Packing considerations

Electronics:

  • 1-2 Powerbanks, charged (depends on duration of the run and dropback strategy)
  • GPS watch (do not forget to upload the track and make sure that you were successful)
  • GPS watch cable
  • GPS handheld with charged batteries (upload the track)
  • 1-2 sets of additional batterie sets for GPS handheld (charged)
  • Headlamp with charged batteries
  • 1-2 sets of additional batterie sets for headlamp (charged)
  • Smartphone
  • Smartphone cable
  • Smartphone earphones
  • GPS tracker (if you have one)
  • Signal light (to be attached to your clothings/backpack for road safety and to annoy following runners; sometimes mandatory in races)

Backpack Brainstorming:

If you happen to have several ones – be sure that you know what they are capable of and decide according to your upcoming run. Do you need to be fast? Do you have a lot of dropbacks so that you can refill every other day? Do you need to carry everything all the time? Really? The normal tendency is to overpack – be aware of that and consider to reduce stuff. Make sure that you are aware of the weather conditions during your run as good as possible. Heat and sweat, rain, cold – all that may have an influence on your backpack choice. Be aware where your backpack will destroy your body if you do mistakes while packing and running – do not do these mistakes.

Shoes & Feet:

Well, this is a delicate and personal thing. You may want to:

  • tape your feet to slow-down the blister formation (I use Kinesiotape) or treat your feet with your strategy to keep them as long as possible as intact as possible
  • be ready to renew that tape/retreat your feet on CPs (if any)
  • if you want to re-tape you need a towel to dry and clean your feet, a needle or scissor (to burst blisters) and fresh socks in your dropback or backpack
  • if you have the time at CPs and your feet are in miserable conditions a break of 30-60 min may help to completely dry your feet (a fan helps to speed-up this process)
  • know the pros and cons of your socks and shoes and the parts of your feet they will destroy
  • consider to wear water-proof socks (be aware that they will not be proof forever)
  • consider to wear thin, comfortable socks under your water-proof socks
  • consider to remove the insole of your shoes when wearing thick water-proof socks (the thick socks cover-up for the missing insole and the gained space is a relieve for your swelling feet
  • changing shoes (if possible) may be an option to think about – be aware that your feet will swell and hurt so you may want to change into wider and comfortable shoes
  • be aware that you will be on one point of your long run no longer able to change our shoes
  • Read for more details about feet especially in wet conditions this!

Clothing:

Check the weather forecast and dress accordingly – only use stuff you know and you trained in and feel comfortable in. Here are a couple of helpful things to consider:

  • Buffs, hats, gloves and arm warmers are really nice tools to keep your temperature feelings ideal and are easy to remove/put on while running
  • Protect your head from direct sunlight
  • Wear sunglasses if you can run with them – this seems unnecessary but to keep stress from your eyes helps you to stay relaxed
  • Wear underwear and socks you know and which are suitable for what your are doing to prevent chafing as good as possible
  • Plan carefully what you need in your backpack/dropbacks to change clothing
  • Always carry at least a light wind/waterproof jacket with you
  • Keep in mind that you tend to feel colder and start shivering the longer the race lasts
  • Check mandatory equipment when racing

Safety & Hygiene

  • Vaseline/Nok cream/others – to prevent chafing wherever you want to prevent it
  • First-aid kit (fully equipped)
  • Do not forget your meds if you need some regularly
  • Bring safety blankets/sleeping backs (handy if you for whatever reason need to sleep or dye)
  • Check mandatory equipment when racing

Food & Drinks

That is up to you. Whatever helps you to stay up and running. Apart from that:

  • make sure that your water management is fine-tuned – check for places where you can get water during your run and mark them on your GPS
  • Salt pills next to water are important and may help to keep you ok (esp. in warm conditions)
  • I tend to use caffein pills when the seriously tired moments start
  • Coke (just kidding)

Others:

  • Poles (in some races you need to carry them all the time, in some races it is allowed to pick them up at later CP)
  • some packs handkerchiefs
  • ID, creditcard/bank card, 100 € cash
  • (Car)keys
  • FFP2/medical mask
  • Coins for vending machines
  • fatty lipstick (especially in cold conditions) to pretend your lips from cracking
  • if go into the void – take a water filter with you
  • pack your car with whatever you need after finishing your run

More helpful packing list considerations can be found here

To be completed.


Essen – mal wieder was selbst gemacht

Die längste Zeit beim Ultra-Lauf verbringt [der VPSucher], vor dem Lauf in der Küche und nach dem Lauf mit den Resten am Essenstisch… und zwischendurch beim Essen.

Der Pfadsucher und ich sind sicherlich nicht berühmt für unsere Schnelligkeit. Auch sonst sind wir viel am Jammern und der Oecher bezweifelt nach wie vor, dass unsere Witze als solche einzuordnen sind. Also nicht die beste Voraussetzung für das Ultra-Laufen. Eine Sache, mit der wir uns aber ganz gut auskennen ist: Essen. Das können wir und das rettet uns oft genug den Hintern. Das Schöne daran ist: Das meiste von dem, was wir so aus unseren Rucksäcken hervorzaubern, ist selbstgemacht.

