In awe

Tag: schedule

  • [695] Race Planning for next year

    Every time this year I become poorer because many race signups opening for registration.

    And I will have a hard time limiting myself to run only one race for each year. Yes, it is a joke if I could limit myself to running just one race.

    It has been quite a splash for me the last few seasons. 2024 was my grand slam year. My schedule was jampacked to do all the required runs and all my personal (goal) races.

    2025, I said I will slow down and run some races I did not get to run during my grand slam year [last year’s (2024) Plan], which still got me running almost every weekend.

    Now 2026 is here. I want to slow down yet it will be pretty much the same  with 5-6 big 100 mile races and then all the 50k and marathons in between.

    I will try to cut back some and only run races I did not get to run in 2025. I’m lying of course. Well, that is the goal anyway, to run fewer races and cherish the ones I get run.  Move the ones I did not get to into another year.

    As I look at my schedule, they are getting fuller. My mom says I should spend time more with family, with sister, wife and kids and everyone else.

    I love running above anything. And these 8-9 years have been a blast. I started running 2016. Each year is something more. So next year would be my 10th year.

    Caroline also said, she cannot be with me in many of the races going foward. We won’t be together much if we don’t plan things to be together. So on my 10th year anniversary (2027?) since when I ran my first race, I got to choose my races carefully next year.

    I have been wanting to do a 200 miler. Never get around to do one. So maybe 2027 is the year. Note, they cost a fortune to do!

    So here below is what I have on my race calendar so far. More races will be added and some will be remove.

    My forever Goal: Run in all fifty states (38 states left)

    Here are next few races I have in mind for this year and the next. Letting the world peek into my race calendar. See the race history for my past races.

    —-

    ~~2026~~:

    vision: /go to the Canyon with Caroline/

    Marathon Goals: xxxx_none_xxxx

    Ultras: unfinished Eastern States 100, Kettle Morraine 100, Hennepin 100. Devil Dog, MMT, Vermont.

    Jan 31 (reg’d) Mid Maryland 50k!

    Feb 14 (reg’d) Holiday Lake 50k++ (heated cabin reserved, +pizza dinner)

    Feb 21 (reg’d) Reverse Ring

    Mar 7 (not yet reg) Naked Bavarian 40/20

    Mar 21 (,) Terapin Mnt (opens Dec 1)

    Mar 28 (,) Hone Quarry (opens?)

    Mar 27-Apr 3 (a friend is running, support,) Arizona Monster 350

    Apr 4. (reg’d) Bull Run Run 50 (BROT)

    April (last week, reg opens Jan 1) C & O 100

    April (last week) (‘) Promise Land 50k++

    May 2.  (,) Maine Coast! is in Maine

    May 16.  (reg’d) MMT 100. Third time the charm, see if I can have 38 cutoff. start at 3 AM.

    May 24, (,) Vermont Marathon (opens Nov 1) (V4)

    Jun 6: (not reg yet) Old Dominion. opens Nov 29. Need a qualifying race.

    Jun 13-14, (conflict, reg is open) OSS/CIA 50

    Jun 14, 2025. (,) **Kettle Moraine 100** (Reg opens Jan 1, 11 am CST) (V)

    July last week? (,)  Vermont 100,!! (V) opens Jan 1. drawing on Jan 11.

    Aug 8: (reg’d) Eastern States 100. (V)

    Sep 25. (conflict) Yeti 100. (Reg opens Jan 1, 00:01) (V)

    Sep 26-29 (,) Cowboy 200??

    Oct 10-11, 2026. (not reg) Mid State Big Massive Tr 100!!! (early reg opens dec 1), ask for wave 1-3 (eta 31-33hrs), (V3) 8am start for wave 1, 9 am for wave2.

    Oct **, 2026, 10/11?, 10/18? (‘) Bimbler Bluff 50k

    Oct 25, 2026, (‘) Greasy Goony

    Oct 25, 2026. (reg’d) MCM 26.2

    Nov 1, (not yet reg) MMTR 50

    Nov. Grand Canyon (2 week vac) during Thanksgiving.

    Dec 3 (,) Devil Dog 100 (V2)!!

    ~~~Following year Goals~~~

    January 5? New Mexico Las Cruces Marathon. RRCA race. flat

    Jan 15. Baton Rouge Marathon. Louisiana.

    (Jan 31) (likely) Dark Anchor 100, Savannah, GA (Charleston, SC, airport) or Long Haul 100.

