North Fork 50K
50K PR
My most enjoyable ultra and I think most of that is from low to zero expectations. A good day to me would have been beating my PR of 6hrs and finishing was the main goal. I finished in 5:20 with the course being 2.5 miles long. My 50k time was 4:54 and I placed 11th/177. This was just a training run for me, as I had run 50miles that week before the race. Ideally, I wanted to take the first 20miles easy and maybe try a bit more the last 11. I took the first 20 moderate/steady, but not pushing (I knew I wasn't going to just go out easy). Then I didn't really pick up the pace at mile 20, but I didn't slow down and was conscious to put some effort into the down hills.
There was no one that passed me that I didn't again pass later and its honestly such a boost of confidence to be passing others. Much more enjoyable than slowing down and a bunch of people passing you.
The trails were in FANTASTIC shape and everything was so runnable. I hiked probably 200ft the whole race.
I carried 3 soft flasks, 12 gels, 1 caffine pill, 22 salt pills, gloves, a buff, a cup, TP, and a rain jacket. My pack weighed 6lb and the weight never bothered me. I stopped 3 or 4 times for water. Which were sub 1 minute stops. I peed once and pooped 0 times, which was great. On my person I had salomon ultra guides, darn tough socks, dirty girl gaiters, cheap calf sleeves, rabit half tights, a t shirt, arm sleeves, and a hat. I lubed my no no square and feet with a moderate amount of squires nut butter, no issues.
The weather was awesome at 45-55°F and over cast. I never got rained on either. I was suprised at how much I sweat still. The scenery was great. The burn areas make it even more interesting because you could see so much.
During:
5 awesome sauce (180cal)
5 gu chocolate outrage (100cal, 20mg caffine, 60mg sodium)
1 small handful of mm's (~100cal)
11 salt pills (250 sodium each)
3/4 caffine pill (150 caffine)
~3-4L of water
(1500cal/280cal per hour)
(3050mg sodium/570mg per hour)
(250caffine/100 in gels throughout, 100mg at mile ~17, 50mg at mile ~26)
3hr Before:
1 scoop whey protein
2tbsp collagen protein
2tbsp almond butter
8oz water
Sipped on 24oz water with 1 serving of re-lyte [800mg sodium] (drank ~20oz of it and stopped drinking it 30min before start)
Day before:
Stopped eatting at 3pm
Ate less fat and nothing high fiber
Mostly had bananas and lean ground beef