Eine Sache, die für mich – wenn wir mal wieder in den frühen Morgenstunden unterwegs sind – unverzichtbar ist, sind ein einfach paar Scheiben Brot. Spätestens wenn nach ein paar Stunden die Sonne aufgeht, naht der zweite (oder fünfzehnte) Hunger. Dann kommen die Häppchen mit Erdnussmus zusammen mit wahlweise Marmelade oder dunkler Schokolade gerade recht und geben mir wieder Kraft für ein paar weitere Kilometer.

Im letzten Jahr bin ich hier über ein einfaches Brotrezept gestolpert, das sich super leicht machen lässt und trotzdem so lecker schmeckt, dass weder ich noch meine Freundin es bislang leid geworden sind. Vielleicht auch, weil es so leicht zu variieren ist.

Schwierigkeitsgrad: Ungefähr so schwierig, wie es ist, Wasser zum Kochen zu bringen.

Zeitaufwand: 5 Minuten Vorbereitung, 1 Stunde Garzeit im Ofen, 5 Minuten Spülen.

Zutaten:

  • 250g Vollkornmehl (Wer es heller mag, nimmt hier auch helles Mehl)
  • 250g Mehl (Wer es dunkler und kompakter mag, nimmt hier auch Vollkornmehl)
  • 20g Salz (Habt ihr euch für Roggenmehl entschieden, tun’s auch 15 g)
  • 50g Leinsamen (Wer unbedingt teures Superfood vom anderen Ende der Welt braucht, nimmt Chia-Samen)
  • 50g Sonnenblumenkerne
  • 50g Sesam
  • 2 EL Apfelessig
  • 1 Würfel frische Hefe
  • 450 ml warmes Wasser

Zubereitung:

  1. Den Würfel Hefe zerbröseln und in das warme Wasser rühren.
  2. Eine mittlere Kastenform (Standardgröße) einfetten.
  3. Die trockenen Zutaten in einer großen Schlüssel vermengen, dort eine Kuhle formen.
  4. Den Apfelessig und das Hefewasser in die Kuhle schütten.
  5. Alles vermengen und in die Kastenform füllen.
  6. Die Kastenform in den nicht vorgeheizten Ofen stellen, den Ofen schließen und auf 200 Grad Ober- und Unterhitze regeln. (Schwierigster Schritt, ihr wollt hier nicht den Propeller für Umluft, sondern die beiden parallelen Striche.)
  7. Nach 60 Minuten das Brot erst aus dem Ofen, dann aus der Kastenform holen. (Der Ofen kann dann auch ausgestellt werden.)
  8. Das Brot z.B. auf einem Gitterrost abkühlen lassen.

Variationen:

Das Mehl und die Körner bieten die einfachste Möglichkeit, sich auszuprobieren: Einfach mal anderes Mehl nehmen, einen Teil (100 g) davon durch Haferflocken ersetzen oder die Sonnenblumenkerne oder den Sesam durch etwas anderes ersetzen. Wenn ihr die Leinsamen ersetzen wollt, ist das ein wenig schwieriger, weil die durch ihre Saugfähigkeit zu der passenden Konsistenz beitragen. Chia-Samen sind ein relativ teurer Ersatz, der noch dazu von weit her angekarrt wird. Aber das hört sich dann natürlich etwas feiner und mehr nach Super-Food an als ‘Leinsamen’. 😉

Brot

The other review!

Dear NB-team,

18 month ago I bought a pair of Fresh foam 1080 at “Wat läuft” in Bochum, Germany. I know you never asked for a review, it is way too late and you probably don´t care. I just thought that my test period was long enough to give you a quick feedback on the performance of this shoe.

It is a really, really comfortable shoe – felt perfect on my foot from the very first step 18 month ago to the (preliminary) last step during today´s run. Except for the really high mountains, I used the shoe on all imaginable kind of terrain. And even where the terrain merged into wilderness – the performance was brilliant. Rocks, heat, water, cold, snow, mud, thorns – it is a true all rounder! Ah yes – the shoe is also good on the street :).

With a tear in my eye I decided today that it is time to use my pair of Fresh foam only on the streets from now on. I think my pair deserves some more easy tasks and kilometers.

To conclude: a really comfortable and perfect fit (at least for me) pair of running shoes. After 3000 km I noticed some weak points (see pictures below). Although the air and water in and out-flow is now way better then before – on really tough trails the foot feels a bit loose newly. But for the first 3000 km everything works perfect. You might want to think about tougher material on the heel part of the shoe?!

Thanks for the shoe – it took me along a lot of really nice runs! Heading for 4000 km now!

Strava