On Choosing to Run an Ultra

I signed up for an ultra on impulse.

Yes, you read that correctly.

In 2009 I was staring at the Marine Corps Marathon website, got the urge to sign up for it, and went with it.  I was in no way ready to run a marathon when I signed up, but I trained for it and finished in one piece.  Seeing as that turned out ok, when I was staring at the 24in24 website and got the urge to sign up for it, I went for it.

20in24 is an interesting race.  Instead of having a set distance runners must cover to finish, the course is an 8.4 mile loop and there are multiple races that take place on the course throughout a 24 hour period.  "Lone ranger" runners have the full 24 hour period to run as many laps as possible.  5-person relay teams also cover as many laps as possible during the 24 hour period.  If hanging around a race course for 24 hours sounds unappealing, there are also two one-loop races - a "midnight madness" run at midnight and a "pajama loop" at 6am.

I am officially a "lone ranger."  Sounds cool, doesn't it?  I think it'll be nice to have fresh runners on the course at midnight and 6am - hopefully their energy and enthusiasm will rub off on me when I'm cranky, sore, and tired.

20in24 is a fundraiser for Back on My Feet, a nonprofit which uses running to teach the homeless population independence and self-sufficiency.  That was a horrible paraphrase of what is on the BoMF website, which I'll paste below:

Founded by Anne Mahlum in 2007, Back on My Feet (BoMF) is a national nonprofit organization that is dedicated to creating independence and self-sufficiency within the homeless and other underserved populations by first engaging them in running as a means to build confidence, strength and self-esteem. The organization does not provide food nor shelter, but instead provides a community that embraces equality, respect, discipline, teamwork and leadership. Back on My Feet’s approach focuses on the very profound and innate desire for all of us – regardless of age, race, socio-economic status – to feel recognized, appreciated, valued and important. Through dedication and hard work, Members earn the opportunity to create a new road for themselves by advancing to the “Next Steps” phase of the program where they gain access to educational, job training and employment opportunities, as well as financial aid. In short, BoMF focuses on changing the direction of people’s lives by changing the way they see themselves. 

I am on BoMF DC's email list-serv and am constantly impressed by the news I receive about BoMF members.  It's exciting to read about members who have completed half-marathons and marathons, found jobs, and moved in to their own apartments.  The drive and dedication these individuals exhibit in overcoming their circumstances is nothing short of amazing.  I am proud to support BoMF and am looking forward to getting more involved with the organization after completing 20in24.

While the decision to sign up for 20in24 was an impulse, I'm happy I went through with it.  My goal is 6 laps, which is 50.4 miles.  I'm looking forward to pushing myself physically and seeing what I'm capable of.  Even if I fall short on the mileage, I know it will be a great experience.