Video preview of Howl at the Moon Route

Part 1:




Part 2

Awesome video as usual, Charles! You're definitely right on about both the asphalt hill and the upgrade in the first mile. With little shade and heat in the 80's everything is indeed magnified. In the first two morning laps it was no big deal, but as time went on..time definitely stretched on.

Looking forward to hanging with you and Susie in a couple months (yikes, that's coming up).

This is great Charles, Thanks! I have two friends that are running Howl as their first ultra, so I'll share this with them as well. After Hawthorn Half day on Sat, I wrote up a list of things I learned and what worked/didn't for running timed loop races. Here it is:


Things I learned when running a timed loop race (esp. in hot weather)
1. Start out SLOW. Monitor your heart rate throughout the whole race – whether this is w/ a piece of technology or your own self. Once it gets too high, it’s very hard to bring it back down. I can monitor mine by feel and breathing, and I’ve found it to be very helpful in ultras. If you’re breathing too hard, slow down or take a walk break.
2. Bring a big cooler and stock w/ drinks and your food. DO NOT leave your food and gels sitting in the sun while you’re running. A hot gel, Gu, or bar is NOT appetizing.
3. Speaking of appetizing, I brought a big Tupperware of cut up watermelon, honeydew, and grapes. So refreshing, and it was something I wanted to eat.
4. If possible, set your personal aid station up as close to the official race aid station. This will reduce the time you spend between the two stations.
5. Bring folding chairs for after the race. If you have a canopy tent, bring that as well.
6. Wear a light running cap and fill it w/ ice from the cooler every other lap or as needed. You’ll be amazed at how it cools your body.
7. Bring one of those cold-sports towels. I got one at Dick’s Sports for $14 or something. You can put ice in, fold it, and wrap around your neck. Again, amazing at how much cooler it keeps you. Plus, you can eat the ice when you’re running!
8. Put all possibly needed during-race items, like Body-glide, Vaseline, salt tabs, duck tape, visor, Ipod, etc. in a large, clear Tupperware container. It’s organized and you can see where everything is.
9. Take salt-tabs 1 every 60-90 minutes depending upon sweating level.
10. Use Body glide and Vaseline generously on ANYTHING that may chafe. Toes, under armpits, all around the sports bra line, any piping on clothing, and between your butt cheeks and around lady-parts (yes, I said it and you WILL thank me later). I had the most horrible stinging pain in my butt crack the whole 4 hr. drive home from Hawthorn.
11. Bring an extra pair of shoes/socks to change into mid-race if your feet are barking. I didn’t, but probably should have.
12. Think about the race in laps, rather than time. It’s very daunting to think that you have 8 , 6, 4, etc. more hours of running. It’s easier (for me at least) to think about the number of laps. Also, think about what you’re going to grab/drink/eat (or skip it) at the end of each lap.
13. Focus on the lap you are on.
14. Power walk any hills, save your legs for the flats/downs.
15. You don’t have to carry a hand-held if there are aid stations closer together (like at Howl). Or carry it for a few and then switch it up.
16. The last 1-2 hours focus on the “icing on the cake” – get as much as you can out of the time. I was thinking, “What’s 2 more hrs. after 10? Nothing!”
17. Know that there will be low points and pain. I felt those damn blisters on my feet the last 4-5 HOURS. I mentally blocked out the pain – when I knew the downhill rocky section that hurt them the most was coming up, I thought about anything else – the next section, what I was listening to on my Ipod, what I’d drink at the next stop. It’s a huge mental game, but you can win.
18. Make friends with the other runners – you’ll learn a lot about each other, and the loops will go by quicker. Do, however, be aware of the sketchy older men - I started chatting with an older guy at a water stop, and he hit on me. It was awkward, but at least he wasn’t running my pace so I could quickly scamper away.