    (Feb 2) (maybe) Forgotten Florida 100, Christmas, FL

    (Feb 5) Mississippi River Marathon (Delta). Mississippi

    (Feb 12) (not likely) ALQ Feb 12 50K / DUC100K, reg opens black friday

    (Feb 17). Austin Marathon. Texas

    (Feb 24) (on the fence) Lousianna Red Dirt 100 mile

    (Feb 26-27) (considering) Atlanta Publix Marathon. hmm. I think they changed the course (reg open $100)

    (Mar 3, 2025) (considering) Ultra Caballo Blanco Copper Canyon Ultra, Mexico, Ramamuri (Tarahumara)

    (April 2) (Considering) Dogwood Ultra – 24 hrs. down in central VA

    (April 5) (Considering) Bootlicker 100

    April 20. One Day Hike.

    Apr 26 (conflict!) St Louis Marathon

    May 4, 2025 (considering) Vancouver BMO Marathon

    (May 22?) (considering) Fargo Marathon, ND

    (May 28?) (maybe) (memorial weekend) Vermont City/ Burlington Marathon / rebranded M&T Bank Marathon. RRCA race

    (May 28) Coeur D Alene Marathon

    May 31-Jun 1: (conflict!, see below) Fargo Marathon, ND

    (June) Alaska Marathon

    June 22, 2025?, (considering, but not likely) New York City running Exposition (100 mile)

    Jun 20. Highland Sky. Race opens Feb 2

    Jul 16-17. (considering 2024?) (Hyped) Tahoe Rim Trail (TRTer) 100/50. reg lottery open in Dec 5. Drawing Jan 1, Stroke to sign up. race is on Sat. 8 hr trail work req for 100Mi. Q: Can I tackle a 100 on the west coast?

    Sept 29-30, 2023. Yeti 100. reg opens Jan 2. Virginia Creeper Trail

    Quebec Marathon (Oct 5)

    (Oct 13-15, 2024,) (considering) **Tahoe Marathon Super triple, 2 marathons plus 70M**. road. around Lake Tahoe. very interested, opens when, Feb?

    (Nov 5~) (considering, maybe) Alabama Pinhoti 100. something worth considering or, am I dead focused on Grindstone?

    (Nov 11) (conflict, next year) Chickamauga Battlefield GA, Marathon

    (Nov 18-19) (considering for next year) Route 66 (Tulsa City) Marathon – Oklahoma (fall), might defer or last minute Audible. Wait till July to decide (money issue).

    Nov. (considering) Tampa 100.

    (Dec 4~): (not likely/conflict) Rocky 50 PA Fatass. http://www.rocky50k.com/. Always been considering, 1st of Dec

    (Dec 3-4) (conflict) San Antonio Marathon.

    (Dec 7?) (considering, maybe) CIM – California Marathon.

    ~~NEAR FUTURE~~

    (R2R2R) or Nepal trip, Sydney Marathon

    Capadocia ultra trail run

    -Jan: (defer) Charleston, SC

    -March: (defer) Myrtle Beach SC

    –March: (defer) Atlanta Publix Marathon, GA 2024

    -April. (considering, alternative) 100 mi NC. Umstead. (likely will defer). Might be boring, loop course

    (Jun) (probably won’t) SF Dipsea race. America oldest trail race. believe reg open in Dec. Too far and the race is too short. Plan D.


    June: (possibly) Bay of Fundy, Maine

    August 23-24 (conflict) Tromsø/Oslo Trip, likely 2026.

    -Sep: (defering) Air force, Ohio

    (Sep 25) (no for 2022?) Yeti 100. Abingdon, VA. fast, flat, race around 9/25/20. Or wait for another year

    -Oct: (considering) Mt Desert, Bar Harbor, Maine

    future races:

    -(defering) Detroit Marathon, MI, or Niagara Falls Marathon, NY.

    -Hawaii Maui Marathon (Dec) (will save it till last) or HURT (Hawaii Ultra Trail Run)

    -the big ones, LA, NY, Chi marathons
    –Buffalo Marathon (Jun?). Chance to go to Niagara Falls again
    –Niagara Falls Intl Marathon, (OCT) It takes place at Niagara Falls, and will cross over to Canada

    Overseas:

    –Hong Kong Marathon (Feb 2022)
    –Sydney Marathon (Sept 2024)
    –Inca trail (June/July) (2021/2022)
    –Santiago Marathon (April – Easter Sunday)

    –Patagonia Ultra (50K). Oct/Nov

    –Tata Mumbai Marathon on 20th January 2019
    –Vietnam HCMC Marathon (Jan 10)
    –Belfast Marathon (May 5, 2019)/ –Causeway Coast Marathon (Sept) (Ireland)
    –Dublin Marathon (Oct 27, 2019)

    Ultras: (run100s.com)

    –Yeti 100, Abingdon. Or VA Big Butt ultra

    -R2R2R (rim to rim to rim of the Grand Canyon) (October). Need 1 year booking in advance

    (Dec 7) (Sat. – considering) Rocky Fat Ass. Philly, PA. free event. no medal, no support. fun.

  • [649] observation/race signups

    When I have too much time on my hands, I start to think of existential questions.  Why am I running? Maybe that stems from my recent question what (races) am I running?

