The Road to 100: My 2026 Running Roadmap

I’d had my sights set on the marathon for most of 2025.

After skipping the distance for most of my running life, 2025 was the time to go after it in full force.

And it was everything I imagined it to be. It was loud, it was fast, and it was a completely different beast than the trails I’d spent years running. But here’s the thing: it was never meant to be permanent.

2025 was about testing my speed, seeing what I was capable of on the roads, and proving to myself that I could actually run 26.2 without falling apart. And mission accomplished, kind of. I learned a ton, set some PRs, made some classic rookie mistakes, and crossed two marathon finish lines with a mix of pride and frustration.

But for 2026? The roads are behind me. And it’s time to get back to the mountains.

This year isn’t about speed. It’s about endurance. It’s about finally doing what I’ve been building toward for years: tackling my first 100-miler. And unlike my previous ultra attempts, I’m taking a much smarter approach this time — a “stepping stone” race schedule designed to actually prepare me for what’s ahead.

Lessons from the Road: 2025 in Review

Let’s rewind. Early 2025, I set my sights on the Pittsburgh Marathon. Being a local race, it was the obvious choice, and I signed up immediately in January.

But before I could toe that start line, I needed to test my training.

Mesa Half Marathon: A Confidence Builder

The Mesa Half Marathon in Arizona became that test. Super flat course, perfect for gauging fitness without the variables of hills. Plus, I was running it with a friend so it was a nice extra bit of motivation.

And I honestly loved this race. The vibe from the crowds, the flat and fast nature, and it helps I set a new half marathon PR of 1:33:34 — which beat my previous best by about 10 minutes. That felt good. Really good. And It gave me the confidence I needed heading into Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh Marathon: The Rookie Mistakes

I’d lose my job about a month before race day, and it definitely deadened my training sails as I headed into race day.

But, regardless, I headed in with the right mindset. First marathon. A mix of anxiety, excitement, and nerves all wrapped into one. And then the gun went off.

I lined up toward the front, which meant the pace was quick from the start. I spent the early miles bobbing and weaving around people, which — spoiler alert — would come back to bite me later.

But at the time, I felt great.

That was rookie mistake #1: I went out too hot. And rookie mistake number two? I relied entirely on Tailwind’s liquid fuel, specifically their high-carb mix. No gels. No solid food. Just liquid carbs.

By mile 13, I couldn’t take any more liquids. My stomach was done. And from there, things went downhill.

I gutted it out and crossed the finish line in 3:30:33. For a first marathon, I was happy with the time. But I knew I’d left time on the course.

The Marathon Interlude: A Trip to Quebec

I was still riding that marathon high and wanted another crack at it. I wanted to apply what I’d learned. So I signed up for the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon in November.

But between Pittsburgh and Indianapolis, I had the opportunity to run two fantastic races in Quebec — courtesy of the Quebec Maritime Tourism Board. My fiancée and I ran the Beluga Ultra Trail (30K of rocky, rooty terrain). Leading up to this race, I didn’t have an appetite and wasn’t really able to take in any fuel leading up to race day.

A combination of that and the course absolutely destroyed me and made me earn that finish line. But, a fantastic race nonetheless.

The Ultra Trail Forillon (a three-day, 50K stage race) on the Gaspe Peninsula was a bit different. First, it had arguably some of the most beautiful course terrain I’ve seen in a race. Just epic coasts and beautiful vistas seemingly around every turn. I approached this race a bit differently (first by eating leading up to it 😅) and second by just taking it easy. This was Kaitlyn and I’s first official race where we’d run together, so I just wanted to take it in and enjoy it.

This ended up being a two week trip through Quebec where we got to see some AMAZING areas that I didn’t even know existed. And getting to do these races was just the cherry on top.

Indianapolis Monumental Marathon: A Better Plan, Mixed Results

Heading to the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, I felt somewhat confident I could beat my PR.

I fixed my fueling strategy. I switched to energy gels mixed with some liquid calories, so I felt confident that I would fix that mistake from Pittsburgh. That part worked. But I still made a critical mistake: pacing.

I had some issues with my watch early on, and I also just ran too fast in the opening miles which came back to bite me toward the end as I just didn’t have enough in the tank from my training.

By mile 20, I bonked. I crossed the finish line in 3:29:19 — beating my Pittsburgh time by just over a minute. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed. I expected the flat Indianapolis course to work more in my favor than the hills of Pittsburgh. But that’s running. You take the lessons, learn from the mistakes, and move forward.

