2019 Ultramarathon Schedule

Lottery season is upon us.

I've gone through different mental phases in the past 9 months or so since I knew I'd be moving to DC. At first, I decided I would survive mentally by becoming fast again. Once upon a time (2004 or so) I was sort of fast, and I ran a 3:00:23 marathon, and those 23 seconds annoy me, especially since I could have broken 3 had I not enjoyed myself too much from mile 24 to 25. I had ~15 minutes for the last 2.2, but the first mile of that was probably my slowest mile of the entire day, and I couldn't make it up in the last 1.2.

To get fast again, I would have to run more road, do track workouts, and I probably couldn't bring George along, since he wants to stop and pee all the time. Somehow, I thought this was what I'd want to do in DC, because if trails suck or are nonexistent, then I have to run road, and if I run road, then I might as well do it fast to get it over with.

After thinking that for a few months, I started thinking that maybe instead of running fast on pavement, I just wouldn't be running as much at all. Maybe I'd pick up some other sport instead. Like rafting. There's actually a lot around here--there are decent rapids on the Potomac, and with a packraft you can get in on creeks when they're too low to run in a kayak. But getting to the spot where whitewater paddling lessons occur requires a car, and I don't want to own one in the city. And even if I could get good, and even if I had a car, other sports just don't raise the heart rate nearly as much as running. Swimming is of course the best every-muscle workout, but it is boring, and rafting and biking just aren't as hard, and I haven't figured out how to bring George along yet.

So here I am, back to where I always return. I love running. I bought a house mere steps from a trailhead in a National Park. My dog needs exercise. So a running we will go.

I now have giant mortgage payments to worry about, but if I rent out the basement, I should be OK financially to travel, but I do need to keep that in mind. I was happy to learn about Virginia Happy Trails Running Club, which seems like it will make up for the loss of the Bay Area trail running (mom and pop) industrial complex known as Pacific Coast Trail Runs/Coastal Trail Runs/Inside Trail/Brazen. VHTRC puts on a lot of free fat ass 50Ks and a few 50-milers, so I shouldn't have to pay (much) for anything but some longer races.

Here's what I'm planning on for 2019. You may notice some absences. Hardrock is going in the same direction that I've already done, so I think I'll wait to put in for 2020. I had the most fun of my life at Barkley this year, but I don't really see myself being in shape for it, so I hope to keep my powder dry and return later when I feel like I'm really motivated to train. Of course that could change if I get into Western States--my goal there would be 24 hours, which is peak form for me. (To counterbalance all my complaining about the non-transparency and old boy network elitism of the Hardrock lottery, I think the Western States lottery is as close to perfection as is possible in this imperfect world--they now let you skip one year of the lottery without losing accumulated tickets, but I don't have a good enough reason to do that.) I am planning on submitting a paper to the Joint Statistical Meetings in Denver at the end of July, so High Lonesome would fit my timing well. Unfortunately, the sign up period opened at 3 AM eastern on a weeknight, and it sold out in under 10 minutes, so I am only on the waitlist. I should have done Castle Peak in 2017; I knew it would be a great race, but that was just days after returning home from Bigfoot 200, Waldo 100K, and the eclipse, and I had already taken a lot of vacation for that and for Hardrock that year. Mogollon Monster owes me one, having been cancelled mid-race for a weak rain storm when I tried to run it in 2014. October could be the highlight of the year. It's a long way away, but Euchre Bar Massacre is always my favorite race, and I'd love to see exactly how far I can go at Big Backyard. The race is filled half by qualifications and half by lottery; I'm hoping that my win at the 2015 4 MPH Challenge race is enough to squeak in. There's no way I could win, but I think if I were in decent shape I could go for 48 hours.

Bold=keen on running
*=Western States Qualifier
^=trailwork requirement

February 23, 2019 Hashawa Hills  50k (Lottery Jan 9, $20)

March 3, 2019 Seneca Creek Greenway 50K ($35)
March 9, 2019 DC Rock and Roll Marathon ($100)
March 16, 2019 Elizabeth’s Furnace 50K (late Jan entry)

April 7, 2019 Cherry Blossom 10 Miler (Dec 1 lottery)
April 13, 2019 Bull Run 50 Miler (Nov 15 entry)

May 4, 2019 Farm Park Challenge ($39)
May 18, 2019 Massanutten 100 (MMT) (January Lottery)*

June 8, 2019 Laurel Highlands 70-miler* (fall entry, check website)
June 8, 2019 Highlands Sky 40-miler (WV) (backup, January entry)

June 29-30, 2019 Western States 100*^ (Nov 3-10 lottery)

July 26, 2019 High Lonesome 100^ (Waitlist #44)
July 27, 2019 Never Summer 100K (backup)

August 17, 2019: Castle Peak 100K*

September 14-15: Mogollon Monster 100 (Opens Dec 1)

October 5: Steamtown Marathon
October 12: Euchre Bar Massacre
October 20: Big Dog Backyard (1/2 selected, 1/2 lottery)
October 27: Marine Corps Marathon (March lottery)

November 3: Mountain Masochist (MMTR) 50 (opens May 1)

Maybe a future year:
January 5, 2019 Bandera 100K* (Conflicts with AEA Meetings, looks terribly loopy)
January 19-12, 2019 HURT 100* (August Lottery)
March 30, 2019 Georgia Death Race*  
April 1, 2017 Barkley Marathons (Wait until 2020?)
April 27, 2019 DC North Face 50 Miler ($100)
May 4, 2019 Grayson Highlands 50K
May 19-21, 2017 Cruel Jewel*
June 1, 2019 Old Dominion (too much dirt road)
June 16, Double Dipsea (As much as I love this race and the friends I run it with, it's expensive to travel for such a short race.)
July 19-21, 2019 Hardrock 100^ (I've done this direction. Wait until 2020 for opposite direction.)  
August 9 Ute 100
August 10, 2019: Eastern States 100* (2018 canceled. 2019 reg opens Jan 13?)

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