Javelina Jundred 100K Race Report: October 28, 2023

 

Javelina Jundred. A true icon in the ultrarunning community. They call it the Burning Man of trail racing, the Halloween (Jalloween) Party, the Rave in the Desert, and a Western States Golden Ticket opportunity. Does the first and last part of that sentence sound counterintuitive? I thought so, but I was wrong.  

The Javelina Jundred is different from the majority of trail races because of its party atmosphere. Part of why I love trail racing is the low-key nature of most of it. Javelina was a hoot! (or should I say, joot?) How many costume changes did race director Jubilee Page have over the course of the weekend? At least 7 that I counted but I’m sure I missed a few. What other race has space astronaut cowboy DJ’s spinning at 7 am? Fire jugglers at the start line? Why not? The atmosphere is what makes this race exceptional. Oh, and the fact that some of the fastest ultrarunners in the country show up to compete for those Western States Golden Tickets.

 

Photo by Howie Stern

Race website:  https://aravaiparunning.com/network/javelinajundred/

Registration: UltraSignup

Location:  ★★★★☆

The race takes place at McDowell Mountain Regional Park, which is about 10 miles outside Fountain Hills, Arizona. This area is quite remote. We were lucky enough to have a full moon on race night. The night before the race, we were woken by the howling of coyotes in the desert. What an incredible experience! A 60-minute drive from the phoenix airport, this is a convenient location for non-locals to travel and navigate. The location is remote enough that there aren’t really bathroom facilities (there is a small building but it was already closed for the season). However, there were two showers available.

Most of the hotels around are about a half hour drive away. Aravaipa sets up a large expo area and there is quite a bit of on-site camping. Camping is quiet the night before the race. However, race day, there is music late into the night as 100 milers continue to finish. This should be carefully considered if you are running the 100K.

There is no shade available so sitting in the tents after 10 am is absolutely unbearable. Friday before the race, I ended up driving down to Fountain Hills to sit in a coffee shop just to stay cool.

There is not much parking available. Folks have to park up to 1.5 miles down the park road and depend on a shuttle to get to the start/finish. I paid for VIP parking to stay in a lot nearby. Even so, I had to walk almost a half mile to the campsite. When toting gear, this really adds up.

Sunrise over tent city

Organization: ★★★★☆

You know what you’re getting with an Aravaipa event. This organization knows what they are doing. Communication leading up to the race is a dialed-in affair with good emails and an electronic copy of the athlete’s guide provided 1 week in advance. That being said, the cell service in McDowell is poor and there weren’t enough boosters to help out. The live results and livestream were consequently glitchy and unreliable. Drop bags were delayed by about 1.5 hours and this wasn’t communicated unless you sought out organizers. They were very nice about the delay and agreed to mail drop bags to athletes at the athlete’s expense. However, pro-active communication does so much more to alleviate stress as compared to retroactive apologetics.

The course was well marked. All intersections had signs with arrows and “wrong way” indicators on the off trails. There were only a few intersections so it was easy to stay on course.

Morning sun in the desert

Course:★★★★☆

This was a loop course: 3 loops for the 100K and 5 for the 100 mile. The first loop had an extra little hump to make for a 22.3 mile loop 1. The remaining loops were 19.45 miles each. Loop courses are great when you’re by yourself as it is much easier to self-crew when you know you’re going back to through the same aid stations. Loop courses can pose a huge mental challenge. If you go through the start/finish in a low mental state, it can be very easy to drop out.

The trail is not technical. That doesn’t mean it’s easy – I have never run on a trail where I could run the entire time. I quickly found myself missing the built-in walk breaks provided by technical terrain.

Desert running is very different from that in the Midwest – there is no shade. The sun starts cooking around 9 am and burns hot until 4 pm. The only shade provided came from tents set up at the aid stations. Re-application of sunscreen is a must.

