Planning My 2018 Season, Old Guy Style

Somewhere in 2017, I think I officially became an “old guy” of trail and ultra running. The online odometers hit new digits, with my Ultrasignup profile hitting 100 races, and Strava ticking past 10,000 miles. Instagram photos are proof that my salt and pepper beard is officially now more saline than spice. Young runners in my local park don’t ask for advice on how to run fast anymore, but still love to comment that some of my race shirts are older than they are (which is true). Yet my love of the sport remains young, and as 2018 kicks off, I find myself motivated to stack up another full schedule of racing, riding, and epic adventures. It could be that training and racing keeps me young at heart, or that being young at heart keeps me training and racing…either way, I am grateful for the infinite source of optimism, gratitude, life balance, and good friendships.

I feel methodical in my annual race planning. I choose some new races to keep it fresh, some favorites to keep it fun and check in with friends, and generally have a larger theme for the year. But when Christi (my wife) explains it from her point of view, the pattern is honestly comical. She says “your racing ends in November, you are a melancholy wreck through December with ‘no direction, no motivation, yada, yada’, then you blow thousands of dollars on entry fees and Airbnb’s on New Years Eve, and it always includes 4-5 races in April and May.” Ha! She’s wise, that one.

So here’s how the drunk dialing equivalent of sign ups panned out for 2018:

Spring Hill Marathon, 1/7. I was in Florida for work, but rather than hit the predictable Disney World Marathon, I headed out to Spring Hill, FL, to visit the more rural, blue collar section of the State. My Silicon Valley-sheltered ass needs to meet more of America, and Airbnb is a great way to dive right in. In fact, I’ll be Airbnb’ing all year for this same reason.

Whistle Punk Half, 2/25. It’s the fastest half in the Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve, right in my backyard of Woodside, CA, and Robert Rhodes and his crew always put on a great race. A fantastic excuse to come see the best route through this redwood slice of heaven - if you've got the time, come join us!

Marin Ultra Challenge 50k, 3/10. One of my favorite courses through the Marin Headlands is Inside Trail Racing’s MUC. The pictures I take at this race each year continue to be the biggest Google requests of the year, so I will come cameras loaded once again.

Boston Marathon, 4/16. We all have that one race we just can’t stop doing, and for me, it’s Boston. The excitement of the first time runners, the elites, the history…it’s so much fun! This will be #14 in my streak, well into "old guy" territory now.

Revel Mt. Charleston Marathon, 4/28. How fast can you run a marathon if there is 5,100’ vertical net descent? I’m wondering if a little gravity assist might lower my PR into the 2:30’s before the inevitable speed decline of middle age kicks in. I might have to put an asterisk by that claim (and low Boston bib #) for the vertical doping though. It’s also a birthday weekend in Vegas…sprint down a hill, party all night, what could possibly go wrong? ;-)

Quicksilver 100k, 5/12. Last year was the first lottery for Western States in 15 years that I didn’t have a qualifier, and I miss it! I’m also eyeing UTMB/CCC for 2019 to celebrate my 50th birthday. Quicksilver is always a great time, and a qualifier for both.

Tour of the Unknown Coast Gran Fondo 100m, 5/19. A century ride with my “boys” along the wild coastline of Northern California, and a chance to hang in the redwoods again. Plus it seals Christi’s forecast of having too many races in April/May, so I have to do it.

Mount Fuji Ascent, 6/24. My family is headed to Japan for a long trip this summer, and we will be in the Five Lakes area long enough for me to do a solo run/hike to the top. Should be epic!

Castle Peak 100k, 8/18. I’ve been eyeing this beast of a run in the Truckee/Tahoe area since it was established a few years back. A new course has it pushing more than 15,000’ of climbing, including the Pinnacles. It has as many UTMB points as a 100-miler, so you know its going to be crazy. I’m in! 

Rest of the year, TBD. My life calendar is also quite booked, so best to leave some of the year flexible. I'm turning my Strava feed into a meme feed of fun, and cutting back on all other social feeds. Also more water, more stretching, more meditation, more gratitude. And learning some Japanese. I would also say "have more fun", but I'm not sure if that is possible.

