Less than 3 weeks after I released my 2012 racing schedule I have already added 2 events.  Unlike the other races, which are all obstacle course races, these two are different.  No, they aren’t regular road races.  I don’t see me adding any of those unless there is something really special about them or if they will be good for training purposes.  “Pounding the sidewalks” still just does not appeal to me.

ADDITION #1

The first addition to my schedule is the 2012 Bourbon Chase.  Although I resisted last year and for a few days this year, I was coerced into joining a team that ran last year.  The Bourbon Chase is a 200 mile relay race through some of the most scenic areas of Kentucky.  I have come to find out that this is an extremely popular event and registrations sell out within a few hours.  Teams are composed of 12 runners who each run 3 different legs of 5-10k length.  The reason I have resisted is that 1. it’s a road race; 2. It is the weekend following the Vermont Beast and 2 weeks before the Carolinas Beast and 3. It’s a 24 hour race.  I don’t do well on lack of sleep and my future team members will soon experience that side of my personality first hand.  I can already imagine my second leg coming around at 2:45 a.m, temperature about 42 degrees, pouring to rain with wind gusts of 30 m.p.h against me.  I might as well enter the Spartan Death Race if that’s what it is going to be like.  So, why would I add this to my schedule..??  I have asked myself that question several times and here are the reasons I came up with.

1.  It is different.  I’m all for doing things that most other people don’t do.
2.  Because it is a relay race, there is a huge camararderie component to this race.  Spending several hours in a van with people sort of forces that upon you.  Unlike all my other races, in which I enter to beat as many people as I can, this one will actually have other people on my side who want me to do well and vice-versa.
3.  Contrary to the 3rd reason above for resisting the race, running at night presents a different challenge and experience.  I will even get to use my headlamp that I purchased for the Midwest Hurricane Heat.

ADDITION #2

The second addition to my schedule is the Lexington Urban Mountain Challenge.  I accidentally stumbled upon an announcement for this and it immediately struck a chord.  It only took a few seconds of deliberation before I knew that I was going to enter.  Climbing 29 flights of stairs as fast as I can will be extraordinary for Beast training and it gives me an entirely new and different challenge.  Furthermore, it is in Lexington!!  I actually can sleep in my own bed the night before, eat a good breakfast at home, race, and still be home in time for lunch.  How great is that?!!  I’m already wondering how I will stack up against the competition.  I have absolutely no idea.

REVISED 2012 SCHEDULE

  1. Lexington Urban Mountain Challenge     Lexington, KY     Jan 28
  2. Arizona Super Spartan    Chandler, AZ     Feb 11
  3. Indiana Spartan Sprint TBD, IN     Apr 21
  4. Warrior Dash    Logan, OH     June 3
  5. Utah Spartan Beast    Midway, UT     June 30
  6. Mid-Atlantic Super Spartan    Leesburg, VA     Aug 25
  7. Vermont Spartan Beast    Killington, VT     Sept 22
  8. 2012 Bourbon Chase     Central KY     Sept 28-29
  9. Carolinas Spartan Beast    Winnsboro, SC     Oct 13