Rockin River 50 Pre-Race Write-Up

What can I say, the race is 5 days away and I am nervous. Since my last 50 miler, my consistency has vastly improved and I have even slimmed down a touch. I have been eating a lot healthier and transitioning slowly to the Paleo Diet. I feel that I can mentally get to the end, but physically I am having doubts. And when the brain and body are not in sync there are problems. I am not comfortable with the shape I am in; the lightness is foreign to me. I remember other runners dealing with weight loss in different ways. For me it is bittersweet. I remember being fit and then loosing it to laziness and circumstance. But at my peak fitness I was a cyclist who flew up hills and I was all about feeling powerful and bold. But now that I am getting closer to being “fit” I question the way I am supposed to feel. I feel light but not strong, efficient but not powerful.  I am not sure that my quads will be able to take the downhill and that my upper back will not lock up.  I have the tendency to raise my shoulders and after a few miles the energy spent being tense takes its toll. I am hoping that I can get my brain and body in sync and just feel like smooth….fat free, non artery clogging, good for the planet butter.

The equipment I am going to be using is a 1.5 liter Salomon XT Skin Advanced pack. I was going to go with one or two handhelds and the Nathan #28 vest but I have not trained with them enough to feel confident about that decision and there are stretches that I could go as over an hour between aid stations and i don't want to risk something untested.  I had some issues with my trusty Salomon Skin Pack…the pockets tore b/c of gels moving around so I cut water bottles, taped the edges and slipped them in as protectors.  Now it feels like they will hold, it is weird with the crunchy plastic noises but I like the pack so much I would probably sow new side pockets if they ripped.  The thing just works for me and a little Spaniard named Killian (just saying).

Here is my time chart.  The cut-off for the race is 12 hours…3 hours and change better than I did at Bishop :

(Blue: Amazing!!, Green: Ideal, Red: Cut-off racing)

My friend Berto is going to pace me. He is also an accomplished ultra-runner. He shaved off a ton of time on his Bulldog 50k run and is consistent and strong as they come. I will def be looking to him for some guidance and “alternative” fueling...just kidding. He was my roommate in college and saved me from starving both on and off campus and even helped pull me up from under a truck (don’t ask); so I definitely have a lot of faith in him.

Equipment will be as follows (top to bottom):

Headsweats Visor

Oakley Sunglasses (because I like em)

iPod Shuffle

Salomon Advanced Skin Pack (review) (1.5 liter)

Salt Stick dispenser (3 pills)

Endurolytes (3 in dispenser 12 in pack)

Hammer Gel (go down easy)

Hydrapak Soft Flask 5oz (I always start with this one in the beginning save the environment hommie)

Buff (in pack)

Northface Shell Jacket (fact: I have worn it to a concert..folded it up and placed it in my back pocket no problems)

Advil/ TUMS/ band-Aids (in Altoids box in pack)

inkBurn Tech Tee -it is comfortable and it looks cool as hell.

Pearl Izumi Arm Coolers (white) they match better with the gear and I have used them on long runs

Patagonia Long Hauler Shorts (used during 50k, they are 80s styling, roadie type shorts but they have been good on long runs)

Shoes: Newton Terra Momentus (green goblins…maybe retirement after this run)

DirtyGirl Gaiters (them pebbles will get-cha)

Newton or Nike Sox (they are what I train with)

Drop Bag Contents

Hoka OneOne Mafate Shoes (I may need the extra cushion 2^nd half b/c there is more road)

Newton Sir Issac (again depends on how I am feeling…if I need to make up time…rollin newton)

NorthFace Cardiac Shorts (just in case)

Tech Tee

Moeben Sleeves (black)

BodyGlide

Extra sox

Ultimate Direction UNO waist pack (if my back goes its plan B and it saved me at Bishop)

Ultimate Direction Handheld (again..Plan B in case the pack messes with me)

Northface Better than Naked Jacked (if I leave the pack I will do this and the UD stuff)

GU, Cliff Gells, Ginger Candy

And there it is…prep complete now just need to run 50 miles.  No problema.