Believe to Achieve

all great learning points. hope you are recovering well. :)

You're cracking me up.. I ran with my Nathan HPL 020 - awesome you never even know it's back there. btw firefox worked like a champ.

I'd say #5 is most important. That section can make or break the race. You needed far more calories for that section and it can be 3-4 bottles. I took two bottles, one with 500 calories in it. And then I supplemented with snow a couple times so I didn't run out of water.

DAVY-- This is what I remember eating for the entire race--- 7 gels, handful of Pringles, probably 1-2 small cup fulls (6 to 8 ounces, some watered down a bit) of powerade each aid station besides # 10 none, 1-2 cup fulls of water at each aid station, 5 small cookies (two sugar, two peanut butter, 1 oatmeal), 2 normal-sized chocolate chip cookies, handfuls of cantelope at half of the aid stations, two quarters of a PB and J sandwich,one handful of jelly bellies, 4- 1/4 pieces of red potatos dipped in salt. WHERE WAS THE CHOCOLATE MILK? Oh yah, three electrolyte strips (given by Angels on the course, one salt tablet taken at aid station 7). Was I supposed to try and take even more? I really was too disoriented to think of putting in food in my sack at AS 8 in that searing heat. I should have hung out there longer. I only sat down for a total of 5 minutes the whole race. Why didn't I just sit down? I think I would have gotten my heart to settle down and my mind to think. Yes LIVE AND LEARN. I sad all this after my first road marathon and I came back. I feel I just have to redeem myself, but yikes what if the conditions are snowier and hotter?

Looks like you were definitely low on calories, but probably fine until Little Valley #8. Typically appetite goes away during the second half a of 50 and you have to be disciplined to still eat. That is where pacers can help rookies, because they can pester you to eat and drink.

Electrolytes. Each person has different needs, depends on sweat and normal salt in diet. I generally try to take at least one S-cap per hour. I'm still leary about those strips, not sure how much they contribute. It is very likely you were low on electroltyes after Little Valley. Usually when that happens to me, I feel nauseous. Dehydration or water retention then happens. Saturday, I had a good day and kept everything in balance. The only time I really felt hot was on that blasted pavement at the end.

If you heart rate was high, not coming down as usual...that is another indicator of likely dehydration.

Reading and taking notes...

12. Don't place new carpet in house a few weeks before and by all means don't spray tile sealer-- I can still smell it even today, 75 % gone-- like nail polish remover to the Nth degree. Hair spray O'rama didn't help at the dance recital/rehearsals either.

13. Don't let your mom schedule her bi-annual visit for three weeks in May. She came the day before the Ogden Marathon and left the day of Squaw Peak. I felt torn between focusing on being with her and focusing on what I needed to do to be ready. As well as working full time.

14. Stress from grandpa's death two and 1/2 weeks ago really took a toll on me too. I am sure he could see my struggles Saturday and finally pushed me to that finish line.

BTW I have a lot more time to type since I still can't run. My right foot has issues.

April, I sure hope to prevent any problems for all you future 50 milers!! I can honestly say I am probably going to have to tackle that demon once more after I get my head screwed on right and this adrenal thing worked out.

WOW! Just read thru your post-mortem thoughts and Crockett's input. It just makes me appreciate your AWESOMENESS, your TOUGHNESS, your TENACITY, your TALENTS more. That is what makes you such a great runner and athlete. THANKS for sharing what you learned and I am certain that there's nothing you can't do. Rest up and recovery well. Hope the right foot heal up. I am still amazed at how well you did on your first mountain 50K. Next time though you will "enjoy" it better.