Stepping out of the Comfort Zone
Next weekend is the second race in the Trancendence Series - the Tommyknocker 12 Hour Race at White Ranch. Yes, another timed race! This time, I have "only" have to run a 50k - at least 31 miles. And while it is 12 hours and I finished my 50 at Sheepy in under 12 hours, I will not be going for much more then that 50k distance. Nope - not gonna try for a 50m finish in the 12 hours! Completely behaving this time. I'll get to 31 miles at the top and then turn around and run down. That's it. You can hold me to that! That's my only goal for the race. Well, that and the usual goals like have a great time, keep smiling and try to encourage everyone!
Yet this is the race that may challenge me mentally more then any other race in the series. At least when it comes to planning for the race. Why? Because unlike Stories where there was a distinct course to follow with a specific flow - red-green-blue-purple, rinse and repeat - Tommyknocker is totally random. There's the purple start/finish out and back and then four laps at the top of White Ranch. Green - a short 2.16 miles with 488 feet of climbing. Orange - 3.82 miles with 1,040 feet of climbing. Red getting a little longer with 4.53 miles and 1,088 gain. Finally Yellow. This is no easy golden loop - it's a monster 6.66 miles with 1,978 feet of climbing. And all those feet climbed per loop? Since they are loops, that's the elevation descent as well. And that's on top of the 2,205 feet climbed from the start to main aid station with Purple. Yes, everyone runs up the Purple Purgatory and then runs a green lap. But after that? There's no way to plan for what comes next. Let the carnival begin as fate decides what course you will run.
Nobody will be running the same race. There's no way to tell how many miles another runner has finished when I see them out on course. Why? Because at the end of that first green loop, we will select colored ping-pong balls from a bucket to determine what the next lap will be. So while everyone runs up Purgatory, does one Green loop and then runs down Purgatory - the rest of the race is unknown. And that's where I will struggle. I'm so used to having a set course, with a set amount of climbing and a set distance between aid stations. I'm used to knowing exactly where I am on course compared to what I've covered and what is left to cover. I'm also used to knowing where I am in the race. None of that applies here. Once that green loop is finished, all the prior planning I'm used to doing will be useless. So it will be completely outside my comfort zone for running and into the learning zone. Dealing with challenges that I can't prepare for. I can prepare for the total distance covered - but there's no way to prepare for anything else. I don't even know how many feet I'm going to climb over the course of the event! All I can do is keep moving until I decide it's time to stop. And then I have to run back down to the finish line for my hug.
In some ways I'm looking forward to this race the most. The format is intriguing with the true randomness of the race. It will allow me to see more of the runners sharing the course with me instead of being in my own little world for 6+ hours. I have 12 hours to cover however many miles I want, which means I have time to chill out and have fun. I can cheer people on as I cover my miles. The primary goal will be to get my miles - like I said 32 minimum! - but then it's also to experience the challenges of the unknown.
Yet this is the race that may challenge me mentally more then any other race in the series. At least when it comes to planning for the race. Why? Because unlike Stories where there was a distinct course to follow with a specific flow - red-green-blue-purple, rinse and repeat - Tommyknocker is totally random. There's the purple start/finish out and back and then four laps at the top of White Ranch. Green - a short 2.16 miles with 488 feet of climbing. Orange - 3.82 miles with 1,040 feet of climbing. Red getting a little longer with 4.53 miles and 1,088 gain. Finally Yellow. This is no easy golden loop - it's a monster 6.66 miles with 1,978 feet of climbing. And all those feet climbed per loop? Since they are loops, that's the elevation descent as well. And that's on top of the 2,205 feet climbed from the start to main aid station with Purple. Yes, everyone runs up the Purple Purgatory and then runs a green lap. But after that? There's no way to plan for what comes next. Let the carnival begin as fate decides what course you will run.
Nobody will be running the same race. There's no way to tell how many miles another runner has finished when I see them out on course. Why? Because at the end of that first green loop, we will select colored ping-pong balls from a bucket to determine what the next lap will be. So while everyone runs up Purgatory, does one Green loop and then runs down Purgatory - the rest of the race is unknown. And that's where I will struggle. I'm so used to having a set course, with a set amount of climbing and a set distance between aid stations. I'm used to knowing exactly where I am on course compared to what I've covered and what is left to cover. I'm also used to knowing where I am in the race. None of that applies here. Once that green loop is finished, all the prior planning I'm used to doing will be useless. So it will be completely outside my comfort zone for running and into the learning zone. Dealing with challenges that I can't prepare for. I can prepare for the total distance covered - but there's no way to prepare for anything else. I don't even know how many feet I'm going to climb over the course of the event! All I can do is keep moving until I decide it's time to stop. And then I have to run back down to the finish line for my hug.
In some ways I'm looking forward to this race the most. The format is intriguing with the true randomness of the race. It will allow me to see more of the runners sharing the course with me instead of being in my own little world for 6+ hours. I have 12 hours to cover however many miles I want, which means I have time to chill out and have fun. I can cheer people on as I cover my miles. The primary goal will be to get my miles - like I said 32 minimum! - but then it's also to experience the challenges of the unknown.
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