Who’s In?
Back in early June, during a Zoom core session with my running team, the Boise Betties, our coach posed a question. Who was participating in the Boise Summit Series and/or the Boise Trails Challenge? Newish to Idaho I was unfamiliar with both. Upon learning the Summit Series is about racing certain uphill trails/route, I opted out—too intimidated. However, the Boise Trails Challenge intrigued me—participants are given one month to run as many of the 168.72 miles of designated trails and trail segments as possible. A finisher would cover that distance, plus all the other miles that don’t count in getting to segments or doing out and backs when loop routes don’t work. One can enter in the mountain bike, biking and running, or running only categories.
About two days after the Boise Trails Challenge (BTC) started, I decided to sign up. I needed something to focus on, a challenge or a goal to put some energy into after a month+ of floating through maintaining a base. Not knowing when or if I would transition into any kind of training for a particular race. The BTC seemed liked a perfect way to honor my current state of running more trails with less focus on pace. And to challenge the hell out of myself.
Getting Stronger, Going Longer
When I started the BTC, I dabbled in familiar trails closer to my house. As time when on, I ventured into newer areas and onto trails I had hiked but never run. Jeremy joined me on some runs, but many were solo or just me and our pup Bailey. Soon enough, each week and night I found myself planning routes, how to maximize segments that counted, how to deal with annoying segments that didn’t fit into rational loop routes. Gosh I love planning; this hit my sweet spot.
I observed I was doing longer runs, increasing my weekly mileage without feeling a negative physical impact. The way most routes worked I was running between 6.5-9 miles. At first, I thought I might stay away from some of the segments that had a direction requirement, e.g. you had to run them uphill (like you couldn’t drive up a road, park, run down, and get credit). Then, I joined a few of my Betties teammates for a “workout” up Hard Guy. It figuratively kicked my ass and literally destroyed my legs. But it was fun, and in that 12+ miles I proved that I COULD do it.
With that, I decided I would attempt a few other uphill routes gaining 2,000-3,000 feet in elevation; Sweet Connie and Shingle Creek. At a snail’s pace, I did them. Shingle Creek to Dry Creek loop was my longest trail run yet at over 14 miles. I also decided about two weeks out, to try to make it to 50% completion. I could feel my legs getting stronger and ascents getting easier for the first time since we moved to Boise two years ago.
Elevation and Insights Gained
At 4pm on July 20th when the Challenge ended, I emerged with 84.66 miles and 50.18% complete, thousands of feet in elevation gain, one tumble and a sprinkling of trail rash, a new hydration vest, some serious internal fortitude and physical strength, and a renewed belief in myself that I can push myself a do hard things.
The two biggest insights I gained from this experience:
- Consider whether your assumption about yourself is rooted in reason or fear, then, challenge it. The safer bet tends to be to underestimate ourselves, like we can avoid disappointment if we don’t set expectations, or allow those expectations to build and grow as we do. For no reason at all other than fear and the unknown, I had assumed that my legs couldn’t handle multiple, consecutive days on the trails. Then, I did it. And my legs were fine. In fact, they felt good because internal newsflash, the terrain is softer. Then I did it multiple weeks in a row. Assumption challenged and shattered.
- Sometimes we get comfortable with familiar discomfort, but the real growth happens with unfamiliar discomfort. A few pro runners I admire have said, “Get comfortable with the uncomfortable.” I realized that was something I was better about when I was younger. But, over the years I found myself less often saying, “Yeah, maybe I could do that,” and more often saying, “I’ve done that, so I could do it again.” That meant less growth and adaptation physically and mentally. But intentionally challenging our bodies and minds (because running uphill for miles is as mental as it is physical) we remember what is so beautiful about the human spirit. We find inspiration, hope, and passion we can lean on it in tough times, or lend it to others in need. We can take that lesson to avoid complacency and apply it other challenges and growth, emotionally, intellectually, and so on.
What’s Next
I’m carrying those insights with me and will apply them as I embark on other challenges, whatever they may be. If the Berlin Marathon happens in 2021, I probably won’t do the trails challenge because training will start in June. If it doesn’t happen though, I’ll probably be back out there and going for 60-70% completion. And maybe, I’ll do that darn Lucky Peak ascent.
P.S. Shout out to the participants who completed the ENTIRE Challenge on foot, including our Boise Betties coach Gretchen. And a few Betties who worked on the Trails Challenge while simultaneously completing the Summit Series!
