TLDR: Summer 2023 saw the completion of 10 trail races, 8 long courses with Wasatch Trail Run Series and 2 Cirque Series for a total of 68.35 miles ran and 17,517 vertical feet climbed. If you ever have the opportunity to run a race, whether it's a 5K or Ultra Trail Race, do it! Running outside with a community is an amazing experience. If anyone has a community running experience they would like to share on the Dry Peaks blog, please reach out.
Here is a recap of how the 2023 racing season went. I originally signed up for 15 trail runs this year. I missed two on purpose, two for not feeling well and 1 I volunteered at. The result was 8 long courses with Wasatch Trail Run Series (WTRS) and 2 Cirque Series completed. I always came in running and I always had a blast! Additionally, I completed a volunteer shift for WTRS and really had a lot of fun. I wasn't sure what I was doing at first during that volunteer shift but I got into my groove. Participating in a total of 9 races with WTRS earned me a puff jacket and membership in the 9-Race Club! Woot woot! 🙌🏻
The final race of the year was at Brighton ski resort, and the long course included the summit of Clayton Peak. A thunderstorm was brewing in the distance as the race began so there was a strict cut off and Search & Rescue officers along with a Panda Bear and other volunteers at the peak encouraging us to get off the mountain ASAP. I'm definitely glad I was off the mountain and back on the resort service roads as the rain began to pour. It was beautiful though. I was warm enough from running that it felt great and there was something gratifying about running across the finish line soaking wet. I was definitely the perfect finish to a really great season.
In the end, I think that 10 races was a little much for me. I also did A LOT of social hiking, peak summiting and backpack camping in between all of this. So, this summer was epic and my legs always felt like they were going to fall off. For me personally, I think I'll cherry pick some of my favorite WTRS races, Cirque races and peaks for next year in order to thin out my calendar and allow my body some recovery time.
Thank you for following me along the 2023 trail racing journey. If anyone has a community running, hiking, workout, yoga or camping experience they would like to share on the Dry Peaks blog, please, please, please reach out!! ~Clark 🙏🏻