Two weeks ago, I took part in a running event, which I realize now, I hardly knew anything about.
EVENT BACKGROUND:
The event was the Dick Collins Firetrails 50. The Firetrails 50 is a 50mile race that starts at Lake Chabot, runs 26miles out to Tilden (little farm), and then back.
MY JOB:
Help man the aid station turn-around at mile 26.
(Sure it seemed pretty simple in theory, when the runners come by give them water and maybe a GU. Little did I know I was going to experience a side of running I never knew even existed.)
RACE DAY:
It started like almost any aid-station day would. We got there early and then began to set up our supplies. It was at this moment I noticed the first big change in Ultra running; the aid station menu.
Our stations food layout looked more appropriate for a Superbowl party than for well trained and conditioned athletes. We had everything; 7-Up, Animal Crackers, Coke, M&M’s, Frito’s, Grapes, Pretzels, Soup, Gu Brew, Hard Candy, Cookies, Oreos, Peanut Butter, Banana’s, & the MOST POPULAR of them all… already boiled potatoes (quarter sliced) with a bowl of salt on the side for dipping. I was not quite sure how the runners would react to such as menu but I was curious and could not wait to find out.
The next change I noticed was the runner’s apparel. Unlike most track and field races where the athlete’s apparel are small, light, and tight, these runners had on much more clothing than I would have originally thought. What replaced small singlets and split shorts were drymax T-shirts & medium length shorts. Initially, I was not quite sure why so many sacrificed the opportunity to shed the extra weight but I know there had to be a reasonable explanation.
Finally, the most interesting change I noticed was the clothing drop station. Unlike shorter road races that bring your clothes from the start to the finish, in this race, since they bring the athletes clothes to the half way point and then after back to the finish. As an aid-station helper at the half-way point, I got to see exactly how this clothing checkpoint transition would unfold. It was very interesting to say the least. Everyone had their own plan. Some had, what seemed like an entire new wardrobe stuffed in their bags. Others had their own first-aid kits for mending battle wounds. Some even had stored multiple hydration packs incase they wanted to swap their current system with a more efficient option. As a seasoned half-miler, seeing how these athletes attacked a 50 mile beast was quite an eye opening experience.
Although I had been told how the race would unfold beforehand, it was not until the runners actually arrived that I realized how much different ultra racing is from what I am used to. In the track and field world, you race to run fast and compete. In the ultra world, to put it plain and simply, you race to survive. Although the motion of running is the same, the way you approach each event could not be more different.
In track, you have to delicately time your meals, before a race, so you feel perfect when the race starts.
---In Ultras, you EAT whatever will give you fuel.
In track, you wear tight and light clothes to shed those precious milliseconds off the clock.
---In Ultras, you DRESS anyway you can to prevent chaffing and blisters.
In track, you pack warm-up apparel and maybe a few recovery devices after you event, ex. Foam roller.
---In Ultras, you PACK whatever you think you’ll need to patch yourself back up and get you back on the course.
Yes, the Firetrails 50 aid-station was a new running experience for even me. I don’t know if I’ll ever be a fast ultra runner, and from what I’ve seen, it may not even matter. The name of the game is not who will win, but who can survive.
Ultra-marathoners… I tip my cap to you.
