Last weekend, I ran the Ultimate Direction Dirty 30, a 50k race in Colorado.  Read about it here.  As promised, this post is all about those pesky logistics of ultrarunning:  what to carry, what to pack in a drop bag, what to eat at aid stations.  These are things I’d never given much thought to during a road marathon, and they seriously stressed me a little bit for the ultra.  I think I did a pretty good job packing and eating, so here we go…

What I Ate the Day Before

• Natural food store version of Golden Grahams with unsweetened almondmilk
• Indian takeout — rice, naan, saag masala (medium spicy), dal makhani
  • Some might have thought this was risky, but I live on the edge.  And it just sounded good to me at the time.
• Nuun Active

What I Ate the Morning of

• A gingerbread Stinger Waffle
• A Probar caffeinated peanut butter packet
• A banana
  • I maybe should have eaten more — toast or oatmeal or something, but I was at an Airbnb so I was trying to avoid using the kitchen and to be quick

What I Wore for the Race

• Altra Superior running shoes
• Feetures running socks
• 2Toms lubricating roll-on on my feet, armpits, and other chafe-prone spots
• Nike spandex running shorts
• Lululemon racerback tank top
• Freedom’s Run long-sleeve tech tee
  • I tied this around waist from mile 5ish to 17.5, then left it in my drop bag at Aid 3
• Garden Goddess mineral sunscreen stick on face and shoulders
• Rock Creek Runner hat
• Race bib
• Apple Watch

What I Carried for the Race

• Nathan Intensity hydration pack with water bladder
  • This does has a bladder rather than bottles and doesn’t have a ton of space up front for food and essentials, so I just got a new UD Jenny pack that I am looking forward to trying out.  I stuck with this tried-and-true one for my race
• Tropical Punch Clif Bloks, 2 Stinger Waffles, 3 Huma gels, 1 Salted Caramel Gu
  • I ended up eating all of these except one Huma gel and the Gu
• Salt tablets
  • Did not use these but maybe should have.  I’ve never used them before so I was nervous about how they’d make me feel.  Something to try on a long training run.
• Empty plastic baggie for used gel packets
  • Leave No Trace!
• Extra pair of socks
  • Just in case; did not use
• Goddess Garden sunscreen stick
  • Applied at mile 18 during a sunny climb
• Plastic baggie with Aleve, antacids, and Pepto — just in case!
  • Luckily I did not need any of this
• iPhone 6, for Strava-ing

What I Put in My Drop Bag (A Nike Drawstring Cleat Bag) (17.5 miles, Aid 3)

• Extra pair of trail shoes (Merrell)
  • Did not use, but my plan was to switch into these if I was having serious blister issues or if my Altras were wet.  Other folks I spoke to didn’t bring extra shoes for a 50K but I figured I’d bring them since I had the option.
• Extra pair of socks
  • Swapped these in at Aid 3
• Baby wipes
  • Ended up using these after the race to wipe off my salt-crusted face
• Blister kit (nu-skin, foam, adhesive pads)
  • Used this at Aid 3 and ended up putting it in my pack for the rest of the race, just in case
• KT Tape
  • Did not use
• 2Toms lubricating roll-on
  • Ended up not needing to re-apply after first application in the morning

What I Ate During the Race

• Aid 1: 1/3 banana
  • I wasn’t hungry but I felt like I should try to eat something.  I told the aid station volunteers “This is my first ever aid station!  Is this how this works?” and they assured me I was doing it right
• I also ate a Stinger Waffle and my Clif Bloks early in the race
• Aid 2: handful of potato chips, slice of watermelon
  • Chips were the #1 thing I was interested in at most of the aid stations
• I also ate 2 Huma gels in the middle of the race
• Aid 3: refill water, a little boiled potato, potato chips, 1/4 PB sandwich,  picked up V Fuel and M&Ms but didn’t end up eating them
• I tried to eat the second Stinger Waffle somewhere between Aid 3 and Aid 4.  I ate most of it but couldn’t finish the last bite.
• Aid 4: refill water, popsicle, potato chips, Coke
• Aid 5: none — almost done!

What I Put in My Finish Bag (My Osprey Stratos 24 Pack)

• Fresh clothes and the pants I wore in the morning before the start when it was cold
  • So, so essential to have clean, dry clothes!
• Gallon-size plastic bag for dirty clothes
  • Save your pack and other goodies from the grossness!
• Rain coat — just in case
• Vegan Birkenstock sandals
  • Best purchase of 2017 so far
• Wallet with cash
• Ravpower portable charger
  • Phone had 10% battery after almost 9.5 hours of Strava-ing
• Fork and plate for post-race party
  • When I say “plate,” I mean an empty plastic kale chip clamshell
• Sunglasses
• Car keys

What I Ate Post-Race

I was not hungry for real food at the finish line, so I just had a few slices of watermelon.  I was really thirsty but plain water sounded gross, and I didn’t want any more sugar.   After I was “home” and showered, I went out to pick up a few bottles of sparkling water, which made my stomach feel a ton better.  I also ate my leftover Indian food and, later in the evening, a McDougall’s vegan miso ramen soup cup.  I probably should have had some protein, but I was really just focused on what sounded good to my tender belly.

What do you pack and eat for a marathon or ultramarathon?  Do you have an essential piece of gear or apparel for when you race?  What else should I try for my next one, the Mt. Hood 50k, in just one month?