    I like the why part.  I think of it a lot, like every year at about this time. Because I don’t feel like running. I lost my mojo. Signup season is upon us, and it especially hard to find why I choose one race over another or why I run again. 

    The thing is, if I don’t want to do it. Then don’t. Bit if I signed up, then I must put in the work to get to the end.  There’s no half measure.

    I seem to have a harder time in picking a race this year.  Generally I want to run all the races.  But time and money constraints do exist. Last year, I have 10 times the budget. I could go wild. Not this year. I am already 1.5k deep in the hole after a day of signing up (1st world problem). Then how do I choose to pick one race over another is an interesting question to me.

    The answer is I don’t know.  I go by ‘feel’.  I hate it because, sometimes I feel very strongly about doing a race but another time I feel strongly not doing a race.

    It might be some ethical issue.  Some say a race organization is ‘bad’ such as they brought out smaller local races.  They say the corporal world is here to take away the mom-and-pop ones (name unsaid, because I am running some big corps races).  You won’t get the same experiences, some say. Indeed.  But I still begrudgingly take part in the Big Corporation races next year. Its inevitable.

    This post is not about corporate races over smaller races.

    Going to go into note taking form. I write because I am trying to find solution to a problem. I seem to lost sight of the big picture of why I run each year and I need some. It happens every year during the “slow” season.

    My identity is tied to the things I do.  The things I do also bring a lot of satisfaction. This year has been very busy.  I tried to achieve something I thought was not possible. It  was a shooting the moon thing (Western States race and the whole grand slam thing, plus many races I did).  In the end I did reach my goal. All fine and happy.

    However, I can’t do that in every race or every season. There are things that only happen once. I can’t repeat the same next year.

    By definition, trying very best is the very best. It hard to believe I will even exceed the very best the following year. Well maybe.  We only dream we can reach an even greater height.

    Yesterday, I look at my race plan. It seems scattered all over the place.  What the story I am trying to accomplish? In a sense trying to “run every race, every where, whenever” no limit.  That has been my motto since I started running.  It has been my guiding light in how I signed up races.  I was over joy last few years, I made several friends who share the similar take, of taking running to the extreme. We eat, sleep, dream and walk with running. There is never an end. Even the day we die, we will die running is our hope. On a side note, My first

    This year, one of my running friends past away. Our running club wrote/posted a very nice article of his impact to those who ran with him!

    As I think of next year races, I want to reach something of value. We could run tons of race, but sometimes they ended up being hollow.  There should be a race I would want to remember. Occasionally, there are races that are like that, I do it and forget. But then there would be one race that change everything.  This year, Western States was like that for me, a race that set me on the path for a grand slam. One race that defines me and everything.

    I got a clearer sense now than a couple weeks ago.  At first I was trying to do another slam (the midwest slam. I think I can do it, because it should be easier than the slam I did this year.  So I was arranging my schedule to fit their races in. Then I asked myself do I really want to that those races all at once, in one go, just for a bragging right? Deep down is no. I don’t carw about the bragging right. I want something that is meaningful. Something that challenge me to the next level, but not something superficially hard for the hard sake.

    There is no desire for me to the slam, or even the every first race (The Mohican). I want a race that speaks to me (calling me to run it). I don’t sense it here for the midwest slam, maybe but two races. I would like to do the Burning River and the Indiana Trail 100. It is a weird way to sign up a race, but yes, that is my way. I need a deep down conviction to do it. Almost all races I do, kind of speak to me and they draw me to them. A weird way to make a decision.

    So, I was facing like 20+ races, and I could not hear their voices over one another and it was very chaotic.  Some races have a deadline pressure to sign up before they are filled (Eastern States almost is full, though only opened two weeks ago). Some have scheduling conflict. Some are too far away or too expensive to do.

    In the end, I asked myself, what do I really want. I wanted something simple and easy. I like doing marathons. So I should go back to my root of running marathons and running just for “fun”.

    I asked a friend if they have trouble deciding which races to run. They said no. They just do it, easy. There is no agonizing over months and weeks of should I do this over that.

    I think for me, since I reached kind of stage where I was in the spotlight of becoming a runner people admire. There is a certain expectation of the next level I have to reach, to keep up with my wow factor.  I think I was caught up to it just a bit when I ran Wasatch.  I glad I finished but it was not fun to be under the pressure for pressure sake. So when I do the slam for next year, there is no need to go through the insanity. Once was enough.

    I was thinking of trying couple harder races like the Bear or the Big Horn, or The Utimate Ultra Mountain Trail Run in Europe, everyone is taking about. It seems to be a natural progression pf doing harder and harder thing. Then I said, wait a minute. I don’t have to give into the pressure. I don’t have to be an over achiever! 