The course is relatively flat: just over 1500 feet of elevation gain per loop. There is a small climb to aid station 1, then the trail is a steady uphill grade from miles 4-10. The beauty of that is that after the Jackass Junction aid station, it’s a steady downhill grade to a few rollers to the finish. There are a few washout sections to turn your ankle in if you aren’t careful. Most of the risk comes from passing and going outside the designated footpath. Desert vegetation is unfriendly. Either it’s dry and pokey, or just plain sharp. Off the footpath, rocks are a bit looser and more likely to cause slippage.

I found the major challenge in this course to be just how flat and steady it was. There was very little variation in gait and speed. This almost felt more akin to a road race than a trail race.

There was minimal non-race traffic on the trail. There were a few mountain bikers but all were courteous to the race participants.

 

Photo by Howie Stern

Food: ★★★☆☆

Typical ultra fare at the aid stations, although I do have to say there qas quite a bit to choose from! I appreciate that a list was sent out in advance to update folks on what was and wasn’t vegan or vegetarian to save time sifting through options on the table. Real food included soups, sandwiches and handhelds. Snacks consisted of fruits, chips, cookies, pretzels, candies, chews, pickles, and potatoes. The finish area had plenty of food trucks that accepted both cash and card. Pizza, coffee, fair food, and a vegetarian food truck were the ones that stood out to me. I may have frequented all of them at least once.

Photo by Howie Stern

My race experience:

I was having some mild panic leading up to the race. Monday before leaving, I was riding my mountain bike and slid out on a wet wooden bridge. I had a deep, gnarly bruise on my right hip and knee. I was having some compensatory hip adductor tightness and with my pelvic stress fracture history, I always get nervous when the adductors are off. To top things off, Javelina was my first ultra that my crew champion husband didn’t travel to with me. It was weird traveling alone and toting all my own gear, setting up my own camp, and just generally feeling like if I had issues I was on my own. I’m a princess, I know. I kept reminding myself that other people do it all the time! Being on my feet and putting in 23,000 steps in the heat the day before the race wasn’t ideal preparation, though.

Race morning, I really wasn't nervous anymore. It was going to happen one way or the other so my “buckle down and get to business” persona took over! I chatted with a few ladies at the start line, a few first-timers like me as well as some veterans. The 100K was 50% women. I'm used to races being comprised predominantly of men. This was a fun new experience!

Race morning start line

I went out more aggressive on the pace knowing that I had very limited time where it would be nice and cool out. It was fairly congested coming out of the first aid station as 100K runners started to catch 100 mile runners. Passing was generally easy in the desert compared to the tighter trails I usually run. I got to run with two different Lyndsey's and a guy named Chris for the first 16 miles, then a girl named Christy for the last 6 miles of loop one. I ran through the first aid station, then just briefly stopped to refill handhelds at aid stations 2 and 3. Coming through the start/finish, I stopped and switched from trail shoes to road shoes. I had some gear changes: wiggling into my arm coolers, adding an ice bandana and swapping hydration packs. I did not have a smooth transition here – I couldn't find my drop back for a minute! That was psychologically hard. I was a bit demoralized about not having a crew as I watched my new friends split back out to loop 2 while I was still struggling with my drop bag. I shook it off and just reminded myself to be grateful that I was having this experience of being alone, so that I would not take my A-team crew for granted in the future!

 

I was solo on loop 2 but doing a lot of passing, so at least I never felt completely alone. Passing on the camber was starting to tighten my left IT band and peroneal tendon but the body otherwise felt great! I stopped at each aid station to fill my ice bandana and air coolers with ice, refill bottles and mix up more infinite. I will, in future, come up with a different way to carry the powder because trying to get it out of ziplocks and into a handheld was absolutely atrocious. Around mile 7 of the second loop, I saw Christy and Lyndsey again! Christy was down and Lyndsey had her phone out. Christy had fallen and her wrist was clearly broken. She seemed shocky, pale but assuring people that she was ok. Lyndsey was calling medical assistance but not getting through. We stuck together until one of the Aravaipa livestream guys came by on a mountain bike. I flagged him down and he was able to contact someone in the media tent. He promised to stay with her so I headed back out and Lyndsey followed soon after. She was moving a bit faster than me so soon she split off again.

