With only 16 days left until The Beast of Burden 24-hour race there is not much more I can do to prepare as far as my fitness goes. As for that, I'm either ready or I'm not. I think I am ready. But the one thing I can't control, Mother Nature, still has the ability to make or break the run for me. So every run is still a gear-test run for me. I want to be as prepared as I can be. I have been running in some pretty extreme cold and windy conditions, so I think I am ready for that. The one thing that I haven't had much of a chance to do is run in deep snow. In December we did have some pretty excellent snow that I could have run in, but I was remiss and opted for skiing and snowshoeing at that time. And then we had our mid-winter thaw which brought some pretty good rain, which melted the snow. FINALLY, yesterday we got a good wallop of the white stuff and I got my chance. So I headed out for one of my favorite loops, a 7.5-miler on seasonal roads which are not plowed in the winter. It was 28 degrees F and there was a good 5-6" base of snow. Well, first of all, it was harder than I had anticipated - even more tiring than snowshoeing. So the "run" turned into more of a "hike-run", which was OK, since I still got in the time on my feet.
So here is my gear-test report card:
1. SNEAKERS: A+. I wore the INOV-8 X-talon 212s and they worked fabulously. The grippy lugs on the soles gave excellent traction even in the deep snow.
2. GAITERS: A. I wore a pair of ankle-high gaiters from Eastern Mountain Sports which kept my ankles dry and kept the snow out of the shoes, but they were a bit warm and my pant-legs around my ankles were noticeably wet from the sweat.
3. SOCKS: A+. I wore the Seirus StormSocks which kept my feet dry and warm from the snow. Again, with the 28 degree temps, my feet did get a little sweaty, but not bad.
4. CLOTHING: A. I was quite comfortable with a pair of spandex shorts, lined wind-pants, coolmax shirts, and my new Red Ledge shell for a windbreaker (which also did not absorb the falling snow!). Even though I was sweating I really didn't notice it much while out and was never cold or uncomfortable. However, I was surprised when I got home and found out how wet my shirts were! Something to think about if the temps were colder, although the sweat-factor when running on the flat Erie Canal towpath should be less than it was running on my hilly home course.
I also wore just my waistpack with a water bottle, since I didn't fear there would be any bottle-freezing going on. This worked fine and I will bring this with me to the race in the event that it isn't freezing out. My final conclusion: bring everything to the race.
"Big occasions and races which have been eagerly anticipated almost to the point of dread, are where great deeds can be accomplished." Jack Lovelock
Hey Chris! Yeah, I have worn my x talon 212's on the last two long efforts and they work like a charm. The first one was that snowy run that I got lost in and the second was Orcas Island race. Both were over 30 miles and honestly I think I've found a new favorite shoe. I love how the lugs are spaced...it's like having little cleats on...but like you said they are grippy. I also like how light they are yet they have enough support in the upper for me. Beast of Burden!...wooooooooo....you're a tough cookie!
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