2012 Race Calendar

Of course, this schedule is subject to change if I happen to turn up pregnant.  Actually, pregnancy would probably only deter me from trail racing where falling is something I tend to do often.  My tentative schedule is listed below.  It includes 3 ultramarathons.  I told you I had a lot of interesting races that I wanted to do even though I’m postponing the 100 mile thing!  I think these races will be great opportunities to gain useful experience.  Am I the only one who already has a full calendar?

12/31 – Yeti Spaghetti Trail Marathon:  Not sure how I’ll feel post Lookout Mountain but this race is super casual and it is a loop course.  If I get too tired, I can just go home!  These sort of races are always a great opportunity to meet other trail runners.

01/01 – ATC Resolution Run 10K:  A road race and not a very interesting course.  It is close to home though and a New Year’s Day tradition for me.  I’ve run it about 3 times now and I have to keep up my streak.

01/08 – GUTS Atlanta Fat Ass 50K:  This is for GUTS members only and is totally free with membership.  I believe it is 5 loops in SweetWater Creek Park.  I’ve been dying to run out there so this is a must do.  REGISTERED

01/14 – Museum of Aviation Half/Full Marathon:  I’m not 100% sure about adding this one to my calendar due to the 50K the prior week.  I know that I said I never wanted to run a full road marathon again.  But if I’m being honest with myself, there is still that part of me that needs to have a successful road marathon.  I’m currently 0/2 on that quest.  I have completed two marathons, but neither one was to my satisfaction.  Something always messed up the experience (unexpected heat or getting sick).  I would love to run a road marathon where I felt really good about my performance at the end.  If I want to run a faster full or half marathon time, this is the race to do it.  The temperatures are right and the course is flat.  I got my first post-pregnancy sub-2 half on this course.  I just don’t know if I will be recovered enough from the 50K to be in PR shape.

02/05 – Red Top Rumble: Another GUTS event and my first true trail race.  It sold out in 24 hours last year and about 6 hours this year.  This is a great race and GUTS does it right as far as organization.  I run out at Red Top fairly often now so it will be interesting to see if I can beat my time last year.  I was at least 10lbs lighter then.  Will more trail running experience trump weight?  We’ll see!  REGISTERED

02/11 – SweetH20 Sweetheart Trail Half:  I want to do this one because local trail halfs are few and far between.  There is a 50K out at SweetWater Creek Park in April that I’d like to run.  Practice on race terrain is good!

02/18 – Berry College Half Marathon:  Berry College is supposed to have a beautiful campus and I’ve read good reports about this race.  The course has mixed terrain – mostly road, a little dirt, a little gravel – which should make it interesting.

02/19 – Locomotive Half Marathon:  I signed up for the entire Locomotive Race Series last year under a deal where you paid in advance and got one race entry free.  Doing this race will allow me to hit Jupiter level Half-Fanatic status with 2 halfs in 2 days.  We don’t have too many local opportunities to do that!*  REGISTERED

02/25 – Thrill In The Hills Trail Half:  I’m not sure if this is the best idea a week prior to a longer race so this is a maybe.  I ran this race last year and would definitely run it again.  XTERRA GA always puts on solid races.

03/03 – Double Top 100K:  I was initially going to shoot for the Iron Horse 100K in mid-Feb as my first 100K, but this race is local and only a few weeks later.  As tempting as a pancake flat race (Iron Horse) might be, I know I would probably enjoy something a little more rugged.  According to the website, the course has a “modest” amount of elevation gain – “only” 10,000-11,000ft!  So did the Duncan Ridge Trail 50K and that is tough running!  Actually distribution is everything when it comes to elevation gain and I’ve been assured that this trail is not as difficult as the DRT.  Sometimes it helps to know the people organizing the race. 

03/10 – Assault On Pine Mountain 15K:  Pine Mountain is tough running as I found out at the North Face half a few months ago.  I’d like to tangle with the rocks again if I feel up to it post-100K.  This is race one in a trail running series from a new player in the local trail racing scene, Mountain Goat Adventures.  I love the idea of completing a whole series of races.  I ran one of their races last year and it wasn’t too bad for a first-time event.  At the time, that was probably one of the most rugged trail races I had ever done.

03/18 – Georgia Half Marathon:  This race is sure to have a large group of Black Girls Run Atlanta members participating so I’ll do it for fun.  This is actually my PR half-marathon course but I don’t anticipate any PR here.

03/31 – Operation Endurance 24 Hour Run:  A GUTS production.  I am curious about a timed race.  I don’t think that I could make it for 24 hours but I’m intrigued enough to try the 6 or 12 hour option.  The 24 hour option would be a safe and low pressure way to try out night running.  That is a critical portion of running a 100-miler and a physical and mental area I need to work on.

04/14 – Battle at Allatoona Creek 9M:  This is race #2 in the Mountain Goat trail series.  This trail is right in my backyard.  Why do I know nothing about it?  I prefer to explore new trails in the confines of a race to get some familiarity with the location.  This is a must do.

04/21 – SweetH20 50K:  People seem to love this race.  I want to see what the hype is all about.  It has crazy deep creek crossings and challenging climbs.  I’m all over it!

*There is another potential double half opportunity with Thrill In The Hills on 2/25 and a half in Augusta on 2/26.