Tentative 2008 Running Schedule
April 7, 2008 by Bryon Powell · 15 Comments
Thanks to everyone who suggested races for me to run in the remainder of 2008. While a great deal of uncertainty remains in my schedule for the latter half of the year, I’ve decided on two focus races – the Iroquois Trails 100 and the JFK 50 miler. The rest of my schedule will fill in around these races. Read the rest of my schedule after the break.
In the near term I don’t plan to race much. In fact, other than a 3k next weekend, I don’t have any intention of racing until July. That doesn’t mean I won’t be running long before then, just not pinning on any numbers with the intention of going all out. Fortunately, I have the chance to help two friends out when I pace at the Massanutten and Western States 100s.
Hanging Around, Running for Fun
- 4/20 – Joe Schwartz 3k – Haverford, PA
- 5/17 – Pace Mike Mason at MMT 100 – Massanutten Mts, VA
- 6/6-8 – Trail Running Vacation #1 – Wasatch & Uinta Mts, UT
- 6/14-15 – something to commemorate my 30th B-day
- 6/28 – Pace Andy Jones-Wilson at WS 100 – Bath Rd., CA
Milage in the Middle
My summer running is up for grabs… or perhaps up in the air is a better way to put it. There’s got to be at least four different scenarios just for the end of August and start of September. In no particular order, here are my options for that time period.
- 8/22 – Cheat Mountain Moonshine Madness 50 – Beverly, WV
- 8/25-30 – TransRockies Run – CO
- 8/26-31 – Trail Running Vacation #2.1 – Chamonix, FR
- 8/30-9/7 – Trail Running Vacation #2.2 – Teton & Wasatch Mts
Game Time
Whatever I settle on for the end of August/beginning of September, I’ll be logging some big mileage. That’s perfect, as I’ll be heading into the heart of my racing year from the end of September through the end of November. Iroquois Trails and JFK will be my focus races.
- 9/20 – Iroquois Trails 100 – Ithaca, NY
- 10/3 – pace at Grindstone 100 if recovered – Swoope, VA
- 10/11 – New River Trail 50k (if feeling peppy) – Fries, VA
- 11/22 – JFK 50 – Boonsboro, MD
Life… and Ultrarunning
At this point in my life, I realize that my life has a great deal of uncertainty… mostly related to work. While I will not easily give up focus race (like Iroquois Trails or JFK), individual projects or an overwhelming workload sometimes means I have to miss races. With that in mind, I’ll be flexible with many of my non-focus races. For sure, the most popular races fill up far ahead of time, but there are plenty of high-quality races that I can sign up for in the weeks, day, or even minutes before the gun goes off. It’s likely that I’ll jump into two or three such events in June, July, and August, but it would be silly for me to put them on the calendar now.
Related articles:
- What Races Should I Run in 2008? A super quick, off-the-cuff post here. I need to develop my race schedule for the rest of the year by the end of the day and it’s still wide open....
- How to Fill a Race Schedule in Two Months As of August 31, my running schedule for the remainder of the year was completely empty with the exception of pacing duties at the Grand Teton and Wasatch 100s the...
- Ultramarathon and Trail Running Camps A guide to trail running and ultramarathon camps for adults from around the world....
Filed under Bryon ·
Bryon Powell is the Editor-in-Chief of iRunFar.com, which he founded five years ago. Also the author of Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons and a contributing editor at Trail Runner magazine, he's quickly approaching 10 years as an ultrarunner and 20 years as a trail runner. These days he calls Park City, Utah and its trails home.
All posts by Bryon Powell
Looks like you put together a great plan ! If you need any crew help from me, let me know.
Well, I’ll see you (a bit) at WS! And you’re going to be 30?! Baby you are, enjoy these days!
I’ll be pacing Redpath at WS, so perhaps we’ll be chasing eachother.
Hey, if it is still open, I HIGHLY recommend running Where’s Waldo in mid-August. Absolutely beautiful!!
Tony,
Thanks for the offer for crew help.
Olga,
I still need to figure out my W$. I’ll definitely see you before or after. Maybe I’ll see you at Green Gate as well. I gotta find the most fun way from there to the finish…. and I think that means finding a second runner to pace!
Tim,
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. Me thinks one of us WILL be chasing the other come the end of June… it’s just a question of who’s chasing who. ;-) Oh boy, another option for August! I’ll make a note of this as I’ve never raced in the Pacific Northwest. Heck, my only trail run out that way was pacing the end of Cascade Crest back in 2006. I’d love to see more of the area.
If you wait long enouhg and my runner is doing well – you may take him if you’d like. I’ll be after Bighorn and he is going after 24 (I am afraid I’ll break down for the whole 38M). BTW, I agree, Waldo is One of a Kind! And it still has 30 spots left. It is also USATF champ.
You should look into the 2008 Bohemian Alps Ultramarathon — Brainard, NE on September 20th. That might work into your schedule perfectly! http://dalenielsen68626.tripod.com/
Hold your reins, Lindsay Rein, I’ve got those pesky Iroquois Trails to deal with on September the 20th!
Doh! Maybe Iowa or Kansas has one a different weekend.
Looks like quite a fetching schedule you have there, Goat. See you at MMT (which is turning out to be quite a race with Estes withdrawing). Maybe Grindstone. Maybe up Ithaca-way (like Loomdog, I spent some days up there–but in bars, not on trails).
Brennen
(East Coast Bloated Goat)
What are you doing in Haverford, PA??? That is like a town over from where i work!! If you are in town for a while, let me know. If not, i will see you at WS.
Fellow Goat Brennen,
Although my running schedule looks nothing like I thought it would at the start of the year, I’m pretty excited about it. Now, I just need to put down the beer, turn off the TV, get off the couch, and start training… literally. See ya at MMT.
Meredith,
Back in the day, I attended and ran for Haverford College. We are having a memorial 3k for a fellow Haverford runner who finally lost his 15 year battle with ALS early this spring.
Hey Goat,
You doubted my April Fool’s Day snowstorm running report? Drop on by again — it is only getting worse. Welcome to Minnesota!
Bryan,
I am very, very jealous. Please throw a snowball in my general direction.
Yeah man, you should listen to that Rein girl…I hear there are some pretty cool races in the midwest!
And a bit to the west of the midwest, as you know, is the Transrockies Relay. Get a partner and DO IT! Hart and I will be there. It’s gonna be awesome!
Sean,
I noticed that you and Hart were in TRR and that made me all the more excited to do it. Hopefully, I’ll hear good news from my possible teammate (a speedy Frenchman) soon.