En meget vigtig del af et succesfuldt ultra-løb; består af ens hjælpere !

Det siger næsten sig selv, at des længere et løb er, des vigtigere bliver forplejning – væskedepoter, energibarer, bananer, en tør t-shirt, friske løbesko og et opmuntrende råb !

For at være sikker på at disse ting er tilstede i det mix, som er optimalt for netop dig, kan det være klogt at forberede sine egen depoter. Basalt er der to typer depoter; de bemandede og de ubemandende:

Ubemandet depot:

I kortere ultra’s kan det være tilstrækkeligt, at man inden start placerer et enkelt eller to depoter ude på ruten. Eksempelvis havde jeg ved min debut på 100km placeret et sådant depot lige før start/mål området på den 25-km korte omgang. Dette skyldtes at vejrudsigten havde lovet dejligt varmt vejr denne forårsdag i Frankrig, så jeg sørgede for at der stod et par 1 ½ liters vandflasker klar sammen med ekstra sko (de mister støddæmpningen efter ca. 60km), tørre trøjer, en kasket, ’tigerbalsam’ til ømme lårmuskler, og salt.

Det er vigtigt at man gør sig nogle overvejelser over hvordan man kan holde væsken kold i de mange timer, hvor den skal stå og vente på én. En del af de moderne energiblandinger kan ikke holde sig ret mange timer, når først de er færdigblandet; så det er måske en god ide, først at blande op, når ’pitstoppet’ sker.

Naturligvis vil der ofte være gode depoter stillet til rådighed fra løbs-arrangørens side, men dels giver det en god sikkerhed at vide, at alt er forberedt; dels kan der mangle ting, som netop gør at du klarer de sidste 40 – 50km i fin stil !

Bemandet depot:

I de meget lange løb, eller bare når detaljerne er særligt vigtige, kan det være nødvendigt at benytte et bemandet depot. Personligt bruger jeg dette til 24-timers løb og til VM-løb på 100km. I det sidste tilfælde gør det forholdsvis høje tempo (~2:50 på marathon), at energitilførslen i de knapt 7 timer skal være meget præcist afstemt, og ofte skal koncentrationen justeres op eller ned alt efter hvordan temperaturen skifter undervejs. En dygtig hjælper kan gøre underværker her !  Vedkommende skal selv kunne vurdere, hvornår der skal justeres og hvordan, idet det ofte er for sent at få instruktioner, når løberen kommer forbi.

På 24-timer er brugen af et bemandet depot næsten et ’must’. Man er ude på landevejen i så mange timer, at det er uundgåeligt, at der skal spises – mange gange endda. Tager man tingene mere roligt, kan der også blive tale om en kort stund i soveposen midtvejs i løbet. Dertil kommer skift af sko, sokker, trøjer osv. osv. 

Men da 24-timer distancen er en så mentalt krævende disciplin, at man knapt kan gøre sig forestillinger om det (jeg kunne i hvert fald ikke før jeg prøvede !), ja, så kan den vigtigste funktion hos hjælperne faktisk være den opmuntrende og motiverende rolle.

Samtidig er det ikke at foragte at få benene masseret en gang hver 6. time, navnlig ikke hvis der står en sød pige parat til at få én tilbage på benene igen; vel ?

Endelig skal man ikke overse, at det socialt set kan være en meget fin oplevelse (navnlig hvis man har instrueret sine hjælpere godt og forberedt dem på, hvad der venter). Det at kunne være fælles om den store kulmination på lang tids forberedelse er afgjort en ekstra cadeau’, som er værd at tage med.

I et 24-timers depot ville jeg vælge at have: Mindst 2 par ekstra løbesko, ekstra trøjer sokker, ekstra tights/shorts, varmt løbetøj til natte-fasen. Meget (og meget forskellig) væske, energi-barer, fiberrig mad som ex. Wasa Sport knækbrød, samt protein – evt. flydende. Spaghetti, vand & kogeapparat  og salt i rigelige mængder. I førstehjælps kassen:  saks, sterilt barberblad, ’tiger-balsam’, zinksalve (mod solskoldning – faktor 100), Revolyt, plaster, ’kunstig hud’ – fås på hospitaler og er langt bedre end ’compeed’ o.a.  