Are you going to any of these races? Let me know where I’ll find you! Let’s get some “old runner” pictures together...I promise that no matter how good my Photoshop skills, I'll always look older than you. ;-)

And I hope your 2018 is off to a great start!

Planning My 2017 Race Season

January 1st shouldn't be more paramount than any other square on the calendar. Despite its binary pecularity, the day is just another day. The sun rises, the sun sets, and we play, work, and sleep within its comfortable circadian rhythm. But ever since Julius Ceasar put his stamp on the celestial calendar by fine tuning the addition of Januarius and Februarius* (nearly as genius as his anchovy-and-lemon upgrade to the classic dinner salad), it is on 1/1 that we celebrate the new year and contemplate our next trip around the sun. And we do so with promises of future do-goodings and sacrifices to our gods, in the spirit of our goat slaying, pickle dropping, and barley drinking ancestors who have done so for millennia. The stars force us to reflect, and by doing so, recommit us to the passions that run core to our being.

For me, January inevitably becomes a personal ritual to embrace the outdoor endurance adventures that have brought me health, joy, and serenity for over a decade. Trail running, ultras, cycling, triathlons, sky running, hiking, paddle boarding, camping, local 5k's in costume...if it's done outside with like-minded adventurers, it is guaranteed to fuel the fire. Put a race on the calendar and your worldview instantly corrects with required focus, often months before the event occurs. And that focus bleeds into the other parts of your life like ripe fruit desperate to be squeezed. It is ambrosia for the adventurous soul.

As I do every year (see '06, '07, '08, '10, '11, '12, '13, '14, '15, '16), I take the day to reflect on the past year and ponder the ever-growing list of races and places that must be experienced (or re-experienced) to exhale deeply when I take my last breath. For 2017, it is a mix of races old and new, plus some challenges well outside of my comfort zone. Ready, self? 'Cause here we go!!!

FOURmidable 50k, 2/18 - I have learned to always pick an "A" race in the first 60 days of the year. It helps me stay committed through the often-slumberous holiday season, and can occasionally bring a new PR. The FOURmidable 50k is a 6,000' vertical monster through the toughest climbs of Auburn, CA, and is the USATF 50k Trail Championships for 2017. I know and love the terrain, but have never tried this level of climbing in a 50k. Perfect!

(Lance and me at the MUC, photo courtesy of Liz Kreutz)

Marin Ultra Challenge, 3/12 - Inside Trail Racing (ITR) has an outstanding 2017 calendar, and my favorite is the annual MUC. I'm not sure if I can get Lance to come this year, but it should still be amazing nonetheless. If the training permits, I'll kick up the 50-mile.

Boston Marathon, 4/17 - The Boston Marathon is my "streak race" (12 finishes so far), and I continue to enjoy it more each year. The whole race weekend, the history, the people, and the memories...I fear I might be in this one for life. My Mom will be joining me for her first visit to Boston this year, so it should be fun!

Avenue of the Giants Marathon, 5/7 - Normally I would bookend Boston with the Big Sur Marathon, but this year I want to change things up and head deep into the forests. The Avenue of the Giants has been on my list for a while, and is an opportune chance to check out the first growth redwoods of Northern California.

The Dipsea Race, 6/12 - I ran this iconic race last year for the first time as a tribute to my late great uncle Ray Morris. In our last conversation before he passed away, he handed me his 17 finisher medals (and two "black shirts" for top 35 finishes) and said "do it". I did, and was fast enough to get an "invitational entry" to take a run at the black shirts in 2017. I think that's what Ray really wanted. All in, Uncle Ray, we are all in.

Cascade Crest 100m, 8/26 - This race looks amazing, challenging, and epic! Hopefully the lottery gods will bless me with an entry. I'm not particularly good at racing hundo's, but they are incredibly fulfilling and unlike any other challenge. This one is a qualifier for everything (Western States, Hardrock, etc.) so I suspect it it's a worthy adversary.

