After Action Review

Now that I am back and some what rested here are some pointers relating to my participation in the 2014 G2G.

Ready for the Start!

1.  20,000 kcals is almost not enough for this race if you are competing.  14,000 is a starvation diet, and you will starve!  You should consider very carefully how much you bring.  I also found that fewer nuts and more liquid based calories would have been good during the hot days.
2.  Full gaiters are very useful due to the large amounts of very fine sand.  Some got by without them but at a cost of time or blisters.
3. The standard kit worked well.  Nice to have the down jacket at times to save body heat and calories.  Starting weight was under 18 lbs without water.  Finishing weight was 7.8 lbs.
4.  Foot taping is a must.  Again there were many there that did not know about this important aspect of stage racing.  Research and practice before hand is a good idea.  If your feet are trashed it is unlikely you will finish.
5.  Hydration and electrolyte maintenance was critical.  This got many on the long day.  Even though it was not extremely hot (temperatures were never over 100) those not use to it were suffering.  I would suggest some bit of heat training for this event.
6.  The scenery was great.  You need to stop and look around, take some pictures, etc.  Since there was no moon out, the stars were great especially in the dune field.  Many shooting stars.
7.  Sleeping was difficult at times due to unlevel and uneven ground.  While those setting up camp tried, the requirements imposed on them by various entities made the selection of camp sites difficult.  Some used sleeping pills.  If you do I would suggest understanding their effects prior to arrival.
8.  There was sufficient water available on the course and at camp.  Note enough to shower and do laundry but more than enough to stay hydrated and practice proper hand hygiene.
9.  The altitude was getting to some.  If you live at sea level it will hurt some.
10.  This is a hard race due to the daily distances and terrain.  It is difficult to make a direct comparison to other events like MDS or other stage races due to differences in terrain, temperature, weather, etc.  Cut off times are reasonable however some will not make them.  If you prepare you can finish this event.
11.  Course marking was good but many still missed turns.  You need to pay attention and think at this race!
12.  Cross country (off trail) running is good to practice.
13.  Having great tent mates is awesome!
14.  You really need to pace yourself during the entire event.  It is very easy to fall off the edge! 
15.  Be sure and label all your food/wrappers with your bib number prior to check in.
16.  Try and arrive early to enjoy some of the offerings in Kanab.  The town is very friendly and supper supportive of this race.
17.  Logistics were good.
18.  The dunes were very hard but short.
19.  You need to have a very positive mental attitude for this race.  Things will not go your way on many occasions and you need to be able to bounce back.  "Keep Calm and Stage Race On!"
20.  This is a great race right here in the good old USA.  If you are a stage racer you should do this one!

End of Stage 5 (and the race)

Stage 3 Grand to Grand- A Grand Beat Down

This was the hardest stage I have ever done.

Fifteen of us had to start at 10:00, two hours after everyone else so the aid stations would be manned.  All went well until CP2 and then I was falling behind on nutrition and electrolytes.  I slowed down and plodded into CP4 eventually where I drank a recovery drink & that helped a lot.  The Italian that was gunning for me pushed hard by me when I was down.  I felt much better from CP4-CP6.   The cooler temperature eventually helped and I made the dunes at dark.  It was very soft sand and slow often I had to climb on all fours!  I eventually caught the Italian about seven miles from the end and four of us (him and three of us from tent 5) finished all together about 20 minutes after midnight.

There have been lots of people dropping or missing cut off times.  My ranking is going up and I am still holding on to 1^st old guy.  Three of us in our tent are in the top 10!  Thank you for the emails and thoughts.  I have one small blister on left heal but otherwise I'm doing OK. 

Rest day today, I hope I can catch up on some sleep.

UPDATE!

The results are up and I have moved up to sixth place overall and fifth male!  Places 5-8 are all within 20 minutes of each other.  In other news 24 people have dropped or been pulled. 

 

Stage 4 tomorrow has more sand and hills.  Not easy but the pack is getting much lighter.

 

My two hour power nap gave me some nice relief but I am still  hoping for some more sleep when it cools off.

Stage 2 of Grand to Grand

Things went much better today.  27 miles.  1200 ft of climb at mile three and downhill after that for the most part.  It got hot in the afternoon as the temperature was in the 90's.  I managed my calories, pace, water and electrolytes much better than yesterday.  I even got about 6.5 hours of sleep last night which helped.  I finished about 8^th or 9^th. 

