My Racing Season 2024
Season Planning For Maniacs
Good news, I'm almost out of the woods with my post-marathon depression. Tomorrow I'll run the 25 km distance at the Innsbruck Alpine Trailrunning Festival (IATF) with literally zero meters of trail in my legs. My mountain baptism for this year, so to speak. It's a real jump into the deep end, but after months of structured training and an almost constructed form curve, I think it is appropriate to get into a little mischief.
"This is the way."
(Mandalorian voice)
Race Season Planning
Meanwhile, I sat down with my coach Karim and pieced together my race plan for the rest of the year. Or rather, I pieced it together and then presented it to him with a bit of trepidation, hoping that he wouldn't immediately reject my plans. He didn't. After a phone call in which we went through all the races I had suggested, we agreed that this was an unconventional season planning, but that it could definitely work. Have a look:
04.05. IATF K25 (26k / 800 D+) (B)
15.05. Track Cup Karlsfeld (5000m)
01.06. Hochkönigman Speedtrail (20k / 1020 D+) (C)
12.06. Track Cup Karlsfeld (3000m)
15.06. Zugspitz Ultratrail (29k / 1440 D+) (B)
26.06. Track Cup Karlsfeld (5000m)
29.06. Kaiserkrone Speed Trail (21k / 1430 D+) (C)
10.07. Track Cup Karlsfeld (3000m)
10.08. Sierre-Zinal (31k / 2200 D+) (A)
21.09. Julian Alps (120k / 5000 D+) (C)
(If you're participating in any of these races, please let me know and we'll high five over a cola!)
From Track to Trail – And Back
What was I thinking? Good question. I don't really know either. To be honest, it was 100% a gut decision. These are all races I really want to do. Even though I'm probably one of the few people on the planet who gets excited about both a track cup and a mountain race.
But one thing at a time....
The A-Race: Sierre-Zinal
At the epicenter of my bizarre race planning, however, is one race that stands above all others: Sierre-Zinal. My love for this event is as great as my ambition. All the preceding trail races are just B- and C-preparation for this sacred day in August. If all goes well, by the time I get to Sierre-Zinal, I'll have fast mountain legs for short but steep races. To be honest, that's my favorite kind of trail running anyway. I'll be happy if the math works out.
The Contrast Program: Karlsfeld Track Cup
It's been 5 years since I last ran the Track Cup in Karlsfeld. But even then, it was an unusual event for me. I didn't grow up in the track & field world like many other runners. Track meets are foreign territory for me, and if I'm honest, I do feel like a "stranger" there. After all, I don't even have a starting pass from the athletics association.
And yet, I still enjoy racing around a track. The excitement and the thrill are of an entirely different nature than on the road or on the trails. It's much more about the nuances. Everyone is going as fast as they can anyway, and little things make all the difference. Do you stay with a group? Do you run in lane 1 or do you pass in lane 2? In the bend or on the straights? Are you adjusting your stride length or your cadence? Do you get lapped, or do you lap someone? Plus an endless catalog of rules and standards from the DLV ( German Athletics Association). No offense, the Levelhead likes rules.
And at the end of the day, the time on the track is completely unassailable. My friend Leo told me the other day that the older runners in his running club always ask him about his times on the track. Everything else doesn't count in their eyes. Even flat road races are too different, and no officially measured marathon is 42.195 km long, even if you run it on the optimal line. Spoiler alert: it's longer. It always is.
I'm really looking forward to immersing myself in this special world of track races and who knows, maybe I'll even be able to correct a PB or two at 3000m and 5000m.
The Ricochet: Julian Alps Ultra
If you've taken a close look at my 2024 race schedule, you've probably noticed that one event doesn't fit in at all. The Julian Alps Ultra Trail in Slovenia. With 120 kilometers and a whopping 5000 meters of elevation gain, it looks like I slipped with the mouse when I registered for the race. The reason this massive race made it onto my list is simple: it's a Western States qualifier.
It's no secret that I want to return to the site of my life-changing running experience one day. What connects me to Western States is bigger than a season schedule and bigger than any of the other races listed here. I'm in no rush, though. If it takes 10 years to get back to Olympic Valley and Auburn, then it will take 10 years. But to move that process forward, I need to start throwing tickets in the infamous Western States Lottery again. And the only way to get tickets is through qualifying races.
My coach Karim was very clear in his statement that I will not win a trophy at the Julian Alps Ultra. But at the same time he confirmed that I can pretty much achieve my A-goal for the race: Just get through. Although, not quite. I can't take more than 26 hours or my Western States qualifier won't be recognized. Nevertheless, that is still possible. Even if I hadn't run a race over 30 kilometers for a whole trail season before.
For now, I'm ignoring the Julian Alps Ultra. I want to find my way back to the mountain and build a new relationship with it. I'm on the right track and tomorrow's run at the IATF will be a big part of this reunion.
Everything not Running
May 1st was Harry and Toto's birthday. Harry and Toto are our cats. Twin brothers. Despite their actual age they are still "babies" in our eyes and that's what we call them. We love them very much.
Do you think it's too much to have a birthday party with two cats? Too much humanization of (domestic) animals? Should we pay more attention to the people around us instead of the animals? Well, who says so?
Careful, now it's going to get sad for a moment. The loss of a beloved pet can be just as upsetting as the loss of a human. No one can help their emotional reactions. They are natural. They just happen. And they have a right to be. That's why I don't believe in social norms that tell us humans are more important than animals. Especially since loving an animal doesn't mean you automatically reject people. The two can go hand in hand. At least as long as Harry and Toto's birthday party isn't called into question. Just wanted to make that clear.
Happy belated birthday, Harry and Toto!
A big hug for your attitude towards your cats. For my husband and me it‘s the same with our dog. So I can fully understand your feelings. I hope you had a lovely birthday party with lots of tuna cake - or whatever they like - for the cats.