OK all, Starting next week I will be 16 weeks out from my 100km Ultratrail in Zugspitz. As some of you know, this race is in lieu of hanging up my racing tights until life settles down a bit. I started my "come back" in September with Run Durability 1, 2, and 3, and then went right into a Marathon training plan. All this to get me to the point where I felt healthy enough and was in a good head space to start the 50 mile ultra plan. Mission Accomplished! I feel great, mind is clear and ready for the next 16 weeks.
Besides the more obvious race specificity training i.e. start climbing and a LOT, power hiking (w/ poles), getting nutrition dialed in, etc. What else should I be focusing on? What are the best tips/tricks/hacks that you didn't ready about, but found out on your own?
In June of this year I am participating in the Zugspitze Ultratrail Race in Germany. The Zugspitze Ultratrail is Germany’s largest trail event where 2,500 trailrunners from over 50 nations will run around Germany's highest mountain range, the Wetterstein Mountains. The longest distance, which I am competing in, is 102.5 kilometers with 5.480 meters of ascent.
I am running this race on behalf of the Kidshare Foundation. The aim of the foundation is to fight poverty in the poorest areas of the world, with special attention to the development of the poorest children.
Please consider donating to this charity in my name.
Last week was my biggest training week by far with 75km. My longest run on Sunday ended with 345m of elevation gain, which is good, but it was a bit forced. I spend too much "off trail" with shitty and slow climbing. I need to increase the climbing, but be sensible about it. I got in all 5 runs which I haven't done in a long time. The pace wasn't always spot on, the time/distance wasn't always spot on, but 5 runs were done. I was being a bit cautious as well since the week before had two big runs and I don't want to get injured from over training.
I need to be more serious about my prep for my long runs. Early to bed, no alcohol, the night before, no shitty dinners etc. I am practicing my fueling during the runs, but the setup the day(s) before need to be better. I am using Tailwind now and will see how that works.
Overall my nutrition hasn't been great. During the work days it's been spot on, but when I get home I am having a hard time. Especially with the recreational sweets. Ideally I will race at 81.6kg or 180lbs. If I am going to get there I need to be a lot more disciplined at home. With that said I am 75% eating a plant based diet. I have listened to a lot of podcasts with some of the most insane athletes who are plant based (Scott Jurek), and following their lead. I am getting a surprising amount from my wife so that is a good thing.
With all that said,The focus is to keep healthy, get in the time "on feet", and enjoy the process.
Finally, I have raced many times in the past and I am not sure why, but this time I feel compelled to fund raise. Maybe I'm at a point in my life where it matters or maybe it's just the right charity. Whatever it is, I am not sure it matters. I want to help those who need it most and I hope that you'll join me in that effort. http://pif.one/opportunity4children
@Patrick Large Let's find something healthier you can replace those junk calories with. A smoothie? Protein shake? What do you think will do the trick?
PS, when will you update your profile picture here?
Let's revamp the food to be calorie proactive when it matters most to offset those binges.
You can compensate for hills will weighted backpack walking..it really makes a difference. You could do that for an hour, then run the remaining time...or alternate...run 1 hour, walk 1, run 1, walk 1.
To say that I am getting a bit nervous is an understatement. 9+ weeks is so close and there is a lot of work that still needs to get done. With that said, there is a lot of work that is getting done, week by week.
My weekly running volume has increased and the body feels good. Last week there was a total of 88.8km or 55.2 miles of running and this week should be more. Training consists of a long run on both Saturday and Sunday (this weekend it will be a total of 7hrs) and then I try and get in two more runs between Tuesday and Thursday. Mondays and Fridays are always rest days.
As you can imagine, the biggest hurdle with my training is finding the time. When Saturday is consumed with 2 futbol games, a hockey game, and swim lessons, it leaves little room for a 4hr run. My headlamp is getting a lot of use and I am running in the dark… a lot. This is good practice though, since half of the race in Zugspitz will be during the night in the dark.