One of the top runners (from Saudi Arabia) missed a turn and went 20 minutes down the road before he realized it.  We paced him in to CP4 where he eventually dropped.  I am leading my age group but an Italian that is in second place has figured out who I am.  No doubt I will have to look over my shoulder now.  I've got only 15 minutes on him so it is very close.  Tomorrow will be very hard 53 miles, 75% sand, dunes and heat.  I may have to start in the  fast pack an hour or so after everyone else leaves. 

 

Feet are great, back is ok but my quads are hurting with lactic acid build up.  Hope they will work themselves out.  About 1/3 of the way there.

 

Lisa is having a good time.  Scenery is great but humidity is up due to the recent rains. 

 

Thanks for the emails!

Stage 1 of Grand to Grand

There was a lot of thunder and lightning last night at the bivouac. It drizzled for a couple of hours and the tents required work at about 3:00 am.  It was a long night and I only got about four hours of sleep. 


The start was fast and weather heavy over cast.  Dodged showers all day.  First 20 miles were just over 10:00/mile.  Last eight was off road through cactus, rocks, uphill, etc.  Lots of walking then I got behind on food and a little behind on water. Finished in under 6:30 and in 12^th place I think.  No blisters.  All is good.  Will sleep ok tonight! 


Tomorrow is 25 miles with some hills and sand I'm sure I will go slower.

Checked in and good to go!

Today was check in.  Medical was reviewed, weights taken and required equipment inspected for.  Everyone had to also label all food packaging with their bib number to prevent littering (and associated penalties).

My pack is coming in at about 17.5 lbs without water.  I am carrying about 10 lbs of food (20,000 kcals) and about 7.5 lbs of gear. About a half pound more than I wanted but I should eat fairly well.

Weather looks like hot with chances of rain on a couple of days, thus the heavier rain jacket is coming instead of the tachyon jacket.   Route book is showing lots of "soft sand" through out the course.  Aid stations are fairly close together, usually less than 7 miles so cameling-up should not be required too often.

The pre-race dinner is tonight the we are off to the bivouac tomorrow around noon.

On Our Way

Today my wife Lisa and me have made it to Kanab, the gathering point for the race.  An easy flight into Las Vegas forum Albuquerque.  On the flight we just happened to sit down next to probably the only other person going to the race from New Mexico, volunteer Susan Oliver!

Upon getting or bags in Vegas we met up with the others and loaded up for a four hour bus ride across Nevada and Utah.  Fortunately the interstate has been repaired near Mesquite NV from being washed out in some torrential rains just days before.  Traffic had been diverted three hours around the damage, lucky us.  Hopefully we will have drier weather!

Over 40 competitors and volunteers were long for the ride, getting to know each other and sharing their anticipation.  The rest of the contingent comes in tomorrow.  I look forward to some relaxing time after a 70 hour plus work week and some very late nights.  Repacking and reviewing my kit along with a short run is on the schedule too.

Tahoe 200 and Foot Care

With just a couple of weeks to go before the Grand to Grand, I had an enjoyable time volunteering and supporting my friend Tim White at the inaugural Tahoe 200.  This is a 200 mile, multi-day race around beautiful lake Tahoe on the Tahoe Rim Trail.  Megan Hicks wrote of her experience fast packing much of this course back in the January edition of Trail Runner.

Unlike stage racing this event has no fixed distances to cover each day.  The gun goes off and you finish when you cross the line.  The time limit for this event was 100 hours (four days+) and of course there were cut off times along the way.  Like stage racing you need to manage yourself over several days including rest/sleep/eating/whining/etc.  While not "self supported" participants were required to carry a significant amount of emergency gear just in case.  Tim's pack came in at around 10 lbs (including water) which is nothing to scoff at in a race of this length.

My volunteering duties were mainly centered around the Armstrong Pass Aid Station at approximately mile 90.  At an altitude of about 8500 feet (2600 meters) it was the highest aid station on the entire course and in between the two highest summits at about 9600-9750 feet.  Temperatures at night there dropped down to 36 degrees F and the Western Mountaineering sleeping bag did great.

Pacing duties for Tim were split between his brother (Paul), daughter (Haley) and son (Forest) as well as work colleague Jesson Hutchinson and myself. Tim finished in a little over 82 hours! Quite an accomplishment.  Surprisingly there was only a 30% DNF rate.  Many thought it would be higher.