Half Moon Bay Marathon, 9/18 - I won this one last year (much to my surprise), so gotta show up and don the M1 number! It's a wonderful race in a great coastal town and I think the trail runners do particularly well on this mixed course.

Tussey mOUnTAiNBACK 50m, 10/8 - I did this race as a last minute addition in 2013, and had a great time on its runnable and beautiful Fall course. This year I'll go back with a bit more of a plan and see if I can squeeze out a better time for the 2017 USATF 50m Road Championships.

Moab Trail Marathon, 11/4 - I've always wanted to do this mountainous race, but it never lined up on my family calendar until this year. It's the USATF Trail Marathon Championships, but more importantly, it's MOAB! Excited to give it a go.

Figuroa Mountain Gran Fondo, 11/11 - This one is a brand new cycling adventure near the Alisal Ranch that hosts our annual family reunion, so my brother-in-law Brian and I are going to give it a shot. You can't go wrong with a Gran Fondo sponsored by Figuroa Mountain Brewery!

Desert Solstice 24-Hour, 12/7 - Timed track ultras have always fascinated me, but I've never mustered the courage to give one a go. What kind of mental fortitude is required to keep going left over and over and over? I have no idea. Some friends have recently pointed out that my road 50k times are faster than the M45-49 American Record on the track...in theory that means it should be within reach. Then again, that would be 125 laps, and I have no idea what that does to the body and mind. Only one way to find out! And it's worth it just to enter into Strava "(125 x 400 @88 seconds, no rest)".

Phew! I'm already exhausted. There's plenty of room to add/modify as we go forward, but this is what is stirring my soul (and fitting the family calendar) right now. My thanks to inov-8, Injinji, and Inside Trail Racing for their continued sponsorship and incredible products/races. I hope to see you out there!

Happy 2017! I will see you on the trails!

- SD

* Technically, humans have celebrated the start of the celestial calendar for over 4,000 years. But the Gregorian calendar we know today sprung from the Roman calendar of 10 months and 304 days, which was altered by King Romulus when he added Januarius and Februarius. His edits were close but still off by a few days, which they found out when everything got out of whack a few years later. A+ for effort when adding these, King Romulus, but downgraded to B- for attention to detail....our man Julie "I'm On This" Ceasar corrected this in 46 BC. And no, the caesar salad is not named after the great Roman leader, but I always picture him eating it. ;-)

Looking Forward to Racing in 2016!

0101...the ultimate binary day of renewal. Time to pull up that spreadsheet of 700+ races that will take a lifetime to check off, and force progress with the annual race calendar! Man, I love this time of year. Few things anchor a life of adventure like a packed race schedule (see '06, '07, '08, '10, '11, '12, '13, '14, '15). It is my recommitment to a core passion that endlessly fuels my optimism and serenity. Proof that I chose to live IN this world, not ON it. It is, in all honesty, the drunk-dial equivalent of online race sign ups that defines and solidifies the character that is me, against all odds and curve balls that reality will conjure. Sorry about that, Mark (Mark Gilligan, founder and genius behind Ultrasignup.com who is forced to work 24 hours/day every New Years Day), but as is the case with thousands embracing the binary simplicity that is 1.1, I HAVE to throw down in the first 24 hours to make it stick. That is the gift that you give, Mark, and one that makes Santa Claus himself say "DAMN...now THAT is spreading the love".

So here we go...

2015 was an epic year of exploration for me, so it will be a tough act to follow. It delivered mountains and trails everywhere from Texas to Hawaii to Switzerland to South Africa to Italy, and filled my Facebook feed with new multilingual friends from across the globe. I raced distances from 4 miles to 100 miles, mixed up trails and road and mountains (360k vert for the year!), picked up a few AG national titles and one new PR, managed to get hit by a deer, found one of my heroes face down on a trail, welcomed another hero to my backyard, pranced among naked people with my 9-year-old (my biggest hero!), outed myself as a stoner, and met a long lost trail running family member just in time to share his last few days before dying of cancer. My life mantra is "live life to have good stories", but damn, 2015....you set the bar seriously f'ing high. In retrospect it was a little too much, which in my mind means it was absolutely perfect. Can't ask for much more than that.

