Training Log Archive: Carbons Offset

Following Western States:

I think I may have provided this link already, here's where you can follow Checkpoint times. I'm bib #108. The race starts at 5 am pacific time on Saturday June 29.

http://www.ultralive.net/ws100/webcast.php

If you're interested in other info about the race, their website is www.wser.org

Travel day with flights to Sacramento, then picked up my super cute Fiat 500 and drove to Squaw Valley. The drive was nice, the resort is beautiful.

Got here in time for a talk-through of the course by someone who has done it. Didn't learn much new stuff, which is good (it's a little late to train differently or even change much strategy for tomorrow). Then listened to the Veterans' Panel. They have one each year, with multiple winners / many-time finishers, people you would really want to get advice from, and just love to hear them tell their stories. What a panel they had, they figure it is the best panel ever: Gordy Ansleigh (the guy who started it all and has now finished about 30 times?), Tim Twietmeyer (has finished 25 times and 5 of those were wins), Ellie Greenwood (they were teasing her about whether she could be called a veteran because she has only raced it twice, but she won both of those and I believe she set records both times), and Ann Trason who has *14 wins*!
I was surprised to hear how much water they carry. They were throwing around numbers like 2-2.5 litres! What?! The aid stations are only an hour and a half apart or less, and even less for these fast people. I had been toying with using the S-LAB belt which carries 770 ml; it is so nice to run in, and not wearing a skin pack in this heat would be so much nicer. Based on 500 ml per hour which I usually drink in adventure races even when it is hot, I figured this would get me from station to station and I could also grab a cup or so at each station. Otherwise, the skin pack carries 1.5 litres. Based on what I heard from the panel, and the logic that it is better to look back and say "darn, I carried more water/weight than I needed" than to get behind on hydration and risk having a horrible day (or end your day), I'm going to use the pack. Especially given how this is expected to be one of the hottest race days they've had, it sounds like this is the time to be a Boy Scout and play it conservative, and not try to go fast and light. I got to meet and chat with Ellie after (she is so nice, as you might expect if you've read about her) and told her about the two options. She confirmed my thoughts and strongly recommended the pack. I'm used to running with a pack so this will be fine. I may be warmer (that thing is hot) but I'll have more fluids to supply the sweating. The only slight problem is I've run once with both my cooling short and the pack and found the shirt can be abrasive under the weight of the pack. I will carry a second shirt with me so that I can change whenever I need to, and will also try to tape my back before the race. I'll also carry the flasks that I was going to carry in the belt. These will give me the option of more water if I find I need it, and the option of dumping water on myself, while my pack will have sport drink in it.

At the Veterans' Panel, Tim made some reference to how the finishing times are about 3 hours longer on hot years. Ugh... There's some extra challenge I don't need. Oh well, maybe I'll just use it to keep the pressure down by completely dropping any thoughts of "I wonder if a 24 hour buckle is possible" and instead just adopt a survival attitude of "just get through this thing, finish in under 30". That might actually take come pressure off.

.... But you know I'll still do some 24-hour estimates at a couple of points on the race course, just to see if it is a possibility that I should keep on the radar.