The Great Thing About Training for Four 100-Mile Races

53 Days on the Clock! (Photo: @zach_zweig via twitter)

This training cycle has been pretty awesome. Given that I have to prepare for 4 races instead of just 1 "A"-race, the pressure to push myself to meet some sort of time goal at Western States has been completely removed. Sure, 24 hours would be nice, but I am not sweating it. I am incorporating some speed work into the routine just because running fast is fun but I would not say that it is anything approaching the level of intensity that one might find in a BQ-level marathon training regimen. It's been really quite pleasant.

In preparing for my first 100 mile race back in 2014, I logged several weeks with mileage in the 80+ range and even a couple over 110 miles. That was exhausting both physically and mentally, and whether it made a considerable impact on my finishing time is debatable. But what all those miles did teach me was how to be comfortable being uncomfortable and how to keep plugging along when I really, REALLY wanted to stop.

Flash forward to 2017. My training load has been considerably less, and yet I feel lighter and stronger as a result. My weekly loads right now are in the 60-mile per week range. I'll bump up into the 70's and maybe "touch" 80, but not much more than that. The plan is to use each race as a training race for the next race. Right now my primary focus is getting to Western States feeling good, healthy, and ready to roll.

Over the past 4 years or so I have been blessed to enjoy solid, consistent training and racing with very little time off for injury. The idea of trying to "cram" a bunch of miles in here in advance of Western States is just nonsense to me. If, over the years, the accumulated mileage and overall fitness I have attained by the miles upon miles of training and racing aren't going to get me through the Grand Slam, then the Slam is not within my reach. It's not for me. I don't think I could possibly have trained more, trained better, or done anything differently (given my state in life right now, that is). And so, with 7 weeks, to go, I am very much at peace with where I am and with where this thing is headed.

The home stretch approaches. Anything can still happen but I have placed this in the hands of Divine Providence for His glory, not mine. If it is meant to happen, God's will be done. If not, then God's will be done. Fine. I will be able to rest knowing I did everything I could.

Now if my finicky stomach would just be so kind as to cooperate, THAT would be great. Yes indeed.