If you read my previous post you'll know that I signed up for UTMB Chihuahua, a 92 km trail race with 4,400 m of elevation gain. I've never done an event this long. Not even close. So I've been trying to wrap my head around what I am in for.

Let's start with the elevation. The elevation gain is equivalent to climbing halfway up Everest 🤯. Obviously the conditions won't be as gnarly, but still, that's a serious climb.

Now for the distance. I looked for a comparable distance between two well known cities to give me some sort of marker. Over the course of this race, I'll basically be running three quarters of the way from Vancouver to Whistler. It's actually pretty close to running from the Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal in West Vancouver to Whistler. Pretty dang far.

OK great, we know this race is serious. We already knew that though. The real question is, how does this relate to my current level of fitness?

There is a run I like to do that is roughly 2 km flat, 2 km uphill, 2 km downhill, and 2 km flat (8 km total for those that aren't doing the math) with a gain of 300 m. It takes me under an hour to complete at a moderate pace. I need to be able to do this loop eleven and a half times, and I'd still be 1,000 m short! Today I could comfortably do two laps back to back...

Looks like I have some training ahead of me.