I’ve never had a crash like the one I had yesterday. Usually my crashes are at slower speeds and I have time to bail out on my own terms. This one surprised me.
I took a fast turn and an icy bridge took my wheels out. I felt my body go sideways and then slam into the hard ground. My sunglasses, cell phone, and a decal from my helmet flew off. I could feel the chunky dirt tear into my forearm, hip, and calf as I slid sideways like warm parmesan across a cold cheese grater. I came to a stop dripping with a sticky slurry of sweat and goo from an energy gel that popped.
I stood up and immediately felt it. That feeling I’ve had before. Like when I caught an elbow during a basketball game in highschool. Breathe through it. You got this. Drink something. Eat a gel. Walk it off.
Eventually, I felt right again. I was 8 miles from home, but I wanted to ride the rest of the 23 miles I had planned for that day. Could I keep riding? I better not. I called a friend to pick me up.
It might not make sense, but at that moment I felt like a failure. I know it was only one training ride and it really didn’t matter in the long run. But I hate not finishing what I set out to do. Maybe that’s what makes me good at ultras.
I’m doing better today. My head seems fine. But my road rash still stings. Showers now resemble that waxing scene from The 40-Year-Old Virgin and I’m at peace with it…the showers, but also the crash and my decision to call it a day.
For most races, a plan can be simplified into some combination of water, sodium, carbohydrates, and caffeine. Exactly what combination is personal and requires a experimentation.
To give you an idea of what a plan might look like, here’s my plan for the 2025 Black Canyon 50k:
water
1 liter/hr
sodium
1500mg/hr
carbs
128g/hr
caffeine
50mg at mile 19 and 50mg at mile 24
I developed this plan over several years of testing, practice, and trial and error. Essentially sciencing the shit out of it!
Where do you begin?
Start with water. To get an idea of how much water you lose, weigh yourself before and after a run (If you struggle with body image issues, enlist the help of a friend to record your weight). 1 liter of water weighs 1 kilogram or 2.2 lbs. So if you run for 1 hour (without drinking or eating anything) and lose 1 lb, you’ve lost 0.45 kg of water through sweat. To replace what you’ve lost, you’ll want to drink close to one half liter bottle an hour. This amount will vary based on things like weather and how hard your effort is, but this will be a good starting point.
Sodium is the next piece of the puzzle. How much sodium an individual loses during exercise varies a ton. At 1500mg an hour, I’m considered a very salty sweater. Other people might only lose 400mg per hour. Figuring out exactly where you stand can be tricky without actually getting a sweat test which you can get from Precision Fuel and Hydration. I’ve had one done. If you can afford it, I highly recommend it. Other than testing, you can get a general idea of how much salt you lose by looking at your clothing and face after a long workout. A salty sweater will have noticeable white marks. If you have a dog, you may notice you become his new favorite person because of how salty your legs taste.
Carbs are magical! In general, the more you can tolerate, the better you’ll feel, perform, and recover. You probably don’t need carbs for any event under 2 hours, but I like consuming mid-race carbs for anything over an hour in duration. How much should you take? I take 128g/hr, but if you’re a beginner in the carb game, don’t start there. Start with 60g/hr and see how you feel. Then, continue to slowly build up to 90g/hr in your training runs. These days 90g/hr is good minimum amount to shoot for. Many people do very well on 90g/hr. If you can tolerate it, experiment with higher amounts in training, but don’t be discouraged if you can’t push higher. Super high carb intake is not for everyone.
Caffeine is rocket fuel! But be aware of how you tolerate caffeine. I’m pretty sensitive to caffeine so I use it sparingly and in small amounts. Other people are better at processing and using caffeine so they can tolerate larger amounts.
Adapt on the Fly
While it’s a good idea to enter a race with a definitive plan, things happen and you have to be ready to adapt. Weather could be cooler or hotter than anticipated, your effort level could be different, or your stomach could just be having a bad day. A good racer knows how to roll with the changes, listen to their bodies, and adapt. I know I had to adapt at Black Canyon. Because temperatures were cooler than I expected at the beginning of the race, I ended up skipping a planned water fill-up at one of the early aid stations. I made this decision on the fly during the race based on how my body felt. I knew from experience that I would function better with a little less water early on. A plan is good, but don’t be afraid to deviate from it.
As always, If you’d like more personalized advice, message me!
It’s been a turbulent Fall so far…a season of change in so many ways. The days are getting shorter, the mornings are crisp, and there’s an extra layer of calm that blankets the town.
Lately, I’ve found myself sipping a strange brew: the bitter taste of uncertainty in where I’m headed mixed with the sugar of confidence that it will all work out.
With all the change, the one constant has been my training. While the structure has been a bit looser than normal, it’s been enough to build some fitness, especially on the bike which has opened up some new, yet familiar doors.
A month ago I finished my first gravel bike race, the Crippler 50 miler in Cañon City. This experience tapped into something deep from my childhood, when I’d impulsively grab my chromed out 20″ BMX and just crank for 20 miles or so.
Exploration is what drives me. It always has. It scratches that itch I have to learn…about myself, the world, and the amazing people that live here.
I haven’t put any races on the calendar yet, but rest assured when I hit that next startline, whether it’s on a bike or in running shoes, I’m all in. Full send.