So, 2016, what do you have in store for us?!? So far, it looks like this...

Camarillo Marathon, 1/3 - This is a local race near Santa Barbara that is flat and fast - perfect to try and lower my 2:48:50 Boston qualifying time before the 2/1 deadline. Gotta get that sub-1000 race number back! Funny how ego and vanity can take you to new levels, but doing so continues to raise my game at the ripe old age of 46, so I'm going to feed the beast and cross my fingers. This strategy worked well in 2015, and in retrospect it's largely because a "fast race" in early January keeps me a bit more honest through the holiday season when the wine and pie is flowing like a Syrian refugee crisis (ohhhh...too soon?).

Mystery Race #1, 2/1-3/5 - One issue with plotting a calendar annually is that I'm not always directly addressing my weaknesses. So this year, I'm going to keep this slot open to see what makes sense for the training, which could be the Napa Marathon/Jed Smith 50k/Caumsett 50k if I need speed, or Way Too Cool 50k/Fort Ord 50k/Montara 50k if I need some hills. Or perhaps, just some solid training blocks like a good coach would recommend if I actually had a coach. Phew! I feel better already.

Marin Ultra Challenge, 3/12 - Of all the races in the Marin Headlands, Inside Trail Racing (ITR) puts on one of the best with the MUC. I'm back on the ITR team for 2016 (WAA-HOO!) and it appears nearly all 15+ of the team members will be present for this one. Once again, the honor of having my ass handed to me by elite teammates the likes of Gary Gellin, Bob Shebest, Sam Robinson, Craig Shmidt, Erik Sorenson, Jennie Yeaman, Danny Metz, Kim O'Donnell, Chris Wehan, Luke Garten, Rayna Nelly, Mikey Jimenez, Victor Ballesteros, Chris Vizcaino, and more will prove to be epic!

Boston 2 Big Sur Challenge, 4/18 and 4/24 - The Boston Marathon has been my "streak race" (11 finishes), and I just can't get enough of it. The whole race weekend, the history, the people, and the memories...I fear I might be in this one for life. I've got a handful of new friends doing it for the first time, and am thrilled to show them the ropes. And, per usual, it leads to the logical question of "should I also do the Big Sur Marathon six days later", which is a big HELLZYA (ultrarunners say "Awww, yeah"). B2B Challenge #7, let's do it!

Mystery Race #2, 5/1-6/5 - What does the training need to fine tune for my 'A' race in June? Hills, heat, distance, speed, etc??? There are plenty of races to choose from this time of year (Miwok, Quicksilver, Silver State, Cayuga Falls, etc.) but I think it will be best to make this choice on the fly. I only mention it here so that on the rare occasion my wife is reading one of my blog posts, she will know I'm going to disappear for a weekend, and yes, you can cash in your get-away weekend equivalent.

The Dipsea Race, 6/12 - As I shared trail running stories with my great uncle Ray Morris in his last few days on the planet, it was The Dipsea Race that captured his heart. In our last conversation, he handed me his 17 finisher medals and asked me to run this iconic race in his honor. Absolutely, Ray, will do and the honor is all mine. Whether I'm officially in or not, I will run the Dipsea on 6/12.

Western States 100m, 6/27 - Thanks to Scott Roberds and the generous folks at WS100 sponsor Microlumen, I'm returning to States!!! The race that has captured my imagination and tortured me through a decade of lottery losses, and once deliver the most impactful spiritual experience of my life. It is by far my 'A' race, if not the mother of all 'A' races, and I'll do what it takes to get a silver buckle this time. It could be another decade before I return, after all!