IKKE: hovedpinepiller, ’smertestillere’, koffeinpiller og andet ’medicin’ –  det hører ikke hjemme i sportssammenhæng !!!  Du kan sagtens klare det uden, hvis du har trænet godt  :-)

Som motivation til hjælperne er en mini-grill en god og hyggelig ide, men måske skulle du sikre dig, at ’duften’ fra T-bone steaks’ene driver væk fra ruten.... Også noget solidt musik kan være af glæde for både dig & dine hjælpere – og tilskuerne !  Personligt foretrækker jeg traditionel skotsk sækkepibemusik i de hårde faser af løbet; spørg mig ikke hvorfor – gener måske ?!?

At have alternativ væske med kan i øvrigt ikke underdrives: Til Em-24timer kunne jeg i de afsluttende timer ikke få mere af de dyre højteknologiske energidrikke ned; det eneste der blev i maven var noget sodavand fra Netto – inkl. kulsyre. Ja; man må planlægge for det usandsynlige ;-)

God fornøjelse til løbere & hjælpere ! :-)

- Nedenfor har jeg samlet en række råd og erfaringer fra ultra-hjælpere rundt om i ultra-verdenen, mange af dem er dog oprindeligt indsamlet af Gary Wang (wang@nemesis.ece.ucsb.edu). Jeg er ikke nødvendigvis enig i alle ting, men det giver noget at vægte mine egne råd om imod.

The Art of Pacing a race is just a race, but a friend who paces you is a friend for life. - Joseph Franko.

