Karate Kid II: Back in the Dojo
A direct-to-DVD sequel to previous year’s preparation for the 2025 100 Mile USATF Championships.
Last year, I set the course record for the Jackpot 100-mile race in Las Vegas. In previous years, there was more competition, but recently, the surge in athletes chasing gold tickets for the Western States or the grueling challenge of running 87 (or 88?) loops on asphalt and concrete have played a deterring factor for people wanting to run this race. I'll be there again, grinding it out. I don't have much to prove this time. The biggest challenge for me now are races like Javelina, Canyons 50K, and ultimately, the Western States, where the best ultra-runners in North America compete.
The biggest deterring factor preventing people from running road ultras, in my opinion, is that road ultras dwell in the shadows of its older sibling-the trail. Trail and ultra runners supported by sponsorships value recognition that go beyond winning a race, such as: being listed in the top 10 for UROY, which gives “us” more of a compelling case to renew a contract and/or get paid better. From what I’ve observed, trail races tend to get more notoriety because of two reasons: level of competition, which cannot be argued. Trail ultras are typically more competitive than road ultras with the exception of Comrades. The second reason, I believe, is subjectivity. The level of it is vague & unmeasurable, yet it’s something that I simply “feel”.
Working full time in education doesn’t allow me the full capacity to get the time on feet that I’d like or need to run a strong trail race during the winter months. As a result, I have to play to my strengths & Jackpot 100 is the best race for me. However, this will likely be my last road ultra for quite some time.
Training for Jackpot 100 has been similar to last year's in terms of mileage—I'm running more, but not significantly more. So, what's changed? I've implemented a much more comprehensive strength training program. Last year, my focus was on rehab work to keep my hamstrings happy and maintain a stable core. Now, I've realized the importance of strength, particularly strength through mobility work, and how it contributes to becoming stronger, more efficient, and even recovering faster.
I'm still doing similar workouts to last year: steady state runs, tread hills, and intervals, mixed in with a lot of mundane miles usually trudged through the snow. Most days, I'm just going through the motions: Wake up. Commute to work. Work. Run. Work. Second Run. Eat. Feed the cats. Strength & stretch. Lay in the fetal position. Go to bed. Balancing ultrarunning while juggling a career can be tough. However, when I have a scheduled workout, I do my best to stay present in the moment.
A few days ago, I had a hill repeats workout on the treadmill—my least favorite. I checked my Strava from last year and saw notes on the same workout: it was challenging. I usually film myself on the treadmill to assess gait, form, and strain. Last year, I was definitely straining. During treadmill workouts, I play mental games like counting "Mississippis," challenging myself not to look at the screen, or watching YouTube while suffering. I was dreading this workout, remembering how tough it was last year. However, I told myself one thing: stay present.
The result? Fluid motion. I was fully engaged with each hill repeat, focusing on form, muscle recruitment, and staying relaxed—things I try to do best when running on the roads. During the recovery period between reps, I focused on getting my breathing back to normal. It was challenging, but not as difficult as last year. I'd like to credit the strength work and an extra year of higher mileage, but that only plays so much of a role. I need to figure out how to maintain this level of focus for eleven or so hours.
I'm grappling with setting a goal for this race. The Jackpot 100 may appear flat, but the 2,300+ feet of elevation gain add up over time, making it not the ideal course for a record attempt. However, I've won this race and even set a course record before. I'm unsure how I'll approach this race, but one thing is clear: I’m training with the mindset of setting the American record.
Juggling two careers while being a full-time single cat dad is exhausting. If you say that I haven't taken crazy risks, like going for a world record attempt at Carbon X2 or chasing golden tickets, I'd agree. Everything leading up to this has been "safe." Even Javelina Jundred, where I stuck to a pace instead of competing, was a "safe call." Years ago, if I had blown up at Carbon X2 chasing a world record, which I wasn't ready for, I wouldn't have gotten sponsored—I ran my own race. If I hadn't carefully selected races leading up to Jackpot 100 last year, my contract might not have been renewed. These have all been calculated efforts to ensure my support.
There was a period in my life where I worked as a substitute teacher and drove Uber to support my aspirations. You can do that in your 20s. Now, I'm feeling a sense of urgency as I'd love to (eventually) settle down and achieve the personal milestones I've set for myself years ago. So…when it comes to my running career, there's no time to dilly dally. Either I go big or move on from it.
I appreciate all that Hoka has done for me and will continue to do for me in the coming years. Now it's time to do my best Icarus impression and fly (human fly) towards the sun.
Training can be found here: Rajpaul Pannu | Strava Pro Runner Profile
