As ultrarunners, we live for planning. Lotteries. Race calendars. Training plans. Sound familiar? Normally, this is the time when we’d be planning for the year ahead. Yes, things have changed.
The anticipation of race lotteries deciding our fate makes us weak in the knees. Looking at the potential of an empty calendar has us on Ultrasignup perusing for dates and registration notifications. It’s the nature of our sport. When it takes months to complete a training plan, we first want to make sure we’re signed up for the perfect races.
Those who were lucky enough in the lotteries last year will hopefully get to redeem their luck come 2021. Heck, we’re all hoping to redeem a little bit of luck and add a few races to our calendars this year.
In this issue, we’ve included our annual training calendar to help inspire and keep you motivated for the year ahead. It’s our way of saying thank you for your continued support.
However, as 2020 comes to a close, gratitude has been my priority. And being able to run is always high on the list. I’m also grateful for the memories I’ve made in recent years as they keep me motivated and looking forward to the future. In this issue, John Trent reflects on making new memories during his recent 100-miler, on page 24.
The future is a fickle thing right now, which is why solo adventures seem to be a more viable option than waiting for races to open their registration. Sarah Lavender Smith offers some unique ways of getting motivated when there’s no race on the calendar, on page 68.
Let’s not forget that winter is the perfect time to build our base and work on strength. Jason Koop keeps the stoke high with fun winter workouts that can be easily adapted for weekly training plans, on page 12.
So, when it comes time to make a plan for 2021 (because we know you will have a plan), we’ll be here for you every step of the way. In this issue, we’ve included our annual training calendar to help inspire and keep you motivated for the year ahead. It’s our way of saying thank you for your continued support.
As we roll into the coming year, we’ve learned to expect the worst while looking for glimmers of hope. Glimmers like races returning, smiles underneath masks, and the possibility that our sport will return to normal when it’s safe to do so. But you don’t have to wait. Make those glimmers happen by continuing to cultivate the encouragement and support that our sport thrives on.
From our ultrarunning family to yours, we wish you a safe and celebratory new year.