How far can you go?

Written by Donna Macauley

Have you ever wondered how far you can go?

In my last Tip Tuesday, I talked about approaching an ultra with a timed race. But what about a goal of 10 miles, 1/2 marathon or a full marathon? Have these distances been calling your name? A time-based race is a great way to find out. I’m willing to bet you’ll crush the distance you’ve been curious about!

Typically, when you sign up for a race the goal is to cover a distance as fast as you possibly can. What if you did a mental shift and signed up for a certain amount of time with a goal of going as far as possible?

There are several timed based races that are attracting more and more Striders. When you sign up for this type of race, you choose how long you will participate. When you are at the race, you decide how far to go. You may have a mileage in mind and stop when you reach it, or you might choose to just keep moving until the timer buzzes. These races allow you to pass the start to hydrate, refuel and/or little take a break (maybe even a nap!). You will also find that there are some participants who purely focus on distance and not speed. You’ll even find several many participants hiking the whole event.

There are a few races coming up that have timed options.

• Race for the Refuge in Sudbury, MA on Sept 28 has a 3 hour and 6 hour event, 6 mile loop.
• Hamster Wheel in New Boston, NH on Nov 1 has 6, 12, 24 and 30 hour events, 4 mile loop.

How far can you go?