Aspire to run at least one 100 in your life

You are right! Just another random ignorant comment from me without thinking first. My mental game would be too erratic on a 100 miler. I was slipping into boredom towards the end of the 50k at Pineland, a good indication right there.

50Ks haven't been at all challenging for me mentally, but when I ran the 50 miler at Pineland, I had a complete mental meltdown around mile 40. Physically, I was totally comfortable and better than okay. I probably won't do a 50m again, and my interest in doing a 100 miler has gone down as well.
 
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While thinking about it more it wasn't boredom, I think it was just the repeats of the course, even though it was beautiful that day. I give you credit for the 50 miler, I am sure the loops were a bit redundant. 50K is a nice run though, that is a distance I definitely will like to do more in the future. I was going to do Bimblers Bluff 50k in October, but committed to the hartford marathon instead. Next year Bimblers will happen. Ulras are way cheaper to run though.
 
While thinking about it more it wasn't boredom, I think it was just the repeats of the course, even though it was beautiful that day. I give you credit for the 50 miler, I am sure the loops were a bit redundant. 50K is a nice run though, that is a distance I definitely will like to do more in the future. I was going to do Bimblers Bluff 50k in October, but committed to the hartford marathon instead. Next year Bimblers will happen. Ulras are way cheaper to run though.


Cool! I think I may do Bimblers again this year. It's a beautiful race! But a few words of warning on THAT one -
1) Many miles of that trail are REALLY technical. The dude who ran it in huaraches last year was hurting. There are miles of trail that consist of sharp, hard, rocks that point upwards and are barely runnable in anything. I was all for you doing Pinelands barefoot, but don't even think about Bimblers barefoot.
2) It's actually 34 -35 miles, not 31. Considering how technical that one is, plan on it taking you about 7 hours. I know how fast you run, and that's a good goal for you.
3) Don't hack it. If your training wasn't good, DNS. The aid stations are infrequent - there's a greater than 8 mile stretch with no road, no discernable way out, and no aid. Most of the course is like that.
 
Hope you make it! I'm not intending to scare you off of it - it's a very fun, very pretty course. I had a blast last year when I ran it. It's not a gauntlet of suffering or anything like that. (I hear Wapack is not fun at all).

The kicker is that the 8 mile "no aid" (no road, spotty cell service) stretch starts at Mile 22. The aid station volunteers were stopping everyone and reminding them that there was no aid for 8 more miles, (Eat food! Pack a snack! Refill and drink and refill!) and then inquiring about how we were doing. I didn't hear them trying to talk anyone into dropping, but I also didn't hear them discouraging anyone from dropping. And yeah, a lot of people dropped here - I'm sure they came in feeling crummy and then just couldn't stare down 8 miles to the next aid station. Last year had glorious weather and 28% of the participants DNF'ed.
 
Pineland was so much fun don't get me wrong, an experience I will never forget, the course was beautiful, but I couldn't do the 50 miler on that course. For my first 50, whenever it happens, I definitely would need a course that is more vast without loops. Running a 100 at Pineland would be equivalent to running a 100 on a treadmill!
 
gonnna go off on an 88km run alone sometime really soon, like maybe next weekend ... that's half a hundred, lol ... but I'll get there! My dream would be to do one with you guys, Jason - with Jesse and the others!
 
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Willie - I am toying with doing one of the North Face races at Bear Mountain / Harriman in May. How about it? Although.... I have soooooo many good memories from those parks. I might be all girly and just randomly start crying.

Oh wow... Bear Mtn, that's where I grew up! Not the easiest running country, for sure. We held our X-Country meets around the lake (Hessian Lake, as a matter of fact), but I've hiked the mountains as well - ooof :eek:

Hmm... Food for thought, SC, thanks for the head's up. NY is nice in May :)
 
While thinking about it more it wasn't boredom, I think it was just the repeats of the course, even though it was beautiful that day. I give you credit for the 50 miler, I am sure the loops were a bit redundant. 50K is a nice run though, that is a distance I definitely will like to do more in the future. I was going to do Bimblers Bluff 50k in October, but committed to the hartford marathon instead. Next year Bimblers will happen. Ulras are way cheaper to run though.
I'm with you Adam. I can't even run around the block twice without getting bored. For me, running has to be on one circuit or along one line, no loops. Running an ultra loop would be pure mental anguish.