Sierre-Zinal, 8/14 - Of all the places my family has travelled, few have gripped us like the mountains of Switzerland. Before we even ended the last trip to the Jungfrau Valley, we were plotting our return. My globe trotting parents-in-law chose it for their 50th wedding anniversary celebration, and it just so happens the iconic Skyrunning race of Sierre-Zinal lands right in the middle of the trip. Nice! A 30k race with 5k vertical...should be amazing.

Headlands 50k (USATF Trail 50k Championships), 8/27 - I complete screwed up this race last year thanks to no sleep and a redonkulous work travel schedule, but it has all my favorite sections of the Marin Headlands. Let's try again!

Lake Padden Half (USATF Trail Half Marathon Championships), 10/14 - I threw this Washington-based race on the calendar at the last minute in 2015, and was SO glad I did. Expertly run, very challenging with both fast and hard-climbing sections, and the fastest pack of runners to push you that one could possible conjure. I am really looking forward to coming back.

California International Marathon (CIM), 12/4 - Yeah, it's on the schedule AGAIN. And the probability of doing it, or any race that weekend for that matter, is practically zero. It's a California bucket list race for sure, so I keep putting it on the schedule (and paying $50 each year to defer). But every time I have inked this on the calendar, Christi pulls out her mega-ink-killing-eraser and asks me to cancel it so she can go on a trip with a girlfriend. Does she miss her friends that much? Yeah, she does. And quite honestly, she does "friends" better than anyone I know so I need to respect that. Perhaps because she is tired of me disappearing so many weekends for long-ass family-unfriendly races? Um, yeah, I'll have to give her that one too. Does she deserve it? Of course she does (and more), so I'm happy to cross out a race if it means that much to her. I'll have to admit that I kind of secretly love the whole "no, no...I'll just cancel my PASSION for you, because I love you" power exchange we do each year. When we draw the line in our family, SHE holds the chalk, now and forever. So here you go...a race to eee-race in a glorious dust cloud of family life balance.

Phew! I'm already exhausted and exhilarated. How about you? What races will pull you to your best this year? You deserve nothing less than something epic.

Happy 2016!

- SD

Planning My 2014 Race Season

Ah, that glorious time of year when you curl up with a cup of coffee, peruse the list of 500+ trail running and triathlon adventures available for the year, and choose the dozen that will define 2014. I enjoy this ritual every January (see '06, '07, '08, '10, '11, '12, '13). There's something magical about seeing a race schedule laid out - it's proof that we choose to live IN this world instead of ON it. All it takes is a few entry fees, and I have enough adventure on the schedule to conjure plenty of motivation for training and boundless energy for family and professional life.

So, how to start? I find it's always best to take an annual 2-3 week break from structured training and reflect back on the previous season. What brought me the most joy? Which memories seared into my soul and can still bring a smile to my face? Did any experience have me longing for more, or wanting to revisit? Has my training peaked from running the same formats too much?

Then I take a look at the year ahead, and figure out what would best balance my work and life. How much stress/travel/family commitment should I expect? Would it be best complemented with an escape to a new country with all new people and languages, or to engage regularly with the same friendly faces? Would I thrive from structured training, or is it best to hang loose this year? My life mantra has always been "live life to have good stories" - any new places, distances, race formats, or other adventures that could add a few more fables?

My 2013 season started with a hunger for more big mountains and international travel, and I got that in spades. This year I am feeling the desire to stick closer to home, run with my local peeps in mid-distance ultras, and revisit some of the races that have helped defined who I am as a runner. Lots of contributing reasons for this: my work travel is back on the insane end of the spectrum (80+ flights/year), I'm turning 45 in April and getting all nostalgic, I would like to revisit some goals I had for 2013, and of course, the lottery gods have cast their vote. My healing collarbone (aka, "Frankenshoulder") is making it impossible to consider any cycling/triathlon adventures at the moment, so I'll put those on the backburner for now.

So with that, I give you my 2014 season:

Caumsett 50k, Long Island, NY, 3/2 - I had a breakthrough race here in 2010 at the USATF 50k Road Championships (PR, 3:21), and now that I'm armed with a bit more knowledge and training, would love to use this race as a checkpoint for my mid-40's. Hopefully the collarbone will heal in time to get some good training cycles in.

