Signing up for a 50K in central NJ in the middle of August. Are you crazy? Yes, I might be.
What I neglected to mention in my last post was the course description…
Multiple ~ 2.5 mile loops on dirt roads, flat single track trails, and open fields (+ 1 additional mile on dirt roads for 50k) – per the Turkey Swamp 50K website.
That’s a lot of loops. You’re off your rocker. Perhaps.
I did research 50Ks in the area and I did voluntarily chose this one. I read some blog recaps and watched YouTube videos (yes, people have YouTubed parts of the course).
My reasons for choosing this 50K, in no particular order:
– I get to sleep in my own bed the night before the race. I really didn’t want to travel anywhere.
– I wanted to capitalize on my Boston base.
– After running 1 loop, I can pretty much memorize where every root and stump are, which greatly decreases my chances of tripping.
– The Turkey Swamp 50K is part of a festival of races (10-Miler, 25K, and 20-Miler). So if it’s ungodly hot, I can always drop down to a shorter distance.
So you’re probably thinking that last bullet sounds like a cop-out. It’s not, I am committed to training for the 50K but I like having options. In August. In 100% humidity.
My approach to training is extremely laid back, which is a first for me…to say the least. Maybe it’s the relaxed pace or the whole laid back ultra environment?
I plan to do another post on my training this week, so stay tuned if you care 
Ever do a race with a crazy multiple loop course? This will be my first!
Is location a huge factor when picking a race? I’ve never signed up for a marathon that I couldn’t drive to, as crazy as that sounds.