    One of the best moment I had was at the Burning River this year, when I ran with a 75 year old (Mr Randy). He teased me of being a show off of wearing the 100 mile shirt I got from the weekend before. We both finished the race together.  The achievement really belonged to the man who still is doing such a big run, and not me. I had a blast to have been able to finish with him and to share in his spotlight. I think a good race is like that, where my finishing time and ranking doesn’t matter, but that I made good friends along the way.

    I am still an overachiever, no doubt about that.  Recently, I tried very hard in finishing a race that ended up back fire. I was stressed about it and temper flew. Then I asked myself, did I really enjoy such behavior of flying off my handlebar. It was just a race. So what if I did not finish it. There’s always next year! Indeed, I am doing it again.

    A beautiful day on the trail

  • Day496 Schedule

    It’s that time again, to pick what races will I be doing for next year. Scheduling is so hard. Since when I started running, I always wish I have an event coordinator because I hate making plans. I like planning (or having one), I just don’t like choices I need to make. I usually end up doing all! Have the cake and eat it too they say! I wish someone just give me a list of places of where to go next. Then I just wake up and go run.

    It is not because there are no races to run, but I want to run races that fit my goal and mean something to me (yes, kind of hard to define). Last few years, my goal was to “step it up” to the next level of running. Each year has been “better” in some way. Going into trail running was definitely satisfying.

    I am still searching for my goal for next year. A defining moment to make 2023 special, like MMT is for 2022.

    I am sure I will still run plenty of trails next year. There are certainly many interesting (and hard) races to do. I am seeking something different.

    I did Laurel Highland, Grayson Highland, MMT, Iron Mountain, Catoctin. Those were all my dream races. They are done and completed.

    I am still progressing my 50 states plan/goal. My usual approach is pick couple states I haven’t done and plan around those. Yesterday, I looked at the airfare. By golly, a couple races I want to go, the price has doubled or nearly so. No way am I paying $700 when in the past I could fly across the country for much cheaper. What is wrong with the inflation! 9 and 10% every month!? Or is this an annual rate? I don’t know econ but it is hurting my pocket. Anyway, traveling to races has become too costly.

    Air travel has gone up a lot. Maybe it is to a certain city at a certain time on a certain date.

    I am scraping my trip to Tulsa this fall and likely for next year as well. I will wait till things get cheaper again. Oklahoma City near there is a bit cheaper. Maybe that is the direction to go. I don’t like having to transfer, but I think I might have to suck it up. Not many people want to go to Tulsa.

    I am thinking not to run anywhere too far next year. There are plenty of local races or races I can drive myself to.

    Over the weekend, someone asked if I ran the Tunnel Hill before. Hmm, that’s an idea I need to look into.

    I have been thinking, instead of me picking races, I think they pick me. There are certain races, I just cannot get into, maybe it is my bad luck or something. And there were races that were not on my radar and then they popped in.

    Tulsa has been one of my early targets maybe even back in 2017, but somehow I am unable to get there to do it for one reason or another. The invisible hand seems to steer me toward OKC or some other place.

    Earlier in the year (summer) I tried to get into the race The Wild Oak Trail. I did not get accepted. I ran there on my own before, so no biggie that I did not get in. It is a race by invitation only. I could and might plan to do it on my own time.

    Similarly, I couldn’t get time off for the midstate trail (PA) 100k fatass this summer, so that is something I really want to do next summer.

    More bad lucks, Today, I received an email from a race I signed up just couple days ago. The race is canceled due to low demand. There were only 80 people signed up when they expected more than 400. It was also a race I have been wanting to do since the pandemic. It is rare to have a race canceled on me and it was not covid related. I am sad. I was so excited originally because it was going to fall on my blog anniversary weekend.

    Unfortunately, it is just not meant to be. I was so close to going there last year too, I remembered I sat in my car that evening (maybe just couple weeks after my mom had her stroke, read my last Halloween), at the last minute, I canceled it, but I was really worn and burnt out. Just not meant to be.

    Last night while at a bar after a happy hour run with my group, my friend David was telling me how he wanted to run the Las Vagas’ Rock n Roll. Me too! Please do it. Unfortunately, I can’t join him because I will have a race that weekend (Feb 25-26).

    He was deciding between it and Austin. I told him, I looked into Austin and wanted to run a marathon there. If he is going to go to Austin, let me know, I will sign up and join him. I have Cowtown at Dallas-Fortworth the following weekend but that is fine too, I can do both races and go to Texas twice. I want to do a race with someone!

    Another person, a work associate wrote me in reply to a work email, and in the signature block, the person snucked in a line about about the Army Ten Miler. Almost like psst, Army 10-Miler is coming up! He knows I run. I asked is he trying to get me to sign up! He said no, but he will be running it! I ran this when I was 18, eons ago. I want to go there to relive it now maybe 18 years later. Registration is still open! I really want to do it again. Psst, I signed up.

