2009 Season Is In The Books

Well, my 2009 season is over and done. I might decide to pick up another race or two, a Thanksgiving race and a Christmas race fur sure but nothing that I am really considering part of my “season.” So here are ho things shook out.

Bandera 100K – 17:52:03
Rocky Raccoon DNF at mile 80 in 23 hours and 45 minutes.
Atomic Man Duathlon - 2:56:15
Run for the Zoo 10K - 49:47
Jemez Mountain Trail Runs - 2:41:10
Santa Fe Century – 5:30
Milkman Triathlon - 1:14:05
Run the Caldera - 5:22:09
BSLT 70.3 - 5:46:59
Bottomless Triathlon - 54:22
City of Santa Fe Triathlon - 1:10:57
Socorro Chili Harvest Triathlon - 1:11:07
Elvis is Alive 5K, Chicago - 22:54
Full Moon Half-Marathon, Sheboygan, WI - 1:50:27
Los Alamos Triathlon - 1:19:20
F-1 Triathlon - 1:59:53
New Mexico Marathon - 4:17:14
Elephant Man Triathlon = 2:57:16
Pajarito Trail Fest 15-mile - 3:04:14
Palo Duro Trail Run - 5:56:08
Javelina 100 – 29:44:38

Not the season I necessarily wanted but a great season by all accounts. My intent was to do more long races, ultras and maybe a couple Ironman races but a December job change that was supposed to be temporary ended up lasting for nine months and it sucked up most of my spare time and energy. The GeekGrl and I also shipped our last kiddo off to the Navy and bought a second home so in addition to the plenty that was going on there was plenty more going on in addition to that.

I was determined to make my season opener a good one because my 2008 season ended in burnout. Bandera was a great choice and I just got out there and took my sweet time and finished with a smile. I followed that up with a DNF at mile 80 at Rocky Raccoon. That was a big disappointment and really set me back on my heels. It took me until the Run the Caldera trail marathon before I recaptured the enjoyment that I usually get from racing. By that time in the season I had already decided that I just needed to really focus on having fun and stop worrying if my training was on target or if I was doing what I really needed to be doing. It was also around this time that I really just started focusing in on trail running and pretty much cut out my cycling and swimming.

Even though I was enjoying my racing more and was enjoying my running more than ever I had lost any point in the season to which I could set my sights. It was then that I really began thinking about a late season 100 and thought the Javelina may be a good choice. I hadn't decided on it yet but I did start training for it. By the time I made the decision I had missed the cutoff but went ahead and put myself on the waiting list and kept training. In a short time I got the e-mail letting me know I was in and I really finally felt like I was back, my focus and motivation; in short, my old racing self.

I may not have run a great time at Javelina but I just can't stop thinking about how happy I was with that race for many different reasons. However, at the most basic level, I just feel like Javelina was a very real, very important and very positive turning point in my ultrarunning. After Javelina I now know that I can probably complete any 100-mile race out there if I focus my training and if I can hold to a minimum the mistakes I have made in the past. Some that I really want like Leadville and Western States would require that I make no mistakes but that doesn't worry me any more. I go out and just keep going until I'm done or I'm pulled; simple.

So, with that said I plan on making Leadville my number one goal for my 2010 season. There is still some uncertainty because I am also in the Western States lottery and if I get in to WS on December 5th then it will become the focus of my season and I will just wait to make any other plans with respect to Leadville.

I'm feeling like next year is going to be pretty exciting. I'm looking forward to its arrival.