I just signed up for the C&O Canal 100, which will be my next attempt at the 100 mile distance. I ran this race last year as my first 100 miler and dropped at mile 69. This was extremely unsatisfying even though it was 18 miles further than I had ever run before. The only reason I’m running this race again is to finish what I started. The race is an itch that I’ve been dying to scratch for the past 8 months.
I don’t mean to imply that the C&O Canal 100 isn’t a good race. It is. But there are over 140 different 100 mile races in the US now and I’d like to try as many as I can. No, that’s not exactly right. I don’t just want to start as many as possible. My goal is to finish as many of them as I can. And I haven’t finished this race yet. So on April 30th, 2016 I’ll be getting my revenge on a course that brought me to my knees the last time I ran it.
Could you let bygones be bygones or would you have to run the race again, too?
Not finishing the first time didn’t kill you, it made you stronger! Makes total sense to go back to show that strength. Go Phil!
That’s exactly right. I keep telling myself that I’m not dead yet, so I must be stronger!