Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Prep For Laurel Valley "Outcasts" 35 Mile Run

Phantom Pains
I've logged no miles in the last 3 days as I've been letting a sore soleus rest (if you call trigger point therapy every few hours rest). So, how is it I am sitting here with multiple aches and pains and that all-too-familiar dread of wondering, "Am I injured?"

Oh, yeah. Laurel Valley "Outcasts" 35 Mile Run is Saturday. That's it.

I am giddy with happiness over being able to do this run. It will be a "first" in a few different ways:

First 35 miler
First self-sufficient Ultra
First run using a water filtration device

Race Prep
As I go about preparing for the run, the mind-body connection thing is kicking into high gear. This part of it can just get ridiculous with me. I know I'm not injured, yet I get all kinds of pre-race aches ("WTH? My third toe is going numb!! What does that MEAN??!") and pains ("OMG, what is WITH my soleus? Am I actually limping?"). I guess there's still just some mechanics of racing, or rather pre-racing, that happen no matter what. It's a trip.

So many things about Ultras are different, but this is one of my favorite: Ultra's seem to be more about eating and drinking than anything else. Just say that again to yourself, and see if you're not ready to jump on this crazy train: "Ultra's seem to be more about eating and drinking than anything else." I for one, have definitely found my sport!

As I pack an outrageous amount of calories into my pack, I am truly amazed.

Check out this list:

64 Oz. Camelbak w/o the bladder to hold my stuff with extra pouch
2 Amphipod Handheld Bottles - 20 oz
4 Hammer Bars
4 Lance Peanut Bars
2 Honey Stingers
2 Cliff Block Shots
3 Gus with extra caffeine
5 Accelerade Single Serving Mix Packs
SteriPen to treat water
One bottle 5 Hr. Energy
30 Endurolytes
1 Baggie of Jelly Beans
2 Packs of salted peanuts

I already feel like a Badass doing a run that requires 3,500 calories and a water filtration device. Seriously, how much better can this get? To be continued...

13 comments:

  1. Seriously, how much better can this get?

    Yeah ... "better" ... that's the word I was searching for ... yeh-yeh, sure-sure. Not "worse" or "insaner" or "masochistic-er" (<-- not in the good sense)

    You ultra foax are freaks. I say that with the utmost respect and -

    O, screw it! No I don't! You're just freaks!

    But good luck anyway.

    That "device" depicted above is not for what I at first thought it was for. That's why I'm the first one here. I mistook it for something else.

    Way to bait-and-switch, sister.

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  2. That food sounds good - you better hope I don't get TOO hungry out there!

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  3. I hope you are not going to eat 35,000 calories on this race.

    You seem to be SO ready. You go girl!

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  4. "Am I injured?" is the eternal question. If you can run for 30 minutes without pain and without intentionally changing your running form to accomodate soreness, you're not injured. Any pain that lasts more than 72 hours is an injury, not just soreness. You just finished your first trail ultra - probably a bit soon for your second...

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  5. Wow! You are crazy or awesome or umm, probably both! Good luck!

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  6. You are making a compelling case for doing ultras! Seriously though, one day I'd like to try. Best of luck to you this weekend!!

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  7. Wow! 35 mile self-sufficient ultra! You are crazy hardcore...or just crazy...or just hardcore... :) Looking forward to reading all about it! I'm getting very curious about these ultra races...

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  8. Right on!! I swear, you sound like me last year! Trail running is the coolest and ultras are definitely the ultimate test!!

    Go ahead and get your GUTS membership application in the mail and run with us!!

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  9. Out of control. I don't understand how people run it if they are snacking so much...I mean, it sounds like my kinda of thing, be active and have a snickers, and then another one, and then another one...

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  10. Love it! I came very very close to doing this one, and I am having a few pangs of regret. Next year for sure.

    My list would probably include:

    Cold fried chicken
    Grilled cheese and bacon sandwich
    Alka seltzer
    Nuun tablets (in case the stream water tastes nasty, with the added benefit of giving you electrolytes)
    Cold pizza
    Caffiene tablets
    White cheddar cheezits
    Trail mix with added dark chocolate peanut M&Ms.

    What can I say...... I'm a freak and wonderfully proud of it!

    Have great fun, and I look forward to hearing all about it.

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  11. The truly sad thing is that I had to look up where a soleus is. I guess that's why I went to law school and not medical school. Rock on with your badass-ultra self!

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  12. You know you thought it was on the bottom of the foot, Lawmonkey:)

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  13. I LOVE the idea of a self sufficient race (honestly, probably because that is the way I always race).

    I remember seeing that water filter light thing on TV. Is that the one that you had?

    Can't wait to hear all about it!!

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