Looking for a unique Valentines gift for your beloved (or maybe yourself)? A gift of adventure, self-discovery, challenge, reflection, a tribe of friends and a peace you can’t find in crowds or cities. A multi-stage race like Trans-Pecos Ultra is exactly that.
This month we’ve got a special 14% discount and new interviews to encourage you or a loved one to make the leap into multi-day events.
I talked to some new and some experienced multi-day athletes to find out how they think about the barriers of multi-day events. It comes down to 3 main obstacles: time, money and training. Read below and get your 14% discount code too!
Meet my panel of multi-day veterans:
Rani Freeman - Trans-Pecos Ultra 2018 Finisher, Ironman
Vincent Antunez –Four Desert Series, Marathon des Sables, and Grand-to-Grand (4x), founder of Trail Toes
Gina Fiorini - Vol State, El Camino de Santiago, El Camino de Lavaca (3x)
David Elsbernd – Marathon des Sables, Moab 240, Western States 100
Nicole Berglund - El Camino De Lavaca
John T. Sharp - Infinitus 888K, Event Director of El Camino de Lavaca (3x), Vol State, and El Camino de Santiago
Question: What makes multi-day races worth the time and money you spend? In other words, what is the reward to you? Why would you pick a stage race to spend your vacation time and budget on, rather than a trip to Hawaii, say or Club Med?
Nicole: I look forward to the challenge of pushing myself into a new accomplishment. it’s a reward similar to running any other distance race its just longer. you do it for the same reasons. you challenge yourself to complete the training to be in the best shape to complete the task like you would any other race.
Rani: A multi-day event to me is the opportunity to push my body a far as I can and still survive (with a smile). That is my reward. And of course, the experiences along the event provide memories that are also a reward. Location is probably the biggest factor in my event location. I am a lover of the Big Bend area, so TPU was a natural choice.
Gina: The thing I value about multi-day events is the adventure and people I meet along the way. It is not likely you would stop and chat with someone running a marathon, but multi-day events move at a slower pace and often lead to the formation of strong bonds with strangers. I enjoy the mental challenge as well. Over-coming difficult patches throughout the race makes me feel like I have accomplished something bigger than myself.
Vincent: I’m not a big beach guy, and being alone in the words, on a trail, or climbing a mountain are far more interesting and compelling to me. There is something about the challenge associated with the distances that draws me.
John: A sense of accomplishing something, while not working. I mean to say, I have never been one to sit around, so I could not sit on a cruise ship or anything like that. I like to look back and say, “I took off 3 weeks and walked across Spain.”
David: I’m not an emotional guy, but the first time I ran across the finish line for the iconic Western States Endurance Run, an incredible emotion gripped me, and tears sprang to my eyes. And that was just a short practice run a month before the real race! Since then I’ve done a stage race and other epic ultramarathons. There’s been sacrifice and suffering, time and money to squander, but it’s all been worth it. These races make me feel very much alive. But why suffer, why not go to Hawaii or Club Med? Don’t get me wrong, that would be lots of fun. But Hawaii or Club Med can never give me what an ultra event gives me. Hawaii or Club Med can never tap into something as very deep and personal as the experience of a stage race or other really long event, an experience that always gets woven into my soul and is mine forever.
Question: Do you need to be an uberathlete to consider a stage race? What would you say to someone who is a back- or middle-of-the-pack’er if they said that stage races are completely beyond their athletic abilities?
Vincent: I am an old fat guy and by no way an uber-ultra athlete. I do more walking then running and I have completed every stage race I have done, the most recent at the age of 58. I think if you can run a marathon, you can do a stage race; you just have to learn to prep food and be prepared to live in dirty clothes for a week. Stage races are all about the prep you do before the event and the better prepared the more enjoyable they are.
John: No, not really. You’ll be fine. Keep Walking.
Gina: No. You do not need to be an uber athlete at all. I am a back-of-the-pack runner, and have completed several multi-day events. I enjoy these much more than fast-paced events.
Nicole: Many of the daily distance requirements for multi-day events are achievable for someone who is already running races regularly. Sometimes it’s just great to push yourself into the unknown to see if it’s possible. You might surprise yourself.
Rani: There is nothing beyond a person’s athletic ability if they train to the point of event distance. Plain and simple. There are those that are very competitive and the rest of us that simply want to experience and finish within the time limit. Do the training and you will be able to complete the task!
David: I say all the time, most people could finish these events, with just a little determination and willingness to train. Me, I quit junior high football after 3 days. My high school basketball tryout was a failure, and the track coach just ignored me until I finally went away. I was the prototypical un-athletic nerd, without a shred of talent, and saddled with a distinctly unimpressive aerobic engine. Then at age 45, I was embarrassed I could not keep up with my daughter during a hike, and vowed to get in shape. I had one thing going for me. I have always had a strong desire to see what is around the next bend of the river or over the next ridge.
If you’re not afraid of a little sweat and dirt, you can do a stage race! Mental attitude, flexibility, problem solving and a sense of adventure and excitement are far more important than athletic ability. Those high school jocks who would choose me last for any pickup games would be astounded that I can now race distances that are unfathomable to them. What they don’t know is that our bodies were designed to be endurance engines - our ancestors could run down and kill a deer. So yes, even if you are a back-of-the-pack runner, you can run a stage race. It’s in your genes!
Convinced? Explore our website or call Race Director, Chris Herrera at 432.294.5284 anytime. Read our archive of blog posts about training, gear, nutrition and motivation. Then register yourself or your beloved for the adventure of a lifetime, and get 14% off for Valentine’s Day!
Use code VALENTINES19 to save 14% on registration between Feb 7 and 14. Happy Valentine’s Day from TPU. Best gift ever.
