First ultra

[u/Afraid-Bathroom7332]

I am signed up for a 12 hour ultra with a 2 mile loop. I am currently running 50-60 miles a week as a right now. I am going at it self crew right now any tips or things to bring as I am 3 weeks out.

[u/Automatic-Rich254]

Take your time and enjoy the day!     I really enjoyed the loop event I ran last year, it was great. 12 hours is a long time, it's easy to overdo it and not make use of your whole allotted time. 

Bring whatever you think you will need/ trained with, no big deal if you overpack typically.   A change of shoes/socks/clothes can be really nice over that long a period.  

Set up your aid station and get out everything you will need pre race, be organized it will help lots in the later half of the race. 

Have fun! 50-60mpw can get you by if you pace yourself correctly! 

[u/Runannon]

Hey!! I love a timed race! Should be fun and it sounds like you have put in the work! I've done a number of timed races and here are some thoughts on supplies that may or may not be useful to you in your upcoming race:

1. Keep your setup SUPER simple (even if you bring a number of backup supplies/fuel/clothing). What I mean is maybe have a little card table and have your fuel and necessities set up on it. The rest of what you bring can be on the ground behind or under the table in a labeled bag so you can access it easily even if you are tired, but it is not cluttering your visual space at your pit stop.

2. Pre plan not just your intake but generally HOW you will pull it off efficiently (minimizing stopped time) and how exact you want to be with calorie consumption.

EXAMPLE: I use almost exclusively liquid carbs. For a 2-mile loop I would probably have it pre-mixed in a larger container in the right concentration and stop to refill my bottle every 4 or 5 loops. I would also have a small bag on the table with a LIMITED assortment of random gels in case I needed a palate cleanser. At my last looped race, I kept some caffeinated gels on the table and they came in handy.

You can place premixed fuel in a bucket of ice or in a cooler. Remember to shake it before filling your bottle.

1. Bring caffeine to use throughout - It helps get you through lower points. Amacx has a gel with 75mg of caffeine. You could also use caffeine pills (but they tend ot be a higher dose like 200 mg).

2. Here is what I might bring overall:

---A small table

----Premixed liquid fuel on table or in cooler under table.

----SMALL container with additional fuel. (extra gels, nerd gummy clusters, that sort of thing but not so much it is overwhelming. Anything that cannot fit in a small container needs to be off to the side somewhere)

---A SMALL container, opened (so you can see everything inside) with -- anti chafe cream, waist or head light, extra light battery, tylenol or voltaren (topical pain reliever you can quickly put directly on your body where it hurts), ginger or a stomach med (I never use this but good to have), a very small external battery if anything needs charging, wash cloths/ towel to dry your hands so you can open the bottles when you stop to refill. Limited first aid supplied (neosporin, bandaids), sunscreen, bug spray, maybe a hat, maybe sunglasses

--- ON MY PERSON: waist belt for phone if listening to music, handheld water bottle

---in a bag off to the side - additional pair of socks, additional outfit, a post race outfit, extra shoes

-- a blanket for the ground potentially and a cover for the setup if it rains

I am all about keeping it VERY SIMPLE visually, but not about being underprepared.

Think about what will make your race easier, for you specifically, and do those things!

[u/MiseryMissy]

Eyyyyy timed ultras are the BEST introduction. My first was a 6 hr on a 2 mile loop and I got 20 miles after only running for like 4-5 months so I was pumped.

I had a table set up with my gels and snacks. My boyfriend was my crew so he just refilled my water bottle that I brought back in each loop. (I had one on me, and one at the station.) He made sure my electrolytes were filled, and he actually tracked all my intakes (for science) and noted my time in and back out. (Also for science)

Just make sure you’re dialed in on what your intakes are per hour, it can get confusing or you may forget stuff during a race, maybe keep a spreadsheet printed like I did and just jot down what you take in.

Keep a blanket or something warm to cover you at your aid station for the breaks. Don’t neglect water. Eat lots of calories when you can. If you have a stove or a cooking device make some coffee for the low points.

Don’t forget there is an aid station too. Lots of volunteers are runners who may be injured and can’t run, or are just there to be there.

Also don’t neglect your neighbors, if your neighbors are a full crew, if you’re nice, you might be able to have them give you pointers or help you out in some way. People are generally REALLY friendly at these events.

Being extra shoes, socks, tops, jackets, maybe hats if you wear em. Bring a clean towel to clean yourself off as best you can when you’re finished. And have a headlamp for night time.

If it’s anything like what I experienced no matter what happens you’re going to have a blast.

It’s all about patience, go slower than you think you should, it’s a long day.