One of the biggest issues I saw during the race was the lack of foot care!  At Armstrong the EMT and myself wound up working on many blister issues.  Even the front runners were suffering in this regards before the half way point.  Few were washing their feet regularly and changing their socks.  Some competitors did not even have gaiters.  With a very dusty course this was compounding their problems.

At Tahoe City aid station while working on Tim's feet I had the pleasant surprise to being helped out by none other than John Vonhof author of "Fixing Your Feet".  After I got Tim on his way, John and I had some discussions on foot care during this race, techniques and what are the best tapes currently available.  Thanks for the pointers John!

All this has just reinforced my experience with foot care on these long, multi-day events.  I will for sure be taping up before leaving the starting line!

A Tutorial in Velcro

One of the most asked questions I hear is "How do you attack the Velcro for your gaiters to your shoes?"  This is probably one of the true mysteries of the universe ranking right up there with "Does the light in the refrigerator stay on when the door is closed?"  Hopefully this post will take some of the confusion out of this important aspect of desert running.  It has been a trial and error experience for me developing this procedure and hopefully you will get up on the curve with less frustration.

The overall plan is to SECURELY adhere Velcro hook portion to the circumference of the shoe just above the sole (on the upper) in a professional manner.  Once this is done you will then wish to take the shoes into a cobbler and have them sew over the Velcro in order to assure it will stay in place.  It is likely that just gluing the Velcro would be sufficient but this is a critical piece of race equipment you do not want failures.

What you will need includes:

1. 3/4 inch (2 cm) Velcro (both the hook and loop parts).  You need a sufficient amount to go around both shoes plus at least 6 inches (15cm) extra.  Do not get the adhesive back type, the "sew on" type is best.
2. Scissors
3. 3M Black Super Weatherstrip and Gasket Adhesive (08008) or equivalent. You can get this kind of stuff at the auto supply store.
4. Paper towels
5. Patience

What you need for a Velcro job

NOTE:  This procedure takes time and should be done in short sessions over a day or two.  This will assure a professional looking job that will not let you down.

Starting at the back glue the Velcro around the outside of the shoe.  Do this in short sections in order to keep the Velcro in place while the adhesive dries.  Be sure to coat the the Velcro all the way to the edges with adhesive and let it dry slightly prior to applying to the shoe. This makes application easier.

Start at the back

Work your way around the outside first

When you get to a portion of the shoe where there are natural curves you will need to trim the Velcro so it will lay flat.  To do this either cut an arc or notch out of the inside of the cure (no more than 1/3 of the way thru) and snip the Velcro on the opposite side.  Glue this down and hold in place while it dries

Arc cut out example

Notch cut out example

If there are any protrusions (sole features) in the toe area you may have to cut them off or file them down so the Velcro will lay flat.  Small discontinuities can be taken care of with a build up of adhesive.

Work your way over the toe

Then along the inside

Once the Velcro has been adhered and has set for a day, take your shoes to a cobbler.  Have them sew all the way around the Velcro both at the top and the bottom so it will not come off.  You may have to shop around to find someone to do this.  Talk face-to-face with them to explain the procedure.  They will most likely will be quite interested in what this is for!

Sewed on and done!

Finally, you should take the remaining loop portion of the Velcro and cut two protective strips to place on your new race shoes to keep all sorts of foreign objects out of the hook part when wearing without gaiters.  An example of this would be if you wear them as you travel to your race, or if you are breaking them in some.  Trim as explained above so to get around the curves of your shoes.  Start and end these pieces at the rear of your shoes.  You will have a right and left one obviously.

Good Luck!

Four Weeks to Go!

Will with just four weeks until the start, training has peaked.  Last week was a good high mileage effort at about 45% of the anticipated mileage and lb-miles for the Grand to Grand. This week on the other hand was seven days of travel. Most of the time spent in North Carolina (Southern Pines and Raleigh Durum). Fine 90 degree weather at 90% humidity, with downpours of course.  Trial runs in the Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve and the William B. Umstead State Park made it acceptable. 

Returning to the drier environs of New Mexico, I enjoyed a relaxing weekend with my wife in Farmington.  The high desert and some good night sleeps do wonders for one's outlook and training.  Green chile comfort food also helps!  

Trail running in Farmington

Now all I have to say is let the taper begin!

