Moab 240 2019

Francis Picard · October 15, 2018 1:39AM

We are a few in the team so far that will be doing this race next year.

I spent my week end stalking so hard that race and looking at the pictures and how that race is throwing stuff in your face and I think we need a place to centralize all the intel we can gather on that race here.

So far we are : @Tim Sullivan, @Gabe Peterson and I doing that race.

If anyone wanna join the fun, just let us know.

This a 238 mile race in the Moab desert with a 120 hours cut off. They will be snow, heat etc.

http://www.moab200.com/home.html

Lets share blogs, podcats, race reports etc so we can all learn and be ready to complete that challenge.

yolo!

Jeff Horn · October 16, 2018 2:25AM

You forgot @Steve boer on that list 🤣

Steve boer · October 16, 2018 2:37AM

NFW. That is all

scott dinhofer · October 16, 2018 3:29PM

Just wondering why you are piddling around with the 240 when you can do a 500 miler right down the road in Vermont? https://peak.com/running-races/peak-ultra/

Francis Picard · October 16, 2018 6:27PM

@scott dinhofer maybe later, 500 is still 2X Moab.

Next year the big Moab and in the following might start looking at the triple crown with @Steve boer

Stephen Cogger · October 17, 2018 2:42AM

I’m out, but that course looks awesome!

Steve boer · October 17, 2018 2:53AM

I’m not out. But that’s because despite what @Francis Picard says I was never in.

Gabe Peterson · October 20, 2018 8:42PM

@Francis Picard thanks for starting this thread! Super stoked to see EN going ultra! It was lonely being the weird guy posting about ultras in a triathlon club. :)

So I just happened to be in Moab this past weekend as part of a family road trip to Moab, Grand Canyon, and Monument Valley. I convinced the wife to let me off leash for a few hours so I could volunteer at an aid station to check out the race. I reached out to the race director and was assigned the Dry Valley aid station at mile 139.5 on Saturday afternoon. Our condo was about 5 minutes away from the finish, so I was able to sneak away to see the winner cross the finish Sunday night.

Here are my key take aways (in no particular order):

There are long sections of running on flat dirt roads. I mean long like 30+ mile stretches. Racers definitely have to be prepared for long stretches of jogging. Otherwise, it will be crushing to hike down flat dirt roads.

The most challenging section of the course through the La Sal Mountains comes at the end. On Sunday when most of the runners hit this section, the temps were around 15F. I saw tons of snow up there from Moab. The course was rerouted to avoid deep snow, but the runners still had to go through snow. The Porcupine Rim descent is one of the most technical out there. I was watching the winner on the tracker and he was averaging like 1.8 MPH. Preparation should include mountainous trails and super technical descents. Also be prepared for below freezing temperatures.

We NEED an EN RV! When the race leader and eventual winner came through Dry Valley aid stations, an RV pulled up about 30 minutes before. He walked through the aid station and went straight to the RV. I talked to his crew, and the said he slept in there the night before and had shower. A shower would be so money. The aid stations are zoos, and I think it would be challenging to rest at the "sleep stations." The RV blew my mind as I hadn't even considered it.

No manscaping, gents. The lead medic at Dry Valley had worked at a bunch of other 200s. I asked her what the number one mistake runners make? She said without hestitation, "don't shave your balls." Apparently that leads to serious chaffing. So this is your excuse to go full Sasquatch, although that may cost you SAUs.

I'm planning to incorporate some of the more challenging sections of the course into the EN Epic Moab Camp in March. These are also legendary MTB trails, so can be enjoyed on foot to prepare for Moab 240 or MTB for epic shredding.

Dry Valley Aid Station at mile 139.5

Sid Wavrin · October 22, 2018 5:28PM

I have a certain appreciation for the whole idea of ultra running, but this is off the charts! It is not lost on me that the awesome people who consider such endeavors apparently think you must have a healthy beard, but you should probably shave your balls. What the heck??!! 🤣 You guys are awesome. Can't wait to follow this one.

Francis Picard · October 25, 2018 3:42AM

FOund on Facebook, podcast of this year’s participant.

i haven’t listened it yet. Will do this weekend!

https://www.boldlywentadventures.com/79-theMoab240.html

Gabe Peterson · October 26, 2018 8:19PM

@Francis Picard I listened to the first half on my drive to work. The two key takeaways I got were:

Need solid foot care. I haven't had any real foot issues on ultras. I had a minor blister at the end of Wasatch 100. But 240 is another level. The podcast interviews a runner who is digging a hole in his foot with a knife to drain a blister. I need to read that book on foot care I think @tim cronk recommended.
Have your "One Thing," or why you're doing it, nailed down. Many of the runners said this was the most important factor to making it to the finish line.