My first 50M race – Quad Rock – is less than 8 weeks away. Or, in a scarier sense, it is 50-something days away. My training plan is still non-existent and my running has been all over the place. But it’s okay…I have a plan.

In the coming weeks I plan on running a few legit long runs on the weekends, preferably with friends and maybe as races. I plan on focusing on hill repeats when possible – even if it takes me 2 miles to get to the closest hill on my lunch runs. I plan on playing with nutrition and finding something that doesn’t make me want to scrap my taste buds off or yank my intestines out. I plan on getting some value out of each run, whether physical or mental. I plan on turning down stupid “hey, want to run [way too many] miles” opportunities in the two weeks prior to race day in favor of legit “tapering”.


BRC group run at Green Mountain – we ended up on a different route but look at the views!

On race day I plan on showing up in my neon Boulder Running Company get up with trail shoes tied to my feet. I plan on donning my UD Jenny pack stuffed with espresso beans, gel + water bottles, Swedish fish and whatever else seems essential at the moment. I plan on very conservatively covering the first 25 miles of the race. I plan on eating many, many handfuls of peanut M&M’s and potato chips while hugging volunteers and actually jumping for joy if the aid stations have Mt Dew.

Loving on the country roads + surrounding farms in Fort Collins!

I plan on heading into the second 25 miles of the race with the goal of retracing every single one of my steps back to the finish (looped course, 50M’ers run in both directions). I plan on making it to 35 miles before I even consider quitting – by then it’ll be barely more than a half marathon left and I’ve ran that distance so many times before! I plan on finishing, not quitting. I plan on being happy with any finish that does not require a car ride to the finish or an ambulance ride from the finish.


Lunch runs in Cheyenne…not nearly as bad as they could be! Wind work = speed work, right?!

Ultimately I plan on doing what I can to enjoy myself. I fully expect misery and self-hate. I’ll be worried if I don’t spend some time plotting the slow death of the idiot people who encouraged this long distance running…but then, as soon as I cross the finish line, I’ll be grinning as I tell them of the deadly plans I had in store for them. Not because I’m an actual psychopath but because they were right – I am capable of running 50 miles with at least a few smiles along the way.

I also plan on being up at 5:34am for an early morning run…let’s just say I’m not basing the success rate of my other plans on Thursday’s early morning run!


18 Comments

Colorado Gal · March 20, 2021 at 6:16 am

Darlin, you have been crushing every new distance you’ve attempted, and I have no doubt you’ll do the same at Quad Rock. I just started running again so let me know if you need someone to drag you through the last miles of your looooooong runs!

(Also, do you need help at Quad Rock?)

    Heidi Nicole · March 20, 2021 at 8:47 am

    …and you are now officially one of the enablers I’m sure I’ll be cursing on the course!

    I might hit you up for some weekend miles on trails - any company is welcome. Same goes for the race - crewing seems a little limited but I like familiar faces, I’ll keep you posted with details!

Jena · March 20, 2021 at 5:54 am

Sounds like a good plan to me!

    Heidi Nicole · March 20, 2021 at 8:46 am

    Here’s to hoping I can stick with it, especially in the attitude department!

Kier · March 20, 2021 at 7:59 am

Sounds like the exact same plan that I have for my 50M coming up in May…..

    Heidi Nicole · March 20, 2021 at 8:45 am

    It’s an awesome plan, right?!

    Also…where have I been?! You’re doing a 50M? When? Where? Did I miss it on the blog? Tell me more!

      Kier · March 20, 2021 at 8:51 am

      Oh, I have been flying under the radar trying to get back in to running. I am running the Heartland 50 on May 10th in Kansas. I mean, signing up for a 50 miler after nearly 2 years off from racing is such a smart thing to do, right? And then not really training for it…. I hope I don’t die.

      My plan (I am running with a friend) is to do a lot of walking. Like A LOT of walking.

        Heidi Nicole · March 20, 2021 at 9:30 am

        I love this…and totally get where you’re coming from. I kind of wish no one knew I paid money for my potential death! ;P

        And we’re racing on the same day, so we can run, smile and suffer together! No dying, just suffering…then feeling awesome about ourselves! There will be lots of walking going on in my neck of the woods too. And eating while walking…

karen · March 20, 2021 at 8:13 am

wow good luck

    Heidi Nicole · March 20, 2021 at 8:48 am

    🙂 Thanks.

    Want to come watch it happen? It’ll be fun, I promise!

Kate · March 20, 2021 at 9:50 am

Good plan! Good luck! 🙂

Corrie Anne · March 22, 2021 at 3:27 pm

This is so awesome. I know you are going to be amazing, of course!!!!

lynne · March 25, 2021 at 9:30 am

i wish i could be there to pour mountain dew down your throat and shove potato chips in your hands! i’ll be cheering you on from afar - and texting chris compulsively for updates.

my guess? you finish this race (survival mode or not) and don’t have any self-hate or running-hate. i bet you finish those last 13 miles on a runner’s high, the fact that you’re finishing a 50 mile race carrying you through.

and then, that you get up the next day and run a 10 mile recovery run. because, that’s what heidi would do. but - i hope you sleep the day after instead. 🙂

    Heidi Nicole · March 25, 2021 at 12:13 pm

    I love this. The entire comment…it is awesome!

    If I’m running 10 miles the next day you’re coming with me! Or we can sleep in then go find bacon and eggs and bottomless mimosas…just saying.

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