My body isn’t ready for the 100-mile distance so I dropped to the Sinister 50-mile race.
About a month ago, I made the change. I knew deep down that I needed a longer training window to adequately prepare for the distance.
I kicked off my training in the winter after a year or more of less mileage and elevation. Basically I was rebuilding my running foundation. Let me tell you the older you get, the harder it gets to maintain your fitness.
I have made progress over the last few months but I’m not where I’d like to be for this big race. I could just go for it and see how far I can get but that’s not how I roll. I want to show up on race day prepared, and I refuse to DNF.
So this is what my 2025 race calendar looks like:
- July 12: Sinister 7 50 miles
- August 2: Canadian Death Race 118 kms
- August 23: Black Spur 54 kms
Sinister 7 50-miler
I’m excited about this race. It’s been two years since I’ve pinned a bib to my shorts in a big race. The course will be different than the course I ran in 2023 so there’s plenty of new-to-me terrain to tackle. It will also be the last big training run before Death Race.
Canadian Death Race
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you already know the Canadian Death Race holds a special place in my heart. I started running in Grande Prairie. And one of my earliest race experiences was running a leg of the CDR on a team. While living in Grande Prairie, I’ve spent countless weekends in Grande Cache training on the course. I think it’s time I step up and race it myself.
Black Spur
This will be a fun new-to-me course in Kimberley, British Columbia. I will make it into a mini vacation.
Listening to my body, drowning out the noise
In life and running, knowing when to shift your goals is the smart thing to do. I respect the 100-mile distance too much to treat it like just another run. The Sinister 7 50-miler still demands serious training, but it feels like the right challenge for where I’m at this year. At the end of the day, I have to do what I feel is right for me. I was beginning to dread the 100-mile race because I was dealing with re-occuring injuries. I want to feel those butterflies of excitement, not anxious. Taking on three big races in six weeks is the kind of challenge that fuels me.
Have you ever dropped down in distance at a race? Any regrets? I would love to hear from you in the comments below.
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