There’s this common narrative or expectation once you start running races where the inevitable question arises —when’s your marathon? Or in the case of ultra runners when are you going to run 100 miles? (Although, the 100-mile benchmark seemingly has gone way to 200 or 250-mile races.)
I am not one to follow the sheep nor do I have anything to prove (only to myself). When I first got into running trails and ultras, I wasn’t thinking about running a 100-miler in the future. I was living in Red Deer and I didn’t know many runners who tackled that distance.
The idea of running a 100-miler didn’t cross my mind much – usually only when I would watch a friend smash a goal at a finish line. However as swiftly as the idea entered my mind, it would just as quickly fade away.
But things have taken a turn. Something is calling to me to run 100 miles In 2024. I am not sure what or who it is but I am determined to run 100 miles this year.
I love challenging myself. And that’s exactly what this will be — a big ass challenge.
Training for 100 miles
My running was really hit and miss in 2023. Throw in the broken ankle and it was not a stellar year. I have a lot of work to do and I am actually excited about logging in big weeks. As I write this post, I am into week six of my base building. Honestly the first couple of weeks sucked, and I struggled with my week day short runs.
Every week I am feeling better and I am recovering sooner.
Which 100 mile race?
I registered for Sinister 7 in Crowsnest Pass just a few days after registration opened for this year’s race. There’s only a handful of 100-mile races in Alberta. So of course I chose the one with one of the lowest finishing rates. I might as well go big. Truthfully, if the race doesn’t scare me enough, I probably wouldn’t train as hard as I should to finish.
This one is close to home too. My paycheque is stretched only so far but one day I would like to run a race in the U.S. Both my first half marathon (Las Vegas) and marathon (New York) were in the U.S. A big advantage of choosing a local 100 miler is the ability to draw on the wisdom of the runners who have solo-ed or were on a team. I ran one leg on a team, and the 50-miler so I am not entirely in the dark about the race.
The 100-mile distance is uncharted territory for me but I am so excited to dig deep and train hard. Stay tuned as I share all my crazy thoughts and preparations for the race – where better to contemplate than here?