Guest Post by Shelby Farrell | Follow her Cocodona 250 training journey at @shelbzzf & shelbzzf.com
“Sooo…do you just run all day?” People look at you like you’re an alien when you tell them you’re training for a 250-mile race called Cocodona 250. Congrats! You’re now the “crazy” friend! Running the race is one thing. The real perplexity is around how to train for something of this physical magnitude, especially when working a full-time job. (And MASSIVE kudos to the ultra parents out there. Thankfully I don’t have to worry about leaving my cat when I go out for a six hour adventure…but I do miss him).
A popular question is what my weekly mileage looks like, but really, there are no exact weekly miles one should be hitting. Strategy varies based on the individual. I write my own training plans. Am I an expert? Hellz no. I’m an experimenter and a researcher.
You’re going to mess things up to some degree during a training cycle or race. Learn from those moments and keep iterating. Puking a black death at mile 97 of the Javelina Jundred (presumably Oreos? Idk) reminded me how empowering a good boot-and-rally can be. But more importantly, it taught me to have more than a half-baked fuel plan.
One of the hardest training tips for me to actually practice is being gentle on myself. Work and all of the other components of a personal life must go on. There will be days when there truly are not enough hours in the day to do it all, and sacrificing sleep is not the answer. Cutting yourself even the littlest bit of slack will go a long way. At the end of the day, if I am confident in how my body feels, properly fatigued from the heavy volume, I know I’m on the right track. Trust the process.
Lastly, if any fellow Cocodona 250 runners are looking for extra motivation this week, I’ve got three words for you: Crown King Saloon! The historic Crown King Saloon is an aid station at roughly 37 miles and it will be the first time you get a chance to see your crew since the start. Is it really a saloon, or just a fun name for an aid station? It is indeed an IRL saloon!
But not just any saloon… it is the “oldest continuously operated” saloon in all of Arizona. It’s been going strong for 115 years! It moved from its original location in 1906 by being disassembled and transported to the town of Crown King piece by piece. This mining town was a party in the 1900s with the railroad running straight down the main street. During Cocodona 250 this is the spot to fill up on chicken salad sandwiches, chickpea salad sandwiches, potato soup, and if you’re lucky, your crew will have a crisp cold beer waiting for you. Don’t get too comfy on that barstool though…the race has just begun.
About the author/athlete: Shelby Farrell is the Media Megolodon at goodr sunglasses, where the company culture encourages midday running shenanigans. In fact, she stole the work/life integration concept straight from the CULTURE goodr podcast. Subscribe to her YouTube channel for weekly training highlights as she prepares for the inaugural Cocodona 250. @shelbzzf | shelbzzf.com