With just a little over a week until my first 50 miler, I'm suddenly getting a little nervous about finishing the distance!    I think I'm ready.   But, I'm having doubts.  My longest run ever was 30 miles and that was just a few weeks ago.  Now I have one week to work out any of the kinks to make sure this longer run goes smoothly. 

 

The furthest I ran in my training before my first 50 miler was 24.3 miles, so less than half the distance. You've got me beat there. Just don't tweak and trust that you're ready when you get to the starting line. 

A few of us did a two-loop training run on the Stone Cat course yesterday. That map is public in my log. The course is winding and with varied terrain including some rocky and rooty paths, flat bridle paths, water obstacles yesterday, and a fair number of small hills. The 50 is four loops of a 12.5 mile course. The water did not bother some of us, but I spent wasted a good deal of mental energy trying vainly to come up with creative ways of avoiding soaking my shoes (think detours, stilts, barefoot, walking on hands, piggy-back, plastic bags, carry dry socks, etc.). The water hazard is only about 200 feet long, but it comes near mile 3, so you run the next 9 miles in wet shoes and socks. That turned out to be less bad than I feared. Not optimal, but not terrible either.

 

I think I've come around to the idea that it will be a fun course on race day.

Oh wait, so you were serious about the plastic bags/ ziploc baggies on your feet.  Wow, I never even gave that a thought!      

 

 

Jp, I thought you were joking in the first post too, but now I'm trying to figure out if there some learned ultra racing secret where that actually works!

 

MTA: And my thing with not being able to see the trail with leaf cover is less about the falling than the ankle sprains! I've run trails all my life, and probably fallen from not being able to see the path once or twice. Instead, I have flimsy ankles and have had some bad sprains in the past. I don't care about falling, but the ankle sprains do freak me out!

For me it's both - When bombing down a hill at break neck speed .... If there are lots of rocks and you fall forward there is a good chance of plitting your nogg'n open like a ripe mellon.  Just be careful ... If it is a technical area and lots of leaves - Just a touch of caution and you will be fine! 

 

 

MTA: And my thing with not being able to see the trail with leaf cover is less about the falling than the ankle sprains! I've run trails all my life, and probably fallen from not being able to see the path once or twice. Instead, I have flimsy ankles and have had some bad sprains in the past. I don't care about falling, but the ankle sprains do freak me out!

Bodyglide your feet and just get them wet.  Depending on the race length, technicality, and drop bag situation, I *might* have a dry pair of shoes and socks waiting for me after.

 

But trashbags and whatnot?

 

No, no, no.

Bodyglide your feet and just get them wet.  Depending on the race length, technicality, and drop bag situation, I *might* have a dry pair of shoes and socks waiting for me after.

 

But trashbags and whatnot?

 

No, no, no.

 

I bought Bodyglide and will use that.  I'll plan on having new socks at the drop bag stop (mile 24 I think).

I like drinking water and getting salt from Scaps, chips, gel, and other food.

 

my stomach does better when I stick with drinking water

 

You can get behind on salt and fix that quickly as noted. You get too behind on water or calories and it's tough to catch up. Chances are you'll need salt caps at some point. MTA: all this advice is great but it will take you multiple races to figure yourself out. Took me many about 5 races over 13+ months to have a "routine" plan.

I would just get wet feet.  Depending on how deep the water is - Garbage bags might work ...  but if you put a hole in them you will get wet feet anyway

 

A nice pair of smartwool socks will do the trick.  Wool does a great job of making your feet feel great even when they are wet.  Hell, I wear them even when it is not wet out because they really help with the blisters...