in 2022 I set a goal of running 5 ultra marathons. Having only run 2 previously, 1 in 2020 and 1 in 2021 I wasn’t sure I would be up for the challenge but I decided to push through with my goal. After making it through a long, cold, Pennsylvania winter I was ready to get back into racing. I began the season with a 20 mile race that I ran with my oldest son Jalen and used as a build up leading to my first official ultra in April.
On April 9th, I took on the Squatchapple 50k in West Orange, New Jersey. While I ran the race the family signed up for the 11 mile hike they had on the same day which made for a nice family day out on the trails. The weather was cold this weekend but overall it was a great race. A brief storm with hail made things interesting mid way through this one but it passed quickly. This was a great event put on by the Sassquad Trail Running Community. Very well organized and just a short drive from NYC will make this one appealing to many city runners looking to hit the trails. This was a great start to my plan for the year and instantly built my excitement towards my goal. My next race was planned for the first week in May when I was planning on running a 50k in Philadelphia. Unfortunately, due to the weather that week I was ultimately unable to run this one so I had to plan on adjusting my calendar but focus on training as I prepared for my upcoming Catamount Ultra in June.
In June we headed up to Vermont for our vacation and I Kicked the week off with the Catamount 50k Ultra Marathon. This race is in beautiful Stowe, Vermont and it is such a great event. My full race recap can be found here. After this race we were able to relax and spend the week exploring Vermont before heading up to Lake Placid and the Adirondacks for a few days of hiking.
After completing the Catamount 50k in June. I worked my training in when I could throughout summer.. Navigating through family vacations and work obligations brought forth some challenges but I continued to focus as best I could to keep my eye on the prize.
On September 10th, I ran the Boulderfield 50k race in Hickory Run State Park. This is a great event and one of my favorite races. It is put on by Uber Endurance Sports who host a number of races in the area throughout the year. This race means a lot to me as it was my first 50k and first 100k. It is a fantastic course that takes your through Hickory Run State Park in the beautiful Pocono Mountains. I look forward to this event each year and highly recommend running this one.
On October 2nd I ran the Blues Cruise 50k at Blue Marsh Lake. This was a very special race as I finally convinced my wife to join me and run an ultra. Overall, we got it done but this was a tough one as it rained throughout the entire race. The temperatures we very low throughout the day which added to the challenge. I appreciated the journey but was glad to see the finish line on this one.
Finally, my last ultra of the year was on November 5th when I ran the Pain in Green Lane 50k in Green Lane, PA. This was another great race and a beautiful course around the Green Lane Reservoir. The weather was perfect during the race with temperatures reaching in the high 70s.