Yes!, I have enough runs in the new Olympus 3.0 to say that I like them a lot better than the 2.0 version. I might just try them the entire race and keep my other shoes in drop bags just in case.

Oh man, now that I know how to one-click order shoes I may get some Olympus. Was the sizing similar to other Altras like say Lone Peaks?  I would think so.  There’s no where around to try them.  Maybe I will use that prospect as motivation to finish.

Ive been using Halloween candy as motivation (fueling on runs).

hey all,

WCR, put me down as a big DNF at ML100

rr here: https://fnkyhd.wordpress.com/2018/09/24/mountain-lakes-100-dnf-report/

this sounds strange but it's probably the best result for me. take me down a notch where i belong. definitely want to keep running & maybe dial in the 50M distance better. i wrote the report the day after because even though it's probably not representative of how i will feel the rest of the year or for months or whatever (when the desire to finish a 100 may grow again), it's how i feel now and i want to remember this feeling. big congrats to everyone who finished! and a strong word of appreciation for my friends and the race directors (GoBeyond Racing) and volunteers!

Fnky: One more idea for the next time that you say won't happen - try taking a nap and/or getting your feet up.  Lie on the ground with your feet in a chair if necessary.  At IMTUF, my friend Ather sat at an aid station for 3 hours and took a 2 hour nap while he was there.  It fixed his race  and he would have finished if he didn't have a flight to catch.  Eat before the nap if possible.  I was falling asleep on the way into the weak aid station at IMTUF, and although they didn't have any caffeine I closed my eyes in an uncomfortable chair for ~3 minutes and didn't have sleep problems after that.  I know your issue wasn't really falling asleep but I've found those breaks help with a lot of things - nausea, lack of energy, sleepiness, etc..  Take a dirt nap along the trail if you have to.

Fnky: One more idea for the next time that you say won't happen - try taking a nap and/or getting your feet up.  Lie on the ground with your feet in a chair if necessary.  At IMTUF, my friend Ather sat at an aid station for 3 hours and took a 2 hour nap while he was there.  It fixed his race  and he would have finished if he didn't have a flight to catch.  Eat before the nap if possible.  I was falling asleep on the way into the weak aid station at IMTUF, and although they didn't have any caffeine I closed my eyes in an uncomfortable chair for ~3 minutes and didn't have sleep problems after that.  I know your issue wasn't really falling asleep but I've found those breaks help with a lot of things - nausea, lack of energy, sleepiness, etc..  Take a dirt nap along the trail if you have to.

thanks. i sat outside for a while & ate and then went in a heated tent still shivering. i was dreading the wait for a ride back to the start but not as much as continuing. i just thought i would get hypothermic if i napped on the trail. i had more layers but the inner layers were still soaked. i got lucky because when i came out of the tent to pee i asked again if anyone was going back in case they had forgotten me and just then Todd was leaving and he said get in. Eileen & Chris made it though. knowing that she finished really makes it all worthwhile.

i read the short report on imtuf. looking forward to reading the rest. sounds brutally cold. this time of year high up and we are just getting done with the heat so not adapted.

Just checking in to say I finished WAM55k, 11h38m, 8700' of vert, with a massive first climb from the valley to the peak of Whistler. I thought I'd be about an hour or so faster, happy to finish with no injuries. Was snowing and windy in the alpine, and was glad to get back down into the trees. Was a little slippery running in the slush at the top, no falls. I'm glad I dressed warmly, tights and long sleeved wool shirt. I will write up a full race report, and catch up on reading here.

 

Wam 55k Strava

Congrats! A friend of mine ran the 110k - that course looks HARD!

Seamax - about 4600' some was steep and muddy with ropes to help. Didn't really need the rope, I just held on in case of slipping. I was worried about chaffing with the wool, since I forgot to bring any of my anti-chaffing stuff. No chaffing at all, even though it was wet. 10 miles to the first aid station, and with all the climbing, was a long ways

Congrats  Drock, on the 55K, though I am not precisely sure exactly how far that is I would guess something like a 50K + a 5K?  I can think in kilometers only as they are divisible by common race lengths, but hey that's better than the non-running USA population I am sure.

fnkyhd  -  you should complain to the RD, c'mon they didn't give you free Vaporfly 4%?  I cannot wear Nikes, my foot is too wide, so I have never tried running in them.

I think the thing about hypothermia is overlooked, we talk about what causes DNFs nausea, gi, msk injury, mental stuff, but I have been in 50-60 degree sunny weather after running all day, your warm and not thinking about it, the sun goes down and you start freezing.  I have to anticipate it rather than wait until your freezing.  For me without a crew that means carry it and putting it on early.  I always carry an Eblanket and lightweight waterproof jacket.  This next race I am going to have a base layer in Ziploc bags so it doesn't get soaked with sweat and thus useless.  I also have a Bivvy, which I have never broken out, but in case I need a long nights nap.  But I wont carry that, it will just be in one of the drop bags, so not so useful if its not with me.  I cant imagine doing mountain races like you guys where the weather can change even more drastically.  I would need a mule.

Wool  - I can't wear regular wool I break out or it itches me to no end.  I use smartwool for base layer and socks/gloves in the winter. I love it.  I think it does keep you dryer and a wider range of temperatures.  Also, the not smelling multiuse thing is good.  It is expensive, but because it spends less time in the wash, I can use it more.

DNF: I want that DNF sticker, that is great!  Plus it is something to take symbolize like any opportunity for growth that comes your way, right?  Everyone will be trying to figure out what it means!  "Do Not Fk w/ me" or  "Donut Farmer" something like that.  Or at sticker like "SLR" if you finished Seamax's long report .   (which I did btw)

At the risk of making this my personal blog...

First time I DNF'd, I felt like I got the air knocked out of me.   I got the gi distress and got swept up.  That's when I knew I took this sh$t way too seriously.  Funny thing is, I thought I learned that lesson before with other pursuits.  Not so much.   I am a slow study.  From then on I have been a lot less in earnest about this.  But I would never say it is not an important part of my life.

Along with DNFs,  I have a lot of near-DNF experiences (you see the tunnel of light but something pulls you back).  I  have quit a few times in races, I mean like in one race quit several times. I am not just saying thought about quitting.  I am saying I made up my mind to quit at the next aid station.  That conviction brought great relief and motivation to get there to officially quit and go home.  Then I sat down at the AS and enjoyed watching people go in and out.  knowing that I was off the hook, suddenly it wasn't such a horrible experience now that I was spectating.  Then slowly started sipping soda, eating a little.  The gi distress calmed down a little after an hour or so it turned around to the point where I was able to run it in.

In another race,  I tried to DNF a couple times.  I sat down awhile at night, cant remember why, stomach maybe, then started shaking with cold, I thought okay almost there, a little colder I can legit quit due to hypothermia, but some guy offered me a warm car and then it turned it around and I couldn't quit.  Another time ( Mile 75) I was hurting, had not eaten in a couple hours, I layed down and tried to say f-it and go to sleep, I had good excuses:  not eating, both sides ITB, posterior tib, and blisters both feet and slow as ass, so that I might not make the cutoff anyway .  But all I could do is lay awake in pain, I couldn't sleep, I was too trashed to drive to the hotel, so really no good options.  So after 45 minutes I said well I can lay on the floor awake in pain or walk for 25 miles awake in pain, so really not much difference in terms of suffering it was a wash.

I have no idea why I am rambling on...