We’re a little over a week away from Canyons 100K and what will be an extremely competitive race. I feel like I’ve said that a lot this year, but I’ve fully embraced jumping into races that in the past would have me convinced I didn’t belong. These women are too fast! They’re a whole other level! And that might be true, but the longer I’ve been running, the less I care about my long-term results. There’s simply nothing to lose, especially since the world of sponsorships seems to be quickly changing from top results to number of Instagram followers (which is an entirely separate post.)
I feel great about the fitness I’m bringing into the race, though a little less certain about my mental game. The past four months have been difficult and while I seem to be able to train healthily through these harder times, that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Sometimes I don’t know where I’m supposed to be drawing the energy from—we’ll see what happens at the race.
Training:
After Chuckanut 50K, I took a few days off of running but then built back up fairly quickly, logging about 65 miles the week after the race. For whatever reason, I respond well to hard efforts and almost always see a pretty immediate fitness boost from races, so I rode the wave into the next cycle. While I wasn’t sure that I was going to be pulled from the waitlist of Canyons 100K, I was happy to train for the sake of future races, whenever those might be. When I received the email that I was in the race, it was relatively easy to up the distance on my long runs and top out with a few weeks of 85 to 95 miles as peak volume for Canyons.
Here’s what my peak training for Canyons looked like:
Monday: rest day!
Tuesday: 13 miles at Montana de Oro State Park with 8 x 20 uphill strides.
Wednesday: 12 mile workout that included 6 x 2 minute efforts at 10K pace and 4 x 90 second efforts at 5K pace. Got in a strength workout immediately following this with a focus on heavy leg eccentric exercises.
Ran easy 3 miles with the dogs in the afternoon at a local trail.
Thursday: Easy 10 miles on the road with another 4 miles in the afternoon.
Friday: Easy 8 miles in the pouring rain, but got it done!
Saturday: 24 miles with an emphasis on faster downhill running (to simulate the amount of descent at Canyons 100K). Worked in about 4,500 feet of vert in here.
Sunday: Easy 20 miles with another 4,500 feet of vert.
Total: 95 miles, ~15,000 feet of climbing.
I would have liked to have fit in another day of strength training in here, but I couldn’t fit it in around work and general life (Casper, vet appointments, animal care, etc.). It was also vital to prioritize recovery that week, so all things considered, I feel good about what I got in.
Nature Notes:
Spring is the ideal time to get closer to nature, in part because creatures are especially active as they court, build nests, and nurture young. Without really trying, this past week I’ve held a House Finch, a Hermit Thrush, an Anna’s hummingbird and a Cedar Waxwing in my hands (one flew into a window and survived; one had been hit by a car and I found his perfect body on the road; one flew into our house and I ushered him out; and one solitary waxwing was already deceased, perhaps from a bird of prey.) I’ve seen, at first, a Great Horned Owl, its head swiveling to stare at me from the trail below, and then a few minutes later, another owl and its owlet—a whole family. By now I’ve counted six (six!) owls nesting within a mile of our house, the owlets fuzzy and white.
The Central Coast is still a wild, rugged place in many areas and San Luis Obispo is bordered by large swaths of land that are both open spaces and ranch lands. This means that wildlife is still abundant (though ever decreasing thanks to more development and roads with drivers who have no respect for animals crossing from one side to the next…). On runs and walks this past week I’ve seen bobcats, deer, foxes, voles, brush rabbits and Jack rabbits, Alligator lizards, and Garter snakes. At night we can hear Pacific chorus frogs and in the mornings we watch green herons and belted kingfishers fly across the lake, barely skimming the water.
We’re lucky to live where we do, but almost every location has the chance to observe nature, even if that means watching urban wildlife. There’s so much to see if you slow down. Including more post-dinner dog walks into my routine has allowed me to observe even more, despite this often taking place on a suburban road. I encourage you to pay attention to the wildlife that lives around you. In my opinion it’s one of the most rewarding aspects of life.
Further reading:
I was lucky enough to be profiled by writer and runner extraordinaire, Yitka Winn, a few weeks ago. Please go subscribe to her Substack! Yitka interviewed me about whether I see myself as more of a runner or a writer (trick question, it’s neither!), my favorite books, and where I like to write. Stay tuned for some great upcoming profiles, because there are so many trail and ultra runners who happen to be engaging writers. For those who love reading as much as I do, Yitka profiled a few books that were recently published, so check those out, too. I have three on my nightstand now.
And, if you’re as much of a Yitka fan as I am, read Sarah Lavender Smith’s recent interview about how Yitka is balancing motherhood and work while preparing for one of ultrarunning’s most difficult races, Hardrock 100, this summer.
Lastly, my good friend, Kristen, writes newsletters that include a round-up of what she’s reading, watching, and writing about. Subscribe here for weekly inspiration!
I’d love to hear about any wildlife observations that you noted this week!
Four great newsletters 👍🏼
Loved the interview with Yitka. Good luck at Canyons!