 

Photo by Scott Rokis

Ice was my best friend through the day. The volunteers at the aid stations would just shovel that stuff into my arm coolers and refill my bandana. Soon I was obsessing about my next ice refill. 

Mentally the second half of loop two and first half of loop 3 were the hardest. It had heated up into the mid 80’s, and there is absolutely no shade in the desert. It was a new experience being on such a runnable course. Most of the races I gravitate towards have technical sections or steep climbs that allow you to walk and break up the monotony. I watched the 2nd and 3rd place women heading out on loop 3 with their pacers as I rolled into the start/finish. I sat down and changed my socks, refilled my ice again, and chugged some infinite jet fuel. That caffeine boost was key! I was still running strong through loop 3. My aid station stops were a bit longer because my left IT and peroneal were so tight that if I stopped to walk or stand, it was hard to start running again. It would take several wonky strides for the knee to loosen up enough to bend. Fortunately, it started to cool off around 3:30 pm. I started feeling good again leaving the last aid station when I knew I was going to finish under 10:15.

Rolling into the finish line felt like rolling into a tailgate. There was music, costumes, and random shirtless, mustached cowboys walking around with tallboys of beer. There were two showers and I only had to wait in line about 10 minutes before getting in. After that, I wandered around to food trucks, ate most of a pizza, and hung out in the Hoka lounge (kind of a fake beach set up with nice lounger chairs) to watch the start/finish. At dark, the fire jugglers came back out to do another show as the Jackass race started and the pros were finishing. Then it was rave time! The finisher’s chute was filled with dancing and finishers rolled right into the party.

 

Photo by Scott Rokis

Unfortunately, the music was pretty loud if you were camping at Javelina Jeadquarters. More unfortunately, I was camping at Javelina Jeadquarters. I decided to walk the ½ mile to my car and sleep there. It was a painful, restless night and I was only about to snatch a couple hours of sleep. Sleeping with your knees bent, as one does when sleeping in a compact vehicle, is excruciating after an ultra. By morning, I was ready to chug a coffee or four to make it through the day.

 

Drop bags were complicated. I needed to catch an afternoon flight and drop bags were slated to arrive by 10 am. My plan was to collect the drop bag and leave. I had already packed up camp and was lingering by the start/finish cheering on 100 mile finishers while waiting on that bag. At 10:40, we learned that drop bags would be delayed at least 1-1.5 hours. The timeline was getting tight and I really just wanted to leave at that point. Like the economical flyer I am, my drop bag was my carry-on. This posed the challenge of trying to transport all of my gear home should I leave my drop bag for dead in the wilderness. The drop bags did arrive back at the start a bit after 12, so I made it to the airport with plenty of time. Even more time than I needed, it turns out, as my flight was delayed by several hours.

Despite the tears of exhaustion and frustration shed in the Phoenix-Mesa airport, Javelina Jundred is a core memory. The volunteers were incredible. The race ethos was exceptional. This is the end-of-year you should not miss! I was stoked to pull off 4th place woman and 7th overall in the 100K, with a finish time of 10:08:59!

 

Nutrition: 

The majority of my nutrition was infinite go-far. I carried an extra pre-portioned baggie and quickly mixed up a fresh handheld at each of the aid stations. I also used the Gatorade and Gu roctane hydration provided at the aid stations. I had a couple of potato chips, pickles and pickle juice at the aid stations. There were plenty of options: there was “real food” (soups, sandwiches) as well as plenty of fruits, chips, cookies, candies and chews. I get overwhelmed looking at the options so typically beeline for the thing I know will work best for me.