Boston Marathon, 4/21 - Boston again for three big reasons. First, it would be great to have some closure after the bombings of last year. This year will undoubtedly be an epic weekend of celebration and healing for one of my favorite running cities. Second, my original beer-induced goal for Boston was to streak ten races in a row, and this will be #10! Third, my family has expressed interest in tagging along this year, which is a rare treat. So once again to Hopkinton!

Big Sur Marathon, 4/27 - The Boston 2 Big Sur Challenge is a great double - it puts these two races on two coasts just six days apart. In fact, I'm liking the concept of doubling enough to put three doubles on the calendar this year. Last year I was shooting for a Top 5 finish for B2B, only to place sixth by ~2 minutes (despite my best times at both races). I'm going to give a Top 5 finish another shot. My family will join for this one too! 

Bay to Breakers, 5/18 - Sophie, my 7-year-old, says she wants to run/walk the Bay to Breakers 12k this year so I will crew for my princess. It will help keep my blog traffic up too, since "naked runners" oddly remains a top ten search term (other fun search terms regularly in the top 10 include "how long is a 50k", "Jenn Shelton bikini", and the classic "toenail fell off").

Cayuga Trails 50m, Ithica, NY, 6/1 - I'm a sucker for good pictures, and everything I've seen coming out of Cayuga looks amazing. It's also a part of the east coast wilderness I've been dying to check out. It happens to be the USATF 50-mile Trail Championship this year, so it sounds like a good place to test out being the new kid in the 45-49 age group.

Tahoe Rim Trail 100m, Incline Village, NV, 7/19 - Nostalgia (and a little luck from the lottery gods) brings me back to the place of my first 100-mile race. I didn't have a hundo on the calendar last year, and really missed its unique crazy flavor of insanity. Many of my favorite ultra runners will be there too - really looking forward to it!

Pikes Peak Double, Manitou Springs, CO, 8/17-18 - I had an incredible time at my first Pikes Peak Marathon last year, and learned a lot about how to train for a high altitude race. So I want to come back and do my second double of the season - the back-to-back Ascent (13.1 miles up) and Marathon (up and down). The Acsent is the WMRA Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge, so it should attract some global talent, and the Marathon always attracts the best. Manitou Springs is a special place this weekend, and I'm going to get as much as I can.

Flagline 50k, Bend, OR, 9/21 - My third double for the year will be the "Max King double", which begins with the Flagline 50k. I've been wanting to head back to Bend, OR, and now that this race is once again the USATF 50k Trail Championships, it's good timing.

XTerra Trail Running National Championship (21k), Ogden, UT, 9/22 - The day after Flagline, I'll be at the XTerra Nationals in Utah. I haven't done an XTerra race in a few years, and now that Quinn is nearing age 3, I think she would have a lot of fun. They really do a great job creating a kid- and dog-friendly environment. Count Sophie in for sure!

Fall 50m, Sturgeon Bay, WI, 10/25 - The Fall 50m is the new location for the USATF 50-mile Road Championship, and after accidentally clocking a 50m PR last October at Tussey Mountainback, I'm thinking another 50m PR is in reach with some focused training. This looks like a fun and fast course in a state I've never raced...perfect!

Moab Marathon, Moab, UT, 11/8 - This one has been on my bucket list for a while, thanks to the steep terrain and gorgeous surrounding area. Since it's the USATF Trail Marathon Championship, adding this one puts me in all the USATF middle distance ultras, road and trail. There's something about the USATF races that seem to bring out faster times from me, so I'm hoping for some good results in my new age group.

XTerra World Championship (21k), Oahu, HI, 12/7 - Another fast race I have been longing to return to that also conveniently comes with an excuse to "acclimate" in Hawaii just as winter comes. A great one for the family! Maybe if I'm feeling crazy, I'll tag on the Honolulu Marathon for one final double. ;-)

So there you have it - my 2014 schedule. I am giddy to get going!

SD