Born to Run 2026 RR

 

I’ve done the 30 mile race at the Born to Run Ultramarathon 5 times (now 6 times).  The “vibe” on the ranch where the race is held is immeasurably positive, kind, and free-spirited.  The book, Born to Run, initially inspired me to run ultramarathons. You can feel the spirit of the book there at the race.  I’ve met many of the characters from Born to Run here, including Christopher McDougall, Jenn Shelton, and even the Tarahumara directly from the Copper Canyons!  Outside of the race, I’ve been lucky to meet Caballo Blanco, Scott Jurek, and Ann Trason. You can consider me a Born to Run “otaku” of sorts! If you haven’t read the book, read it.  Maybe it’ll inspire you to run a few miles or send you on a pilgrimage to Los Olivos in May!

I arrived in Los Olivos on Friday afternoon after a 4.5 hour car ride (30 minutes charging the Tesla). I had done a 20-mile long run in March but then pulled a calf muscle on a short run soon thereafter, so my training has been less than ideal.  I had no idea what would happen to me during a 30 mile race.  After a few 12 mile training runs in April, I felt confident enough to roll the dice and take a chance on the little adventure.  My main goal for the race was to have fun and just finish.

There is always a beer mile race at the Born to Run ranch the day before most of the races start (10, 20, and 30 mile). Folks generally bring 4 beers of their own choice from home.  The rules are somewhat loose for the race.  One guy did tequila shots instead of beer. A few people teamed up to do a beer mile relay. I had done the beer mile in 2014 and had a blast but always feel conflicted about doing the race. Conventional reasoning would suggest that activities involving alcohol could negatively affect any physical activity the next day.  Of course I threw all caution to the wind after meeting some amazing new friends (they supplied me with 4 free beers). You only live once, right?

I told myself that I would just take it easy during the beer mile and play along to increase the “fun factor”. And oh boy, did it increase the “fun factor”.  A tipsy me is wilder and more like to dance and participate in crazy stunts.  I finished the beer mile like a pro. I downed the beers quickly and ran the mile in about 10.5 minutes. Not long after the beer mile, there were sock wrestling matches taking place with random volunteers.  It didn’t take much to convince me to join in with one of my new friends.  I ended up losing but still had fun.

The rest of the evening was uneventful, but the good vibes, the live music, and new friends made everything feel magical.  Being slightly intoxicated probably contributed to the euphoria (lol).

Fast forward to race day. The strategy for long races where I feel undertrained is pretty simple, in my opinion.  Make sure to fuel and hydrate as well as possible. Walk the hills. “Run until running feels too hard, walk until walking feels too easy.” Everything fell into place during the race.  I ran well, hydrated and fueled well. The last few miles felt harder, but even then I felt confident and strong.  I ran a consistent pace throughout the race. I passed the 20 mile mark at 4:32, and finished in 6 hours and 47 minutes. My Garmin watch showed that I ran for 4:03, walked/hiked for 2:29 (mostly due to the hills), and was idle for 14 minutes (probably at the aid stations). I was 37^th place out of 55 finishers. No one else really cares about how long it takes us to finish these races.  Times and placement are just numbers that hold little intrinsic value. If you’re happy with the numbers and it helps with the overall joy and experience, good for you.  And yes, I was very happy with how it all turned out. 

I felt nauseous after the race. Various muscles would randomly cramp up on me for rest of the day.  While taking off my shoes, my feet, calves and stomach cramped up on me all at once, leaving me writhing in agony.  I was probably mildly dehydrated. My stomach had probably shut down from the finish line sprint I attempted (and failed at).  Despite the post race discomfort, I was overjoyed with everything else during my eventful weekend. After a couple hours, I said my goodbyes, packed up and left camp.  I was secretly hoping to make it home for a birthday dinner for my daughter, but never made it in time.  I missed out on some Saturday night fun on the ranch, but wasn’t too bothered by it.  My cup was already overflowing with blessings and joy. 

 

What I ate/drank during the race:

I took 2 salt/electrolyte pills from the aid stations. I probably should have taken a third late in the race. I carried a handheld bottle with water that I would drink and occasionally douse myself over the head when I felt hot. I carried a ziplock bag with dried mangoes for calories in between the aid stations.  At the aid stations, I tried to eat bananas or watermelon with either coke/cola or ginger ale. 

 

Other interesting notes about the race:

There were three Tarahumara runners racing, which always seems to add a little magic to the experience.

Special Dedication:

I dedicate my race to the late Martin Whitcomb, who has sadly passed away.  Martin, you have always been such an inspiration to me over years. I’ll always remember your kindness and the joy you brought to these events.