 

Gear: 

The best piece of gear for the day was the ice bandana by Rabbit. Having that thing filled at every aid station on loops two and three gave me something to look forward to. Having the ice in the bandana instead of stuffed in the sports bra reduced some of the sloshing and chaffing effect while keeping the ice on the core. For hydration/nutrition, I alternated between my front-loading double 20oz Nathan (pinnacle) pack and a 2L back loaded Nathan (Vapor) hydration pack. I also had a 12oz handheld for my infinite. I ran the first loop in the Hoka Speedgoats. I made the last-minute call to switch out to the Hoka Cliftons for the next two loops. There were a few areas where the rocks were a bit loose, but overall the course was very road-shoe friendly.

                                                                    

 

Full moon on race day!

Recognition:

The biggest shoutout goes to my coach Erin Young, who talked me off the ledge when I started panicking about being out in the desert alone the day before the race. The volunteers were top-notch, remembering where I was from and cheering on the “Michigan girl” whenever I rolled through the aid station.

 

I am a proud member of Team Athletic Mentors, and Ambassador for the Iceman Cometh Challenge. I don't have nutrition or gear sponsors and am not getting any kickbacks if you like my gear/nutrition, I'm just sharing what works for me!

 

Worlds End 100K Race Report: June 3, 2023

Last year, while running with my coach at the Ode to the Hoff, we started talking about 100k's and 100 mile races on the bucket list. She mentioned a 100K in eastern Pennsylvania that had a strict cutoff and was reportedly as hard as a 100 miler. I couldn't remember the name of the race, so I started googling 100K races that were Western States qualifiers. Worlds End popped up. The pictures showed gorgeous trails, complete with rocks, peat moss and waterfalls. I had already missed registration so I hopped onto the wait list. I got called off the wait list in early February. 

There was weirdly little in the way of 100K race reports to sift through. The race site featured some links. There were several videos/vlogs on youtube, but only a handful of blog posts. The ones that existed mostly focused on the experience of the athlete/author and didn't give the nitty gritty of the course. I now know it's because this course turns your brain into mashed potatoes. I'm going to do my best to unpack it. Buckle in for the details!

Rolling into the 10.3 mile aid station
photo credit: Jeff Kascsak

Race website: https://worldsendultra.com/

Registration: RunSignup

Location:  ★★★★☆

Four stars if you love silence. Utter, remote silence. I think I'd bump down to three stars if I stayed more than 2 nights. I cannot emphasize enough how remote Worlds End State Park is. It is a gorgeous park surrounded by the Loyalsock State Forest in Forksville, PA. Loyalsock creek cuts through the park, offering swimming, sunning, and a perfect environment for bugs.

Sidebar: I spent all day wondering what a Loyalsock is. Apparently the forest is named after Loyalsock creek? But what is a Loyalsock? Please comment if you can enlighten me. This bothered me for 14 hours.  

The venue of Worlds End was really nice. Despite being a really remote area, the park is well-equipped. There is cabin and tent camping at the venue, and plenty of RV/car camping nearby. There were a couple of pavilions rented by the race organizer and set up for race day, along with plenty of picnic tables and fire pits (not that we needed fire that day!)

There is not cell service for a solid 10-25 mile radius of the park. So, take that into consideration and print a map. I didn't. Really wish I had!

Desi enjoying Loyalsock Creek

I was a little behind on my adventure planning, so we did not get a campsite in the park. We van-camped at the Bridle Trailhead of Loyalsock State Forest, about 3 miles from the start finish. This was a pretty rustic site. There was a water pump and pit toilet, but that was it. Worlds End had bathrooms with running water, but no showers in the day-use area. The race organizers set up several portapotties by the start/finish line as well. 