    So where will I go next year? I have some ideas. For now I just sit tight. I will let the next few months to shake my schedule around, and hopefully, by or near the start of 2023, I will officially reveal my schedule.

    My live schedule is always available in one of the pages here. For those who can’t wait, they can always visit the page. I think the page is race-schedule, but I am too lazy to look up the link.

  • Day448 Run schedule

    2022 Edition. Part of the tradition is around this time of year, I will reveal my next year race scehdule. couple weeks (Day442) ago, I already hinted/ let it known a few races I already signed up.

    3 marathons I signed up were, the Newport News One City, Grandma’s in Minnesota, and Salisbury in Maryland.

    My goal as always is to chip away my 50-states goal. Grandma is the target for that And I might likely go down to Atlanta to run theirs. One City and Salisbury are states I already did. They are just races I want to run.

    I also, signed up for a 100 miler – Massanutten. It is the big boy race. It will be one that challenges me at the next level. What I mean is I will be running like never before! 2021 was a pop off year, and 2022, definitely the real deal in running if I get Massunutten down.

    Other than these, there will be some repeats of 2021 and some volunteering. Some races are not determined yet. Catoctin, Iron Mountain, Rock n the Knob, definitely I want to rerun those. Rim Tahoe, is a new race and is a maybe. It has a lottery and requires traveling. Lake Ridge too is another repeat, I would like to do it on a weekend like I did this year.

    Some were deferred races from 2020, such as the Marine Corps, Rock -n- Roll, and the Richmond Marathon. I also want to run the Philadelphia Rocky Fatass, Philadelphia trail marathon and the Devil Dog 100. All these were kind a deferred race from 2020.

    By the way, I am kind of on the fence too on Laurel Highlands – a race I ran this year, but I want to run it one more time.

    By the way, the live schedule is on the site, and it changes from time to time.

    I also as with thousands other runners tossed our names in the lottery for Western States – one of the most coveted races for ultra marathoners. My chance of getting in is like 1:20000. One can only dream that I will make it on first try.

    I do plan out my races a year in advance. Kind a. All in all, my races are not much a surprise. My goal (A) Race is probably the Grandma’s Marathon and maybe Massanutten.

    ~~~2022~~~

    Marathon Goal: MN

    (Dec/Jan) (doubtful) Holaday Lake?, VA

    (Mar. 5-6) (reg’d) One City Marathon, Newport News, Va (race is on Sunday). Check back in Sept.

    (March 26?) (likely) DC Rock n Roll Half. reg is open

    (April 2) (Reg’d) Salisbury Marathon, MD, sign up is open ($85)

    (May 14) (reg’d) MMT 100. Definitely

    (Jun 4) (volunteering) 1st Weekend. 100k. Worlds End, PA. Should consider running it. very difficult. might defer to 2023

    (June 11) (not likely running/maybe crewingvolunteer?) Laurel Highlands

    June 18, 2022: (reg’d) Grandma’s Marathon, MN. travel required

    Jul 9. (likely) Catoctin 50k. Real deal this year. reg open Jan 1.

    Jul 16-17. (considering) (Hyped) Tahoe Rim Trail (TRTer) 100/50. reg lottery open is in Dec 5. Drawing Jan 1, Stroke to sign up. race is on Sat. 8 hr trail work req for 100Mi. Travel.

    (Sep 5) (considering/likely) Iron Mnt Ultra 50 – IMTR, labor day weekend. Don’t miss reg Jun 1.

    (Sep 12) (considering/probably) (Claytor Lake) Lake Ridge Endurance Run – 24 hr? defending my title 😉

    (Sep 25) (considering/but not likely) Pemberton 24x5K, Friday 7:00 pm – Sat 7:00pm. Reg open on April 28. only if i get in.

    (Oct 25) (reg’d/but need confirm, deferred from 2020 & 2021) MCM 50K, again! 6 hr is course limit. Need to re-reg in April.

    (Nov 13, 2022) (reg’d/but need confirm, deferred from 2020 and 2021) Richmond Marathon. ahhh, going to be intense

    (Dec 4): (not likely) Rocky 50 PA Fatass. http://www.rocky50k.com/. Always been considering, 1st of Dec

    (Dec 4) (Considering the 100M) Devil Dog 100K/100MI, Triangle, VA. As such this or Yetti. The full monty (race reg opens on July 4)

    ~~~2023~~~

    Marathon Goals: ME, GA

  • Day426 go go go

    I have nothing to post, but going to post something any way because possibly this will be my last posting before a trip to the Smokies.

    As always what they say, man proposes and God disposes, one of the camp sites where I had a reservation got canceled due to bear activities. Scary. I might seem like an outdoor man but I’m not. How many times have I gone camping? Less than what I can count with my fingers.

