RECAP: Jackalope Jam 2022
Well this years Jackalope Jam snuck up on me! Between moving into a new house and other work obligations I was unable to log as many training miles as I would have liked.
However, I did incorporate a few new strategies in the weeks leading up to the race, that looking back helped tremendously on race day. All of which were surprisingly simple but I had neglected in the past.
1. Stretching.
Definitely something I had neglected in the past. Ive never had any sort of stretching routine and have done little to increase my flexibility/mobility. I decided this needed to change for Jackalope Jam. So I began stretching, a lot. I did not re-create the wheel, I just stuck to the basics everyone learns growing up…toe touches, v-stretch, quads, etc. 15 minutes in the morning and evening was all it took for me to arrive on race day feeling loose and ready to go. Through-out the race I never had any cramping issues and didn’t start to tighten up till much later in the race than I usually would have.
2. PSO-RITE
This simple looking tool proved to be a game changer. Lower back pain has always been an issue for me on longer runs. After doing some research I came across the Pso-rite which lead me down the rabbit hole. I learned about the Psoas muscle and the direct correlation it has with hip flexor tightness and lower back pain. It was quite painful at first but after a few days I was able to get the hang of it and could already feel a difference in my mobility.
Being Prepared.
When I ran my first ultra back in 2017 my drop bag consisted of a pair of socks and three GU gels, oh how naive I was in the early days! Since then, I’ve realized being prepared on race day with the proper nutrition, gear, etc. can make or break you. Needless to say I overpacked for Jackalope Jam, but it’s always better to be prepared for any and all circumstances. For this race, being ready for the cold/rainy conditions was crucial. Sure, there were some things I never used but knowing I had them, just in case, allowed me to reduce anxiety.
Breath.
No doubt, it is very easy to get overwhelmed when the miles start adding up and the pain sets in. This can quickly lead to you crumbling mentally. Which will lead you into a downward spiral during the race. I knew from past failures that I needed to stay in the moment, even when things got tough. So as soon as I felt the wave of doubt and negativity start creeping in, I slowed down and just started to breath. 4 seconds in…4 seconds out…less than a minute later I was grounded and back in the rhythm of moving forward at all cost.
Overall,
Started in a cold windy mess, walked out during a cold windy mess but I learned about myself and I grew. So much changed over the course of the day, but the only aspect I had control of was how I reacted to the unforeseen circumstances. Yes, I failed to achieve the 100 mile goal but there is no doubt this experience gave me the knowledge to know what finishing a 100 miler will take!