• Before the Race Prerace briefing is helpful. Spend time with the runner and be real clear about what is expected of you. Does the runner want you to run in front or behind ? What does the runner want you to carry ? Where during the course does the runner want you to push him/her ? Study the course description, visit or run the part of the course you will be on. Know what the course markings look like, and how far and how long to the next aid station.
• What to carry: (ask the runner before the race) Be aware of rules for pacers -- usually this comes down to "no muling": you're not supposed to carry their clothes, food, water, and spare batteries. Rather your role is to encourage and keep track of the runner. You might have some emergency supplies along just in case, e.g. extra batteries, bulbs, moleskin, and something to cut it with, caffeine pills, First aid kit. Extra vaseline might also be helpful. Toilet paper ?? Carry extra food and drink that they might need.
• On the Trail The name "pacer" is highly misleading. Remember, the last thing you do is actually pace. You are fresh and, unless you are running with the leader, you can push the runner too hard. Let the runner lead. This is real personal. There might be some runners who want to be pushed. One exception might be to help a runner go slow enough on the first half of the race, but since pacers are usually allowed only on the second half you probably won't have an opportunity to provide this kind of help. Your job is to be a motivator and scout. You should know the trail and be willing to run ahead and see which way the course markings are going. If you are lost, tell the runner to stay and rest while you go looking for the markings. On tricky technical sections of the course you would run a few steps ahead to help the runner pick the best line. Let the runner cut the tangent on the wider road by getting out of his/her way. If the runner wants to be pushed while going uphill, go in front of him/her. Ask the runner if the pace is ok or not. Monitor the pace carefully and don't let them walk if they don't have to. One good way to do this is to run beside but just a little bit in front of your runner at a pace they can comfortably maintain. If they complain about blisters, tell them not to think about it. There is nothing you can do, so stop whining.
• Companionship: When the going gets tough, it's really nice to have someone along with you. During the night it's critical. To provide someone for the runner to talk to. This probably requires no preparation on your part, but you could give some thought to what interests you share with your runner or what good stories you could tell him. This function becomes critical during the wee hours of the night and into the morning of the second day as lone runners can literally fall asleep on their feet. You would stock up on jokes, puzzles, etc. Anything to occupy and engage your runner's mind. Be sensitive to the runner's needs: Does (s)he want you to go in front or in back? Does (s)he want you to chatter to keep his/her spirits up? Or to just shut-up? You gotta do whatever works best. Carry on a conversation if they want, not if they don't. Be aware that your runner may give lots of non-verbal indications that they wish you'd just shut up and go away. Don't be offended, it's not what they are thinking at all. It's just that it's too much effort for them to take part in the conversation themselves. But the biggest challenge is to think of something creative and helpful to say when your runner is BARFING out his guts and looks like shit. The best is to say nothing at all. Say positive things about how they've done, encourage them to make it, tell them they're doing well. In the final 20 miles, talk about how great it's gonna be to cross the finish. Remind the runner of how well, they're doing: If they're complaining about blisters, you might remind them that their head, stomach, and quads feel OK (if they do), and that they're keeping the pace up despite the pain.
• Runner want to quit ? :-( Don't let the runner quit. Just keep 'em moving. NEVER FEEL SORRY FOR YOUR RUNNER. Don't be "easy" on your runner. Help them to think positive thoughts. If they are injured, there's not much you can do. But if he/she is tired, tough shit. keep them moving. I never heard a finisher say they wished they had dropped out at 85 miles. Next (lost track of counting) if your runner feels reeeeal bad, walk, walk, walk. There is usually plenty of time to get back in the proper state of mind to start running again in time to finish the race.
• Food and Water Anything you can do to encourage your runner to drink, eat, and drink, drink, drink would be very valuable. My impression is that most DNFs are due more to dehydration and the stomach upset that comes with it than anything else. Closely related is energy depletion from failure to eat enough. If your runner isn't peeing often you'll be doing him/her a big favor by pushing fluids bigtime. Peeing while running can save up to 30 minutes in an 100 miler race.
• When it's dark ... For night running carry a reliable flashlight. Carry the best light and try to help them see better. Warn them of bridges or slippery spots. For nighttime pacing, get a big flashlight (2 or 3 "D" cells, krypton bulb). You won't mind the weight, and the more light you have, the better. Pointing a flashlight in the right place. Remember to carry spare battery and light bulbs. Making a frequent habit of looking for trail markers. Head lamp can provide extra light, and an extra hand.
• In the Aid Station Force the runner to eat and drink: At the aid stations, a good pacer (or crew) will bring you cup after cup of liquids to drink, whether you want them or not. They will encourage you to eat, bringing you things whether you want them or not. Eating and particularly drinking a lot is vital to doing well, and the runner won't feel like doing it themselves. Try not to let the runner dawdle and become social in aid stations. Keep prodding them along. Be respectful, but *firm*. If they start talking about dropping out, you have to look at the situation: If they're seriously injured, dropping might be the right thing. But if they're tired, bonking, discouraged, try to get them to rest in an aid station and think about the decision. They may well bounce back and finish it up. Take care of your runner's needs in the aid station: Refill their water bottles, offer them whatever's available (they probably won't be too observant when tired, late at night). Take care of *yourself*! Don't forget to eat and stay hydrated, so you can keep going. If the is no crew at the aid station, have a plan before reach the aid station. Decide how long you will stop. What you want to eat. Be efficient so you don't loose too much time. The people at the aid station usually will fill up your water bottles for you. Whenever we came up on an aid station I would find out what my runner needed and then run ahead so that I arrived about half a minute before him and had what he needed ready to go (don't let your runner linger at the aid stations unless they are in real trouble).
• Be sensitive to the runner ! Look out for the runner. Don't let you runner get hurt. Try to understand what's in the runner's head and work from there.
• After a long cold Spring and no chance to acclimate to heat, runners should push a lot of water and sodium from the very start of an ultra. 1. Drink water and take some salt BEFORE the race begins. Race Directors will please provide, water AND CUPS at the start line. 2. You need 400 to 800 mgm of sodium per hour under hot conditions. The average small pretzel or saltine found at the aid stations has only 30 mgm of sodium. If you're drinking water only, you'd need 13 of those per hour to get in enough sodium. Even if you're taking a sportsdrink, one or two pretzels may not be enough. Most drinks are on the low side of the sodium requirement because the drinks would taste like sea water if they had sodium levels equivalent to 800 mgm/hour. 3. Colas typically contain little or no sodium. A steady diet of half cola, half water could lead to inadequate sodium in a few hours of running. 4. Don't be fooled by running in dry weather. Sweat may evaporate so fast that you think you're not sweating much when in fact you're sweating a great deal, and losing water through your lungs as you exhale. 5. Don't assume that you are hydrated if you pee late in a run. If you are low on sodium, your body will be forced to dump water to keep you from going into a state of hyponatremia ( low sodium ). Thus it is possible to be dehydrated and peeing at the same time. 6. If you do get dehyrated, take salt and water together. Your body will not properly re-hydrate if you don't have sodium on board. Therefore, avoid soda and sparkling waters unless you also take sodium. 7. Don't trust your sense of thirst in an ultra. Most people are actually dehydrated by the time they register as thirsty. 8. If you do get dehydrated, your blood pressure will be low. If you jump into a hot shower after the run, the blood vessels near the skin will dilate and your blood pressure will drop so low that your heart cannot push blood to the brain for a few seconds and you will pass out in the shower. If you need to clean up, use a wash cloth wet with tepid water. 9. If you feel dizzy or have a queasy stomach, slow down or sit for a while. If it is really hot, you weren't going to have a PR anyway, so why kill yourself to finish a few minutes sooner? 10. The runners most in danger of dehydration are not the speedsters at the front of the race, but those at the back of the pack who spend more hours out in the heat. 11. If there is ice at the aid stations, consider wearing a white, mesh cap in which you can put ice cubes. It may look silly, but may also help cool your head a lot. It worked wonders for me at the hot, humid '94 Vermont 100. I will echo the statement: it is just as stressful to be Race Director on a bad day as it is to run. Karl King, RD Ice Age 50 kking@omnifest.uwm.edu 4/23/96