Petzl/Black Diamond Swap

Well it is official.  Petzl can not seem to supply the AAA battery adapter for their Tikka RXP in time for the event (anticipated new delivery date some time in October).  Not a lot of help and quite disappointing.  The RXP worked great during The Salt Flats 100 and I was looking forward to using it on Grand to Grand.  How hard is it to make an injection molded piece of plastic with some connectors?  Plan B is now in effect.  It is always good to have at least a Plan B in this game!

While shopping for some odds and ends I ran across an interesting little headlamp - the Black Diamond Ion.  Here are some specifications:

2 ea AAA batteries
Up to 80 lumens (dimable too)
Swipe switch
Red LED
Strobe function
46 grams/1.6 oz (yes about half the weight of most headlamps!)
Inexpensive ($25)

Black Diamond Ion and Petzl Tikka XP2

This new Ion should not be confused with Black Diamonds original Ion that ran on a 123 type battery.

I would only consider this lamp for a backup. It is not quite sufficient enough for route finding or traveling at speed over rough terrain since there is no ability to focus the beam. The headband is quite minimalist but sufficient given its size and weight.  Burn time is acceptable so into the pack it will go.  Afterwards this will be in my trail running vest for emergencies.

Menu Adjustments

While my nutritional selections for the MDS got me by, they did need some adjustment.  Calories were acceptable but additional protein and fat would have been nice.  In order to do this I am planning on increasing the number of Slim Jim's per day and perhaps taking along a little olive oil to add into my dinners.  I am also going to diversify my nut selection from almonds only to almonds and pecans.  Pre-cooked bacon is also under consideration.

On the move food will continue to be the same (bar, gel and a waffle) but I might throw in a couple of dried apricots a day for a treat.

One other potential treat may be the addition of freeze dried ice cream.  While not very high in calories (120 per oz) it does have a fair amount of fat.  Easy to eat with no rehydration required.  Funny texture but tasty.

All this may add a couple of more ounces but I believe it will be worth it especially if the weather turns cold.  This is a possibility since the summer down here has been somewhat mild.

Let me flash you

In an earlier post I brought up the issue relating to the signal mirror requirement:

Signal mirror at least 6 cm diameter: For the MDS my signal mirror was a small one inch diameter mirror.  Most signal mirrors are not round and thus surface area comparisons are in order.  6 cm diameter equates to just under 30 square cm or 4.5 square inches.  Any mirror about 2x2 inches or larger meets this requirement.  The StarFlash signal mirror is 2x3 inches and weighs in at 0.8 oz.  the SOL Rescue Flash Signal mirror is the same size but weighs in at 0.32 oz.  Nothing major, just a little bit more weight.

Not being happy with any of the above I have continued to search for an optimized solution to the size, weight, function and cost constraints. Eventually I came across a potential answer, the Ultimate Survival Technologies StarFlash Micro Signal Mirror.

This little gem is 1.5x2.0 inches in size (only 3.0 square inches) and weighs in around 14 grams (0.5 oz).  It is unbreakable, scratch resistant and also has a aiming feature.  They can be had for around $5.  Not bad.  I plan on bringing this along (with a larger backup in case it is not acceptable at check- in due to the size requirement).

Time to Ramp Up!

It is only thirteen weeks until Grand to Grand!  Hotels and flights are arranged and all freeze dried food procured.  I'll just have to pick up bars, gels, nuts, etc.  The only big item with regards to equipment is getting Velcro sewed on a new pair of shoes.

The knee is getting better and my mileage is starting to pick up. Unfortunately I have several business trips in July that are going to crimp my training style but we will do what we can.  Pack runs now make up about half my mileage.  I am still keeping it light for now (12-15 lbs) so as not to do any more damage.  Trying to keep at about 250 lb-miles per week (pack weight in pounds times mileage carried).  I am also staying off the steep hills tempting as they are.

My training pace is slowing down and there is a renewed focus on incorporating power walking - especially with the pack!

Beat Down

Well it was expected.

Between Salt Flats and a horrendous Jemez Mountain Trail Run (which was called due to weather-3 inches of snow and sub freezing temperatures, 10 miles from the finish) I have been fighting right knee and soleus injuries. However my prospects are good with a little bit of rehab, cross training and hamstring strengthening.   Starting up with the pack runs has also added to the downward spiral.  Fortunately I have been keeping the weight to no more than 10 lbs for now.  Dang that slows you down!  I estimate that for every 10 lbs your average pace drops at least one minute per mile.

Hopefully I'll be able to up my rest and really get back into the game before my mileage is suppose to pick up.