So with that said, here’s a look at my plan for 2026.

The 2026 Roadmap: A Smarter Approach to 100 Miles

This year is different. This year, I’m building toward something bigger.

The goal is to run a 100 Miler in September, and I’m using a strategic “stepping stone” race schedule to get there. The idea is to slowly build up across the year and arrive at the 100-mile start line feeling ready (very much the OPPOSITE of my previous 100-mile attempt in 2023).

February: Mesa 10K – The Speed Foundation

In a couple of weeks, I’m heading back to Mesa, Arizona. This time for the 10K. It’s a chance to test my speed after about 6-8 weeks of base training and get some early season confidence.

Plus, it’s flat and fast, which means I can see exactly where my fitness is at and what I need to focus on moving forward.

Besides that, I’m just excited to run the race again. It was a fun atmosphere last year for the half, so I’m hoping the same will be true again this year!

May: Pittsburgh Half Marathon – Coming Full Circle

In May, I’m returning to Pittsburgh. The same city that tortured me almost exactly a year ago.

But this time, I’m running the half marathon. It’ll be another solid test of my aerobic base heading into my first main event of the season (see the next section). I’m also just excited to be in Pittsburgh again. Even though the race absolutely beat my ass last year, I still enjoyed everything about it. I grew up about 45 minutes from Pittsburgh and have visited countless times throughout my life, so it feels like a “home city” to me almost having gone to Pirates games and different events with my parents.

Plus, it’s still one of my favorite crowds from the races I’ve run. Just that classic Yinzer support. People screaming their heads off, screaming out “let’s fuckin’ go!” and “Only 20 more miles to dahntahn, fuckin step on it! Yinz got it!” That stuff that’s so unique to Pittsburgh you just have to love it.

So, yeah, long story short: I’m looking forward to this race.

May: Rothrock 50K – The First Stepping Stone

This is where things get serious. The Rothrock 50K is my first ultra of the year, and it’s a UTMB index race.

One of my long-term goals has been to run one of the UTMB races, and Rothrock is the first step toward earning those “Running Stones” for the lottery. This race will net me two stones (aka two chances) to get into one of the UTMB World Series races.

The course looks amazing to a midwest guy like myself — hills, rocks, and roots through Pennsylvania. Coming from Ohio, I’m very familiar with that style of terrain, so I’m excited to put in the work and see what I can do over 50K.

This would also be, at least in my book, my first ultra finish.

I completed a 47K in Thailand in 2020 and also the 3-day 50K at Ultra Trail Forillon, but they haven’t quite checked the box of finishing an ultra in my mind.

Rothrock can change that.

July: TransRockies “Pub to Pass” – Three Days in the Rockies

This is the race I’m probably most excited for (at least visually). The TransRockies “Pub to Pass” Full Pint race is a three-day stage race covering 50 miles through Colorado.

The scenery is going to be unbelievable. The course runs along the mountains near Leadville so there are going to be some absolutely EPIC views during this race. Plus, it’s going to be an incredible test of back-to-back recovery and sustained effort.

My focus in this race is less so the distance (obviously 50 miles across 3 days doesn’t necessarily translate as far as a long effort for 100-mile training), but more on getting my climbing legs ready. These mountains will destroy my legs, but they’ll also prepare them for Grindstone about two months later.

October: Grindstone 100 Mile – The Main Event

And then there’s Grindstone. The 100-miler. Another UTMB race, and the one that’s been on my mind for years.

Here’s the backstory: I signed up for the Grindstone 100K a couple of years ago, but I broke my toe before race day and never got to run it. At the time, I was staying near Shenandoah National Park, and the trails there were absolutely stunning. So not getting to run this race was a bit of a letdown. And I’ve wanted to get back ever since.

Now I’m returning — not for the 100K, but for the full 100 miles.

Everything this year is practice for that race. The 10K tests my speed. The half marathon tests my aerobic base. The 50K is my first real ultra distance. The stage race teaches me how to recover and run on tired legs and deal with mountains. And then, hopefully, I line up at Grindstone ready to troubleshoot whatever the mountains throw at me.

I might not be as excited when I’m actually running those 100 miles, but that’s the goal. That’s what this whole year is building toward.

So, let’s see how it goes, eh?

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The Road to 100: My 2026 Running Roadmap