2023 in Review, 2024 Preview

2023 Races:

I ran five ultras this year. That doesn't seem like all that many to me. Looking back at my Ultrasignup results, I've run a low of four (2014) and a high of eleven (2015) ultras since I got into the sport. (Aside from 2020 when everything was cancelled.)

Black Canyon 100K, 60K Double

Silver State 50K

Western States 100

Crazy Mountain 100

Chicago Marathon

Hidden Valley Hammer 10K

I was pretty happy with the Black Canyon double in February. It meant my body was finally back to normal after Tor in 2022. (I'm not happy that there was absolutely no recognition by the race org of the double, despite promises to the contrary, so I'll just keep howling into the void about that--add it to my "Just serve soy sauce flavored ramen. It's vegetarian and tastes just as salty!" evergreen ultra complaint.)

I was happy with Silver State 50K until the day after when my hamstring threw a fit. I think I can no longer run a race the day after a nine-hour drive.

I wasn't that happy with States, but I finished. I hope I don't have to wait another ten years for a third shot at going sub-24.

Crazy Mountain was fun. 

Chicago was fun for the first half.

Hidden Valley Hammer was fun. I don't know what did it since I felt fine at Hidden Valley, as if I fully recovered from Chicago, but my hamstring isn't that happy with me right now.

Numbers: 

I ran 2,260 miles in 2023. I also walked or hiked 280 miles and biked 550, which is a combined high, at least in the decade-plus that I've had a GPS watch. I also spent 660 hours exercising, which is an all time high. Except that I've started tracking my walking, hiking, bike commutes, and gym workouts more as GPS watch tech has improved, so I'm not sure how good the comparison is. Regardless, I'm glad I met my running miles goal, and 3,100+ total miles ain't too bad. It's not my highest ever, but I'm far more concerned about my hamstring injury, which has been bothering me again off and on, than I am an arbitrary numerical goal. 

I got 280,000' of vertical this year, slightly less than in most recent years. That's pretty surprising, since I thought I trained on pretty steep terrain in Reno. Sometimes I miss Berkeley trails where it was just absurdly easy to get steep vert.

Adventure:

I started doing a little bit of backcountry x-country skiing. I didn't camp out very much, possibly only three times, two of which were backpacking. I completed my project of doing every mile of maintained trail in Joshua Tree National Park.

I'd like to do more of all these things in 2024. I am planning a two-week trip in the Brooks Range in Alaska in the second half of June. I'm hoping to do a week or 10-day long trip in late March or April in Death Valley or possibly the Grand Canyon, or basically somewhere that's off trail and not covered in snow at that time of year. A couple more adventure run ideas I am tossing around are a Santa Rosa Mountains traverse, White Mountains Traverse,  or maybe seeing if the dogs are up for a High Sierra crossing from Crowley Lake to Lake Edison, or something in that region south of Yosemite and north of SEKI where they're allowed.

2024 Races:

As far as races go, here's what I'm thinking. I'll be living out west in Reno/Yucca Valley at least until July, so that's where I'm trying to base the races.

February 23: Orcas Island 100 (Already signed up. This is a loop course and it's not a States qualifier or anything, I just thought it sounded like pretty views and a good vibe.) 

April 6: American River 50 (Probably not, doesn't seem like my kind of course.) 

May 11: Paiute Meadows 50K (Definitely. I'll be jonesing for a race by this point, and I need to volunteer at Silver State 50/50, so I can't run it. And Bishop is always the same weekend, and Wild Wild West switched to October for 2024.) 

July 12: Hardrock 100 (I'm on the waitlist, and I think it's unlikely to move that far.) 

July 20: TRT 100 (I got a free spot in this race by volunteering at it last year. Somebody remind me to do volunteer trailwork before July 3.) 

August 9-11: Wyoming Range (Assuming I don't get into Hardrock, I'm going to need a Hardrock qualifier. This seems nuts enough.) 

August 17: Desolate Peaks (M is resurrecting this not-a-race. Timing might be tough if I have to go back to work in DC full-time, but I might be able to swing it.) 

August 30: UTMB Mont Blanc (I'm in the lottery with 4 stones from Western States. I don't think I'll get in, but I'll gladly do it if I can. It's a HR qualifier (for now), so I might not do it and Wyoming, but we'll see.)

October: Euchre Bar Massacre

That doesn't sound like that many races, but hopefully I can find a few more to add to the list, or at least other challenging things to do in the mountains.

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