On this month-to-month article sequence, ultrarunner, race director, and coach Gabe Joyes solutions reader questions on something and all the pieces working. Be taught extra about this ask-the-athlete columnand be sure you fill out the shape under to submit your questions for a future article!
On this article, Gabe solutions questions on race directing, carrying giant quantities of water, and coping with race-day anxiousness.
Gabe’s Tip of the Month
Did you miss out on one more race lottery? Excellent news — you don’t need to miss out on the occasion completely! You’ll be able to nonetheless be a important element of the occasion and volunteer as an alternative. Path working races are the group occasions of our sport, and they’d shrivel up and disappear with out intensive volunteer assist. The perfect races take nice care of volunteers and make them wish to come again and be part of the enjoyable 12 months after 12 months. Plus, your stoke for the occasion will solely develop after experiencing it from a distinct lens, and you’ll doubtless respect the prospect to run much more when the lottery gods lastly grant you entrance in 2089.
The unimaginable volunteers on the 2026 HURT 100 Mile. All pictures courtesy of Gabe Joyes.
Creating Path Occasions
I’m simply beginning to brainstorm on the thought of making a path working occasion, perhaps towards the top of summer season/fall this 12 months, and wished to see in case you had any recommendation. -Jenna
Tremendous cool, Jenna! The truth that increasingly more races require lotteries for entry — and waitlists for occasions are lots of of individuals lengthy — exhibits that demand is there for extra occasions. Right here are some things to think about when placing collectively a brand new race.
- The course. Your course needs to be interesting to runners for at the very least a few causes, such because the surroundings, really feel, logistics, pace, elevation profile, or setting. Many individuals are drawn to aesthetic loop or point-to-point programs — assume the Arduous Rock 100 or Western States 100 — however that doesn’t imply extra contrived routes can’t present an excellent expertise too. I really like the out-and-back format of the Operating Up For Air occasions, and I simply had an incredible run on the HURT 100 Milea five-loop race. Regardless, one thing about your course should draw runners in.
- The individuals. Races have to be a group occasion on some degree, and you’ll definitely want assist and volunteers in some capability. It’s simply as necessary to create a optimistic expertise on your volunteers as your runners, as a result of in all probability, your volunteers will likely be native, and also you want these of us to be stoked about your occasion 12 months after 12 months.
- The assets. Races require quite a lot of stuff, together with entry to water, signage, help station tables and chairs, shelter, communication units, meals, and extra. Oftentimes, different teams in your group could also be joyful to share many of those assets, however in any other case, you’ll want to determine easy methods to purchase all of this stuff.
One of many races I direct, Run the Pink Desertused to happen in a mega-remote space of Wyoming. Earlier iterations of the race began and completed in a car parking zone with out toilet services, no cell service, no entry to water, and about an hour’s drive from the closest group. The course itself was sensationally stunning and completely value working, however it was simply so arduous to get the assets and other people into place for the occasion that curiosity started to dwindle.
We ultimately moved the occasion nearer to the path working group in Lander, Wyoming, and now it finishes in a state historic web site with all of the services wanted to placed on an occasion. And the course is simply as wonderful.
Placing collectively a profitable path working occasion is a fancy puzzle, however it’s extremely rewarding and enjoyable.
Runners and volunteers on the South Go Metropolis historic web site in Wyoming earlier than the distant and scenic Run the Pink Desert races.
Growing Water Capability
How do you carry additional water for lengthy solo coaching runs or self-supported adventures? Summer time simply retains getting hotter, and ingesting sufficient feels not possible. Generally creeks are too low for me to filter water or are filled with cow poo. -Alex
I’ve struggled with this as nicely, Alex, as water is the heaviest and most annoying merchandise in my pack! If not carried appropriately, water will bounce round, slosh, or simply be tough to entry or preserve monitor of. A reservoir carried towards the again with a hose is useful for carrying quite a lot of water, however I’ve discovered that almost all of us do a poor job of really ingesting it, as you can’t visually see how a lot water you might be consuming.
I additionally as soon as coached somebody who was extremely match for the Leadville 100 Milehowever DNFed after his reservoir leaked water down his butt for your entire race, resulting in unspeakably horrendous chafing.
