Scaling Back & Gearing Up

Over the past few days, I realized that in order for me to remotely do okay for Mt Si, I have to get over this chest cold first. It's in its final stages, so alot of dry coughing & icky coughing is happening to clear out the left lung. Because of this, I've kept my running to nearly zero and have opted to focus on purging as much of this as possible until Mt Si since there isn't enough time to increase my cardio-endurance before the event.

I also told the family not to worry if they can't show to see me finish this one. The only race that I would really like them to be at is the White River 50 in July anyway.

For Mt Si prep, I have figured out what I need to do and where specific to my dropbags.

- Dropbag #1 -

* 2 Ultimate Direction handstrap bottles filled with Orange Gatorade
* Aleve (6 pill blister pack)
* GU Packets (Espresso Love flavor)
* Spare gloves
* Spare long-sleeve shirt
* Spare pair of Injinji Tsoks
* Large Garbage Bag
* Container of S!Caps
* DayQuil
* Cough Drops
* Quench Gum
* Vaseline
* Hot Hands instant hand-warmers

- Dropbag #2 -

* 1 liter Vacuum Bottle Food Container filled with HOT Chicken Noodle Soup
* Mexican Coca-Cola
* Container of Orange Gatorade
* Container of S!Caps
* Can of Starbucks DoubleShot Espresso
* Can of Chocolate Ensure
* Aleve (6 pill blister pack)
* Large Garbage Bag
* Spare Gloves
* Spare long-sleeve
* Spare pair of Injinji Tsoks
* 2nd pair of shoes (New Balance 719's)
* Vaseline
* Cough Drops
* DayQuil
* Hot Hands instant hand-warmers
* Cellphone

- In car -

* Warm Clothes
* 45 Gal storage container with bag of ice and jugs of water
* Towels
* Blister kit (needle, alcohol wipes, bandages, etc)
* Slim-Fast shake

- Before race -

* Eat good warm breakfast
* Wear headlamp till dropbag #1 is reached
* Drink 16 oz water & take one S!Caps suppliment
* Vaseline feet up and put on Injinji Tsoks and Mizuno shoes
* Dress appropriately for weather (reports show rain currently)
* Wear Hot Hands instant hand-warmers if temp feels too cold

- Strategy -

Since the name of the game is surviving, I have to learn not to push too hard because of my lack of good training miles these past few weeks. So the game is to run where I am able to, walk when I can't, and to do my best to keep moving until I finish.

* Pre-Start (0.0 mi) - Drink water and take S!Caps, carry no additional hydration
* Start to Aid Station #1/Dropbag #1 (5.7 mi) - Drink with provided aid. Stash headlamp into dropbag if light level is decent.
* Aid Station #2 (9.9 mi) - Self-supported aid station, drink some water and take another S!Caps before returning back to Dropbag #1.
* Aid Station #3/Dropbag #1 (14 mi) - Drink again with provided aid. Take UD bottles out of dropbag. Pack some GU packets and the Aleve to take on the course. Swap clothes and possibly wear garbage bag as rain slicker if necessary.
* Aid Station #4 (20.4 mi) - Possibly refill one bottle with drink from Aid Station. Eat some solid food if possible before going on.
* Aid Station #5 (24.3 mi) - Most likely going to pass this aid station unless I really feel the need to swig water or grab a banana. It's more important to get to the next aid station anyway.
* Aid Station #6/Dropbag #2 (28.9 mi) - The Super-Spot! MUST GET HERE BEFORE 12:30pm! (7.5 hours from Start) Drink up the hot soup in the dropbag right away. Drink up some Ensure and Starbucks DoubleShot. Share with other runners since it's unlikely anyone would turndown hot soup and super-caffine like Starbucks. Eat some aid station food, if desired. Fill one bottle with Mexican Coca-Cola. Pop Aleve if necessary (take some with along course for rest of time). Swap clothes and garbage bag rain-slicker if necessary. Swap shoes if necessary. Leave out can of Starbucks DoubleShot and Ensure on side of trail if the chance of getting back to drop bag on return is not within cutoff time.
* Aid Station #7 (34.4 mi) - Only 15.6 miles to go, time to HTFU! MUST GET HERE BEFORE 1:40PM CUT-OFF! Take some food and drink before leaving.
* Aid Station #8 (39.9 mi) - Only 10.1 miles to go, SUCK IT UP! MUST GET HERE BEFORE 3:00PM CUT-OFF! Since this is the same aid station as #6, the dropbag might still be here if I get back before 12:30pm (although I highly doubt it). Refuel & Refill with aid station drink and with stuff left on the side of the trail saved from earlier.
* Aid Station #9 (46.7 mi) - Only 3.3 miles to the finish! GO! GO! GO! Self-Supported aid station (and LAST aid station). Unless if there is a need to get some water or banana, just got to hang in there and take it mile by mile for the last three.

If I feel the coughing coming on too strong (hope to be done with it by Sunday), I'll be downing DayQuil and popping cough drops while out on the course. If things start to turn seriously south and I know there is no way for me to go on, I'll put my tail between my legs and drop on the course at a manned aid station and take the DNF.

- Post-Race Recovery-

* Drink down Slim-Fast shake
* Fill up storage container with water and the ice (or what has survived of the ice) to take immediate ice-bath to help with recovery
* Dry off and change into regular clothes
* Take Aleve if necessary
* Take care of any blisters
* Early night of sleep since I have to work the following day

So, to sum it up:

- Go Slow
- Go Long
- Go Safe
- Go Have Fun