Besides actually running, my training consists of eating and “power hiking” (using special trail running poles). Food intake is such a huge part of finishing any race, specifically a 100km or longer. The key with eating is getting enough electrolytes, water, carbohydrates, and fat per hour to keep you moving forward. Easy to do when you are sitting on the couch, but not so much when running. So far I have been experimenting with Tailwind powder mixed with water and potato chips. Tailwind is a natural vegan non GMO formula which seems to work well for my stomach. And potato chips are salty, starchy, and fatty. YUM!! Going forward I will also experiment with candy bars, dried fruit and nuts, protein bars, squeezey apple sauce/fruit, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cola, pretzels, etc
Per the race event website there will be aid stations approx. every 10K and there be an assortment of food and drink. This is what they state the aid stations will have “A selection of the following products will be served at the various food stations to restore your energy reserves: water, isotonic drinks, coke, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, bread, cheese, salami, vegan spread, cake, cookies, fruits, raw vegetables, gherkins, different soups, potatoes with salt.”
As for power hiking… well there will be a lot of that. Exactly 5491m of hiking. My plan is to power hike up the hills, run down the hills and then run/walk the flat(er) parts. As you can see from the profile below it is mostly ups and downs with very few flat sections.
The last piece of the puzzle of is keeping healthy. Up until this point my body is feeling really strong. Yes, I am sore and my feet ache at times, but I am recovering quickly from workout to workout. My diet is predominately vegetarian, often vegan, and rarely eat meat outright. My weight has been stable at about 85.5kg. Ideally I would like to race at 80kg. I have almost 10 weeks get down 5kg and I am pushing hard to get there.
Like I said in the beginning of this of this post, I am nervous and excited. I have a lot of work to do but I am feeling good about where I am. These 9+ weeks are going to fly by and before I know it I will be at the start of Zugspitz Ultratrail.
@Patrick Large I been following your updates religiously. Figured it was about time to chime in. Nerves are good, you respect the distance. You have had a longterm, methodical, logical approach , the work the nutrition , etc. Stay the course, nothing crazy , no panic building miles or starving yourself, your right on target . Reference your weekends you can always swap sat/sun or just go shorter on sat and longer on sun. Have you been able to get elevation specificity? Cant wait to watch your final stretch and the RACE. For a little peer motivational incentive, here is a pic of the race I am doing Saturday 4/13 The Whisky Basin 88k... Then on Sunday 4/14 @Steve boer and @Francis Picard are racing the Rattler 66k....The Boston Marathon on Monday 4/15 being run by @Tim Sullivan .
Here in Holland we are a bit vertically challenged. We are sea level and flat as a pancake. We've got wind... but no hills. All my vertical training (if you can call it that) is loops on what we've got. Oh yeah, we've got staircases as well.
I'll be back in the US at the end of the month and will spend a week in Flagstaff AZ, so 7000+ feet. I'll run the R2R2R or what the cools kids call it these days R3 on the 23rd. So'll get some altitude and will climb a bit there.
I will use that as a "practice run" for ZUG. (As well as it being an epic adventure all in its own) I'll run with all the same (required) gear but with some extra nutrition to make it to the end.
This is about the most consistent training I've had in a long time and like I said in the post above, I know there is a lot of work to do, but I am happy where I am. AND looking forward to the last big push. I'll make sure that there are plenty of videos and pics for everyone :)
BTW, I love this: "Train like you've never won. Race like you've never lost."
@Patrick Large I agree you are in a good place. When you come here to do the run in the US, remember to plan accordingly for the temperatures! And budget some time afterwards for self-care as you will definitely get a good dose of elevation. There are some great race report and informational items here in the forms you should check out when you have a chance. Maybe on the flight over?
@tim cronk Thank you so much for all of your advice!
I heard once on a podcast that ultrarunning is about the stories. The stories you tell, the stories you make, and “The Story” of your journey. I started my training for this ultramarathon in September 2018 and since then there have been a lot of stories.