Organization: ★★★☆☆

 You all know by now that I'm a stickler for organization. I ranked organization as average here for a few reasons. This was the 9th edition of this race. As an established race, I like to see a fleshed-out website with all the details. Not everyone is going to join the facebook group to be up to date on race specifics. The website was a bit sparse on details. Even now, it only has a link to the 2022 participants guide, and not the 2023. This wouldn't be an issue if the guide was provided at packet pickup, but it isn't (not complaining, I'm all for saving trees). It is the athletes responsibility to download or print it ahead of time. Not a big deal if you were in the facebook group since the link was shared there. However, I do think that if the website isn't going to have the most up-to-date information, then it should clearly state that the facebook group is the go-to site for details. I think this will change in the upcoming years as more and more athletes don't have facebook. There were only two pre-race emails, which is great for the seasoned racer, but newbies may appreciate a bit more communication.

Since I've mentioned the facebook group a few times, I should give you the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/627879393987380

However, there were a lot of good things about organization! The pre-race meeting was excellent. Most of the time, I find those meetings to be pretty unhelpful. There were a lot of details regarding marking, distance between markings, and wildlife to watch out for. Apparently black bears inhabit the Loyalsock State Forest. While I didn't see one while running, we almost hit one with the van as it plundered across the road! 

Additionally, the athlete's guide was excellent. The timeline and rules were extremely clear. Maps and driving directions to aid stations were very easy to follow.

The race director was very up-front regarding what policies were enacted by the DCNR (no alcohol, no donations in place of trail service requirement, etc) that affected the race. 

Race Packet Pickup

Finally, the race website could not be more clear regarding who should and should not sign up for the race. An excerpt: "The Worlds End 100k is a 63.8 mile single loop trail ultramarathon on 95% single-track/double-track. The course has an elevation gain of 12,395 ft with a net elevation change of 24,790 ft. We support you with 12 aid stations and challenge you with a strict 19 hour cutoff. We have a reputation as one of the toughest, most scenic trail 100k’s in the country... The difficulty of the terrain means this is NOT an entry-level race. Each potential participant will be reviewed by the race directors after we receive the completed registration."

Course:★★★★☆

Oh this course. I wish I wasn't running so I could have just stared for hours and cemeted the scenery into my brain. Absolutely incredible sights. There were loose dry sections, muddy sections, so many rocks, insane climbs, scary descents, at least 20 creek crossings, fern groves, pete moss, second-growth forests, waterfalls... literally everything my heart could desire. The trails were very tough to follow at times. There was quite a bit in the way of markings, but several areas with sharp turns either up or down ridges where the trail could have gone straight. This made it tricky to follow in many areas. You definitely could not ever "zone out". The course was absolutely savage. There was no real reprieve in the constant climbs or descents until mile 52. But, that was the point. I'll chat more about course specifics in the section on my experience below. 

Cruising past those waterfalls!
Photo credit: Pfeffer Nusse

 Food: ★★★★★

There were 12 aid stations (3 were water-only) and each was a little different based on what the volunteer team brought. The facebook group (here we go again!) was key! The volunteers posted what they planned to have at the aid stations. Honestly, these were some of the best-equipped aid stations I've seen. They had the traditional stuff: watermelon, potato chips, cookies, candy, water, and tailwind. There were a lot of fun items too, though! Pierogis, roasted potatos, vegan and veggie soups, pickles, dried mango (what a frickin winner that was at mile 35!), sandwiches... too many things to remember! The volunteers were top-notch and so much fun. Pre-race, there were plently of pancakes and coffee. I didn't partake since my stomach can be a bit fickle, but I heard some rave reviews. Post-race, there was quite the feast of pulled pork, mac and cheese, soups, chili (one of which was vegan), and some other stuff that my mashed potato brain can't recall. Five stars for food! 

Loyalsock creek

My race:

What. A. Day! 

Race started at 5 am, so it was a dark start. It was probably a pleasent 60 degrees at the start, heating up to the mid 80's during the day. I'm not totally sure on specifics since I didn't have cell service for 2 days. 

I do love a nice dark start!

I lined up at the front and went out quick. The first 0.6 mile is paved and then it’s a hard climb and I didn’t want to get stuck in the conga line. I was sitting between 12-15th position when we hit the climb and that was a really nice position for me. The 100K is capped at 175 runners, for reference.

