On April 12, runners lined up at first of the 2025 Lake Sonoma 50 Mile, a stunning path run within the hills of California. With over 9,000 toes of climbing over the 50 miles, heat climate, and runnable terrain, the race is a superb first massive occasion of the yr. For that cause, {many professional} athletes used it as a warm-up occasion for a giant season.
On this article, winners of the race, Tara Dower and Stephen Kersh, in addition to third-place Chris Myers and seventh-place Jasmin Nunige mentioned how they ready for the early season race, and what they are going to take from the occasion as the remainder of their season unfolds.
The beginning of the 2025 Lake Sonoma 50 Mile. All pictures: Lexi Miller
Coaching By way of the Winter
Residing within the Northern Hemisphere, coaching within the winter months is filled with obstacles. Quick, darkish days with colder temperatures and inclement climate might be an impediment. Nonetheless, it is also the proper coaching device for resilience. Says Myers, “I simply name it character constructing. Operating within the slush and snow doesn’t bodily profit you since you might at all times hop on a treadmill and get extra high quality coaching. However I believe you already know the good thing about diversified terrain, and in addition psychological fortitude may help you in an extremely.” He goes on to clarify that he fell again on that psychological toughness when experiencing cramps and falling from first place in the course of the Lake Sonoma 50 Mile.
Together with embracing the cruel situations, winter is a time when numerous runners additionally lean into cross coaching. Nunige, a former Olympic Nordic skier, explains, “Within the winter, I had a diversified coaching program. The main target was on constructing power, mixed with working, cross-country snowboarding, and a few indoor biking. Selection is essential to me. Cross coaching additionally permits the physique to regenerate, particularly the structural musculoskeletal system, regardless of a very good coaching quantity.” Discovering one other solution to develop in power and endurance over the winter can stop overuse accidents as nicely.
Jasmin Nunige, the 2025 Lake Sonoma 50 Mile seventh-place lady.
For Dower, this winter was a time to rebuild muscle and get sturdy. With steerage from her coach, Megan Roche, she rebuilt her base after a yr of racing and quickest identified time efforts. Dower provides, “I additionally began working with a power coach and bodily therapist, which is new this season. He’s been serving to with mobility, growing power, and any accidents that I might need.” Taking an low season to concentrate on power, like Dower, may help any runner unlock some extra energy.
Kersh additionally labored on power, however within the psychological sense. He states, “To me, it additionally comes right down to the psychological facet of issues. If I’m excited for a purpose or a race, I’ll get within the required coaching to get me to the beginning line feeling prepared. Which may imply coaching by way of some fairly horrible winter and early spring situations, and if the thoughts isn’t excited for the purpose, then issues do are inclined to unravel.”
Taking time to reevaluate targets and outline the rationale for racing may help when coaching will get robust later within the season.
Getting Into the Racing Mindset
It may be arduous to get into one of the best mindset early within the season, when ambition is excessive, however the physique continues to be rebuilding. Benefiting from an early season race to seek out what works is a superb begin to really feel sturdy and ready as later races begin rolling in.
Within the weeks main as much as the Lake Sonoma 50 Mile, Nunige was experiencing signs associated to her A number of Sclerosis analysis, which she has managed for years together with excessive stage racing, taking away a few of her enthusiasm to coach and compete. Nonetheless, issues modified as soon as she was round her teammates. She explains, “The times earlier than the race, which I spent in Sonoma, California, with teammates, additionally motivated me enormously, and I felt my physique responding positively to the coaching classes. They gave me an enormous enhance and an amazing want to race.”
Discovering a crew, coaching buddy, or neighborhood as Nunige did may help maintain inspiration and motivation excessive because the race attracts close to.
For Kersh, stepping into the racing mindset was extra inner. “For me, racing is all about discovering out what you’re able to on the day. I get into the mindset by getting excited concerning the alternative to seek out that out. After months of devoted work, it’s time to money all of it in and go massive on the day.”
Stephen Kersh’s arduous work paid off with a win on the 2025 Lake Sonoma 50 Mile.
Each season brings completely different skills and strengths, utilizing a race as a benchmark might be useful in shifting ahead in coaching.
Myers recommends practising race diet forward of time. “Don’t skimp on diet, particularly in coaching, since you actually do have to coach your intestine. Sadly it’s actually costly, however you may’t simply count on to avoid wasting all of your good race gasoline for race day, after which simply count on all of it to work.”
Making ready for Summer season Situations
Additionally it is essential to notice that the primary main early season race may very well be hotter than what an athlete has been coaching for. Because of this, it’s important to start making ready the physique. Dower, who additionally raced the 2025 Black Canyon 100k in February, discovered altering her environment to be useful. “I used to be in Durango, Colorado, for the final three months of coaching, however then there have been instances I’d head right down to Sand Canyon, or in between the Flagstaff and Phoenix, Arizona, space to get a bit heat and desert-specific working.”
Myers, who’s situated in Nederland, Colorado, utilized warmth coaching. “I used a sauna or scorching tub to assist acclimate myself to the warmth.” He provides that it’s important to do that throughout taper or down weeks, as a result of warmth acclimation in coaching can add an excessive amount of stress to the physique. Myers additionally suggests getting a sweat take a look at to higher consider dietary and salt wants.
Studying Classes
For a lot of, the primary couple of races early within the season generally is a time to be taught classes and reevaluate coaching. Each Dower and Myers ran the Lake Sonoma 50 Mile in preparation for the Western States 100 and used the course to higher dial of their subsequent couple months of coaching.
For Dower, this will likely be a time to concentrate on her psychological power, an space which she desires to enhance on. She explains, “Oftentimes, I discover myself getting down on myself for a tempo, and I completed the race, and I spotted just like the tempo was good, and for the sector it was a very good tempo. Actually, I believe bodily, I’m in one of the best form of my life, however mentality is the factor I can work on.”
Emotional intelligence and optimistic thought are each linked to improved efficiency, making them essential for any athlete to concentrate on.
A pattern of the views to be loved on the Lake Sonoma course.
For Myers, the subsequent coaching block will likely be about getting course particular. “There will likely be a whole lot of warmth coaching. Additionally, numerous quantity and good course-simulation runs, which means a whole lot of downhill.” Myers plans to not solely crew on the Canyons by UTMB 100k, which makes use of a lot of the Western States 100 course, the place he’ll get in some coaching, however to additionally do the Western States 100 coaching camp on the U.S. Memorial Day weekend to coach on the course with different racers.
Whereas it won’t at all times be attainable to coach on the precise course, working one thing related may help put together the physique and thoughts.
Whereas high athletes could have extra time and sources to dedicate to their coaching, the obstacles and classes offered in early season racing might be skilled by any athlete coaching towards a purpose. Taking time to construct a base within the winter and spring, together with power, cross coaching, diet, and psychological fortitude pays dividends in terms of an early season race.
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