I’d like to share two of those with you since my last update:
This past April I ran the Grand Canyon. The run was 66km and 4.918M of elevation gain. I am not sure that this is 100% accurate, but let’s just say it was tough. The Grand Canyon is the most amazing place that I have ever been. Every minute you are at the bottom of the canyon, it makes you question your existence and relationship to everything else that exists.
I met a lot of awesome people include this old dude Richard from New Mexico who ran with me for a few miles.
We ran together until we made it Phantom Ranch (just past the Colorado river), We sat for a bit, had a PB&J sandwich and more water. Then started off on my own as he was going to back to the south rim where I started.
The rest of the run was hot, lonely, and tough, Just as I suspect Zugspitz will be. For hours this is what I looked at, knowing that the ridge WAY out there in the distance was were I needed go. And then return home
I won’t bore you with all the details, but let’s just say the return trip was brutal. Whoever coined the phrase “death march” knew exactly what they were talking about. This pic is was taken when I was about an hour from the top (finish). The look on my face I think says it all.
I am not sure why I was grumpy, since this pic shows the beauty of the South Rim while the sun is setting.
“Mad for Malawi”
Last week the International School Haarlem had a fundraiser to support me and the Kidshare Foundation.
On Monday I was able to speak with the students at their assemble about the race and the charity. They were all so excited to learn more about the charity and raise money. We watched this video together. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDd858urveU&t=3s
They were also quite amazed to learn that people actually run 100km for fun and I was also going to do the same. I showed them this video and I think that their suspicion of “this guy is nuts” went to “this guy is definitely nuts” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQjQOZg6h9Y
Wednesday the 28th May, was their fundraising day. Each of the groups made their own booths with activities and prizes. There was everything from crazy hair booths, connect four challenges, shuffleboard, soak the student, twister, fruit slot machines, guess the candy, card games, magic tricks and much much more. They ended the event with a color fun run which pitted the young groups against the older 😊
I was absolutely blown away by the kids’ enthusiasm for the day and the charity. They managed to raise an unofficial €2.388 with more pledges due in next week. I know that when I am in my “dark place” during the race, I will be able to visualize their smiling faces and it will lift my spirits.
Finally: what will I be doing for the last 2 weeks to prepare:
I will still be running; however, the runs are much shorter maxing at 2 hrs. I am also resting a lot and making sure I done get hurt. I have a friend who races triathlons in the US who underwent reconstructive knee surgery because she tripped and fell in the parking lot of the grocery store. I will also do a lot of studying of the course. There are tons of maps with distance, elevation, aid stations, etc. so I can familiarize myself with the course as much as I can. This only helps so much as I still need to put one foot in front of the other on the actual course. I will at least have a visual map in my head so I know when I am approaching a hard section or a really hard section. This is one of those charts I will study.
I will also consume as much as I can on youtube as I can to get a “feeling” of the different sections. Some people have pretty long and thorough videos of the course. I will spend a lot of time planning out my nutrition according to these maps, charts, graphs and videos as well. As a friend once said to me, ultramarathons are an eating contest.
I getting extremely excited and super nervous that the start is almost here. For those who have supported me with donations, I thank you once again. For those who have not yes, but would like to, please follow this link below. Click on the “Donate Now” button and follow the directions.
Thank you so much for the detailed update, including the pictures and video links. I think a huge part of what makes what you’re doing accessible is sharing out your stories. It’s really gracious of you to take the time to do that, and who knows, you may get a few more people excited about your personal madness! Sending you great vibes during your taper time.
thanks @Coach Patrick I think one of the biggest reasons that I have been able to keep my head in the game is due to my fundraising and my committing to post and document the adventure.
I hope someone out there enjoys it, and yes I am always looking for other to join the madness!!
You may not have the genetic gifts of the elite ultrarunners, but you certainly bring more determination, mental acuity, and positive energy than most. Super pumped for you.
