Clothing
1.
I always bring 2 pairs of my favorite running
shoes with me. I like to alternate
pairs. I find that it is also a good
idea should you find that you are running a leg in inclement weather. This way you will have a dry pair to change
into for your next leg.
2.
3 pairs of running shorts. This should be obvious. One for each leg. In addition, I always bring an additional
pair of running shorts to change into when I am done with all of my legs.
3.
3 wicking shirts. Again one for each leg. In addition, I bring one long sleeve wicking
shirt in case the overnight run is cooler than normal.
4.
3 pairs of undergarments & socks. As we taught the scouts, the key to avoiding
getting chilled is to change out of your wet clothes ASAP after your leg.
5.
A pair of comfortable long pants to wear in
between night-time legs. If it is going
to be a warm race, I will usually just bring a pair of light weight wind
pants. If it is going to be cold like at
the Ragnar Cape Cod, I bring a pair of fleece pants.
6.
A light-weight jacket running jacket to allow me
to layer if it is cold or wet during any of my legs.
7.
A sweatshirt.
If you are running a race in Florida, you can leave this behind. But, I have always had a need to throw on a
sweatshirt during each of the six relays I have participated in.
8.
Hat. I
bring 2 hats. One is a baseball style
running hat and the other is either a knit
hat or my running skull hat.
These I pull out when it is particularly cold at night.
Gear
1.
Running watch.
I run with the Garmin 410.
Whatever watch you use be sure to bring your charger with you. There will be chances to charge it up during
your down time.
2. Sunglasses.
I have found that there has always been at least one leg where I am
running facing the sun. If direct sun
bothers your eyes you really need to bring sunglasses.
3. Reflective vest and some flashing lights. Don't rely on your teammates to supply these
for you. Besides if you are a runner you
should have a reflective vest for running in the early morning to protect you
from the normal traffic we see every day.
4. Head lamp for night runs. I have started running with Knuckle
Lights. I find them more comfortable
than running with a headlamp. Plus it
allows me to wear a hat to keep warm during the night time runs. You can find them at http://www.knucklelights.com/.
5. Pain killers.
Stay away from Tylenol. I usually
bring Aleve or Advil. If you have any
fears of stomach issues, bring some Pepto.
6. Sunscreen to protect your skin. I didn't bring it on my first relay and did
get a bit of a sunburn on my arms during my final leg.
7. Body glide or Vaseline. Either works to reduce
chafing. You will have chafing. These races are just like a half or full marathon. Having bleeding nipples or nasty chafing in
areas that don't see the sun makes for an uncomfortable experience.
8. Icy Hot.
I don't always bring this. But,
if you think you may experience severe muscle pain due to having to run 3 legs,
you can get pain relief from sore muscles or aching joints by using Icy Hot.
9. Baby Wipes or
some other Sports Wipes for in-between run wipe-downs. Some people call it a Hobo bath. Whatever you call it, it is a real relief to
wipe all the sweat from your body before changing into your dry clothes or next
running duds.
10. 2 beach towels.
I use these to wipe down before using the baby wipes. I also use them to sit on in the van so I
don't get the seats all sweaty. Trust me
it will keep the smell down in the van if you aren't always sweating all over the
seats.
11. Mouthwash, toothbrush/paste to use before
getting some sleep after the night leg.
If you wear contacts bring your contact case and glasses to give your
eyes a break between your night leg and the next final morning leg.
12. Flip flops or some other lightweight shoe (like
Crocs) to give your tired feet a break between legs. I started bringing these after my second
overnight relay and have to say that it makes a huge difference to not always
be in running shoes.
13. Sleeping bag and sleeping pad. I usually bring my 40 degree sleeping
bag. I have found that it is definitely
warm enough for any race I have run so far.
At Cape Cod it was a little colder than normal so I pulled on my fleece
pants and sweatshirt before I bedded down for the night. I use my sleeping pad to stretch out on the grass
during down time as well.
14. Cell phone.
No explanation needed.
15. A camera to record all the fun times and
beautiful scenery that you will definitely be seeing during your race.
16. One duffel bag to carry all the gear in. Make sure that you always put your stuff back
in your bag. This keeps you from getting your gear mixed up with others and lost. I always throw in a
couple of small trash bags to put my wet running clothes in after finishing a
leg. I find it keeps the rest of my
clothes dry and helps keep the smell down as well.
I hope that this list helps. All I can
say is that I have never experienced anything like spending 30+ hours and
running a 200 mile relay with 11 other people in all of my running adventures. At
the end of each of the relays I participated in I found myself longing to spend
more with my teammates that perhaps didn’t involve sleep deprivation, hunger, and odiferous
van conditions. In the end, I have to
say that the celebration at the finish line is the reward for finishing our
collective journey. I always make sure
that since we won't be living together like we had the previous 30+ hours that
we take some time to enjoy each other after the race.
I have found that I have become truly
close with all of my teammates who went on these crazy journeys with me. I can say unequivocally that all of my
teammates are interesting, strong,
intelligent, funny, and caring people.
They would truly give me the shirt off their backs if I needed it and I
would do the same for them. So the real
secret to overnight relays it the people who make up your team. Cherish them.
And don't forget that in some
relays there are 300+ other teams out there doing the same thing. They all have an insatiable zest for life
that makes me want to aim higher, dream bigger and run harder. What more could you ask for in a single racing event?
Nov. 11 – 6.20 miles (58:20, 9:23 pace)
Nov. 12 – 3.10 miles (24:58, 8:06 pace) – Tempo Run
Nov. 13 – 6.10 miles (55:49, 9:05 pace)
Nov. 14 – 6.10 miles (55:47, 9:05 pace)
Nov. 14 – 2.50 miles (25:38, 10:10 pace)
Nov. 16 – 9.20 miles (1:29:18, 9:41 pace)
Nov. 17 – 8.20 miles (1:12:17, 8:49 pace)
Nov. 18 – 6.10 miles (56:11, 9:24 pace)
Nov. 19 – 3.10 miles (23:40, 7:36 pace) – Speed Work
Nov. 20 – 6.20 miles (50:13, 8:06 pace)
Nov. 21 – 6.20 miles (55:54, 9:10 pace)
Nov. 23 – 10.10 miles (1:27:01, 8:34 pace)
Nov. 24 – 8.10 miles (1:09:00, 8:31 pace)
Total Miles: 81.2 miles
2013
Total Miles: 1,582.70 miles
1 comment:
All three posts are very informative, keep us up to date on the tean's training. We will look forward to your comments after it's over. I also got some good suggestions for gifts for you when the occasion arises.
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