Intro
The race overall is straight forward. The course is a two mile loop that runners will do 50 times. This is a classic style ultra; small field of runners & dedicated volunteers. The race has one cut-off, 32 hours, i.e. 2 pm on Sunday. Its nice to not have intermediate cut-offs because there is no pressure to run at a pace or "bank time" while you still have legs.
This run is going to be my long run for the Headlands 100 (link) steady is the name of the game. I want to be able to run at night, smile, and drive back to Los Angeles after finishing.
^^^yeah you read that right...drive back to LA after finishing^^^
The weather is going to be the issue with this one. Slight breeze, some humidity (43%) and then 91 degrees in the heat of the day. If my nutrition is off it will be a Nanny Goat (Report) repeat and I am not looking to have that happen ever again.
Pre-Race
The plan is drive up north thursday night/friday morning. I want to be in the area before the race to pick up a few gallons of water and anything I may have forgotten. Also its going to a different race for me because I'll be camping in nearby Henry W. Coe State Park (link) by myself the night before. I want a little alone time before this one. Lately my mind has raced so much with school and life that it will be nice to just unplug and meditate a little. I think the silence will help me focus and stay on task rather than the usual pre-race rush that I am usually in.
Race/Gear
Basic plan is to run the first 50 in 11-12 hours, and the second 50 in 13-14 for a total moving time of 24-26 hours. Legs have been able to turn quicker in the last few months, but my problem is mentally reigning it in. I get excited being out there with good people and I forget the plan. This race is all about saving enough legs for the night which will be crucial at the Headlands. If its in the cards and my race is developing well I'll try and break 24, but that's not the goal for this one.
First half for sure I will have the headphones in and be a mute. I know that I need to stay in my head not get carried away with the other runners that are doing a shorter distance since there will be simultaneous runners doing 50k and 50m races in addition to the 100m.
The big gear change is the Salomon Men's EVO Wings Shorts (link). I usually race in NorthFace or Patagonia because they have never let me down and they feel right. But I wanted to try something that would reinforce the quads a little and these fit the bill. Particularly because I know how much downhill can kill your major muscle groups on the trails. I have never raced in these, but have done some good runs in them so I am confident that they will hold up.
Nutrition, standard. Tailwind (link). It works, 200 calories per 22 oz bottle and off to the races. I will probably run the race in the Newton Gravity and have the Altra Instinct 1.5 in a bag just in case.
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