@Patrick Large yes something is weird about this thread, didn’t go into the most recent? Like the last two week approach, less is more, taper, rest , and educate yourself on that course, write out a race plan. Work on your mental game, my favorites are music lyrics and motivational quotes, R3 is history, visualize nothing but success, use your fund raiser for your one thing to keep you going, one foot in front of the other, until you are at that finish line, it may not be pretty at times but I guarantee you one thing, when look back on it afterwards, it will never be as bad as you thought it was.
@tim cronk what do you mean "yes something is weird about this thread"?
And before you answer know that this last post wasn't really for the EN audience, but I posted it anyway. I sent this as an update to everyone who has donated to the charity or those who I am pushing for donations :) So 90% of them are not endurance athletes and the other 10% have done half marathons, maybe a marathon or some other event. So the "update" yes was super bland.
I will have one more post that will cover most of what you suggested. That will come this weekend. There are a lot of logistics that I also need to iron out, so there will be a lot of time on that and a write will help me keep it all in order.
I am usually a "wing it" guy, but not for this race... I will be as detailed as I can be.
@Patrick Large something you already noted on the Dashboard, when you added a new post to this forum , it did not show up in the most recent threads like it should have.
Winging it works until it doesnt. The act of writing your plan down makes you think through the day in order, from nutrition , clothes, gear, drop bags , etc. Consider your options and alternatives if things go wrong. Race Day needs to be dynamic and adapt to things beyond your control, but its really nice to have an outline plan. I always learn something from somebody and you have done so much work documenting this journey , it really is a no brainer.
Comments
OK all, Starting next week I will be 16 weeks out from my 100km Ultratrail in Zugspitz. As some of you know, this race is in lieu of hanging up my racing tights until life settles down a bit. I started my "come back" in September with Run Durability 1, 2, and 3, and then went right into a Marathon training plan. All this to get me to the point where I felt healthy enough and was in a good head space to start the 50 mile ultra plan. Mission Accomplished! I feel great, mind is clear and ready for the next 16 weeks.
Besides the more obvious race specificity training i.e. start climbing and a LOT, power hiking (w/ poles), getting nutrition dialed in, etc. What else should I be focusing on? What are the best tips/tricks/hacks that you didn't ready about, but found out on your own?
TIA
In June of this year I am participating in the Zugspitze Ultratrail Race in Germany. The Zugspitze Ultratrail is Germany’s largest trail event where 2,500 trailrunners from over 50 nations will run around Germany's highest mountain range, the Wetterstein Mountains. The longest distance, which I am competing in, is 102.5 kilometers with 5.480 meters of ascent.
I am running this race on behalf of the Kidshare Foundation. The aim of the foundation is to fight poverty in the poorest areas of the world, with special attention to the development of the poorest children.
Please consider donating to this charity in my name.
https://www.pifworld.com/fundraisers/RnLsXenwkqY/patrick-large/donate
Below is the promo video to the race. It's gnarly... check it out!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQjQOZg6h9Y
And will crush this race with training on a plant based diet (mostly 😀 )
Last week was my biggest training week by far with 75km. My longest run on Sunday ended with 345m of elevation gain, which is good, but it was a bit forced. I spend too much "off trail" with shitty and slow climbing. I need to increase the climbing, but be sensible about it. I got in all 5 runs which I haven't done in a long time. The pace wasn't always spot on, the time/distance wasn't always spot on, but 5 runs were done. I was being a bit cautious as well since the week before had two big runs and I don't want to get injured from over training.
I need to be more serious about my prep for my long runs. Early to bed, no alcohol, the night before, no shitty dinners etc. I am practicing my fueling during the runs, but the setup the day(s) before need to be better. I am using Tailwind now and will see how that works.
Overall my nutrition hasn't been great. During the work days it's been spot on, but when I get home I am having a hard time. Especially with the recreational sweets. Ideally I will race at 81.6kg or 180lbs. If I am going to get there I need to be a lot more disciplined at home. With that said I am 75% eating a plant based diet. I have listened to a lot of podcasts with some of the most insane athletes who are plant based (Scott Jurek), and following their lead. I am getting a surprising amount from my wife so that is a good thing.
