2 minute read

Lessons from Terrapin

  • Only pack calories you need, supplement with AS food, you won’t need it all
  • An s-cap for every 90 minutes
  • Don’t overpack or overthink it

Nutrition

  • 75 grams of Juice per Hour
  • 3 bottles
    • 2 x 225g
    • 1 x 150g (Reserve)
  • Eat at EVERY AS
  • Salt every 90
  • Water as needed
  • 1 Cliff Bar (Emergency)

Pre-Race

  • Hydrate for two days leading up to race
  • Bump carb consumption for the week prior, nothing unhealthy, but more fruits and grains

Race Day

  • Give yourself 120 minutes to get ready, between coffee, poop, check-in, etc..
  • Breakfast: cereal, peanut butter, raisins, some Juice
  • Coffee
  • Eat solid food at every AS.
  • Salt every 90
  • Push a little more into Z3 on easy climbs

Game Plan

0-4: Warm up, take it easy climbing, do a little jogging on the easier climbs 4-7: Downhill? Mid Z2 7-Sunset: Start grinding between Z2 & 3 Sunset-Colon: Zone 2, steady Colon-Cornelius: Slow grind Cornelius-Sunset: Steady climb, power hike Sunset-Finish: Steady gain till trashed

Post-Race Nutrition

  • Eat meal at Finish Line
  • Post-race recovery drink of 2xProtein shake w/ Juice

Post-Mortem

The few weeks leading up to the race were not what you were hoping for as far as training. I slacked off on lifting a little too much. A VALOR vaccine booster the week before didn’t help. I had to skip the last long run because of not feeling well (HR and breathing were high for effort). A weird twinge in my hamstring had me worried. But woke up feeling ok.

The plan for the morning worked well. 90-120 minutes is good for getting everything moving. Breakfast and coffee first thing got the bowels moving. Found myself bored before the race, killing time. Took the chance to pre-pack a little.

Ankle was still tight, so took the initial climb easy. HR was a little high for my liking, but I eased into a pace on the grassy fire-road, then started grinding up the section between #2 and Sunset Field. Stuck to the nutrition and electro plan. Drank as needed. Saved my quads on the descent to Cornelius Creek. The road 5k wasn’t as steady as I’d hoped, had to walk some. Walked and grinded Colon Hollow to Cornelius, then power hiked back to Sunset.

The climb up Apple Orchard was probably the easiest I’ve ever had it. Mostly going to attribute that to fueling. The last five to the finish were ok. Trashed my quads a little early on the descent. But pulled in several minutes ahead of 2021 time and felt much more function.

New flasks worked ok, but need to look at adding just enough water to make the ingredients blend faster. I lost time mixing and re-adding water. If pre-hydrated, it should be a matter of topping off.

Gear worked fine. Watch was off a little from expected mileage, possibly due to lower GPS sampling rate.

Next block is working on speed, climbing, and beefing up eccentric strength for The JIM. Should be laying the base for 6 weeks of MMTR training.

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