My medical has also been scheduled.  Between work and racing I must get two or three of these a year now!

Salt Flats 100

Or should I say, the Mud Flats 100.

Yes, it does rain in the desert...and it can rain hard. 

I am finally drying out from this epic event.  Going into this I had visions of the sun reflecting off the white salt in blinding glory.  What I got was wind and rain and cold.

Some history...I have been looking forward to this event for some time.  I was even going to do it last year however the MDS took center stage.  Having lived in Salt Lake City for nine years I always had a desire to ride a mountain bike across the Salt Flats but never got around to it.  The Salt Flats 100 seemed like a perfect opportunity to get out there!

The first half went very well.  Fast pace across the Bonneville Salt Flats speedway, easy climbs and a very remote part of the course.  Only got slightly off course once, just too busy looking at the scenery and not the flags!  Also spent some enjoyable time with co-competitor Trace as we progressed around Silver Island and Crater Island.  There is some really beautiful country.  In fact the area around Floating Island was very much like some of the dry lake beds/camel grass humps in Morocco.

Just before the rain at mile 50

The second half was the exact opposite.  Heavy rain, 20 mph head winds and cold temperatures (upper 30's).  One competitor got so lost a helo had to be called in to find her with IR technology.  Many were suffering from some degree of hypothermia. 

Swimming into the finish line
(note standing water on the salt flats)

The goal to finish under 24 hrs was meet but this event should have been much faster given more optimal weather conditions. The last ten miles were not very pleasant to say the least.

What did I learn?  I am ready for hot, cold and dry but I am not well equipped for rain.  While the OR Helium II jacket performed well over the Mont Bell EX Light down jacket I did not have any rain pants nor waterproof gloves.  Both of those would have helped in warding off the extreme chill.  Buff doubled as a watch cap and was acceptable.

Additionally, this is a VERY mental race.  You can see the land marks and aid stations from far away but you keep going and going and going and never seem to get any closer.  This can be a very demoralizing for some.  One of the coolest things though was to watch objects on the salt flats "rise up" out of the ground as you got closer due the earth's curveature.

Thanks to my pacers Tim and Jim....you kept me going!  Lisa, thanks for being there at the aid stations!  Vince - despite the weather I really did enjoy the event.

Next up will be the Jemez 50 in hometown Los Alamos.

Here, There and Everywhere

Oh the trials of work,

The last several weeks have been a mess.  Work has not only taken me out of country but also to Washington DC as well as Sin City (Las Vegas, NV).  As you can imagine this has impacted training  (as well as home life) significantly.  Fortunately I was on some sort of taper for Salt Flats therefore the effect has not been that great (hopefully).

Nine days in the DC means pseudo-urban running.While short runs were on the roads near by, longer runs were on the Cross County Trail system.  I was also lucky to get in an orienteering meet with the Quantico Orienteering Club at Pohick Bay.  Not a stellar performance but fun.  Need to polish up some of my O-skills.

Sin City was not much better.  Being on the northeast side of town (instead of the west side) meant there were no nice trail runs out at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.  I had to settle for some forays up and down various portions of the Las Vegas Wash Trail.  Of course the weather was nice and warm (90's) bringing back some memories from MDS last year!

Las Vegas Wash Trail near Craig Road

Next week is the Salt Flats 100. Weather forecasts looks like cool temps (40's- 60's, like Bataan) with some slight chances of precipitation.

Bataan Memorial Death March

Once again I completed another Bataan Memorial Death March.  This being the 25th anniversary of the event was special as well as all the friend and family that participated.  I had to race down to Las Cruces from Albuquerque having stepped off the plane from France a mere 9 hours before the race.  Fortunately I was able to rest some on the trip back and there were no delays.  This well supported semi-trail marathon/march is a must do for me since I have completed this now for over 12 years. I do this event to honor the memory of my great uncle Penrod Reader who survied the Bataan Death March in 1942 and eventually died in the POW camps in the Philippines.

The weather was cold (40's for the start and low 60's during the day) but everyone was warm with friendship.  There again was the usual crew including Dirk (brother), Megan (daughter), Tim White (colleague and training buddy), Haley White (Tim's daughter) Forest White (Tim's son), as well as Avneet Sood and Jesson Hutchinson (work colleagues).  Also there was David Kovel and our supportive wives.  All completed their respective "marches" Megan and Haley doing the full marathon this year, both experiencing their first toenail loss.  Forest tore up the 14 miler finishing 2nd overall.


