North Fork 50K

Written By Hagan McHenry

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

Hagan McHenry https://haganmchenry.com