First 4 miles were mostly climbing. The trails were incredibly rocky! The image below was part of the course (I didn't run with my phone but took pictures the day before). I definitely am not super confident running on the rocks since it’s so different from home. A few guys passed me and I tried to follow their lines. At this point I was the first female. 

Photo Credit: Matt Dayak @412matt 

After the first 4 miles, you turn and run back down the lollipop and then start going back up again. It's rock and the trail is a bit slanted. At this point, around mile 7-8, I started to realize just how different the trails are from Michigan. In Michigan, our trails are mostly man-made and it is very obvious where the trail is. Here, the trail seemed arbitrary -- no real difference from the surrounding forest. It was flagged every 0.1 mile, but you constantly had to be looking for the flags to know where to go because it was so easy to go off course. And, the "flat, runnable" sections were full of ankle turners. That's precisely what I did at mile 8 -- turn my left ankle so hard I heard some nasty pops, and I went down hard. Whoops. That would come back to bite me. My left ankle has already had a lateral stabilization surgery, and because I destabilized it so early in the race, I was rolling my ankle every half mile to mile for the rest of the day. Sometimes it hurt severely, sometimes I would fall, and sometimes it would just throw my gait off and I would swear under my breath. That gets realllllly old after 12 hours.  

Refueling: most of the aid stations were on road crossings

I held onto my leading lady position until mile 11 or 12. At that point second place female caught me. We ran together until mile 28, then split up when I took a pee break. I thought I'd catch her again but she was gone! It was fun to have a lady to run with! She was from eastern PA and much more confident than I was on the rocks and technical descents. It was very dry and loose and the lack of traction really scared me, so I tried my best to follow her lines and not fall. 

Miles 15-35 had some wicked climbs, then wicked descents. It could not have been any more beautiful though. There are a ton of birds in the Loyalsock forest and I enjoyed hearing the bird calls change throughout the day. Apparently there are rattle snakes, but I did not see any. 

I could not. Stop. Falling. I fell HARD three times between miles 15 and 35. Like, full body on the ground, knock the wind out of you falling. Every time I rolled into an aid station there was more fresh blood. Both elbows, knees, and palms were bleeding. There were deep bruises on both quads, hips and upper arms. And, my poor left ankle was already so swollen I had to loosen my shoe laces. I picked up my trekking poles at mile 35 to try to help keep me upright. Another runner's crew member gave me some ice to stuff in my sports bra, which was a lifesaver in the heat and humidity.

Rolling into the 41.6 mile aid station solo

Miles 35-50 were the worst part of the race. I was beaten down by the relentless hills, technical descents, and the “runnable” segments that weren’t actually runnable for me. Remember, you really have to watch the markers. Problem is that when I would look up at the markers, I’d trip on a rock or root and fall. By the time I hit mile 50, I had suffered around 15 big falls. I was bleeding from so many abrasions!  The heat was really ratcheting up and it was very humid with no breeze. I starting dipping my hands and splashing my face in all the creek crossings.

I was straight up just wobbling my way through those 15 miles. I was moving slower than anticipated, and I started to panic that I wasn't going to finish in the daylight. If I couldn't stay upright in the light, how on earth was I going to finish in the dark? At mile 45, the woman in 3rd place, Jill, caught up to me. She was having some stomach issues but still looked strong. We filled our waters together at the 45.7 mile unmanned station, and she offered me an ibuprofen, which I gladly accepted. I tried to stick with her but my left ankle was so weak I just could not run over anything uneven. 