    Any way, I called the park this morning and I was able to find an alternate site that is 8 miles away from the canceled one. Not bad. It will be a shelter on the AT. At first, I tried to avoid AT shelters because people snore and there are rats/mice at night. uhh, I know, right? 8-10 people in a dingy three sided house in hot weather. And I haven’t showered for a week? I don’t like sleeping next to anyone, you know what I mean?

    Well they say it is part of the AT experience (Appalachian Trail, in case anyone is wondering).

    I will be the guy hiking to the shelter after dark and make a lot of noise cooking my meal, while everyone’s else try to sleep. I figure, hopefully I get to camp by 9 pm that day.

    —

    This weekend is supposed to be a down time — cool chill vibe weekend. It still is. What’s next?

    Laurel Highlands race was supposed to be the highlight of the year. It took two to three years to get me there. Finally I did it. I hiked/ran the whole thing – in a day (under 22 hours). Wooo. I had in mind 2/3 years ago, you finish one big race and you hang up your cap and that’s it for 2-3 years.

    In the end, it felt just like any weekend. I am neither happy nor sad. Just, I was a bit tired afterward – ya couldn’t move the next morning – but couldn’t really sleep in either — my body wouldn’t let me. Maybe I drank too much Coke/cola during the race, I was up by 6 then even though I had the hotel till noon. After writing up the blog (day425) I decided to grab breakfast then headed back home. It was a long drive and after two hours, I had to pull over to get some close eye because I couldn’t keep them open any more. I did sleep until noon-ish and then continue my drive home. Got home, got things cleaned up and has been pretty much laying low.

    I am totally recovered by now. I have been back to running. Nothing broken. Still can run pretty well. I haven’t tested myself on any longer run than 4 mi. Still, I think I could do it.

    This Saturday, I will be attempting a 20 miler fun run. Sunday, I am doing a 4 mi race with the Potomac River (a shoes store here). I haven’t done anything like that since COVID19 happened. This is my first attempt back into a ‘real’ fast run.

    On the schedule, I have a couple races in July – Catoctin, and Camp Anderson. In August, I have the Moonlight Falls and Iron Mnt. In September, I have Eau Claire Marathon. Something something in October and then River Gorge 100 in November.

    My schedule is pretty stacked. Yet I am not stressed out about them after finishing the Laurel Ultra. It is all perception on how we see time. Happy Holiday everyone, enjoy your weekend…found out we have a new federal holiday today.

  • Day416 more races

    I am biting a bit more than I can chew. I see it coming long before but I signed up more races than I can handle.

    Which race is it? The current one that concern me is the Richmond Marathon. I deferred it from last year because of the pandemic – later though they did host an in-person virtual race on a different course over couple weekends last November (not a Boston qualified (BQ) course though). That was interesting in itself where you could run on an actual course with mile markers and water stations and a real timing chip, but it was virtual in a sense you pick the day to run and when to run it. There were be people out there on the course but it wasn’t a horde of people like in a normal marathon. My friend ended up doing it while I went and did a different one that weekend – I think it was the Seneca/Stone Mill I did.

    So the story started there. I planned to run it this year same time (November) since the race is already paid for since it was deferred.

    However, I realized I signed up for a 100 miler the preceeding weekend of the Richmond Marathon. Realistically, I can’t do both. In self defense, I signed up Richmond before I tangled into ultras thing. Now though marathons seem less appealing.

    I am trying to convince myself still I can do the 100, and still do the Richmond.

    There is no way I am giving up the 100 for a 26. To do both means I will walk the marathon. Likely a lost cause at it. It takes about 7 hours – very fast walk 3.7 mi/hr.

    I don’t mind having a DNF (not finishing a race). I am unable to google the course time limits at the moment, but I think it should be around 7 hours. Generally 6-6.5 though.

    Likely though I will have to give up on the Richmond Marathon.

    Anyway, what brought me to this topic was I have couple races coming up and I am booking places to stay.

    Both races are in remote areas – the suggested option is camping at the race site is the way to go. I am a camper person myself but not for races. I like a good bed to sleep the night before and the night after. A good good place – with mattress and all, no funky motel if that can be helped. Interestingly both race sites have really early start time. The one in May starts at 5 AM, given the race is super long. So for me, it means 4 AM on location to avoid any last minute goofed ups (no murphy law here to mess things up – the nearest thing that happened to me was traffic jam to the race venue in the Frederick Half – that nearly had me in a heart attack).

    The nearest hotel I found for the race in May and I now booked is about hour and half away. I am looking at very little sleep night before and possibly will be up by 2AM.

    The race in June, this one is even outrageous. I am busing from the finish line to the starting line, leaving my car at the finish. The race chartered busses for us. I think the bus time is something like 3AM in the morning. So I had to be there like 2 AM or earlier. People said midnight because the parking lot there is tiny like enough for 20-30 cars! So not likely to sleep at all because it means I will be up at lot staking my spot for my car. Yup, organizer advices people to carpool or being dropped off, etc.

