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***2021 Trail and Ultra running thread***

11,459 Views | 161 Replies | Last: 2 yr ago by coop-aero-06
AggieOO
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Might as well get this thing kicked off. It seems as though many of the main contributors to the trail running threads aren't around as much these days, but there's been a flurry of posts recently, so maybe there's new blood.

As for me, I'm 13 months into not being able to run. I'm not sure when or if I'll be able to truly run again. Currently working back through home PT and running twice a week...a whole mile at a time. I've been on the mountain bike mainly but would love to be able to run consistently again.

I already had to turn down Cocodona 250, as there's no way I can run that even in may. I'm still registered for Barkley Fall Classic, but not sure how much hope I really have of being able to run any real mileage again.

What's on everyone's calendar or radar for 2021? I need to live vicariously...
coop-aero-06
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AG
Good luck with your continued recovery. I know that's tough when you want to be running, but can't.

I've got Canyons 100k in April and Broken Arrow Skyrace 52k in June. Both are in California though, so who knows if they will actually happen. No 100's for me this year.

Looking forward to this thread for 2021.
AggieOO
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i do have tickets for the WS100 lottery in december based on my 2020 Bandera finish. I don't care how injured i am, if i somehow get in, i'll be on the starting line in 2022.
coop-aero-06
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AG
Same here. And since you brought it up, I suppose I'll mention that my local running club gets 1 "Race Admin" entry to WS100 every year because we host the Foresthill aid station. I'm the alternate for our club for this year's race. I fully expect our current entrant to run the race, but on the off-chance he gets injured or something, then I'm in for 2021. So, just in case that happens, I feel like I really need to start ramping up now.
RockOn
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My gf is signed up for the Bear 100. I'm not signed up for anything at the moment.

RUFA is cancelled this year but a few of us are doing an informal "Spend all day going up and down Grandeur" in a few weeks.

I might register for Tushars marathon which is on July 31st.

Overall, I think if I hit 300,000 ft of climbing for the year, I'll say it was a good year regardless of anything else.
coop-aero-06
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AG
You should have no problem getting to 300k. Enjoy that Wasatch vert!
RockOn
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Clay Emge '06 won rocky racoon 50 miler with a time of 6:13. 40 minutes in front of 2nd place.

I think he'd do real great at the 100 mile distance.
oldarmy76
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Clay had a great race! Was happy to be there to support him at the aid stations.

I'm dealing with Achilles problems, so after onl6 running 50 miles in January, I'm probably going to end up taking February off.
I'm signed up for cactus rose 25...surely I'll be healed up by then. Hopeful to do box of rocks at any distance in April and then a couple other races in 2021 assuming I can get back to training soon.
AggieOO
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this one made me laugh



I ran 2.5 miles today. It has taken me about a month to get to this point. Well, technically, it has taken me 14 months to get here, but i digress. Wasn't pain-free, but at least bearable pain. Only need to be able to do 40x that!
RockOn
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It was a "busy" weekend on Grandeur... not busy by number of people, but some experienced people doing big laps.

Jared Campbell did 9 laps (each is 6.2 mi, ~2300 ft up). Hillary Allen was in town and did 3 on the West side. My gf did 3 .... and I did one lol.
MarathonAg12
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Pacing my buddy who is doing TIR solo

Looking forward to grinding this out with him

Sponge
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AG
I would highly recommend Tushars. It is a beautiful area and a very well run race. If you do the 70 or 100k you get even better scenery with Blue Lake and might be up at the top of Edna around sunset. Although it is a steep race, about 14,000 ft gain for the 70k.
AggieOO
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The cigarette has been lit!

I think i'm most interested this year in seeing how Courtney Dauwalter does. If anyone could be the first female finisher, it would be her.

The course could be pretty nasty from all the rain that just went through the area.
RockOn
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Referencing my last post Jared doing 9 laps up Grandeur, I had no doubt he was headed back to Frozen Head this year. Luke Nelson is also racing. He's been training some with Jared.

There's another local here, Shalise Morgan, that I was hoping would try. IMO she has the best shot of being the first female finisher. But no indications she's there this weekend
RockOn
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Sponge said:

I would highly recommend Tushars. It is a beautiful area and a very well run race. If you do the 70 or 100k you get even better scenery with Blue Lake and might be up at the top of Edna around sunset. Although it is a steep race, about 14,000 ft gain for the 70k.
Almost did Tushars this year, but opted for Speedgoat instead (both in July). Speedgoat kicked my butt so much there was no chance of my body handling another mountain race for a while. Perhaps this year ill go with Tushars instead.
AggieOO
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16 made loop 2. Rain is returning. 3 women on loop 2, including Courtney.
AggieOO
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Jared Campbell and Luke Nelson are the only two runners left. No one else made the cutoff for loop 2. Based on previous times Jared has run, I don't think we will see any finishers this year.
RockOn
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Yep - looks like they'll get in a fun run and that'll be all.
coop-aero-06
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AG
Western States just updated their lottery policy. You will no longer need to run qualifiers in consecutive years to maintain your ticket count in the lottery. This will ease the burden of having to run a qualifier while the pandemic continues.

https://www.wser.org/2021/03/22/lottery-changes-announced/

As someone who has been accumulating tickets and has not yet run the race, I don't really like this rule change. I was looking forward to the number of lottery applicants decreasing next year. However, I also realized that point of view is purely selfish and the rule change is probably good for the ultra community.
AggieOO
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I'm torn. Since I'm still battling this stupid injury, it would be nice to skip this year if I need to and not lose my tickets.

