Skip to content

Author: Patrick Durante

Patrick is an ultrarunner and coach from Philadelphia who loves documenting his running career. His mission is to provide useful tips and tricks to assist others along their ultra journey.  You can find his coaching services at https://ultraruncoach.com.

Blues Cruise 2019

Blues Cruise 2019

Published by Patrick Durante on October 10, 2019

What went right?

If you are going to run your first ultra, the Blues Cruise 50K is the one to pick. That’s just what I did years ago and I keep coming back. The vibe of this race is incredible!
This was my 7th time racing Blues Cruise and I had what I call “fun with race day friends”. That’s when you meet new people on the trail and have a great time with them!

Patrick Durante with Kate Sidoli and Jessica Gockley
Sharing the miles with some super fast ladies!
Kate Sidoli and Jessica Gockley
PHOTO CREDIT: Teodor Beekneeyosec

I meet an incredible group of very fast women, all of which won awards in their respective age groups. Making friends can lead to a better race, but its the type of thing that only happens in ultras. It’s the shared suffering that creates a sense of comradery with strangers. You get to take your mind off the pain and it makes the running feel effortless! It places a limit on your suffering and for myself, I seem to run faster! My times are varied for this race, but maybe its because I don’t meet the right people? I’m unsure, but I finished right at 5 hours and felt great. I gave the race everything I had and that’s all one can hope for, just doing your best.

Trailing behind Kate Crane… As she took 1st place Masters.
PHOTO CREDIT: Teodor Beekneeyosec

What went wrong?

I set the virtual pace on my watch at 9:20 and was going to stick to that pace. This was based on what I had done in years previous. While in the race I had more fun running with strangers than focusing on time. I dropped the time goal and just made it about having fun. The people you are running with are better company than the clock. Know when to abandon something that no longer serves you, especially your watch!

I felt a lack of strength in the last 3 miles, the race taking its toll. I still lack late-race leg turnover, which means I lack strength.  Next year I plan to incorporate more strength and signed up for CrossFit classes at CrossFit Kanna. If I had structured workouts with a group I think I’ll find the missing link to better performance.

Relief!
PHOTO CREDIT: Teodor Beekneeyosec

Final thoughts:

10 minutes after the race, I’m in pain but sad. It went by so quick! I don’t want my season to be over! When you are having fun time flies. That night I couldn’t even sleep. I was excited about how well the race went and how much fun I had. I hate to think about the day when I can no longer do this. I just love these long races. Races are the easy part of the season. You are filled with such excitement and being in the race is pure joy. I hope I can keep running until I’m 90! If I can’t I will just find something new to excite me that matches my physical ability.  Keep moving, keep training and keep racing! I always say there will come a day when I can no longer do this. Today was not that day, but hopefully, that day never shows up… 

The loop!

Post-race depression?

Published by Patrick Durante on August 21, 2019

This seems like a total, “1st world problem”, but what happens if you start to feel depressed after a huge race?

We need massive goals in life that seem impossible to overcome. What happens after you achieve them? With great highs come terrible lows, the yin-yang of completing an ultra race. Finishing one of the hardest, HOT, races in my life I am faced with the question… What’s next? You completed that big task, conquered a difficult day, but life goes on. There’s no parade in your honor. Every day presents new challenges. You need to move on, life is more than your big wins. Set up new, dare I say it, bigger challenges! Rest and take pride in what you achieved, enjoy your victory, but don’t sit in the shade too long. The longer you sit, the harder it is to get back up again. When you start to feel the depression of “now what do I do”, and you wish to experience it all again you must KEEP MOVING! You have to set your sights on the next goal. Start planning the next big race, put something on the calendar. There’s always another race or event to plan for. If you won, or lost on that big day its no guarantee for future success. Nothing is guaranteed. Keep putting in the time and showing up!

One day of success or failure doesn’t define you. It doesn’t label you an ultra-runner. What if you didn’t make it through the course, or beat that time goal you had? In 100 years who cares? I’m sure you would be upset. Just remember life keeps moving, it doesn’t stop for you or your feelings. What life DOES do is give you more opportunities. The saying goes, that when everything goes right we learn nothing. It’s when things go WRONG that we learn the most. Maybe I would have learned more had I failed at my big race than making it to the finish line?