some call me Tim
Good morning, all! I'm about to head out for the race, having changed up my race morning breakfast routine. Living on the edge I know, but I found a good deal on beloved Stroopwafels at Aldi yesterday so Pop Tarts get the bench this time around. I feel like it could be a tradition in the making. We'll see if I manage to avoid another blowup on my third time out at this event.
I do feel like I'm playing it fast and loose, though. I threw some stuff together last night, but I'm used to 50k enough that I'm not sweating it as much as in the past. I'll still make sure I have all the basics, but obsessing about clothing options and nutrition is just not happening. Drop bag, whatever. Shirt, socks, lube, Tailwind, done. So,
QOTD: Do you find yourself stressing less about preparing for long or demanding races over time? And do you have a system you follow or a list - or do you just throw a bunch of stuff in a bag and sort it out on race morning?
ME WEBLARG
I ran 12 after work yesterday. I am drinking coffee now and heading out for 4 to 6 when the sun comes up. I'd like to just a few minutes to sit and drink coffee for a change.
QOTD: Great question. I have a pretty strict regimen when it comes to 100 miles. I check things off by the numbers on a checklist, and double and triple check things. But I have noticed that I don't have nearly as much crap as a lot of people have. I see people at races with bins of things, most of which they never use. If it is under 50 miles, I don't know that I need a checklist because I normally don't need very much.
LB2
Wishing I had a stroopwafel with my coffee right now. Ran speed intervals yesterday on my perfectlly flat trail along the bay with DH was kitesurfing. I saw three other runners in the woods, which was a record by at least two. Other than a popular section to the beach, no one ventures further into the trail network. It's a nice park and trails, so I understand it can't be mine forever.
Once I finish my coffee and get the kiddos from swim practice, I'll get in 5 with the running group.
Good luck Blarg! (and any other racers this weekend)
qotd: My races are short so don't need the planning and prep that goes into longer distances. With that said, I do generally wear the same clothes, shoes and eat similar food before my races.
Ok, maybe that stroopwafel was a bad idea, but now I write to you- prone and shivering in the cab of my truck, having given the lion's share of my discontent to an empty box that happened to be here. Yeah, I bailed at 18, first ever DNF but I couldn't keep anything down from the start. I think there is a bigger picture problem at work here but all the same I think I'll go back to pop tarts
Tim
Blarg - sorry to hear. Sounds like you have been out of sorts since your last race. Hopefully everything is ok. Not sure if the stroopwafle flavor would sit well with me before a race, but I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who likes a pre-race Pop-Tart. The only time I ever have one is on race day. Been doing it since before I was even running marathons. Sits well in stomach so I never changed it up.
Nice sunny run today on some logging and fire roads. We stayed off the trails for the bow hunters, Was pretty busy with trucks passing by. Must be turkey season because no on was wearing orange.
QOTD: Yes, I have a pretty good system down and stress a lot less because of it. I have a container with all of our supplies and we have a list of food to add taped to the lid. Trailfest was different because we were flying everything out and had no idea what the daily weather would be beforehand. Also getting stuff ready in the tent the night before was awkward, but after third night we had it down.
“Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway!
A really, really nice day here and I'm going to put time in on the trainer inside . I feel like it's a total waste with it being so nice outside. The problem is my road and mountain bikes need some work to ride them and I'm not running for several more days to let this hip thing settle down. Probably going to spin easy for about a 1/2 hour.
Blarg - Sorry to hear about the DNF. What race was this? Don't know if you can blame it on the Stroopwafels since you've eaten those in the past.
QOTD: I make a list and check it twice. Sometimes it's a big list but anymore it's not real long. I tend to take along multiple pairs of shoes for some reason even though I wouldn't even be able to change out at most of my races. Most often I can shove everything into one medium sized duffle bag with the exception of my Perpetuem container fitting in.
10 miles in Pisgua forest. Great day.
qotd No system. I don't eat chicken before a race but its because I don't like chicken.
Did 11 miles early this morning in the dark. A pretty good run since it was a little cooler and not so humid.
qotd: I have a few lists that I keep in the computer. When I'm planning for a run I take one that is the closest to the one I'm gonna do. You know, out & back, loops, point to point... then I tweak the list. It a no-brainer and works. And it's like throwing crap together but also having a safety net.
2/17/24 - Forgotten Florida 100 Mile, Christmas, FL
Update on my favorite race that I was not fortunate enough to do this year, Pinhoti.
Lace Up dropped early due to some issues but later paced a friend. I don't know if his friend finished. I do know that Karl Meltzer's course record of 16:42 that has stood since 2011 was shattered by 20 minutes by David Riddle's 16:22. And the female course record was bested, also by 20 minutes, by Jackie Merritt with a 19:04. Denise Bourassa held the previous record of 19:24, set in 2012. I would have expected the record to be broken in 2014; it was cold that year. The temps never rose above the low 50's. This year, I think things got into the mid 70's, maybe low 80's. In 2012, it was 82 and pretty muggy. The carnage was huge, but I think just about as many people had major trouble with the cold weather in 2014. Last year, the race course was altered due to flooding and rain; this year it has been extremely dry. Part of the course was closed earlier in the week due to forest fires, but the fire was contained, extinguished, and the trail was re-opened.
Hi again, long time.31 miles/4,200' gain/10:11 avg for the week for me. I'm in a buildup up mode with a road marathon in Feb (death valley) and a 68 mile race (backbone trail/santa monica mountains) in March. My last race was a desert 100k (Cuyamaca) in Oct and finished in 17 hrs 31 min/8,800' gain. It was 31 past my goal time. I spent over 1+ hr at aid stations, doh.Maybe later in the year I'll sign up for a 100 mile race :0I'll try to catch up with all of you and read back posts/RRs!
Welcome back Bagge_pants, sounds like you've been busy!
5.1 hilly trail miles yesterday, gonna try to do some speed work tonight.
Dang!!! I thought you were gone for good. Last I heard you had sodomized a skunk on the AT or something like that. Just giving you a hard time. Glad to have you back.