One of the early sections of trail demonstrating just how rugged it could be

I was so defeated when I came into the 50 mile aid station that I just sat there and sobbed. I wanted to quit so badly. All I could choke out was that I couldn't stop falling. My ankle was throbbing, I was bruised and bleeding, and I was moving so slowly. It was a pretty epic meltdown. A hush settled over the crew teams. I was so angry watching all the locals run through the segments I was wobbling through and falling. I was panicking over the prosepct of finishing in the dark. Luckily, Bobby isn't one to indulge in my self pity. He handed me some caffeine and assured me that this was a rough patch. Someone else reiterated that I was still very much on pace to finish in the daylight. A guy who's name I didn't catch, but he had an epic beard and cool leg tattoos, asked me if I knew what the rest of the course was like. I just cried. He told me that there was a big climb ahead, a few smaller climbs, but lots of runnable stuff. "You're not gonna fall anymore!" he assured me. Honestly, just knowing that things would get better was the best thing for me mentally. I got myself together after a good sit and cry. I kept my poles and cranked out the last two big climbs. Then the trail finally got more runnable! I was clicking off the miles at a respectable pace very comfortably. When I came into the final aid station, I felt strong and confident. I left my poles at the 58.2 mile station and tried to chase down the other two ladies. I gained some time, but didn't close the gap. The last 6 miles were mostly runnable, with the nastiest, steepest, downhill that I may have partially slid down on my butt. But, it was done! I chugged back into the park to see my husband and dog cheering (ok, he was cheering, she was looking for snacks). I ended up finishing 3rd female by only 17 minutes (top two were 40 seconds apart) and 10th overall. Out of 175 racers, there were 104 finishers. I smashed my time goal of 15 hours, with a finishing time of 14:12. And, I picked myself up from arguably one of the lowest points I've experienced in a long time and closed the race strong. I've got a lot of work to do to become a more technical runner, but I am so grateful for the experience I had at Worlds End. 

To summarize: You should check this race out. But respect it. I came into it with plenty of respect for the course and I was still utterly humbled. 

Nutrition: 

I took in a bottle of infinite (1 scoop of grape- flavored women's "go far" in a 16 oz handheld) at the crew-permitted (six of the twelve) aid stations. I did have one bottle of tailwind from an aid station since I was going to be 15 miles between crew-permitted station. I drank TONS of water. Peanut butter MnM’s, Mike and Ike’s, pringles, larabars, goldfish and some date balls were the snacks I packed and ate. I ate some grilled cheese, dried mango and lays potato chips at aid stations. I was in love with the pickles and pickle juice at the aid stations!  

Lucky enough to have Bobby sheparding me at aid stations
photo credit: Jeff Kascsak

Gear: 

I alternated between a a front-loading double 20oz Nathan (pinnacle) pack and a 2L back loaded Nathan (Vapor) hydration pack, depending on how far apart aid stations were. They could vary from 3 miles to 8 miles apart. I also had a 16 oz handheld for my infinite. I ran the vast majority of the race in the Hoka Speedgoats, but did use the cliftons for about 10 miles to let the speedgoats dry out after I fell in a water crossing. I used the Leki trekking poles for about 20 miles when I was really struggling. 

In other news, big shoutout to Nathan for the front-loaded pack! It was a gift to me for my placement at Bandera this spring -- we were allowed to choose one item off the site to be shipped to us. I'm obsessed with this pack, thanks Nathan! My poles fit really nicely in the back of this pack too. 

https://www.nathansports.com/pages/pinnacle-series

Recognition:

Huge thanks to the team around me: Bobby Munro (hubby and crew team captain), my mom Sarah who made a ton of food for us to eat on the road, my friends who babysat the two dogs and four cats at home, my coach Erin Young, and the super kind volunteers and other athletes crew members (especially Michelle Pede) who were so kind to me when I was having a rough patch. All the volunteers were fantastic all day! I don't take for granted the hard work that goes into organizing and setting up an event like this -- huge thank you to everyone involved!

I am a proud member of Team Athletic Mentors, and Ambassador for the Iceman Cometh Challenge. I don't have nutrition or gear sponsors and am not getting any kickbacks if you like my gear/nutrition, I'm just sharing what works for me!