One week from tomorrow I will be doing my first in person race since the pandemic started. I have very mixed feelings about this. I am excited, but also scared and don't know if I am truly, fully trained for this specific race. I have also grappled with my decision to attend. A few months ago I was sure that I was going to opt out, but after much conversation, and another month to sit on it, and a ton of reading about safety protocols, rolling start times, the number of participants and all the intense new rules, I decided I was going to do it.

The race is called the Beulah 963. The 963 is the important part here. This is an ultra race. I have never done an ultra before. I came close in 2019, when I did a trail half marathon, but I still consider that a half, not an ultra. The difference here is the amount of time involved. You can pick to do 9 hours, 6 hours or 3 hours, hence the 963. I opted for the 3 hour portion, but I know a friend doing 9, and one of his friends is doing 6. This was a big selling point for me to actually stay in this race. My buddy that is doing the 9 hours said that the number of participants will be very small by the time I get there. He is starting at noon, I do not start until 6pm. So, along with the shortened number of allowed participants, and the people that may or may not be dropping out, I would be shocked if there were more than 20-30 total runners when I get there. We also have packet pick up 15 minutes before start time, enough time to get my bib on and my hydration pack, and then we have rolling start times. We are also not allowed to congregate in big groups prior, not to worry for me since I am going solo, and we all must be masked when we start. They said you can take your mask off, or pull it down when there are no runners within 10 feet, but since it is a night race in February, I will just be keeping mine on the whole time. Not only will it protect me from anyone who may be asymptomatic or sick, but my balaclava will keep my face warm enough that my beard won't freeze, and I won't be breathing in cold air the whole time. I also very much appreciate that we all have to be masked at the start or else we are disqualified, and when we cross the finish line for each lap, we must be masked. We also have to be masked going to and from our cars, where we have a dedicated parking lot for all racers. I also read that we have the option to do as much or as little as we prefer. Again, we all signed up for a certain time frame, but this is a looped trail. We are on the same loop for about 4 miles, maybe a little more. So in essence, and I have done this trail on my own and with a buddy, the loop takes me about 40 to 45 minutes. It will probably take a little longer since it will be dark, I do have a lit vest and a headlamp, but still. So say it takes me 50 minutes to get one loop in, I still have as long as a 10 minute break, if I want. And at these breakpoints, masks are required, no congregating, no tent set up and no bag drop off. So it is basically just a rest area if we feel tired before going on the loop again. So if I get tired after two loops, and it takes me two hours, that is my finishing time. Just because I signed up for 3 hours doesn't mean I have to do 3 hours. It is up to 3 hours. I am going to try my best to get 3 loops in, I would like to get as close to a half marathon as possible, but if I get too gassed, or feel uncomfortable for any reason, I could leave after a lap. I like that rule. My buddy who is doing the 9 hours is determined to get all 9 in, and I think he will, but I bet by the time I get there, he will be pretty sore, and some other people who signed up for that time will have dropped by 6pm.

All this being said, I am still a little scared. I have not done an in person race since March of 2020. The last one I did was one week before Missouri shut everything down. But, after reading the safety guidelines, talking to friends and family to get their opinion, and reading about other runs on the running sites I am a part of, I feel as comfortable as one can during this crazy time we live in. I will obviously recap the race the weekend after I do it, but with it a week away, I wanted to explain to everyone why, now, I decided to actually do it. I'm scared, but also excited. Just as I should be before any race I do.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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