Overall, I'm really not sure it makes much difference in the number of applicants. You still have to qualify, and now people who might not run don't feel forced to apply and accept an invite.
coop-aero-06
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AG
The main thing that I don't like about the rule change is that WS is in a situation where 6000 people are entering a lottery where 350 people will be picked to run the race and they just lowered the bar for entry into the lottery. In a vacuum (ignoring the fact that lots of qualifying races were cancelled in 2020 and 2021), that just doesn't seem like the correct thing to do.
Ragoo
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AG
Is it a one off until the races and such normalize back to regular schedules? Seems like with the cancelation of races people who did and normally would requalify no longer had an opportunity. So they eliminates that hurdle.
AggieOO
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Seems to be permanent as they are eliminating some "bye" policies, which are no longer necessary.

As one of the few who was able to qualify prior to covid, I feel like my chances of being selected will be even higher then normal, as I think we will see the lowest pool of lottery entrants in quite a awhile, even with a 2 year qualification window. Though, I probably would have had a 70%+ chance anyway due to the number of years I've been rejected.
coop-aero-06
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AG
It's a permanent policy now, not just a one-off. They recently implemented a policy where you could skip a qualifying year due to pregnancy, and another policy where you could skip a year for any reason. I'm guessing they were considering new covid-related exceptions which would allow runners to skip qualifying years, but they just decided that instead of having a long list of exceptions which would allow you to skip 1 or more qualifying years, they would just get rid of the consecutive requirement all-together.
AggieOO
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14 more qualifiers added. I'm more upset at that.
Ragoo
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AG
Not to derail, but I was doing my run Sunday night on the treadmill. I was watching Jeff Pelletier's doc you n his experience running the Tor De Geants and right at the 33:00 mark up pops my old boss. He then basically spends the rest of the trail with him. Kind of neat to see.
K Bo
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AG
Hell's Hills 25K tomorrow morning! My partner bailed on me due to a cold so I'm running solo. It's my first organized trail run and the longest run in quite some time so I'm a little nervous but excited to see what it's all about. Before this my only real trail running experience/training is the ho chi minh trails at Memorial Park.
AggieOO
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K Bo said:

Hell's Hills 25K tomorrow morning! My partner bailed on me due to a cold so I'm running solo. It's my first organized trail run and the longest run in quite some time so I'm a little nervous but excited to see what it's all about. Before this my only real trail running experience/training is the ho chi minh trails at Memorial Park.


Good luck tomorrow!
ptothemo
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AG
Have a good day out there and come back in one piece!
K Bo
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K Bo
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AG
That was tough. Felt great and in control til mile 11 then my HR started getting away from me (miles 11&12 felt straight up hill). Then, right at mile 13 my right calf decided it wanted to blow up. Miles 13-15.5 were spent praying and running damn near on my heels. The weather was great the whole run. At about the halfway point it started raining -jJust enough to keep the temp nice and not too much to be annoying. The course was much hillier than I was expecting (hell's hills, duh!). My goal was to keep it under a 10min pace and I came in 9:44, so I'm very pleased with that. Overall it was a great physical and mental challenge and I can't wait to do it again, with better hills training!
agdoc-ultrarunner
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AG
I also injured myself last year, pelvic stress fracture. Ran last year the Run for the Rose in Tyler 108km. Had planned on running my first 100mi in october here in ARkansas at The Arkansas Traveler. Was injured anyways but Covid cancelled it. Just trying to also slowly get back, but have taken up Gravel Bike riding as a way to keep the fitness while rehabbing and it is also a fun time as well. Bikes are at a premium still but was able to get a Specialized Diverge and Salsa Fargo last year, fun bikes that get me outdoors which is why I think I like trailrunning/ultrarunning in the first place.
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
AggieOO
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AT100 is a great race. I've run it twice. Lots of great running/riding up in that corner of Arkansas.
AggieOO
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I registered for my first race since Bandera in 2020. Doing a whole 10K, but at least its something. Doing the last of the Rogue Trail Series races out in Fredericksburg on the 25th. 10K will be the longest run I've done since Jan of 2020.

I have some pain or discomfort on pretty much every run, but 90% of the time it is manageable. At this point, it is just accepted that running will not be comfortable, and that any sort of speed is a thing of the past. Still hanging on to hope that I can do BFC in sept. Its probably more hiking than running anyway, so it could be doable.
Ragoo
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AG
Has anyone ever done this trail?

https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/park_maps/pwd_mp_p4503_0103l.pdf
 
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