24 hour National Championship

How did this come about? Well, I have been wanting to test my mettle at a long, long race for quite some time. I put my best foot forward at the Old Dominion 100 but unfortunately fell short for a variety of reasons (Click to read if you have not and want to do so.) I always had in the back of my miind an idea to try a race called Across the Years which takes place in late December. The 24 hour portion of the race (well, one of the options anyway) begins on December 31st and literally allows runners to run," across the years" as they finish on January 1st.

Unfortunately, I was not selected by the race organizers to join the race and was waitlisted. This was two weeks ago. During this time I was hoping to see what order I might fall in the wait list order. Unfortunately,to date nothing has been posted. So, as surprised as I was to not be able to make the cut (the selection process is one based on the race organizer's own criteria and not a strict lottery per se) I was still wanting to do an race of this nature.

As fate would have it, an online friend mentioned Ultracentric. I knew I had heard the name before so I looked it up. As it so happens, not only would this race quench burning need to see what I could do in 24 hours but guaranteed spots on the 2007 U.S. 24-Hour Run National team to the World 24-Hour Championship in 2008 go to the top 3 men and women!!

Here are last year's winners:

1. Alex Swenson, 42, Vashon, WA, 146.40 miles
2. Roy Pirrung, 58, Sheboygan, WI, 139.68 miles
3. Philip McCarthy, 38, New York, NY, 138.72 miles

So basically, in order to get a guaranteed slot, I am looking at needing to run close to 140 miles. Dang.

The kicker? I will be racing most of September and October. I will have little time to train for this race. Of course, that really begs the question as to how the hell DO you train for a 24 hour race when you can't train like you'd want. But then again, I feel confidant that I can at least make a serious run a the top 3. Why? Arrogance? Bravado? Insanity?

I am falling back on three things.

1. I know how to run pretty much exhausted and beat up (e.g., Fiddy2)

2. I like repetitive courses the Ultracentric course is a 2.4 mile loop with small risers throughout. See below)

3. I have had previous success at a long distance run of this nature (e.g., the 12 hour Endurance Run in Erie in 2003).

At first blush those hills look like a killer. But being as they are only 10 feet I am hoping they will provide me with the opportunity to work different muscles as I run for 1,440 minutes.

I have no doubt the competition will be tough. I have no doubt walking will be quite difficult for a long time afterwards. But I also know that I will be giving it my all. Sure, I will not be properly trained for it. Yet I haven't let that stop me before.

Therefore, as of today, I now know what I will be doing the last weekend before Thansgiving. I will be trying to do everything possible to make sure that no one else runs further than I do for 24 hours in a park in Dallas.

(FYI, 140 miles in 24 hours equals a 10:17 mile pace. Dang)

p.s. Allow me to clarify that I am aware HOW to train for this type of distance but given my full schedule in the fall, my question above was more of the rhetorical nature.