With all that said,The focus is to keep healthy, get in the time "on feet", and enjoy the process.
Finally, I have raced many times in the past and I am not sure why, but this time I feel compelled to fund raise. Maybe I'm at a point in my life where it matters or maybe it's just the right charity. Whatever it is, I am not sure it matters. I want to help those who need it most and I hope that you'll join me in that effort. http://pif.one/opportunity4children
@Patrick Large Let's find something healthier you can replace those junk calories with. A smoothie? Protein shake? What do you think will do the trick?
PS, when will you update your profile picture here?
@Coach Patrick, maybe a shake will work. I little more work, but will do the job.
Talk to me about my profile pic... whats in it or not in it?
I was just saying that you had shaved recently as I saw on Facebook and your profile picture was the old you. How are things going this week?
Ahh I see now @Coach Patrick
I need to schedule a time to speak with you... it's been months. I'd like to catch up.
Let’s do it. I am ready when you are! https://calendly.com/pmccrann/30min
@Coach Patrick scheduled.
@Patrick Large So great to call today...quick notes:
Please keep me posted!
~ Coach P
@Coach Patrick Great talking and thanks for the info
#RoadToZugspitz
To say that I am getting a bit nervous is an understatement. 9+ weeks is so close and there is a lot of work that still needs to get done. With that said, there is a lot of work that is getting done, week by week.
My weekly running volume has increased and the body feels good. Last week there was a total of 88.8km or 55.2 miles of running and this week should be more. Training consists of a long run on both Saturday and Sunday (this weekend it will be a total of 7hrs) and then I try and get in two more runs between Tuesday and Thursday. Mondays and Fridays are always rest days.
As you can imagine, the biggest hurdle with my training is finding the time. When Saturday is consumed with 2 futbol games, a hockey game, and swim lessons, it leaves little room for a 4hr run. My headlamp is getting a lot of use and I am running in the dark… a lot. This is good practice though, since half of the race in Zugspitz will be during the night in the dark.
Besides actually running, my training consists of eating and “power hiking” (using special trail running poles). Food intake is such a huge part of finishing any race, specifically a 100km or longer. The key with eating is getting enough electrolytes, water, carbohydrates, and fat per hour to keep you moving forward. Easy to do when you are sitting on the couch, but not so much when running. So far I have been experimenting with Tailwind powder mixed with water and potato chips. Tailwind is a natural vegan non GMO formula which seems to work well for my stomach. And potato chips are salty, starchy, and fatty. YUM!! Going forward I will also experiment with candy bars, dried fruit and nuts, protein bars, squeezey apple sauce/fruit, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cola, pretzels, etc
Per the race event website there will be aid stations approx. every 10K and there be an assortment of food and drink. This is what they state the aid stations will have “A selection of the following products will be served at the various food stations to restore your energy reserves: water, isotonic drinks, coke, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, bread, cheese, salami, vegan spread, cake, cookies, fruits, raw vegetables, gherkins, different soups, potatoes with salt.”
As for power hiking… well there will be a lot of that. Exactly 5491m of hiking. My plan is to power hike up the hills, run down the hills and then run/walk the flat(er) parts. As you can see from the profile below it is mostly ups and downs with very few flat sections.
The last piece of the puzzle of is keeping healthy. Up until this point my body is feeling really strong. Yes, I am sore and my feet ache at times, but I am recovering quickly from workout to workout. My diet is predominately vegetarian, often vegan, and rarely eat meat outright. My weight has been stable at about 85.5kg. Ideally I would like to race at 80kg. I have almost 10 weeks get down 5kg and I am pushing hard to get there.
Like I said in the beginning of this of this post, I am nervous and excited. I have a lot of work to do but I am feeling good about where I am. These 9+ weeks are going to fly by and before I know it I will be at the start of Zugspitz Ultratrail.