    The hotel for this June race is near though but the price is through the roof (looking at $200 a night). I haven’t booked it yet since it is hard to justify booking for the two nights in that I will spend very little time there because I will be running most of the time. Still having a good base of operation is a must, so I am on the fence for this one.

    There are cheaper hotels that are an hour away ($50 a night), and this is very appealing, except the question is will I able to make the drive there after I finish running. I learned from my race in Houston is not to risk driving anywhere after running a hard race. I was a zombie and on the verge of asleep behind the wheel as I tried to get back to Houston. One time is enough for that kind of life-death situation. Not going to repeat that again. A lot of former runners said they slept in their cars afterward… hmm. So that is likely what I will do.

    Until next time, bye

    P.S. Smoky Mnt update: I narrowed down the paths I will take, likely will be Menton Mackaye Trail (BMT) – from Fontana Dam to Davenport, for the remoteness and challenges that will test my camping skills. I’m a bit ambitious to do it in 4-5 days, where others do it as a 10 day trip. This trip will take place after my long race, so running the BMT is out of the question.

  • Day388 some boring stuff

    boring stuff to most but me, I checked out some spring marathons last night. Hey it is that time again where races are on sale.

    I would have to defer the One City. Finally there are words from them. It will be a virtual event. I am no longer enjoying running virtual marathons, so I will defer this to next year. No flaming on the organizer. It made perfect sense to have it virtually since Covid cases are rising everywhere and the fear that cases will overwhelm the health system is real. If they had it in person otherwise, people like me would be considering traveling hundreds of miles to run and likely increase the risk of bringing the virus to them/taking it back home to my community.

    Charlottesville Marathon. Kind of eyeing this. They will be hosting it outside of the city since the city itself has a maximum limit of 50 people per event. When there is no running races in 2020, any races in the spring is selling like hotcakes.

    Roanoke Double Marathon. Also eyeing this. This one originally on my schedule last year, but Covid canceled it. The same organizer. We are facing the same circumstances. Likely it will be changed to virtual again. Know this, I’m still kind of wanting to sign up. I can save $35 for the early registration.

    Dirty Kiln in PA. Also eying this race. Because it is outside of my state, I will need to be tested for Covid before running. PA requires visitors to be tested for Covid within 3 days before arrival or quarantine for 14 days after arrival. I think this is a sane way. So no more sneaking into another state to run a race. Well I think everyone should be tested before running a race. Weird they think other states have more covid cases than they do. I read on FB many runners before running the JFK went and got tested. I guess this is likely will be a trend in the running world.

    That’s all. I am about to get up to run the last race of 2020. The race is at 7 AM. About 2 hours more. The wait.

  • Day324 up ahead

    These two weeks have been a pause to life. There was nothing to do. More like nothing I want to do.

    After the race, all the pressure is gone. I looked back at it a bit. There is a guy who is going to attempt it in six weeks (last weekend of August). I too am going to try it again. I booked my hotel and flight. I saved a bit money this time because of the price drop for flight. I could have saved much more on the hotel but I messed that up. If I booked my flight first I could get 20% on my hotel, but I booked the hotel first then the flight, so no 20% for me, that would have been $60 off. Still this second trip is already a lot cheaper.

    It is silly for me to think running is a form of pressure. I think it is the good kind. I don’t like pressure I get from work with deadlines and worry about career path. If I could live and not have to work at all, that would be ideal, but unfortunately, I am a mortal like everyone else, working is a fact of life. Even millionaires work. I guess I wish I can do the things I can enjoy, like spending my time to program stuffs.

    Just a few more days before my quarantine period is over – 48 more hours. I have been resting my body. For the first time, there is no ache or anything. They are all healed.

    Actually, I don’t think my body took that big a damage. I can say, I am 100% back to normal and ready to do it again.

    Enough digression. For next six-eight weeks, I plan to go to PA, WV, PA, and then a family camping trip.

    Next weekend: would be the virtual run trip to Camp Anderson. I need to get that done in July.

    The following week (last week of July), I would either rest or try Laurel highland or Seneca, in West Virginia.

    Then August, I need to make a trip to Laurel Highlands. Have to start training again.

    Then a week (first/second week of August) to rest up or do a local run (such snicker gap). I will leave a week unplanned. I could go down to grayson highlands if I am up for it.

    Third week in August would be family camping at Buffalo Park. Really don’t want to take a day off for this even though I have plenty of PTO available (20+ days)

    Fourth week of August would be my run in Atlanta again.

    There is not much time. Summer is passing quickly. I need to get back to speed.

    Constant high paced life and over commitment is not good. But sometimes it just can’t be helped.

