western Slam. My goal is to do the slam, plus Eastern States. Of course I have Grindstone right after, which already signed up. I will through in a few other 100s. I need to decide if I really want to put myself through the same situation as this year of trying to run 10 100 mile races. It was tough!
I am thinking of the New River 100, which is the Virginia newest 100. Virginia has about 8 one hundred milers. I don’t plan to do all of them. It could be my 2026 goal to do them all.
Currently, I am throwing a bunch of races on my calendar and to see which one would stick. Some definitely are in conflict.
I plan to enter the Western States 100 lottery again. I should not be that lucky to be chosen again. I need to enter. If I am picked, I definitely want to run that again! Also, there are other lotteries for other races in Nov and Dec. Nothing is certain. I will try for UTMB and maybe Hard Rock. If I get in then it would mean a drastic change to my schedule. I don’t like hard races, but I told myself to try.
Note, this is just a static page. The up-to-date page is kept at the usual place. Also, there is last year, 2023. It seems so simple now looking back to it. Last year, Western States changed my schedule around in a big way.
Somehow it seems my 2025 schedule is more complicated than last year. There are so many unknowns. Hopefully, I could make some tough choices to cut out some races.
~~~2025~~~
Goal: (Mid) Secret Western Slam
RI, Newport (was)
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Jan. 4. (to do) Mid Maryland 50k (Reg is open)
Jan 18/19/20. (likely) MMT Tr 1. Waterfall 50k. MLK weekend. (reg opens dec 18)
Jan 25. BRR training #1. The North
Feb 15. BRR training #2. Death by Do Loop
Feb 15. (conflict, but maybe) Holiday Lake 50k (reg is open!)
Feb 15. (would do/to do) MMT training #2. Guy T as RD, One of my favorite training.
Feb 22. (volunteer.) Reverse Ring, entry opens Jan 3. Need volunteering hours for Vermont
Mar 1. BRR training #3
Mar 15. MMT T #3 (maybe, date unconfirmed). Definitely prefer MMT. I think Elizabeth Furnace is on Sunday, need to check.
Mar 15. Elizabeth Furnace 50k
Mar 22. (?) Annapolis Half. Mar 22, reg is open*
Apr 5. (not reg) Bootlegger 100 (ATL-Ga)
Apr 6. (conflict) Coast Guard Marathon, (NC) got to choose between one or the other.
Apr 12. (maybe) Blue Ridge Anthem (Double) Marathon., Maybe. done it in 2024, hectic schedule, 1 am start is not my thing. (reg is open!)
Apr 19. (undecided) Promise Land 50k (date unconfirmed). Usually conflict with Roanoke.
Apr 20 (night). Chocolate Bunny. MMT T #4. my favorite run.
Apr 26-27 (to do) C&O 100, reg opens Jan 1, not intending to run again, but it is an easy 100.
May 3 (to do) GSER 100k, not really intending to go back. They might have a 100 mile race. So I might go back.
May 4 (canceled/refunded by Race Org) Providence Marathon, RI, recommended by sherunsbytheseashore.
May 4 (conflict) BMO Vancouver 26. Don’t intended to do it, but if my schedule is open, will go, to complete the west coast race, since I did the Toronto.
May 17: (to do) Massanutten Mountain 100, on the fence for this. I ran it 3 times already, but kind of cool to do it again. Need a race to look forward to.
May 23-26: (to do) Western States training runs, seems weird to run a training run when I am not in the race, but would be nice to get the feel. Pretty tough three-day training run.
May 31-Jun 1: (to do) Mohican 100. Oh. First of the slam. (reg is open!)
Jun 14: (to do) Kettle Morraine 100, reg opens soon on Jan 1, 11 am central
July 10?: (maybe) Catoctin 50k, hard hard race. Now I proved myself I could run a hard hot Cat race, seems very little incentive to do this.
July 10? Iron Stone 100k is on the same day.
July 18-20 (to do) Vermont 100, Maybe. It is a crazy race.
Juy 26: (to do) Burning River 100, part of the slam
Aug 8-9 (to do) Eastern States 100, maybe. A very hard race
Aug 9. (conflict) Martha Moats Baker., Would love to do this for preparation for Grindstone.
Sep 6, (to do) Halluciation 100, (race starts Friday 2 pm, reg opens in Nov or Dec?. Slam
Sep 19-21 (reg’d) Grindstone 100 UTMB
Sept 19-21 (conflict?) Airforce Marathon
Sep 27. Big Schloss. depends
Oct 4 (to do, reg is open) DC Peaks
Oct 11-12 (to do) Indiana Tr 100. Final Slam
Oct 12? (conflict!) Newport Marathon, RI.
Oct 10-12 (conflict!) West VA Trilogy, depends
Oct 19 (to do) Blimber Bluff 50k, fun race. 10 hours in beautiful Guildford, CT.
Oct 26 (maybe) Marine Corps 26, (Pre Reg is open.)
Oct 26 or Nov 1: (maybe) Rim to River?
Nov: (conflict) Masochist 50, never done it before. First week of November.
Dec 1 (to do) Devil Dog 100, been doing it every year
Potential races that might change my schedule:
UTMB? Hard Rock? Big Horn?
In awe 