Race planning 2015

So last year's race plans kinda fell apart.  I managed to DNF every race I entered, except for the 24-hour Lemming Loop (hard to DNF a timed race).  66 miles at Zumbro, 62 miles at Kettle Moraine, and 50 miles at Black Hills.  All results were vastly under the full distance of 100 miles.  And I had an excuse for each DNF.  But when you really get down to it, the real reason was being under-trained.

This year is going to be different.  I've made some changes.  First off, I got a coach.  Not just any coach, but one who knows what he's doing.  My diet hasn't improved much, but that's not terribly high up on my list.  It's more of a "nice-to-have".  Being able to run the full distance is a first priority.  Running fast is a second.

Now that it's January, the time has come to plan out my year's races.  I've already signed up for two, am considering two others, and am waffling about another one.  The races I've already signed up for:  END-SURE 50k and Kettle Moraine 100M (my "A" race).  I previously wrote about END-SURE here, and am hoping to halve my previous time.  It's later in March now, so the odds of a snowed-in trail are a lot lower.  As for KM100, I've decided that I dropped in that race last year because of my head, not because of anything physical.  I know I can do that race.  The terrain is relatively flat, and it's mostly shaded.  There's absolutely no reason for me not to be able to do it.

The races I'm considering:  Superior 50k and Superior 100M.  The Superior 50k is another early-season race, a few weeks after END-SURE.  It would be a good long run to get in before KM100.  It would also qualify me for Superior 100M, even though John Storkamp has already assured me that by pacing Sue for the last 50 miles two years ago, that I knew what I was getting myself into and am already qualified.  Finishing Superior 100M would be amazing.  But I know it's a huge undertaking.  There is way more vertical in that race than anything else I've done.  And running along with Sue over the last half of the course just about broke me.  I don't think I would have been able to do that twice!  But for some reason, I'm a sucker for punishment (e.g. my race goals last year).  I already have a race plan made for it, so I may as well run the damn thing.

The race I'm waffling about is Lemming Loop.  I know I'm going to enter it, but I'm not sure of the amount of time.  I definitely don't want to enter the 24 hour, as that's just a little too long going around in circles and I don't want to take an extra vacation day.  The thought of aiming for 100km in 12 hours is appealing, if not ambitious.  But the 6 hour is also pretty appealing.  Fortunately, I have a lot of time to make up my mind.

To summarize, here is my list:

• END-SURE 50k
• Superior 50k
• Kettle Moraine 100M
• Superior 100M
• Lemming Loop