5 to 10 tonight, probably 5. We'll see.
QOTD: What are your thoughts concerning drop bags and logistics for long races?
I would prefer to carry everything I need with me from the beginning and have a crew meet me along the way, if possible. I don't like fiddling around with a drop bag at an aid station. I am slow enough without wasting even more time at an aid station if I don't have a serious problem to fix. These are the things that are consuming my thoughts today and for the rest of the month as I make the final preparations for Pinhoti. I lined up a solid pacer yesterday, and I think my crew and plan will be adequate.
I have decided to pre-fill baggies of Tailwind, and a few special food items, and put them in a little fastpack I use when running. I have tinkered around with my hydration vest, which I like, but I can fit all my Tailwind and a few clothing items, vaseline, baby wipes, band aids, alka seltzer, etc. in that pack better than I can the vest. My brother will meet me at aid stations along the route, and I'll pick up my pacer at mile 41. He is good for the duration. The last time I attempted this race I got all mixed up messing around with drop bags, AS splits, and ended up "outsmarting" myself. I hate when I outsmart myself; it makes for a very long ride home.
LB2
running under the BigSky
ran w/ (well actually after)!) the local ultra group last night, got in ~ 8 miles at a much quicker pace than I would normally run, I think this Wed night run w/ this group will worth the suffering
qotd: I've only run 50k's and haven't had to deal w/ drop bags, but I agree w/ your reasoning- if you can comfortably carry what you need no sense in messing w/ drop bags; the only complication I see is if additional clothing/spare headlamp/etc would be needed
2023 goal 2023 miles √
2022 goal- 2022 miles √
2021 goal- 2021 miles √
Morning, folks! Heading to yoga at lunch, as long as our contractor doesn't show up late and make me miss the class. Hip is a little sore from yesterday's fall, but nothing a few ibuprofen can't fix.
qotd: NA, but interested in reading everyone else's thoughts.
have a good day, trailers!
Sort of a sluggish 5 miler on the road yesterday with some wind resistance on the loop back. Haven't felt wind resistance in awhile. Tonight, will get the gsp out for a run along the lake trails. Hard or easy side? TBD.
QOTD: A lot of this is course dependent. For a point to point race obviously the drop bag business is trickier than on a loop. Crew or not, I tend to use drop bags. What happens if your crew gets lost or held up by a forest ranger? For my few 100's, I've gone with two drop bags at most. It was plenty as I carried enough salt/gels with me to supplement the aid stations and rarely killed my supply before reaching a drop bag. I think having too many drop bags along the course would just mess with your race.
In dog beers, I've only had one.
Le professeur de trail
Got in 4 miles under the beautiful moonlight last night.
dc - you must have fallen pretty hard
QOTD: I have not run a race long enough where a crew was needed. Drop bags were sufficient. I did have a change of shoes one time at Hyner thinking I might want to change into dry shoes. I never did. I am tentative on putting shoes in a drop bag because I fear not getting my bag back. My second Hyner 50k I had a pair of socks that I changed into. It felt great to get out of the wet socks (around mile 19) and feel the warmth and comfort of dry socks....until I headed out of the AS and hit a much larger puddle than I anticipated.
I imagine one day when I attempt a hundred, I will probably over think the drop bag thingy.
Have a great day!
My favorite day of the week is RUNday
Yesterday was a URD. We either froze or canned over 100 lbs of chicken and turkey, then went to a high school soccer game in the evening. Didn't leave a lot of time for running. It looks like today will be about 7.5 miles.
QOTD: I did one 50k (Hyner) that used to have a option for drop bags. Last year they did not. At that distance I would use one but just to put extra Perpetuem in. Otherwise I don't have enough experience to really comment on it.
This coming spring I'm planning on doing the 25k version of Hyner and will probably have DW meet me at the one aid station with a fresh bottle of Perpetuem. That way I don't have to carry extra with me.
Crew getting lost, flat tire, held up by ranger, etc. are all things I am concerned about. Sandy's daughter had a flat at the 2012 Pinhoti. I don't remember if that made them miss one another or not. So, I am considering those things in my plan.