Carrying additional water in a waist belt — worn along with a pack — is an honest technique, however I’ve discovered the mixture of a working vest and waist belt to be an excessive amount of constricting cloth for long-term consolation. Plus, all that materials traps quite a lot of warmth. My favourite setup for the time being is a pack that may carry two tender flasks alongside the chest, and likewise an extra one or two tender flasks horizontally throughout the again. The bottles usually keep steady, it’s straightforward to observe how a lot fluid is being consumed, and the water is all pretty straightforward to entry. Plus, you may have some bottles with plain water and others with electrolytes, high-calorie drink mixes, or no matter else you want.
Jenny Abegg with two tender flasks within the again pocket of a completely loaded working vest earlier than breaking the unsupported girls’s quickest recognized time on Mount Rainier in 2025.
Winter Heat
Are you able to share some winter layering suggestions? -Simeone
My all-time favourite piece of winter working gear is a minimalist windbreaker. A lightweight, high-quality, three- to four-ounce shell with a hood can pack into nearly any pocket, minimize the chilliest of winds, and lure a good quantity of heat, as nicely. This piece of substances is efficient as a result of it really works simply as nicely with a t-shirt beneath because it does with a wool lengthy sleeve or a heat polyester fleece.
Not all wind jackets are created equal. Some are very weather-resistant however vent poorly, and others breathe nicely however repel little or no wind and moisture. Neither possibility is essentially higher or worse; it simply will depend on your climate state of affairs.
My latest favourite piece of winter gear is an insulated five-panel hat with a brim and ear flaps. This type has lengthy been worn by sheepherders and ranchers, however has been revamped with efficiency supplies to be wonderful for working in chilly and variable situations. Take what you’ll from this, however I believe you get mega type factors with these hats as nicely.
You may also try iRunFar’s Greatest Chilly Climate Gear information for different items of clothes our workforce makes use of to remain heat.
Ear-flapped working hat and ultralight windbreaker in motion on a January run in Wyoming. Photograph courtesy of Gabe Joyes.
Efficiency Anxiousness
How do you deal with anxiousness/nerves/concern of failure with racing? I solely race a few times per 12 months as a result of it’s so costly, so it seems like all the pieces is on the road. I get so wound up that I really feel bodily ailing and don’t even have enjoyable racing. -Annabelle
I positively get that, Annabelle. Pre-race nerves are sometimes an excellent factor, as they present that you just care an ideal deal about what you might be doing. Nerves are the mind’s pure method of making ready the physique for an occasion that’s huge, difficult, and significant. But when all that anxiousness is misdirected, it turns into extra debilitating than useful.
Accepting that many race-day variables are out of your management is useful. Generally we over-engineer the day and spend an excessive amount of vitality planning and making an attempt to manage each single element — like precisely what number of Nerd Gummy Clusters we’re going to eat at mile 42.5 — and may be derailed as quickly as issues don’t go to plan. Generally, as quickly because the plan adjustments, athletes get caught in a “at this time simply isn’t my day” mentality, which often will not be true.
Planning is tremendous necessary in path racing, however being able to adapt and be versatile is much more necessary. I usually advocate athletes “pre-problem remedy” for the race by anticipating doubtless issues that might go incorrect and deciding how they are going to adapt to the state of affairs. Inevitably, one thing will occur on race day that you just didn’t consider, however having the problem-solving mentality already in your mind lets you be resilient, versatile, and have the power to benefit from the ups and downs. Approaching the race with a way of curiosity — as an alternative of arduous targets or plans — leaves room for the day to play out. Irrespective of how a lot we plan and assume we all know what is going on on race day, there’ll at all times be loads of surprises.
Lastly, the extra you may familiarize your self with the race-day expertise earlier than the precise day, the higher. Observe fueling and hydrating with the particular merchandise you’ll discover at help stations, and do some coaching in your full race-day equipment so that you’ve got confidence in your footwear, socks, shorts, shirt, hat, pack, and all the pieces else. When you can, arriving at an occasion sooner or later early to spend a few miles heading in the right direction may be massively useful, as it is possible for you to to see for your self precisely what you might be getting your self into. Watching YouTube movies of different individuals’s race experiences may be useful for this as nicely.
Being acquainted with the race-day expertise earlier than it occurs might help us visualize what the day may truly look or really feel like, which regularly helps take the anxiousness down a notch.
Your creator previewing the HURT 100 race course earlier than the large day. Photograph courtesy of Gabe Joyes.
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