Since Dirk was coming off a training cycle to qualify for Boston (which he did) I decided to run light and just carried a hand held and some snacks.  Dirk and I ran the entire day and we both PR at around 3:53+.  

Next up is the Salt Flats 100.  

Bonjour!

My apologies,

Due to heavy work demands I have let this blog slip some as of late.  Part of this work load included an extended trip to the Burgundy region of France, specifically Dijon.  Yeah, I know it is tough duty but it actually was - really.  Including those three hour dinners with some very fine Primer Cru's.

After touching down in Paris, I fought off jet lag by taking an eight mile round trip walk to Boutique Marathon a somewhat specialty running store I stumbled across on my way to the MDS last year. There I picked up a long sleeve desert running shirt and a new pair of Mizuno Wave Cabrakan 5's.  I am continually impressed with these shoes and am disappointed that they are not available in the US.  These will be my race shoes for Grand To Grand.  Wish I had room in my suite case for two pairs!  Also a stop into Planet Rasoir was in order to pick up some wet shaving accoutrements.

Upon making Dijon the next day I linked up with colleagues from the office and took advantage of on-foot site seeing with runs around the older part of the city and to some of Dijon's parks in between work duties.

Dijon - and this is a wide street!

Included was Lac Kir, Parc de la Fontaine aux fees, Parc de la Colombiere and Parc la Combe a la Serpent as well as just some jogs up and down the Canal de Burgundy.  While not quite trail runs (most everything was paved paths) it was much more relaxing instead of dodging cars and people in the narrow streets.  And I am not kidding about dodging cars!  Almost got taken out by some lady on her cell phone when she blew through the red light just as I was stepping off the curb.  Less than six inches.  Almost had a Road ID story!

Installation d'un racher (beehives) in Parc la Combe al Serpent

An unexpected surprise was the small little running store on the street behind our hotel.  The Running Conseil - Dijon was well stocked and I even picked up a nice pair of Raidlight trail running shorts!

All in all a good trip. The only worry was making it back for the Bataan Memorial Death March.  Oh, and work went very well too.

Stormtrooper Headlamp - May the Lumens be with you!

With the requirement for two headlamps looming, I've embarked on a search for a new headlamp. Sure I could have just got another one like my current model (Petzl Tikka XP2) but technology moves forward and so must we.

While studying various models I finally decide to take the plunge and purchase a new Petzl Tikka RXP.  Being twice the cost of my original Tikka I had some trepidation that the reactive lighting feature was worth the cost.  After several weeks of testing I am happy to say yes it is!  This is the most impressive headlamp I have ever owned!

Petzl Tikka RXP

Details and specifications can be found here.  This is a good video explaining reactive lighting.  What one should know is that this light throws some serious lumens for its size and weight.  While the rechargeable lithium ion battery pack has a high energy density, an additional AAA battery pack will be available soon making it more applicable to remote locations such as those found in stage races.

The reactive lighting feature works smoothly and effortlessly and I am quite satisfied with the per-programmed lighting levels.  Aimed correctly it illuminates directly in front of you, to your sides and sufficiently down the trail for even the fastest pace.  Lifting your head up slightly it will then ramp up the long distance beam even more.  This would also be a great lamp for orienteering since the reactive lighting feature would save your night vision while reading your map/compass.

The only down side to this lamp is that it is slightly more heavy than the Tikka XP2 by about 30 grams.  About half of this increase should be offset by using the optional AAA battery pack when it becomes available.  The strap system is great and compensates well for the additional weight up front.

Looking like something a Star Wars Stormtrooper would be using, it performs just as one would expect equipment from the future should.  I believe this one is going with me to Grand to Grand along with the old Tikka XP2.

The orange color goes good with the new Mont-bell EX Down Jacket too!

Sugarloafs Ultra SUV

Went down to Las Cruces to get in some training miles this weekend as a distraction from my kitchen remodel and as preparation for the Salt Flats 100.  Ran the Sugarloafs Ultra SUV (Sierra Ultra Vista) again as a training run (60k).  Went OK but slower than last year -6:32.17. I believe I came in second place.  First 26 miles were good but faded during the next 8 to a more stage race pace.  Oh well, just a training run.

Food Repackaging

During my MDS last year I focused on saving weight wherever I could.  One area that I did not pay particular attention to was repackaging of my dehydrated meals.  The Expedition Foods meals that I utilized came prepackaged in a foil based pouch that served as the preparation and eating container, a good idea.