Pete
Marley and I had a nice 4 mile trail run again this lovely cool morning.
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QOTD: I have never used them, but I have also never run very long races.
TrailTromper
Tallahassee, Florida
Sue
I ran 6 miles last night and really enjoyed it..yes Earl was with me. Come the morning both husband and I said we are going to get up early...come morning I could not get out of bed!! Slept good but these darker mornings are so hard to get moving. That leaves tonight.
QOTD: I have never entered a race that required a drop bag. 50K is my longest. You're running a 100..I would utilize the drop bags. Why not at least where day is expected to turn into night so you can change clothes, maybe have some special food in case you need it..even though you have a crew at least you know at mile 50 or 60 if for whatever reason they do not show up (stopped for beers) you will have something there. After the river crossing at WS Jason was very disappointed the crew wasn't they with his Hoka's because that's where he wanted to change into them. If he had them in the drop bag they would of been there. I actually thought he was going to cry.
QOTD2: What does it take to train for a 50 miler...it's 58 days away...do you think I can pull it off? I haven't done any long runs since end of July. I'm not fast but I am pretty strong.
05/13/23 Traverse City Trail Festival 25K
08/19/23 Marquette 50 dns 🙄
Sue: I think we have a workable plan laid out now. My biggest issue is that most of my experience is on loop courses where after that first 20 or 25 mile loop is done, you know what is coming. On a P2P course that you aren't familiar with, things change. For example, I was anticipating about 1:45 between two particular aid stations. When I got 1:45 into it, I wasn't there; then, I got 2 hours into it; I still wasn't there. I started to believe that I must be in danger of the cutoffs, which was not the case. Nevertheless, I panicked. Also, I am notorious for totally screwing up my watch when I am running a race. I am just going to let it run this time around and not try to figure out splits between aid stations. I'll let my brother jot that down if he feels like it. I just want to finish this damned thing. I later looked at split times for earlier races and realized that almost all runners were between 2 hours and 2.5 hours between those aid stations because the mileage was incorrect. There was one exception to the two hour timeframe; Karl Meltzer made it between the two in 1:35 and ran the course in 17:12. Anyway, enough about that...
QOTD 2: Yes. I think you can do it with a few long runs. I am playing around with some things I don't usually do with my last two longish runs (B2B this weekend). I am running 25 minutes and walking 5 minutes for a total of 4 hours for each run. I need the time, and I need to continue practicing walking. I think that might be a good strategy to sort of kickstart things after your break from the long runs. You have a solid base that probably hasn't faded as much as you think it has.
Tim
15 solo miles on logging roads. Saw 3 trucks with bow hinters, otherwise very peaceful run enjoying the start of our fall colors.
dc - ouch. Hope you feel better.
QOTD: I'd prepare with drop bags. I have snack baggies that I use with pre-mixed Tailwind. Each baggie is for 20oz. I also like to have a shirt change just in case and have a bottle of Mt Dew. It would suck to miss your crew and not have what you need.
QOTD 2: Yes, we are enablers. Go for it.
“Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway!
Refurbished Hip
Sue, is your log up to date? Or do you only record some of your runs here?
Running is dumb.
It is currently not up to date. Looks like I haven't loaded Sept yet..I have been running 3 to 4 days a week 5 to 6 miles each run. And I might add I did the 50K on this course and you are either walking up a hill or running down a hill soo...I may have answered my own question.
It is currently not up to date. Looks like I haven't loaded Sept yet..I have been running 3 to 4 days a week 6 5 to 6 miles each run.
I guess I wouldn't attempt a 50 with the last few months at less than 100 miles per month and no long runs since summer. I know you're a strong runner and have the tenacity to push through, but for me personally I wouldn't do it. I would rather get in a decent training cycle and enjoy my race. However if you decide to, we will of course cheer you on
Bagged my morning run so trying for a shorter run getting in the same hills this pm/evening.
QOTD: I have never had a crew, so I rely on drop bags. I include my own nutrition when feasible, and spare socks/shoes/jackets/batteries as appropriate. Point to point is harder than an out and back course, though, so I would put some things in bags and some with the crew.