This past weekend I lined up for the Estes Park Backyard Ultra. Start time was 4PM, about 75 to 80 degrees, with 25 mph winds and 45 mph gusts hammering us until around midnight. I ran for 15 hours. Roughly 64 miles. I was one of three left in the race. Then I started having trouble keeping food down and made the call to stop. A second runner dropped after the next loop and the last man standing ran one more loop to secure his victory. But, I walked away happy! This was exactly the kind of training run I needed before Leadville, and it handed me a list of lessons I want to share. Here are my five big takeaways. 1. Slow down. Then slow down again. Then slow some more. These backyard ultras are painfully slow if part of you still wants to run fast. I have spent the last 16 weeks chasing speed work for Leadville, and what I thought was my easy pace was nowhere near easy enough. Whatever you think slow feels like, go slower. 2. Don't be first to finish the loop. Don't be last either. Early on I kept coming in as one of the front finishers because I wanted 10 to 15 minutes to rest at the aid station. That time vanishes fast and I never wanted to feel rushed. But I watched other folks come in with only a few seconds to eat before the next loop started. That is what we call "circling the drain". The winner, who has now taken this thing three years in a row, targeted 7 to 8 minutes of rest between loops. Right in the sweet spot. 3. No guesswork. Be automatic. My aid station looked like a 2 year old's buffet. PB&Js, cheese quesadillas, M&M's, Nerd gummy clusters, fruit, pretzels. My strategy was pretty loose in the beginning - pick 2-3 foods, salty, solid, and sweet and eat those before the next loop and change it up next loop to avoid flavor fatigue. The winner? His nutrition was dialed and his crew handed him exactly what he needed. High carb foods like ramen and rice. All measured out for him before he even finished the loop. No time wasted refilling bottles or deciding what to eat. He made every second of those 7 minutes count.

Honestly, threshold work felt like living right on the edge for weeks. Every session asked for more than felt comfortable. My legs burned, my breathing stayed sharp, and I never really got a break from that feeling. Tempo runs, hill repeats, stair sessions. Different workouts, but they all put me in the same uncomfortable spot. Now it's time to shift into the endurance phase of training. I've got long efforts coming. Back to back days on tired legs. Climbing and descending until my legs forget what fresh feels like. Figuring out fueling and pacing when I'm already worn down, not when I'm fresh and feeling good. Threshold work made me fast and a little miserable. This next phase feels slower, longer, and tired in a totally different way. Anyone else moving through this same shift right now? What did threshold work feel like for you?

What runs have you got on your schedule? 👌

Time to reflect on the last week again. What's something you did this week you're proud of? 💪 Or... maybe something that didn't go the way you wanted to? Let's hear your flex or fail! ⬇️

YEESSSHHH let's talk GEAR! Shoes, nutrition, or gadgets you've bought or would like to try? Maybe something that caught your eye? Let us know in the comments. I'll share my latest in the comments! ⬇️