Hard Reset. 2018 Hopes and Dreams

Hi there. Long time no see...

2017 was no banner year for me and running. Life gets in the way sometimes. Family medical issues bled into preparing our Nevada City home to be put on the market. My weekend long-runs were one casualty. It's healthy to take a step back and re-evaluate ones priorities occasionally. Fortunately for me, I have emerged on the other side of the process with a renewed attitude towards this silly sport. This has been bolstered in no small part by my ambitious race plans for 2018. I am VERY excited to be returning to Squaw Valley. My third journey over the Pacific Crest and through the gold-laden canyons of the Sierra Nevada Mountains to Auburn the last weekend in June. Add to that a return to the San Gabriel Mountains in August, and suddenly I only have 6.5 months to prepare! This will mark my first attempt at multiple 100 mile runs in one season. Historically, the execution of a hundred miler has left me drained and needing some serious time off. Ergo: my training in 2018 must focus on stamina and strength. To hire a coach or go it alone? This is a big question I must answer in the coming weeks. In addition, getting back to race weight will require every bit of time I have between now and then.

To prepare, I have selected a progression of tune-up races in Northern California:

2/3/2018 - Foresthill Divide Loop 30k
2/18/2018 - FOURmidable 35k
3/10/2018 - Marin Ultra Challenge 50k
4/14/2018 - Lake Sonoma 50 Mile (lottery)
5/5/2018 - Miwok 100k (lottery)
5/26-28/2018 - Western States Training Camp
6/23/2018 - Western States 100 Mile
8/4/2018 - Angeles Crest 100 Mile

February will have some shorter distance runs on new terrain before returning to tried and true favorites. MUC 50k, Lake Sonoma, Miwok and Training Camp offer just the right mix of vertical and views. It should be a trans-formative Spring! 

Stay tuned, I plan to revive Wanderplace to document my progress.

See you on the trails...