So just a bit of a post as I discuss the races I have coming up and the decision process I went through deciding to do each one.
WPS Half (Winnipeg Police Service Half) – May 1st – In 2014, I set my half marathon PR at this race (1:46:00) but my running fell apart due to some illness in early 2015 and I struggled to get 1:55:15 last year. This year I am looking to get some redemption – not likely a new PR but back around 1:50 would be great.
My wife is running this race for the first time this year as well – so that will add an extra interesting dynamic which should be cool.
Spruce Woods Ultra – May 6th/ 7th – Ever since I did my first 12 Hour Lemming Loop in 2014, I have been looking at this event and wondering if a true trail race would be for me or not. Hills, rolling hills and poison ivy – not something I am used to.
And I finally decided I was going to give it a try this year…but what race? 100 miles, 100 km, 50 miles or 50 km? A hard decision considering I probably not really going to be ready for any of those distances…They do have a trail half as well but I ruled that out as I want to do something longer than that.
So let’s break it down by distance:
100 miles – time limit 32 hours – noon on the 6th until 8pm on the 7th. I want to do this eventually but in a rare moment of sanity I know that this isn’t in the cards this year. Maybe next?
100 km – time limit 20 hours – midnight until 8pm on the 7th. This is a new race this year and it adds the extra element of starting in the dark. Sounds pretty damned interesting…
50 miles – time limit of 14 hours – 6am to 8pm on the 7th. Based on the 2 12 hour Lemming Loops I have done, 12 hours is about where I hit for 50 miles so in theory it would be possible in 14 here. But this is much more difficult terrain and I am probably not going to be quite in the same shape as I was for the Lemming Loops so 14 hours might be borderline.
The 100 km is more miles but the time limit is more generous making going 12 additional miles seem more achievable…this is the kind of math that gets me in trouble…
50 km – time limit of 11.5 hours – 8:30 am to 8 pm on the 7th. This seems fairly achievable and probably the saner option for a first true trail race considering it will be fully in daylight. But does 50k scare me enough to train my ass off?
This all means the 100 mile and 50 mile races are off the table. But 100 km or 50 km? The dangerous math and a bit of fear in the belly says 100 km but the smarter option is 50 km.
I think a lot but the smarter option isn’t always where I end up…
Surprisingly this time I did go with the smarter option…and I feel vaguely disappointed frankly. I think I am going to have to do the 24 hour Lemming Loop in October to get that bit of race fear.
Fargo Marathon – May 21st – I have never done this race which is kind of surprising since it isn’t too far from home. I will be looking to try to get some full marathon redemption on this race – it is flat and the weather in May will be more forgiving (and cooler) than what I usually run into on the Manitoba Marathon in June making for a more straightforward race (besides the travel bit). Interesting side fact for this race for any runDisney / Walt Disney World Marathon fans – Fargo is where Lee Hoedl hails from (look up his Walt Disney World Marathon race videos on YouTube, they certainly help feed my runDisney obsession).
That gives me 3 races in 4 weeks – not particularly wise but it makes some sense to me. I will then be looking at the Manitoba Marathon in June from there and pushing for a PR.
The goal for all of this is to finally get into Marathon Maniacs and to get my levels back up to a point where trying the 24 hour Lemming Loop in October is merely insane instead of suicidal.
Based on all of this, all I am doing for the next 2-4 months is running…
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