There is an old adage that you should never try anything new on race day. I have heard horror stories of people wearing brand new shoes and getting blood blisters. Or trying a new drink and having serious GI issues.
When considering the fact that I will be running 100 miles and upwards of 30 hours, I can’t afford to add any stupidity to the mix. During my run this afternoon, I figured out I only have 5 long runs left and that includes the Louisiana Marathon. So I need to make every one of them count.
Up to this point, I have run with a lot of different foods and drinks, several pairs of shoes, numerous clothing options and three hydration packs. I have also thrown up a lot, gotten blisters on my feet, been chafed to the point of bleeding is some very tender southerly areas, and thrown a pack in the back of my truck hoping it would blow out on the way home. I am no closer to having a reasonable plan than when I started this adventure.
So it is time to break out the engineer and come up with a plan. For my next four long runs, I am going to have to weed out the undesirables. Each progressive run should help me narrow down my choices until I arrive at the 100 miler with the perfect race day plan.
And on the second loop of my race, it will all be thrown out the window. But that is all part of it. My goal is to have at least 2 to 3 options for shoes, socks, shorts, shirts, nutrition, etc. If something does not work then I will switch to the next one on the list.
This Saturday I am going to do an experiment with my running pace. If it works out like I hope, then I will feel much better about the race. We will see.
Until then, I need to figure out which shorts have the seem in the crotch and burn them. After 100 miles they will either cut me in two or at the least sever my family jewels!
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