2. Pick out landmarks up ahead and focus on pulling yourself there (this repetitive goal setting and accomplishing keeps the mood positive and is easier to grasp than thinking about the finish line and how far away it is).
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| Unclipping the race vest to access the back pocket while on the run. Portable aid station! |
Seems like all my local (and some far away) athlete buddies are suffering some sort of malady, knees (boulder and south carolina), sickness (boulder and golden), tendons (colorado springs). I'm just getting completely over 16 days of illness (likely obtained from the germ-y work environment of hacking humans). It's difficult to have reasonable perspective on how to handle these things. Being long distance runners, we're used to pain and actually accept and sometimes welcome it. Setbacks of injury and sickness are at the very least difficult to endure and can have even deeper mood effects. Like everything, they serve a purpose and, once outlived, they give us a fresh perspective and appreciation of what we have and can do.
Got out in the beautiful weather yesterday for 16 miles at (my) quick 50k pace. Started at 3pm and was sweating like a billy goat on blacktop. The temp change was drastic once the sun dips and the peaks's shadows march east. I was rightly cold by 5pm.
I can feel the pull of races now and love the anticipation. I'm excited to see how friends will do in their events and excited to be around other trail runners soon. Solo training is nice but I'm looking forward to running with the herd again.
I was a huge Camelbak guy for many years. Once I tried the handheld bottles though I liked them better. I know Matt C did a "test" (on a treadmill which is a much more controlled environment than my own) and found the bottle to be less efficient and then went on to destroy Leadville with Camelbaks. Why do you think some of the top of the top guys (like Roes who I would think would be a pack guy from his Alaska back woods training) use the bottles?
ReplyDeleteMy "test" was more about people carrying extra body weight. Using 10 pounds is extreme. That's like carrying 5 liters of water. I think a pack that was very easily refilled would be the ideal so at mile 5 you wouldn't be carrying the water that you will use at mile 30.
Well, there's the "cool" factor in using bottles too. Other big reasons I like a pack is my hands get cold and holding a bottle seems to amplify that. I also like the freedom and use of my hands.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure Geoff used a pack mostly up until a couple years ago. Having a crew (which those guys almost always have) is a huge benefit. You don't even have to break stride, just grab a fresh bottle and drop your empty one. Just think if Killian had worn a hydration pack at ws. We'd likely have a 14:xx course record there right now.
I liked your weight experiment. I thought about it a lot on my run yesterday and decided I need to drop some weight.
Yeah - Carpenter did use a Camelbak for Leadville. But he had issues with it. He had shoved a 100oz bladder into the 70oz frame. At an aid station someone tried to help him by taking the bladder out.
ReplyDeleteThere were tests by guys at Western that showed a slight mechanical advantage with the Camelbak over the hand held bottle ...
I have seen Carpenter now use hand helds quite a bit, even at Pikes ... he has this odd football carry that I have not tried to master but it essentially tucks the bottle into his elbow, arm, torso.
I learned the Camelbak lesson in the GC. I'd get to a water stop, and when your Camelbak is already loaded with other crap, it is hard for water to go in there. I'd be dicking around with the bladder and others would just come and go with their bottles in 10 seconds.
Maybe the camelback is more difficult. I can fill my Nathan in less than 30 seconds.
ReplyDeleteI've tried that armpit carrying method of MC just because my hands were freezing in a race. About drove me crazy because the bottle would wiggle backwards and work its way out.
The bottles are nice though when you want to have varied fuels in one and fresh water in the other.
I don't race ultras so I've never raced with a handheld or a camelback, but I have done enough long runs where I need to carry something. I prefer the handhelds, but sometimes, in the summer, I need a camelback. The camelback puts alot of stress on the back of my lower legs on the uphills - I can feel it from my calf down to my achilles. I'm sure weight is a part of this, but I've thought that maybe the Camelback might effect my posture a little and contribute to the stress on the back of my lower leg.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that's why I like the Nathan; it just sort of hugs you and rides loosely around your shoulders and chest, no cinching down of straps. I can't wear any other packs comfortably, though would like to try some of the new solomon packs.
ReplyDeleteMy UD Wasp is quite comfortable. I'm wondering if wearing it with a full bladder on all training runs would allow my body to adjust overtime to carrying the extra weight?
ReplyDeleteI think if you keep the main large pocket free of other stuff, removing and replacing would be much easier. I've had a difficult time when I had a jacket/gloves/etc in there.
I've seen Matt carrying that green Gatorade bottle many times and still can't figure out how he does it.
Woody- Matt does a lot of things that "I can't figure how he does it".
ReplyDeleteSo it's decided then... to each his own. May the toughest and fittest win regardless of his equipment!
And here's a thought. Lose 4 pounds and offset the weight of 2 liters in the pack.
Some of it is personal preference and some of it is an "image" thing. Sort of like the elite guys don't wear packs. I personally cannot run well carrying stuff in my hands the whole time. I also get cold hands, so that does not help. The Nathan is much easier to fill on the fly than any Camelbak I own. But having gels, and a couple spare items (camera, etc.) in a pack is so much more convenient that having overstuffed shorts pockets or shirt pockets.
ReplyDeleteAddendum to #1 - have a pacer who carries everything under the sun in a pack so you can skip aid stations...
GZ, yea I've seen MCs armpit bottle grip. I've tried it just to see...can't do it, don't like it. But maybe when you have fat hairy armpits compared to just ribs to grip it its different.
ReplyDeleteI only run when it rains! Don't have to carry a darn thing then!
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