These events are my anchor for the year, big part of my lives revolves around them, it fuels life and helps with other aspects of life, I love training, a daily, weekly and monthly routine builds up for a fruitful time rest of the day. For 2022 I mostly had 4 races which I was looking forward too.
1. Mt Charleston Marathon: Attempt to get a BQ
2. Scout Mt 100: Redemption from 2021 DNF
3. BigSeki : A Big loop of fast-packing covering Kings and Sequoia NP
4. BigFoot 200M Race: A 200M footrace in Cascades, pacific northwest.
I was pretty charged up to say the least, I started off training for a BQ M in Jan on the 1st run itself, I injured my hamstrings and I was off running mostly for next 2 months, March 1st week I made the decision to drop out of Charleston M since I didn't see myself running fast enough and more importantly, I thought I would jeopardise my others 3 events. I changed my focus to finish the unfinished at Scout mountain 100M, Training for a 100M hilly run and fast marathon are quite different, during 100M training one can getaway with slow long runs unlike marathons.
I started my training in March and got a nice 10 weeks Training block with Miwok and Quicksilver 100k as my big training weeks, finally started tapering 3 weeks prior. Scout 100 was much different than last year , it was 20 degrees cooler and I got chance to work on some of mistakes I made last year. I managed a good finish, things worked out as planned for most part and finished in 32:32Hrs.
Next inline was BigSEKI loop in July, but during our visit to Grand Tetons and Yellowstone NP we got infected with COVID, which drained me quite a bit, I found running much hard and I lost all motivation to train as well, which was much bigger concern. BigSEKI was looming and I wasn't recovered yet, so had to decide on cancelling it by Jun end. my 2nd event was dropped out.
I was still hopeful of bouncing back to BigFoot and kept it open for 2 more weeks of long runs on Jul 2nd and 9th, but those weekend runs seemed pretty hard on my, it would take much longer to recover and I didn't have motivation to train again! I made the decision to differ Bigfoot by Jul 9th. There went my 3rd event of the year. I was pretty unmotivated and dull, I had lost my anchors, but I kept showing up for my runs and gave myself time to recoup.
Eventually Jul 26th weekend long run I did bounce back, I felt back to same old self and started enjoying my runs, my moods were much better, I started planning for some adventure runs instead of long Ultras. Life seemed good!.
These past 6 weeks phase of my life was mostly rebuilding myself out of COVID, mostly digging myself out of a dull period. getting that joy back of outdoors feel rejuvenated. I am in gratitude to get to back to this Endorphin Rush, I missed it badly. Ultra mindset of just hanging in-there in low phase and keep chugging along helps to climb out to brighter phase.
Next I am looking forward to a adventure run and works towards it...
