2025 Goals and Plans
A Return to 24-Hours, and Maybe More

After running very slow times, even for me, in 2024, I'm considering a return to 24-Hour races, and possibly even venture a 48-Hour race. A secondary consideration is having to walk for a major segment of my training, not just run-walk, but steady walking, which eventually resulted in walking a couple 12-Hour races. At the Stinger I walked almost as far as I ran and walked at Six Days in the Dome, which had me wondering what distance I could cover in longer races.

The year will be structured around four key races, Crooked Road 24 to assess my fitness and training up to that point in March, Dawn to Dusk to Dawn (D3) as my primary 50K, Six Days in the Dome 24-Hour as a goal race, and Midnight Dreary 12-Hour as my final goal race. Any other races would be for preparation toward one or more of these races. Most likely I will run What the Duck 12-Hour again and a possible November or December race to close out the year.

Kicking off my racing season with Crooked Road 24 and a view to beat the PA resident age 78 24-Hour record of 33.6 miles, I hope to easily surpass that. I expect to better the 50K PA resident record of 10:48:56 also, but since there are no official splits, my time would not be eligible. There is no current mark for 50M, so if I reach that distance it would also be a record if it were eligible. My main goal will be to break my own M75 24-Hour PB of 44.909 miles, and possibly even my overall PB of 58.02 miles. Finally running 100K would be an unexpected, but gratifying result as I've been chasing that for 10 years. Whatever the result, barring a catastrophe, it will set a baseline for my fitness and guide my training adjustments for Six Days in the Dome. My main concern is adverse weather conditions at that time of year.

Next up is my annual race at D3 since April doesn't offer any races I would be interested in running as long supported training runs. The only one that looked even the least bit tempting is a night run, and I think that would disrupt my regular routine too much. Past D3 races have run the gaunlet of very good to disastrous, though I'm still amused that I picked up the second place male award in 2024 due to the lack of good runners while running one of my worst races there. This should be my second opportunity for a PA resident age 78 record as the current 50K record is 10:48:56. I thought last year I could set the age 77 record, but that blew up in my face, so I'm not taking anything for granted this year. The record would be a serendipitous byproduct if I meet my goal of running faster than last year and hopefully running a sub-9 hour time.

Although it's only two weeks after D3, I usually run What the Duck 12-Hour as a long supported training run and opportunity for a social gathering with some long time running friends. In the past I have limited my time to 6-8 hours, but this year I plan to run the entire 12 hours as preparation for 24-Hours at the Dome. I'm not setting any distance goal, though I do expect to run at least 50K, and instead focusing on maintaining a consistent effort over the entire 12 hours. I will still have 4 weeks to recover and prepare for the Dome.

Six Days in the Dome is my main race for the year. Conditions there are ideal being indoors on an oversized track. No rain or wind, no summer Sun beating down, and a consistent 55F. With approximately 40 6-Day and 10-Day runners on the track, I hope to find some to keep me company at times and reduce the expected boredom. The final list of runners isn't complete yet, but I expect there will be many that I know. It helps that I've run the 12-Hour there a couple years. Besides the RD, timer, and volunteer captain are all friends. A secondary consideration is that there are several fall and early winter races for a second attempt at my goals, if I don't reach them here. Although I hope to run at least 100K at Crooked Road 24, that would be a stretch, so that is my main goal here. Along the way, because official splits will be recorded, I hope to set PA resident age 78 records at 50K, 50M, and 100K, as well as the 24-Hour record. If the earlier races and training go exceptionally well, then I may optimistically aim for 65 miles.

Summer will be a time to recover from the physical and mental stresses of preparing for and running Six Days in the Dome regardless of the results there. I'm not planning any races and will reduce my training load for at least a short time. A vacation may be in the works as I'd like to revisit both Gettysburg National Historical Park and Colonial Williamsburg.

So far fall brings only one scheduled race with as yet to be determined date, The Midnight Dreary where I'll be looking for a good 12-Hour effort. The PA resident single age record keeper doesn't track 12-Hour races, so no record is at stake, making an M75 age group PB my goal. With my current PB at 38.66 miles, 40 miles would be a nice, round goal. The race is in South Carolina, so I plan to include a Charleston vacation and treat myself to some luxury after the race: B&B accommodations, eating at good restaurants, a few historical tours. The rest of the year is open. Whether I schedule another race or not will depend in part on whether I'm feeling burned out from racing. If I'm up for another race, several possibilities are available, including the option of my first 48-Hour race. Fat Ox and Across the Years, both in Arizona and put on by Aravaipa Running, are the most likely choices.

As 2024 draws to a close and more races are announcing their 2025 dates, several intrigue me that I hadn't considered or were doubtful possibilities.  The Mad City 50K is the USATF National Championship and would fit nicely in April and give me a second definite 50K race.  Fat Ox has always been a possibility, albeit not high on the priority list, but it is the USATF 24-Hour National Championship.  It's always nice to earn a second medal for placing in my age group as so few ultras offer age group awards.  The level and amount of competition is problematic.  In the past I have won age group awards when I least expected it, but if the race does draw interest, finishing top three in my age group would be a challenge.

Addendum:
PA Age 78 Records
50K 10:48:56
50M N/A
100K N/A
100M N/A
24HR 33.6 Miles

PA Age 79 Records
50K N/A
50M N/A
100K N/A
100M N/A
24HR N/A