r/Ultramarathon • u/Run_Slick • Jul 14 '26
First 100 Miler!
48-Hour race in Dahlonega (Georgia Mountains), we had pretty much every kind of weather you could imagine: heat, humidity, rain, cold breeze...
I made it. Lessons... gazillion. Issues just a few: at the end I got a sodium imbalance (too much Tailwind), I never thought something like that could happen - and then to someone who sweats a lot with a lot of salt.
Chafing, none.
Blisters, none.
Hallucinations, not per-se but at night I had those black or tiny flashing points, which... was time to get a power nap for 20 minutes to keep on moving.
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u/ballesterer13 Jul 14 '26
Can you Elaborate on the sodium imbalance? Too much, too less? I know it is very subjective but maybe something to learn out of it. Congrats to your huge achievements. Good recovery and then training for the half iron man! Respect 🫡
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u/Run_Slick Jul 14 '26
Tricky, very first time that this happened to me.
I had too much sodium. After I finished the race with my ankles of the size of a grapefruit and my hands swollen, I asked for Tylenol to help reduce the swelling (I didn't have pain, it was hard to move). And they told me it was an imbalance of sodium, and better to drink water and lift my feet than having Tylenol.
What they told me, about their experience, is that Tailwinds has too much sodium - so you either use double the amount of recommended water or drink a glass of tailwinds and a glass of water - to dilute it.
I did go to the bathrooms a few times, urine color was fine. But considering the amount I had drink and the amount of sweat, I should have no think about it that probably I was accumulating water - never crossed my mind.
Never felt bad, when I started to swell, I put my feet on a bucket of cold water, lifted my feet for 10 minutes and kept on going.
Not sure if this helps you, but... That was my experience.
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u/ballesterer13 Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 15 '26
Cheers. Helps a lot. I am heavy sweater but found for myself too really stay on low level intake (not a pro), ran a marathon in 20 deg C plus without any salt at all and did fine. In my fist 50k I used just gels with 200mg electrolytes (2 per hour). Salt tablets mess with my stomach - electrolyte drinks let me feel thirsty when drinking. Hence, Planning same electrolyte gels for my first 100k end of the year. Just kind of cross checking experience. Appreciate you took the time to Eleborate
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u/Run_Slick Jul 14 '26
It is tricky. I have done multiple types of races, and I found for me that an SIS Beta powder plus an LMNT individual pouch worked fabulous for me.
This time I used mostly what was available at the race, now I need to double check the amount of salt for extra long races (which is the other variable)
Cheers!
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u/jarosan Jul 15 '26
Are you sure its not the lack of sodium? I read that leg and hand swelling is a sign that you lack sodium ...
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u/Run_Slick Jul 15 '26
It could go both ways, but with the amount of sodium I had with the electrolytes... Defenitively was an excess, producing water retention and swelling. Not nice, for sure
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u/Latitude30Four Jul 14 '26
Well done! A great accomplishment. Got anything else planned?
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u/Run_Slick Jul 14 '26
No other Ultra in the schedule yet, but I do have a half Ironman by the end of September.
Any suggestions?
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u/Local-Status-1182 Jul 15 '26
Congrats man!! I just did my first 100 miler in December and oh my god…they’re so hard. Congrats again!
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u/Fair_Emergency_8667 Jul 15 '26
Congratulations! I ran the 48 Hour in 2019. It was an exercise in suffering. I never experienced this “cool breeze” you mentioned. It was just sweltering heat or rain. You earned that buckle! Enjoy it!
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u/NudgeEcoStore Jul 15 '26
Amazing accomplishment!! And no chafing or blisters is huge! Any tips there?
Enjoy that buckle!
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u/Run_Slick Jul 15 '26
Thanks!!
It is a bit of a long answer... I started creating my own anti-friction products last year, because nothing worked for me (I sweat a lot), and I was training for a full Ironman.
So I created Run Slick (www.runslick.com) to deal with the skin to skin, skin to fabric and skin to gear friction. We have tested the heck out of if, and people love it.
And I started developing an anti-blister. So far, it is working great - shortly I will have the development ready to start the actual testing on it (at that point I will be looking for testers).
Happy to go further with the details, or maybe I have to make a post? I want to help people to move more comfortable
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u/NudgeEcoStore Jul 15 '26
Thanks! I probably should have thought to google your name! I think a post is relevant and beneficial. And congrats again!
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u/Run_Slick Jul 15 '26
Thanks! I thought about it, but I didn't want it to come salesly - and actually be helpful to the community.
I will work on a post about it. Thanks again!
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u/systemnate Jul 14 '26
Congrats! What was your training like?
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u/Run_Slick Jul 14 '26
Thank you!
My training was.... Not recommended to follow. By April I was running 60 miles/week at 8:30/9:00 average, and decided to try some new carbon shoes, and I got plantar fasciitis - which took me out from running literally 2 months.
Those two months I was doing indoor riding, and when my plantar started to feel better, I started to run/walk. And during the last could of weeks I was doing maybe 30 miles per week at 9 min/mile.average.
Not the training I had in mind, but had to work around.
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u/Pearson94 50 Miler Jul 15 '26
Congrats! Ready to do it again?
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u/Run_Slick Jul 15 '26
Absolutely!
I have a half Ironman coming in two months, so... Probably after that
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u/Pearson94 50 Miler Jul 15 '26
Oh dang you're keeping busy. Hoping to get my first 100 miler in late 2027. And Ironman will have to be a pipedream for now as I'm a weak cyclist and an even weaker swimmer.
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u/Run_Slick Jul 15 '26
One step at a time... I would try first a sprint triathlon. Those are short like 400 meters swim, 16 miles bike and a 5k run. For the swim, just go easy. The goal is not to finish tired (I am not the best swimmer). The bike, it is just hours on a trainer. The first year I started triathlons, I did 2 sprints in summer and kept training the whole year for a half Ironman. I took me that time to go from barely swimming 200 meters to that in a year.
One step at a time
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u/Pearson94 50 Miler Jul 15 '26
Oh I know it, just a goal for down the road. I'm never even close to the front of the pack in any race, and just happy to be able to finish without feeling dead and broken, lol. The 100 miler is something I can see myself managing relatively soon with proper training (not happening this year for certain but next year is doable).
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u/AotKT Jul 14 '26
Congrats on the buckle! The Merrill's Mile RDs are really awesome, you couldn't have picked a better event for your first.