Final February, I had the chance to supply race help for 4 athletes I coach on the Rocky Raccoon 100 Mile in Huntsville, Texas. Rocky Raccoon is an early season ultramarathon with a fame for being one of many “simpler” 100-mile races on the circuit. Consequently, many runners come to Huntsville every February looking for a sub-24-hour 100 miler, a Western States 100 qualifier, or a strong coaching race upfront of their main objective later within the season. My 4 athletes traveled to this race for these causes, however Mom Nature intervened as she typically does.
The weekend earlier than the race, the Huntsville space was inundated with over 11 inches of rain, inflicting, amongst different issues, a tentative closure of the park the place the race is held. Fortuitously, dry circumstances allowed a lot of the path to dry out by the eve of the race till a torrential downpour the night earlier than the race added extra water and dirt to the proceedings. By the point runners toed the road for the race on Saturday morning, they knew they had been in for one thing a bit completely different.
Tatiana Rypinski, the 2025 Rocky Raccoon 100 Mile ladies’s winner in significantly better circumstances than the 2024 version. Photograph: Jesse Ellis/Let’s Wander Images
The race includes 5 20-mile loops, and I had the possibility to recon the course whereas my athletes had been racing. I rapidly realized this 12 months could be removed from a typical 12 months at this occasion. After I returned from my preview run, I needed to rapidly put collectively some messages my athletes would want for achievement. Though I initially created the next steering for the 2024 Rocky Raccoon 100 Mile, you may apply these concepts to any race the place the climate adjustments on you unexpectedly.
Regulate Expectations
In a typical 12 months, the Rocky Raccoon 100 Mile has one of many highest finisher charges in North American ultrarunning. After experiencing the course firsthand, I knew 2024 could be completely different. As every of my athletes accomplished their loops, I talked with them about adjusting their time targets and experiential targets as a result of the moist, muddy circumstances had been solely going to worsen. The extra rapidly you settle for the truth of fixing and worsening circumstances, the higher you’ll have the ability to address the adversity. Grumbling in regards to the mud or the chilly or evaluating present circumstances to what it might have been like within the sunshine is a fast option to wreck your day.
Make Deliberate Gear Choices
Whereas operating is a straightforward sport at its core, selections about gear and vitamin are important in antagonistic circumstances. It’s not simply that it’s essential to address mud or being moist. You could additionally understand that if the climate slows you down, you can be on the course for much longer than deliberate. From headlamp batteries to rain jackets, I requested every of my runners to assume by means of every part they could want on every lap. It was essential to strengthen this course of for every lap as a result of only one lap with out the fitting gear might have ended with a DNF.
To make deliberate gear selections, it’s essential to have already got the gear readily available. When the climate modified quickly, I noticed athletes at Rocky Raccoon and the 2024 Black Canyon 100k in Arizona scrambling for jackets, gloves, hats, socks, and extra. Do your self a favor and pack an “I’ll by no means want this” bag while you go to an ultramarathon. Pack it with chilly and moist climate gear even in case you’re racing within the desert or in the summertime. Ideally, you’ll by no means dip into that bag, however let me inform you, in case you want it simply when you’ll be pleased you lugged it to races all these different occasions.
Stay Mentally Engaged
All through the day and night time I repeatedly heard the identical chorus from runners who selected to not proceed: “I’m simply accomplished with this!” “I can not return on the market.”and “This simply isn’t enjoyable.”
iRunFar’s Meghan Hicks in a fall storm in Utah. Dangerous climate is usually a nice alternative to check your bodily skill and emotional resilience. Photograph: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
As I encountered my athletes lap after lap, I attempted to steer them away from a hopeless mindset and as an alternative tried to maintain them mentally engaged. The simplest method was to assist them form their expertise in ways in which honored what they’d been by means of and celebrated how pleased they’d be after they acquired to the end line.
Conclusion
When the mud stopped flying, three of my 4 athletes completed. The one athlete who didn’t end referred to as it a day after 60 miles as a result of the mud brought about a resurgence of an outdated hip flexor damage. Though athletes don’t want anybody’s “permission” to cease, we mentioned the state of affairs and agreed that stopping at 60 miles was the wisest alternative. The three athletes who accomplished the race all completed with smiles on their faces and deep emotions of satisfaction understanding that they had persevered.
By adjusting expectations, taking note of the little issues, and protecting their heads within the recreation, my athletes not solely completed a tougher-than-normal Rocky Raccoon 100 Mile, however the expertise ought to create confidence they will deal with adversity at future races. And that’s a part of the explanation I consider athletes ought to resist the urge to give up races even when circumstances or circumstances put pre-determined targets like ending occasions out of attain. Use the sloppy, chilly, muddy, and gnarly races as studying alternatives so you may have larger resilience within the face of future challenges.
Bottoms up!
AJW’s Beer of the Week
This week’s beer of the week comes from Jester King Brewery in Austin, Texas. Mama Luna Blonde Ale is a lusciously {smooth} blonde ale with a crispy mix of hoppiness and maltiness. Weighing in at 5% ABV, Mama Luna is a smooth-drinking ale appropriate for nearly any event.
Name for Feedback
- What’s the most memorable run-in you’ve had with Mom Nature in your ultrarunning profession?
- What suggestions do you may have for when you want to regulate your expectations in troublesome circumstances?
Colin MacFarlane, the 2025 Rocky Raccoon 100 mile males’s winner. The 2025 circumstances had been nice, in distinction to 2024. Photograph: Jesse Ellis/Let’s Wander Images