@Patrick Large I been following your updates religiously. Figured it was about time to chime in. Nerves are good, you respect the distance. You have had a longterm, methodical, logical approach , the work the nutrition , etc. Stay the course, nothing crazy , no panic building miles or starving yourself, your right on target . Reference your weekends you can always swap sat/sun or just go shorter on sat and longer on sun. Have you been able to get elevation specificity? Cant wait to watch your final stretch and the RACE. For a little peer motivational incentive, here is a pic of the race I am doing Saturday 4/13 The Whisky Basin 88k... Then on Sunday 4/14 @Steve boer and @Francis Picard are racing the Rattler 66k....The Boston Marathon on Monday 4/15 being run by @Tim Sullivan .
@tim cronk many thanks for chiming in.
Here in Holland we are a bit vertically challenged. We are sea level and flat as a pancake. We've got wind... but no hills. All my vertical training (if you can call it that) is loops on what we've got. Oh yeah, we've got staircases as well.
I'll be back in the US at the end of the month and will spend a week in Flagstaff AZ, so 7000+ feet. I'll run the R2R2R or what the cools kids call it these days R3 on the 23rd. So'll get some altitude and will climb a bit there.
I will use that as a "practice run" for ZUG. (As well as it being an epic adventure all in its own) I'll run with all the same (required) gear but with some extra nutrition to make it to the end.
This is about the most consistent training I've had in a long time and like I said in the post above, I know there is a lot of work to do, but I am happy where I am. AND looking forward to the last big push. I'll make sure that there are plenty of videos and pics for everyone :)
BTW, I love this: "Train like you've never won. Race like you've never lost."
@Patrick Large I agree you are in a good place. When you come here to do the run in the US, remember to plan accordingly for the temperatures! And budget some time afterwards for self-care as you will definitely get a good dose of elevation. There are some great race report and informational items here in the forms you should check out when you have a chance. Maybe on the flight over?
@tim cronk Thank you so much for all of your advice!
Ultramarathons are about stories. #RoadToZugspitz
I heard once on a podcast that ultrarunning is about the stories. The stories you tell, the stories you make, and “The Story” of your journey. I started my training for this ultramarathon in September 2018 and since then there have been a lot of stories.
I’d like to share two of those with you since my last update:
This past April I ran the Grand Canyon. The run was 66km and 4.918M of elevation gain. I am not sure that this is 100% accurate, but let’s just say it was tough. The Grand Canyon is the most amazing place that I have ever been. Every minute you are at the bottom of the canyon, it makes you question your existence and relationship to everything else that exists.
I met a lot of awesome people include this old dude Richard from New Mexico who ran with me for a few miles.
We ran together until we made it Phantom Ranch (just past the Colorado river), We sat for a bit, had a PB&J sandwich and more water. Then started off on my own as he was going to back to the south rim where I started.
The rest of the run was hot, lonely, and tough, Just as I suspect Zugspitz will be. For hours this is what I looked at, knowing that the ridge WAY out there in the distance was were I needed go. And then return home
I won’t bore you with all the details, but let’s just say the return trip was brutal. Whoever coined the phrase “death march” knew exactly what they were talking about. This pic is was taken when I was about an hour from the top (finish). The look on my face I think says it all.
I am not sure why I was grumpy, since this pic shows the beauty of the South Rim while the sun is setting.
“Mad for Malawi”
Last week the International School Haarlem had a fundraiser to support me and the Kidshare Foundation.
On Monday I was able to speak with the students at their assemble about the race and the charity. They were all so excited to learn more about the charity and raise money. We watched this video together. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDd858urveU&t=3s
They were also quite amazed to learn that people actually run 100km for fun and I was also going to do the same. I showed them this video and I think that their suspicion of “this guy is nuts” went to “this guy is definitely nuts” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQjQOZg6h9Y
Wednesday the 28th May, was their fundraising day. Each of the groups made their own booths with activities and prizes. There was everything from crazy hair booths, connect four challenges, shuffleboard, soak the student, twister, fruit slot machines, guess the candy, card games, magic tricks and much much more. They ended the event with a color fun run which pitted the young groups against the older 😊
I was absolutely blown away by the kids’ enthusiasm for the day and the charity. They managed to raise an unofficial €2.388 with more pledges due in next week. I know that when I am in my “dark place” during the race, I will be able to visualize their smiling faces and it will lift my spirits.
