Morgan/Alan
Thanks for very useful info.
Sounds like the food stations will be right up my street - I like the sound of noodle soup!
More importantly, will there be beer at the finish like they have at the marathon?
10 days to go no - really looking forward to it.
Last edited by Eirik The Viking; 20-08-2012 at 05:33 PM.
Eirik
No barrels like at M du MB, but always some beer available I recall.
Most of us can't contemplate this in the immediate aftermath of 60 miles plus, so good luck if you go for the beer option!
(I can guarantee to be fine and ready a couple of hours later, mind!)
I tried a beer after about 1hr after the Lakeland 100 in 2010, struggled and fell asleep halfway through it. Bit like my feet, I reckon my tolerance for beer only lasts about 60 milesOriginally Posted by MorganW
No shortage of places to get a beer in Chamonix I reckon. Though because TDS starts at daft o'clock (7am) I'll probably finish sometime near to daft o'clock the next day so will have plenty of recovery time before I can source a cold beer :thumbup:
Can vouch the UTMB food stations are good, always variety and the little "specials" some offer are great! Good idea with the bag for brekable goodies. Last year they gave us a little black "pouch" which you can mount on backpack frontstrap, I think its designed for food waste until you can find a bin, but I've been using it on runs to store food so I'm not going into pack so often.
Well, after 100K and 20ish hours on my feet, I will for sure go for the beers if available. Deep down I will probably not really want a beer but I think the occasion will take over and make me want a few!
I will most likely finish at daft o'clock (20 hours=6am finish) so the bars in Chamonix will probably be closed but my support team will hopefully be there with supplies if needed.
Finishing time is big unknown for me on TDS so I'm going to start steady and play by feel. For Lakeland 50 last month I knew from training where I'd tackled similarly hilly courses that I should be around in 11-13 hours. But 130 extra feet up and down every mile is a lot and I've only tackled hillier routes three times this year I think - all BGR stages. So part of me thinks the 24 hour finish is ambitious so don't worry and 30 limit should be doable. Another part thinks I could go quite well under 24 now, if I get it right - but I'm not going to 'target' this and ruin my day (year). Last year before UTMB, I figured I'd done Lakeland 100 in less than 40hrs in 2010 and now had a years more training so should be able to do the hillier, but similar distance UTMB within the 6 hours more. I didn't finish, so don't really know, all I can tell from timings is that 59m'ish to Dalemain in L100 took me 17.5hrs and when I canned UTMB at similar distance (Arnuva) I'd been out for 23.5hrs.
I just hope I don't get wrecked as early as the col de la Youlaz. Got the DVD of last years events and this ascent just looks mean! Never mind the 1700m climb to Passeur de Pralognan.... gotta stop dwelling on that profile diagram :w00t:
You can never dwell long enough over those profile diagrams!
The longest race I have done is the Mont Blanc Marathon (26 mile, 2500m climb) so I haven't got the luxury of comparing times from similar races.
However, this doesn't stop me speculating about my finishing time. I did the Marathon in 5h10m this year so if I slow down and run at 8hr Marathon speed I should finish in about 20hrs. Then the weather turns nasty and my equation goes out of the window!
The weather will be quite a deciding factor I think so lets hope for high or no clouds and no wind!
Last edited by Eirik The Viking; 22-08-2012 at 07:58 AM.
Regarding food, correct me if I'm wrong but I thought they had strict rules on not leaving an aid station with food; you have to eat and drink everything you (think you'll) need within the confines of the station. I recall guards stopping runners, me included, from leaving while still consuming. Maybe it was delirium.
A second thing I learned: The aid in the valleys is a very long time coming when there's a mountain pass (with a further non-food checkpoint or 2) to cross. You definitely need to be carrying good supplies of your own to tide you over during the lean times.
And a third thing: For UTMB-ers, if you have a good fill of pasta at Courmayeur, expect to crash for a few hours afterwards with nothing in the legs and thoughts of retirement foremost in your mind. Post-Courmayeur may well be your first major low of the event (it always was for me), but stick with it; it'll pass ........ eventually. Try to nursemaid yourself along with some sugary food that will energise you instead of having the opposite effect. When your body has finished with digesting pasta, you'll bounce back. (My recommendation would be to avoid the pasta altogether, or just have a little bit but supplement it with other sugary food with quicker energy release.)
Good luck to everybody, whatever event you're doing.
[QUOTE=BritNick;499136]Regarding food, correct me if I'm wrong but I thought they had strict rules on not leaving an aid station with food;QUOTE]
Nick, I believe the rule you quote relates to drink.
"The organisation will only provide plain water for filling their gourds or reservoirs. The other drinks are exclusively for consumption in situe."
Which reminds me that at one aid station in 2010 a nice gent filled my bladder with what I thought was water. I dropped in 2 Zym tablets. About 10 minutes later I sampled the brew and discovered that he had put the race electrolyte solution into the bladder and I had a most interestingly flavoured double hit!
Thanks for the good wishes Nick.
Eirik
If you are the Valley Strider I think you are, you should do sub-20.
The last time I did MdeMB, I clocked about 7.30 as part of my CCC prep.
Despite the foul weather for around 9 hours last year and the course variations, I managed 19 hours dead.
Don't look too far ahead, stay flexible if things get bent out of shape, eat and drink well and don't take any notice of the body's frequent "No" signals.
Try and enjoy the scenery, the fantastic views and most of all the spirit shown by your fellow competitors, the volunteers and the wonderfully supportive crowds. Being cheered on at 2.00 or 3.00 am in the morning or being offered a drink or a bite to eat by a complete stranger at that time of night may almost move you to tears. It will also put fire in your belly and help you deliver on your personal promise to get to Chamonix.
I also think it is only liquid that is to Be consumed at CPs. Coke, hot drinks and electrolyte drinks must be taken in your cup at the CP. You also must leave with 1 litre of liquid, although on anything but a very hot year, I have found this to be excessive. On most legs half of that has done for me.
I don't think it is wise to eat too much at any CP. 1 portion of pasta should be plenty, it is tasty and well worth eating. But I agree with you Nick it is tough to get going out of Courmayeur, a tough time of day and a tough climb. Just keep positive, because once at the top the run along the top from Bertone to Bonatti and beyond has to be one of the best trails in the world.
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