Timely Nonsense 2023 Race Report

A 12-Hour Race Run On A 1-Mile Loop

I had one, singular goal going into Timely Nonsense 2023: have fun. Running laps around a 1-mile loop for 12 continuous hours may not sound incredibly fun to the uninitiated, but a timed, looped course offers one of the most social settings possible for an ultra, or any race for that matter.

As someone who gravitates towards smaller and longer races, I tend to find myself running solo for large portions of these events. In fact, I once ran 80% of an ultra without seeing a single other participant (no doubt thanks to the 'staggered start' ). There's a time and place for simply getting lost in your favorite running playlist, but I strongly believe “if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.”

The Race Format Is Ideal For Social Runners

And go together we did - I was lucky enough to have company for the vast majority of my loops! Unlike a fixed-distance race, stopping for a water break at Timely doesn’t mean losing your running buddy - usually syncing back up is as easy as hanging around the aid station for a few minutes. Even if someone managed to get way ahead of me, we always had the opportunity to bump into each other at the aid station and continue running together from there. I even benefitted from sharing laps with the 6-hour and relay runners, despite participating in the 12-hour event myself.

This all works because the typical runner at a CUSS event is incredibly friendly. Timely often felt more like a reunion party than anything else: I pretty much spent the first 30 miles discussing travel plans, swapping movie recommendations, and sharing life updates. Sandy and I spent nearly two hours trading stories about our families and childhood antics - all the while forgetting that we were technically running a race.

I also had the pleasure of meeting and befriending countless new faces. It's not everyday I divulge my life story to someone I literally just met, but when you have 12 hours to pass...

Working together went beyond just entertainment: each competitor was essentially also a strategic consultant. Any ultra poses a number of logistical decisions that need to be made, which I absolutely talked through with whoever I was with at the time:

"I'm thinking of eating a bag of chips next lap then a sandwich at noon. Do you think that's a good idea?"

"How much water are you drinking? I'm not sure I'm getting enough."

The on-again, off-again rain of the first few hours especially spurred much deliberation:

"Should we change into our dry clothes soon?"

"I heard more rain might be coming…should we wait?"

All to say, Timely operated more like a team event than a competition. I absolutely found solace in advice from the more experienced ultrarunners on the course and was equally happy to share my input and resources when possible.

Of course, some of the most effective advice and support came from our unofficial pacers: many of the 12-hour runners had friends generously donate their time and energy on the course. Mike - one of CUSS’s earliest members - carried me through dozens of laps, keeping me fueled, hydrated, and hyped during some of the race’s most critical junctures. His presence made all the difference during some of my "low" moments of the day.

"Lows" and "highs" are pretty much unavoidable in such a long effort. I personally went through several cycles of ups and downs throughout the final 6 hours. My lows included knee pain in the afternoon hours, mental fatigue in the early evening (AKA bored, dazed, and confused during some solo laps), and stomach issues in the final hour (my stomach couldn’t wait just 30 more minutes before acting up?? 😫). Fortunately, each issue had a solution: dawning compression sleeves for my knees, rewarding myself with aid-station snacks when the laps started to feel long, ducking into the bathroom (or bushes…), etc; and each solution was never more than a mile away!

That being said, my fatigue and pain completely vanished every time I passed by the cheer section. I was so impressed by how many 6-hour and relay runners stayed after their events to cheer on the 12-hour runners. I also still can’t figure out who cheered louder: Arturo’s wonderfully supportive family or the Rogers Park Running Club! Either way, everyone’s energy was contagious and I looked forward to passing the numerous spectators every single mile.

This race ended up being one of most successful to date, which I credit to all of the amazing people around that day. That being said, experience was also key to success: I also “ran” Timely Nonsense in 2022, which was my first year running ultras, so I still had plenty to learn. Specifically, I approached Timely 2023 with improved strategy and practice in two key areas: pacing and nutrition.

Wait, Pacing Actually Works??

Sure, pacing yourself during a 12-hour event sounds like the obvious move, but it's easier said than done. It requires a degree of patience and self-control, both which I lacked last year nor thought to practice during my training at the time.

Which is how I found myself running the first 3 hours of Timely 2022 with Kevin and Jason, dropping 9-minute miles, chasing after the 6-hour runners, and having a blast…until reality set in. Perhaps a slower start would've been prudent?

Having learned my lesson, I spent the months before Timely 2023 actively practicing slowing down. Everyone has a natural pace that feels comfortable for routine runs, so easing the speed can actually be surprisingly difficult and requires discipline and intentionality - both which are trainable skills (as an aside: as fun as the monthly CUSS challenges are, they're also excellent opportunities to practice controlled and mindful running).

Equipped with months of rehearsing a more thoughtful pace and memories of 8 hours of exhaustion last year, I approached Timely 2023 with some serious restraint and stuck with 12-minute miles for the first six hours. This strategy made all the difference: by mile 40 I was still feeling energetic and even started to pick up my speed.

Fine Dining At The Local Speedway

Slowing down during my Timely training runs also made practicing another skill much easier: eating while running!

Eating on the move (literally) is honestly the best part of ultrarunning. As such, dropping into gas stations during long training runs became a common ritual of mine. Leaving behind the chews and gels in favor of real food and snacks makes the long, grueling efforts more fun. Plus the faces strangers make when they spot you running down the street actively munching on half a burrito is just priceless.

If these gas station field trips taught me anything, it's the importance of options. The week of the race I went to REI and bought over $100 worth of snacks - I was only marginally embarrassed when the employees at check-out asked if I was "preparing for a big trip." Even some of my friends scoffed at how much food I packed for the race: gels and salt tablets, but also trail mix, chocolate, peanut butter tortilla wraps, desserts, and more. But the plan wasn't to eat all of that throughout the day, but rather to just make sure I had a menu of sorts during the race.

You likely won't know for sure what you'll find appetizing during the race, so giving yourself plenty of options is key. I’ve come to let my appetite naturally and instinctively lead me to what my body needs in the moment. Trusting that process - rather than forcing myself to stick to some arbitrary and overly calculated nutrition plan - worked wonders for me at Timely. Throughout 12-hours, I enjoyed not only Tailwind and Nuun, but also potato chips, PB&J sandwiches, protein bars, fruit, a peanut butter tortilla wrap, and more. This was a massive improvement over last year, when a loss-of-appetite and general nausea forced me to rely solely on Tailwind for six hours straight.

Also, you know what "nothing new on race day" rule? I've always felt that rule was made to be broken, and eating whatever looks good in the moment sure is fun. Take it from Bryan, whom I witnessed eat both fresh sushi and hot pizza throughout the day - both which seemed to uplift him quite a bit (I was far less brave and avoided the pizza delivered straight to the aid station).

In summary, leaning into the social nature of the race, practicing a strategic pace, and enjoying my favorite snacks all led to a wonderful and fun day!