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Clark’s 2018 Laurel Ultra 70.5 Mile Race Plan

Clark MitchellClark Mitchell
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Clark’s 2018 Laurel Ultra 70.5 Race Plan

History

I have a lot of history with the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail in general and the Laurel Ultra specifically.  I grew up hiking this trail and I’ve run the 50K version of the ultra three times. I run sections of this trail as often as I can, year-round and I’ve run every mile of the trail in training this spring.

This is my first go at the full, 70.5 mile version. - http://www.laurelultra.com

Goals

This event has significant meaning for me in that I was introduced to it at a much younger age, and I dismissed the idea that I could something like that.  I had that same experience with Ironman too. A big motivator for me is the idea that my 50 year old self is cashing checks that my 30 year old self was too afraid to write.  Triathlon and now ultra marathons have helped me to expand my understanding of what’s possible and this is another big step in that progression.

My goals for the day are really simple:

  • Finish - run, walk or crawl if necessary, just get my butt across the line.

  • Have fun - celebrate the fact that I can do things like this and that I’m actually out doing them

  • Finish under the 20 hour Western States qualifying time.  I have no plan to put my name in the Western States hat, but it would be super cool to qualify

Race Strategy

The trail is runnable and has about 11,000 ft of elevation gain.  The basic strategy is go out easy, try and maintain pace for as long as I can and finally, to keep moving forward no matter what happens.

  • Go easy, especially the first 19 miles.  Ignore pace.  Keep heart rate at or below 139 BPM.  Based on a ton of experimentation, this is the HR that I can pretty much go all day.  

  • Stay on top of nutrition.  Drink consistently.  Eat every 30 minutes or when I’m hungry. Eat at the aid stations. If this means staying at an aid station for an extra minute or two, then that's fine.  5-10 minutes is nothing in an 18 hour day.

  • If something is bothering me, take care of it right away.  For example, if I feel a rock in my shoe, stop and take it out.  This avoids that minor annoyance turning into a debilitating blister.

  • Remember my One Thing.  This is going to be a long day - keep focused, believe in my training and in myself.  Remember how bad I felt on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and that I made it back from that in one piece.  Celebrate the fact that I can do things like this!

Nutrition Plan

Skratch SDM is my primary nutrition for the first 19 and the last 23 miles. This is based on drop bag locations and the fact that I don’t feel like carrying extra drink powder.  Between miles 19 and 47 I’ll use course provided liquids. For solid food I'll rely primarily on the course nutrition, which is fantastic for this event! I’ll also have some snacks in my vest and drop bags.

Target: Consume about 250 calories per hour.

Race Morning

  • Friday night - plug all of my shit into the charging station! (Fenix 3HR, headphones, phone, spare battery, headlamp, body light, stryd pod)

  • Wake up at 4:00AM

  • Apply sunscreen

  • Eat to plan

  • Depart by 4:45AM to get to race start by 5:00AM

  • Drink SDM on drive

  • Finish labeling my drop bags and put them in the correct piles

  • Race starts at 5:30

Gear Checklist

Running Gear (wear to start)

  • Shoes, socks, shorts, shirt, visor, sunglasses

  • Headphones

  • Arm coolers if it’s predicted to be hot

  • Race number belt

  • Stryd pod

  • Garmin Fenix 3 HR

  • Glide

  • Trekking poles (old pair)

Running Vest

  • Bladder with 70 ounces SDM

  • Base salt tube

  • Phone (airplane mode) and EN phone case

  • First aid pack - blister supplies, tums, imodium, candied ginger, glide

  • TP and wipes

  • Snacks (snickers / payday / other candy)

Drop Bag for Aid Station at mile 11.6 (take the bold items with me)

  • Leave the trekking poles in the bag when I leave Aid 1

  • Frozen SDM premix concentrate

  • Snacks

  • Shorts, socks, shirt, visor

  • Glide

Drop Bag for Aid Station at mile 46 (take the bold items with me)

  • Shorts, socks, shirt, shoes, visor

  • Lube for chafing

  • Towel

  • Snacks

  • Lights (2x, fully charged!)

  • Trekking poles (new pair)

  • Spare battery,3-way cable and Fenix 3 charge cable

  • SDM premix concentrate bottle - dump and refill the bladder with SDM

Drop Bag for Aid Station at mile 57

  • Shorts, socks, shirt, shoes, visor

  • Light jacket if it’s predicted to rain

  • Lube for chafing

  • Extra headlamp and spare batteries

  • Towel

  • Snacks

  • SDM premix concentrate bottle

Finish Bag

  • Clean clothes (complete set including socks, shoes and a hat)

  • Jacket / Hoodie / Sweater

  • Towel

  • Cooler

    • Chocolate milk – 16 ounces

    • SDM – 32 ounces

    • Peanut butter and jelly sandwich

    • Yogurt, berries, nuts

    • Chips

    • Water

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Comments

  • tim cronktim cronk
    Clark,  These things are so difficult to critique or question, you know that course and race way better than I , I also know your no stranger to the long day.  Looks great. The only thing that stood out was 70oz fluid bladder to start? I know it's a balance of carrying extra weigh, need vs. want, stopping to refill etc.  As long as it's not necessary to carry that much to make it to an aid station I would definitely carry less, refill with on course if you can stomach it which it sounds like you can in your plan. I recently bought a 1 liter bladder for this purpose.  Also playing around with different vests, which is too late, but you can always carry half bladder as long as you determine making next stop.
    Good Skill, good decisions, keep moving forward, and we look forward to hearing from you on the other side of 70 miles.
  • Gabe PetersonGabe Peterson
    Great plan!  Looking forward to seeing you crush it!  Is a 100 next?
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