BC100KM: Preparation
The Black Canyon Ultras, a recent addition to the World Trail Majors circuit, are point-to-point foot races held annually along the Black Canyon National Recreation Trail. The 100km course includes over 12k feet of net elevation change, runs from Mayer, AZ, down to just outside the northern suburbs of Phoenix, and will be my longest run to date. The first of three “training” runs was held last week and is summarized in this video:
The preparation required to compete in this event is significant. By the time I toe the starting line in February, I will have covered approximately 1,500 miles in 200 hours of running with over 90k feet of vertical gain. This means that about 95% of my effort resulting from competing in the Black Canyon 100K will be… in training. Think about that. Ninety-five percent of my effort to successfully complete a significant task will be focused on preparation.
How much you prepare for any task will of course depend on many variables but this is too often left to chance or worse yet, not even considered in the first place. Do you truly understand the difference between preparing for and executing a task? Is the time you invest preparing for an important event or activity proportional to its complexity, difficulty, or risk? Does your preparation focus on highly concrete activities correlated to successful execution?
—> Life experience is the best teacher if it pushes you beyond present limits. Consider placing yourself in situations that will help you deliberately develop your understanding of and approach to preparation and execution.
—> For a thorough, compelling, and highly practical introduction to the concept of spending time in a “learning zone” separate from the “performance zone,” read The Performance Paradox written by my friend Eduardo Briceño. Eduardo has dedicated his life to this subject both as a highly successful practitioner in Wall Street and Silicon Valley, and as a coach and leadership consultant to some of the largest and most impactful organizations on the planet.