5 Lessons Learned from 100 Mile Trail Run (Javelina Jundred)

5 Lessons Learned Running 100 Miles. 

It’s been 10 days since I ran 100 miles through the Arizona Desert at the Javelina Jundred Trail Run. Breaking down the run is challenging, but I will use a similar format as the race. The race had 5 loops averaging 20 miles so I will share five lessons learned.

1.         You don’t know if you don’t try.

I was nervous going into this race. 9 weeks prior, I had attempted my first 100-mile run (Leadville), and unfortunately came up short at mile 62. (watch here). After Leadville, I was beat down physically but even more mentally. I gave a lot to the prep of that race and felt that I couldn’t express my fitness due to making some poor strategic errors.

I chalked it up to more motivation for next year, but I still wanted to get back on the horse and run 100.

Enter Javelina.

 3 days after Leadville, I signed up for Javelina and was number 405 on the waitlist.

I had no idea if I would get in, and that uncertainty made it tough for me to go “all in” for the race mentally.

However, that waitlist moved, and with just over 2 weeks to go before the start, I got in!

I was excited, but I had been slacking on my training, only acuminating an average of 20 miles a week for the two months prior to Javelina. **For context, that is less than 30% of what I did monthly for Leadville.

I wavered back and forth slightly after deciding to do it or not but ultimately decided to take it easy and go for it!

2.         The people.

-           If you have never run a trail ultramarathon before, it’s hard to understand this part. Put simply: Ultramarathons have the most amount of positive, supportive people per event than ANY event or sport I have ever been a part of.

It’s so cool to be at the start line of any ultra, especially a 100miler, and know that the 800+ people standing there have all had a journey to get there. They have put in months of training, overcome various adversity, and have their closest friends or family there to support them; they are running for a big reason and want to help others with theirs. It’s hard not to be changed by the start line and beginning of a race, but it doesn’t come close to the middle or finish line.

Aid stations: I was not running 100 miles. I was running 4-7 miles and then saying hi to the most supportive people ever, running the aid stations all day, all night, and half of the next day!

The runners, support staff, and volunteers are all wildly supportive to help fill water bottles, find a drop bag, or pick out a cactus. (one woman got a little lightheaded from the afternoon heat and fell into a cactus) (PHOTO). EKK (she was ok and in great spirits)

3.         Fix problems right away.

An ultramarathon is all about mitigating risk and getting ahead of problems. During a 100-mile race, there will be problems. Blisters, chafing, gut issues, dehydration (especially in the desert), aches, pains etc. The sooner you deal with that small pebble in your shoe at mile 7, the less of a chance it becomes a huge issue at miles 32,47, 72, or 87 when you still have half a marathon to go.

The ultra distances are a big constant game of problem solving, and being proactive helps your odds of completing the race and feeling good!

 4.         Run the mile you’re in.

This became a formidable mantra for me. For example: After running a 10k it’s incredibly daunting to think about the 94 more miles you have to run. My brain cannot comprehend that, so it’s critical to focus on smaller goals and break them down into micro goals. Before I knew it, I was halfway done, ready for the night challenge and then ready to see the sunrise and finish line!

5.         Certainty is powerful. You got to believe!

 I talk with clients often about setting a ceiling for themselves. A ceiling is a metaphor for how high you will allow yourself to grow. This can be used for any area of life, success, finances, joy, relationships etc. We set our first ceilings from our caregivers growing up and then learn different ceilings based on the environments, people, and circumstances we surround ourselves with.

Growing up, I never met anyone who ran an ultramarathon, and the idea of running 100 miles was absurd, and unattainable, and I didn’t even give it a second thought.

However, a few decades later, I know multiple people who have run 100 miles and many more who want to attempt it. My ceiling for what I believe is possible for myself grew.

When I crossed that finish line, my ceiling didn’t only grow for what is possible with running but what is possible for ALL of my ceilings in areas of my life.

Overcoming obstacles has a carryover effect into other aspects of our life if we let it!

What’s next?

 Recovery.

I am treating the next few weeks and months as an off-season and working on building strength and mobility.

Recovering from a 28-hour effort is a new experiment for me. It’s been 10 days since I finished, and I feel my body is at 75-80%. I read a timeline for a 100 mile recovery that stated:

48-72 hours post is 50% of recovery

3-14 days is 25%

2-4 weeks is 20%

And so on.

So far, I agree with this timeline. My resting heart rate is about 8-10 beats higher than its usual low 40s, which lets me know I am still recovering from a cellular level even though my mind feels sharp.

I am working to recover the best I can, especially for this last 20-25%, so I can return even stronger without injury.

Thank you so much for reading this story. I hope it inspires you to go out and act on a big, audacious, scary goal, either in business, relationship, fitness, or someplace else.

Please don't hesitate to reach out if you would like support accomplishing it. I would love to speak with you!

Final word:

 Life the life you're in. Don't compare to others. Focus on improving yourself one aid station or mile at a time, and you will accomplish something you never thought possible!