Finally: what will I be doing for the last 2 weeks to prepare:
I will still be running; however, the runs are much shorter maxing at 2 hrs. I am also resting a lot and making sure I done get hurt. I have a friend who races triathlons in the US who underwent reconstructive knee surgery because she tripped and fell in the parking lot of the grocery store. I will also do a lot of studying of the course. There are tons of maps with distance, elevation, aid stations, etc. so I can familiarize myself with the course as much as I can. This only helps so much as I still need to put one foot in front of the other on the actual course. I will at least have a visual map in my head so I know when I am approaching a hard section or a really hard section. This is one of those charts I will study.
I will also consume as much as I can on youtube as I can to get a “feeling” of the different sections. Some people have pretty long and thorough videos of the course. I will spend a lot of time planning out my nutrition according to these maps, charts, graphs and videos as well. As a friend once said to me, ultramarathons are an eating contest.
I getting extremely excited and super nervous that the start is almost here. For those who have supported me with donations, I thank you once again. For those who have not yes, but would like to, please follow this link below. Click on the “Donate Now” button and follow the directions.
https://www.pifworld.com/en/fundraisers/RnLsXenwkqY/patrick-large
Thanks again-
Thank you so much for the detailed update, including the pictures and video links. I think a huge part of what makes what you’re doing accessible is sharing out your stories. It’s really gracious of you to take the time to do that, and who knows, you may get a few more people excited about your personal madness! Sending you great vibes during your taper time.
thanks @Coach Patrick I think one of the biggest reasons that I have been able to keep my head in the game is due to my fundraising and my committing to post and document the adventure.
I hope someone out there enjoys it, and yes I am always looking for other to join the madness!!
You may not have the genetic gifts of the elite ultrarunners, but you certainly bring more determination, mental acuity, and positive energy than most. Super pumped for you.
@Patrick Large yes something is weird about this thread, didn’t go into the most recent? Like the last two week approach, less is more, taper, rest , and educate yourself on that course, write out a race plan. Work on your mental game, my favorites are music lyrics and motivational quotes, R3 is history, visualize nothing but success, use your fund raiser for your one thing to keep you going, one foot in front of the other, until you are at that finish line, it may not be pretty at times but I guarantee you one thing, when look back on it afterwards, it will never be as bad as you thought it was.
@tim cronk what do you mean "yes something is weird about this thread"?
And before you answer know that this last post wasn't really for the EN audience, but I posted it anyway. I sent this as an update to everyone who has donated to the charity or those who I am pushing for donations :) So 90% of them are not endurance athletes and the other 10% have done half marathons, maybe a marathon or some other event. So the "update" yes was super bland.
I will have one more post that will cover most of what you suggested. That will come this weekend. There are a lot of logistics that I also need to iron out, so there will be a lot of time on that and a write will help me keep it all in order.
I am usually a "wing it" guy, but not for this race... I will be as detailed as I can be.
@Patrick Large something you already noted on the Dashboard, when you added a new post to this forum , it did not show up in the most recent threads like it should have.
Winging it works until it doesnt. The act of writing your plan down makes you think through the day in order, from nutrition , clothes, gear, drop bags , etc. Consider your options and alternatives if things go wrong. Race Day needs to be dynamic and adapt to things beyond your control, but its really nice to have an outline plan. I always learn something from somebody and you have done so much work documenting this journey , it really is a no brainer.
This one is more for me than it is for you- Planning my next week.
Wow- not what I expected on today's run. (obviously I am not an "on camera" professional :)
2nd to last run.