    PS. I have been monitoring the Covid-19 situation in Atlanta. It is not good. Based on current available projection though the end of August should have some improvements. It is possible that Atlanta would have a lower Covid-19 count than here in Northern Virginia by then. Hopefully, they won’t require me to go into quarantine once I get there.

  • Sacrifice

    Day 160

    It is only a couple days into my training, and I already encountered trade-offs and sacrifices. Yesterday I went to a birthday party and with that I couldn’t made the run. I was supposed to do 8 miles but it was 9 pm by the time I was free. I could have made the run but in the end it didn’t happen. The body won. I was too tired and lazy to go back out to do it. I needed the rest though. My shin were hurting at the time.

    With the needed rest, I had fresh legs today. The shin splint seemed gone from both legs. I put in 10 miles. I kind of wanted to do 12 – 14 to partially made up for yesterday missed miles, but by the end of my 10 miles today, I didn’t have the will to do it. I stopped for bubble tea and rest was history. I now am sleepy and have no strength to run another two or four miles.

    I am going to call it a day. I know I should run more when I am tired since I will have to do that for my race. I can’t imagine how to push for 20 more miles after running 30. That got to be running when I don’t want to run any more. That is why now most of my daily run is 10 or more miles. And i Should run them even when I am tired and don’t feel like doing it. It is a real race condition.

    This weekend is going to be tough. Not just the run but personal life issues. I committed to help my cousin’s moving. I don’t know yet how my long run fit in. Then on Sunday too, I have several events related with my best friend. Time time time is what I need.

    It is only technically my 2nd week of training and I am facing with choices and sacrifices. Should I go do such and such or should I run? Tough choices. I need to be more efficient too. I am still a beginner and haven’t had my schedule down, that is why I am facing such dilemma.

    (I missed my mom’s birthday due to my run tonight)

  • A bit of house keeping

    Day 151 – Upcoming events

    Time flies. A bit house keeping because of everything been going on, I lost track of things regarding my race schedule and all.

    The August race Iron Mnt is canceled (for me only), at least I wrote to the race director asking to be withdrawn from it and to give my place to someone else. Race Director accepted it. I won’t be running that but I will still try to run the course on my own on another weekend. I haven’t picked a date yet. They have a 30 miles training this weekend but unfortunately I will be doing backpacking in West Virginia. I really want to run this course though.

    As for Labor Day, same weekend of Iron Mnt Ultra, my friend and I will backpack somewhere south near Roan Mnt. I have been there last year camping with the Sierra Club. That was like a light version. This time the plan is to do a 50 miler, with shuttle pickup, not sure if a shuttle drop off at the beginning or a pick up at the end. I think we prefer dropping off and we walk back to our car. This way we won’t have to worry when we have to get to the pickup point. This trip will be huge because it will be the longest BP I’ve ever done.

    I just looked at my September race schedule and what I saw scare the daylight out of me. I signed up a bunch of races. I think the first Saturday, or there is a marathon in the morning (double checking realized I haven’t registered for it but now debating if I will run it), then there is a 5k (9/11 remembrance run) at night on the same day, and then early next morning on Sunday there is a Half marathon (I am sure I registered for this one). This will be my an ultimate test thus far! I haven’t tried a back to back run before marathon-5K-half marathon, but it is probably good training for doing a future back to back marathon.

    Couple days ago, after I knew I was all better, I signed up a bunch of smaller local races. My August calendar was pretty clean, there was no race. So I added a 10K and a 20k. August is my special month because three years ago, it was when I started running seriously. This race, South Lakes 10K, is one that started me on the path of being a marathon runner! It brings back a lot of memory each time I get on the course. This will be my forth time running it.

    I signed up a 10 miler in Sept. This is also a tradition race. It was the race I ran with the lady of my dream in 2016. It is a race dear to my heart. It was a race when everything seemed out of control, the race brought everything back into focus. It might do so again this time around because it will be a race that going to launch me into the crazy month of October, when I will be running a marathon every weekend! (Or attempting to).

    I really need to get back into training mode. I am no longer on a run schedule, so the first step is to have one. Second is to reestablish my long run. Third is to do real hill training. Fourth is nutrition – this has been my weak spot; I just have been eating too much junks. Fifth, is consistent sleep schedule.

    Next year, I will focus on speed improvement – which means track work and interval training. That would be phase three. Goal for next year is cut down my time to 3:45 (marathon finish time). Phase 4 would be BQ time attempt. I will go into phase 4 when I am near BQ time (probably hiring a coach by then), going for the broke.

    Finally, last night a dude I know signed up for the Quantico tri. The event is in two weeks and he told me about it. I am itching to do it with him. I know my time will be suck but hey it is a local race and someone I know is in it. He hasn’t been training but he seems to be in a good shape. He is a marine so naturally, he will do fine. I am not like him…I looked up the time of last person finished from last year and I think I at least can do that. So I am still debating if I should do the event.