Robust packaging

They pouch even had interior markings so you add the correct amount of water.  Prepare, eat and through away.  No dishes to do and less of a chance of intestinal woes.

Interior water fill lines visible

Similarly, many at the MDS utilized the water bottles that were issued for meal preparation.  Disposable but somewhat difficult to eat out of.

Water bottle bowl

For the Grand to Grand I will reevaluate my position.  The required equipment list for this event will add some additional weight that was just not there for the MDS.  Particularly a spare headlamp and jacket will add about 9-10 oz.  The requirement for a pad will also prevent abandoning this piece of gear.  Some of this extra weight could be made up by not bringing a camera or luxuries like a spare pair of running shorts or extra socks.  Not what I would prefer to do.

With six days of food required (seven actual days but breakfast on day one is consumed and no dinner required on day seven) and two dehydrated meals per day, packaging can add up to over 12 oz (335 grams).  This is based on a 1 oz (28 gram) weight for each meal, including the little oxygen adsorbing sachet.  Repackaging into lighter weight Ziploc bags could save around 10 oz (280 grams) but would necessitate an eating container of some kind.  Since water is not issued in bottles (you must provide your own containers) that option is not available.  One can find a variety of bowls (titanium, polypropylene, etc) that weigh in at around 2 oz (56 grams).  Even if you brought one along, that would save around 8 oz (225 grams)!  This would make up almost all of the extra weight of the headlamp and jacket.  Additionally with hot water being provided at camp the need for a stove and fuel is an offset (5 oz or 140 grams).

One could also up-size your mug to something larger and use that to eat and drink out of.  My MSR titanium mug has a capacity of 400 ml (1.9 oz) so adding a bowl would bring the total weight up to around 4 oz.  Other options available include:

Snowpeak titanium 600 ml (3 oz)
Toaks 750 ml pot (3.9 oz with lid)
MSR Ti Kettle 850 ml (4 oz with lid).


So obviously going with a single large container could save an ounce if you were looking for one.  One would have to evaluate the optimal volume required for meal preparation.

Lightweight Steel

For many guys the choice of a knife is a very personnel thing.  Basically it is an extension of your personality into a functional form.  However the choice of the proper blade for a stage race becomes constrained due to weight.  No tactical tomahawks, Benchmade folders or Bear Grylls survival models.

For my 2013 MDS I carried a Leatherman Style.  This little gem was more than a knife, it was also a tiny multi-tool having tweezers, a nail file, scissors and a screwdriver.  Weighing in at 23 grams this would be found more often than not on a key chain instead of being a primary survival tool.  The Style served me well in Morocco and I used the blade and scissors multiple times each day.  It was always handy in my front pack attacked to a short piece of shock cord.

With the Grand to Grand Ultra the requirement for a blade also comes with a minimum length stipulation - 5 cm.  Unfortunately the little Style is just well, too little (4 cm).  Searching high and low has reviewed a most unique possibility - the Baladeo ECO131.  This skeleton framed marvel is a feather weight 15 grams and sports a 6 cm long blade that is held in place with a functional lock back mechanism.

My youngest daughter Megan was kind enough to give me one for Christmas.  While I was initially put off by not having scissors the blade design is sound and appears to be more useful.  Balance is fine but it is small in the hand.

Lightweight steel for the field (Leatherman Style top and Badego ECO131 bottom)

The spear point blade of the Baladeo obviously pierces more readily than the spay-point on the Leatherman and one needs to be careful wielding it.  The extra length is a definite advantage.  Since my kit does not have any screws holding anything together there is no loss not having a screwdriver.  In fact this is in the plus column since an unused item is just extra weight.  The nail file was also unused during the MDS.  Tweezers could be of use but if one wishes some a separate pair could be carried.  I may just take the pair out of the Style and put them in with my first aid supplies.

Having the Baladeo in my pocket now for several days I am impressed with it and believe it will work fine in the future.

Sleeping Bag OK

As mentioned in a previous post there was concern regarding my Western Mountaineering Highlite sleeping bag meeting the minimum temperature requirements.  While new gear is always a good thing it makes no sense to lay out hundreds of dollars for a new bag that is just 3 degrees F warmer.  A quick email to an understanding Race Director Tess solved the delima.  With the inclusion of my down jacket she was good with my kit.  Thanks Tess!  Now the only issue is the odd color combination of the two.