Gateway Training Races

Early spring training feels a bit like waking up from a long nap. We’re focused on getting in the miles and workouts each week, but our goal race still seems so far away. The monotony of long miles and training week after week can get old quick. This is where gateway training races can wake us up and kickstart our training.

Whether it’s your first or 50th ultra, adding races to your training schedule can act as benchmarks throughout a training cycle, keeping you excited but also generating similar emotions as your goal race. Practicing pre-race routines, nutrition and sleep is always a perfect way to simulate what your ideal race day will look like. Remember what worked and what didn’t—you can always adjust as needed.

When finalizing a specific training schedule, it helps to sprinkle in races of all distances. A fast 5k or 10k could double as a speed workout while a half marathon or marathon could be the ideal long run that also includes aid stations. Shorter races can also be a fun way to connect with other runners and celebrate at the finish line. Because so much of training involves long, solo miles, every race is an opportunity to shake it up and have a little fun. Training races don’t have to be ultra distances—training for an ultra means incorporating all distances and a variety of terrain.

Finally, before you step up in distance or toe the line of your first 100-miler, add a few big training events to your calendar. Whether it’s a trail race to simulate your goal event or an adventure run with friends to explore a new trail, both will mentally prepare you for the longer distances.

In this issue, Beast Coast columnist Amy Rusiecki writes about loving your goat (not the four-legged kind) on page 17. A new column written by Meghan Canfield, Kamm Prongay and Liza Howard tackles women’s issues including dealing with hot flashes and ultra training on page 18. Buzz Burrell pens a column about his recent heart health scare on page 20, and elite athlete Max King (and new columnist) writes about his own adventures that have emerged from the sport of ultrarunning on page 29.

New columnist and elite athlete Maggie Guterl answers your questions and offers advice in “Ask Mags” on page 23 and Bob Crowley, adventure extraordinaire, joins the UR team with his debut column, “One Trail One Heart” on page 65.

As a magazine, this is the time of year when we begin to see things fall into place. Change is happening, lotteries are wrapping up and the year is just starting to take shape. We’re being cautious with our training right now, consistent with our mileage and hopeful for an awesome year of running.