Tomorrow, I'll run my first Ultra-Marathon. The Pisgah 50k was suggested to me as a good first 50k, 31 miles of rolling singletrack. There shouldn't be much in the way of harrowing cliffs or tumbled boulders, just a lot of roots and cushy pine needles. Tomorrow, there may be rain and fog and darkness. My training is pretty good, for the time if not the distance, and certainly for the terrain. I'm in fairly good shape despite being stressed out after 2 months of a new job and 2 weeks of college. 

 

This will be the biggest factor, I have been sleeping poorly and not enough. The actual drain of school this past two weeks is incredible. Same thing as it was 10 years ago, but it is 10 years later. The job may actuallly be good conditioning, handling about 400 packages a day for FedEx, but the day starts there at quarter to 4, AM. I've trained through this though and been successfull. I know generally how to feed myself and pace the run.

 

I have laid out the following supplies: 

     2 handhelds with 20 oz. water.

     2 gel flasks with 5 oz. vanilla gel, these I'll carry on my waist in holsters.

     2 single servings of Orange and 2 single servings of Espresso gel, (with caffine) I'll carry these in the pouches of my handhelds.

     5 slices of dried mango, no added sugar, in a ziplock for one pocket.

     40 Endurolyte electrolyte capsules, in a ziplock for the other pocket.

 

I'm wearing shorts with those pockets, Inov8 305's with gaiters, and I may wear a shirt. It could be a rainy day and a layer does help with warmth in the wet.

 

A 9 - 10 minute pace across the gently rolling terrain may slide toward 12 overall in these hills. I don't expect to be out there past 6 hours though. I will be prepared with all of that on my person, in the event that does happen. There is water, at least, every 4 miles. Quite an interesting crowd will be in attendance. I am carpooling with Nick and Amy from Mt. Washington. Bob Sharkey and Sherpa John will be there as well. There was talk from Jay D. and Shin, that they might tackle their first ultras there tomorrow as well. We shall see. All is laid out and so will I, time to hit the hay!