With the Bear done I'm considering running the Wild Duluth 100k again for the 5th year in a row. It's a very beautiful race in northern Minnesota. The only downside is that it's less than 3 weeks away. I think I'll wait until the week of and see how the weather shapes up, last year it was a mud-fest and I quit after 50k (thought due to PF not the mud).

RWD -  Freaking sick again?

Treadmill - nice 5k race report.  Sounds fun.

Krash - huge month.

WC - Nice mileage

Fnkyhd - $500?  Wow.  This is a rich mans game.  Bring on the self supported adventures.

Gatsby - great that you volunteer and get the discounts.  It was a way that I got entries for a while.

Drock - I envy the area you live in.  Nice vert.

Nooky - another race?  go for it.

Good luck on the Twin Cities marathon this weekend RWD!

edit: sorry ur not feeling well.

I got got all sorts of Tailwind because race according to info I had was Heed, then I actually took the time to read the race brochure and theY have Tailwind.  So now I’ll have a lot.  What I’m saying is I need to find a race next to use this stuff up, that’s all.  If I can take a break after next weekend, I may be motivated to do a winter race.

Last race I forgot my drop bag, apparently they’re mailing it.  It has my poles which I’ve never used for a race (just snow shoeing), so I’m hoping they get here. And e  which are spent anyway.  It’s not that they’re needed but I think at the end, it may just be nice to have to off load even a little and aid impaired balance.

Why I bring it up, is that the race manual says they give u a little sign to put on your steering wheel to remind you to pickup your drop bag, that’s cool.  They also mention the time change, so apparently I’m not the only one who shows up an hour late!

btw, I love when Halloween candy comes out, great for fueling runs with mini bars, also the rare mini Pay Days which are hard to find.

Ive some innovations for gear:  one is wrapping a couple feet of duct tape around a pencil to take with to put over blister gel bandaids or mole skin to help keep them on.  Or anything else that needs duct tape. The other which I have conceptualize but not made yet is a little pouch for backup batteries attached to your headlamp strap so you don’t have to go rooting around in the dark. Basically slip 3 AAAs end to end  in almost like a spee belt on the strap.  Pretty simple.   I wish I could sew, I want a pocket big enough to hold the stupid big iPhone.

Ran 42 mi this week with a 30.2mi trail run today (Wildwood Trail-Portland). 1st time running over 20 miles, 1st marathon distance, 1st "ultra" distance.  3,800 elev. gain, 5:32:58.  Felt pretty good I guess, nothing seems broken!

I didn't feel like the time and $ of entering a 50k race.  Also 1st time taking in any sort of "nutrition" besides water during a run.  Had my 2x 17 oz bottles filled with Coke, 50oz Camelbak bladder 'o water and a 4.5oz Trail butter.  Had about 1 oz Coke, 8 oz water and 1/3 of the butter left.  No "bonk" but who knows if that rate would be enough to sustain a longer distance?  I guess I'll find out...

60 miles for the week.  No long runs, lots of short sessions.  4 hill repeat sessions for 4500 gain and 1 session of intervals.  Started the week slow but then doubled on Wednesday, tripled on Thursday, and doubled on Friday.  Joined the 3:20 marathon group although that time is very optimistic, borderline unrealistic, for me.  First thing said is run more road, so starting the transition.  Still working on weight loss.  Ate pretty clean this week with minimal snacking, but stayed the same.  It's the booze again and the slowdown of non running activities.  50k in two weeks will be untapered and taken very easy.

Treadmill - interesting idea on the battery pouch but I would just carry a spare light.  Batteries in dropbags and don't hesitate asking a volunteer for help.  Batteries are the second most difficult task late in a race.  Tying a shoelace, first.

Drock - the fell race sounds interesting.  Any environmental concerns about going off trail?

Strambo - nice job on the 50k a fast time too.  Even more so carrying all those fluids.  Noticed you are kind of on the binge running schedule that I mastered over the years.  It got me to the finish line but i had much better results with more weekly mileage even though most of those miles seemed "junky".  Don't change if it is working though.  Everyone is different.  On nutrition you will need to start adding some solid food when the distance increases.  The electrolytes,salt pills, sports drinks, gels, NASIDS, are all overused, over rated, and overpriced, based on my observations.  I use in limited amounts, but giving the choice I like solids.  Again, find out what works for you through training and experimentation.

Nice run, Strambo!

Thanks everyone for all the support with TCM! I did make it to the start, despite numerous little life events conspiring to keep me away. I had a HUGE positive split, thanks in part to starting a little too fast (which I was ok with, I just rolled with it knowing I could back off later) and also in part to a looming side stitch that required much walking. I finished in 5:32:55, which was just under my "C" goal which was also probably the most reasonable given my current training. I am undecided if I like road marathons or not.

RWD - Congrats on the marathon.

Strambo - Way too big of a topic to discuss in a post.  The book "Feed Zone Portables" is really good.  Explains Gastric Emptying Rates, absorption, describes liquid and solid foods, breakdown of the gut lining, etc.  For me, I guess I am just lucky to have the rock gut but I have found too much liquid causes the sloshy gut and takes a long time to absorb unless I eat solids.  Another thing to consider is most sports drinks and gels have no fat and protein.  You need a balance to go for a long time.  I say start with solids with the first aid station.  Remember, 100 mile pace will be slower than anything you do in training.  Running slow on a full stomach is not too difficult.

Fnkyhd - nice week.  Good job on the X-training.  I will do some CSI on your report and see if I can come up with anything.  Also recommend that book to you and everyone else.  Note: I have no affiliation with Skratch labs or exclusively use their products.  They do make some decent chews, however.