When I mapped
out my 2014 Race Schedule back in
November of last year, I had originally planned to run the Pisgah 50k as my final tune-up race before Ghost Train. However, those plans changed when I became aware of a
low-key, 50 mile run taking place on the same day in my “home woods” of Mine
Falls Park. 50 miles in Mines?! I gotta be a part of that, right?
Of course, there
were other reasons (besides proximity) which ultimately lead me to choose the Mine Falls 50 over Pisgah. And they
mostly revolved around a single question: “Which race will better prepare me
for Ghost Train?”
Those of you who know me, know that I am not a patient man. Particularly when it comes to running. I
started running in 1998 and my first road race was the following spring when I
bandited (sorry, not sorry) the Boston Marathon! So, yup. Zero to 26.2 in less
than a year! If that’s not an impatient (stupid?) runner, then I’ve never met
one!
For a while, my impatience served me well. Pushing me every
day. Trying to finish my next training run faster than my previous one - every
single time out. It worked well and I got quick, quick. But, after a while it
began to wear me down and burn me out. So, I soon realized that if I wanted to
keep doing this “running thing” long term, I’d need to add easy days to my hard
days. This has worked for me with varying degrees of success.
I’ve been told by people wiser than me (which is just about
everyone) that, with the Ghost Train 100 Miler less than 8 weeks away, it’s time for me to start focusing on “race
specific” training. Meaning, I need to try and emulate the conditions I can expect
to see on race day in my everyday training so that I can become comfortable with
them prior to toeing the line.
So, what does that mean exactly for a race like Ghost Train? To
figure that out, let’s take a deeper look at the aspects that make the GT 100 the
race that it is...