A steady caloric intake is very important in running ultras, even more so as events get longer (100 miles and beyond). Over the period of a few months you should be able to find a number of foods and/or beverages that you handle well (no or little stomach discomfort), that taste good to you, and that are "packable" while doing your long training runs. As to the rate of intake, try for about 300-400 calories an hour, which works out to maybe 12-16 ounces of a sports drink and an energy bar per hour. This is not a lot. Try to eat about every 30-40 minutes, as this keeps up your energy level without a lot of bulk for your stomach to handle at any one time. If you go with a mostly liquid food intake, try to take it at a rate of several ounces about every 20 minutes. Mix that in with some drinks of just water. If you handle solid food ok, there are lots of options. Sandwiches of various types, energy bars, fruit, pretzels (also for salt), and granola type mixes are good choices. Shoot for mostly carbohydrates, with maybe 20% of calories from fats and 10% from proteins. In the later stages of longer ultras (50 miles plus) you might get "tired" of the same old stuff and go to things like soup, energy gels, and supplimented drinks like Ensure that might be easier for you to digest.

So I suggest you try out a number of different foods and drinks on your upcoming training runs. With the 300-400 cal./hr intake you replace about 50% of the calories you burn, keep up your blood sugar, and allow for continued burning of stored fats which in long distance races is a significant fuel source. If you do encounter stomach troubles, there are a few things to try to combat this. These would include things like antacid tablets, going only with liquid intake, and trying to ensure your salt intake is adequate. For some, drinking milk or eating higher fat foods will help a sour stomach. One other thing to try is eating while you walk for several minutes, and to eat on uphills a ways before you get to longer downhill sections. Also consider that you might have more stomach problems in hot or humid weather, so plan accordingly for those types of races with regard to your drop bags and what is on hand at the aid stations.

The thing to remember is that what you eat and when does affect how you feel and do in a race. At the slower pace of longer ultras (50 or 100 miles or more) your stomach emptying rate is not lowered and you can go more to solid food as compared to liquids. For a 50k or shorter races, where more blood goes to muscles and less to your digestive system, you might do better using mostly liquids for caloric fuel. One method to get a regular intake of food is to eat while you are walking, in addition to eating a bit at aid stations. When creating a nutrition plan for a race, decide what you will eat, and when, and plan your drop bags and crew stops to match the nutrition plan. I usually like to have several different items that I can go to at any time, in addition to the aid station foods. Over the hours the foods that appeal to me change. Be flexible with the plan. Have some things you can try that you know from training will stop nausea and settle your stomach, and that taste ok after you have been running for several hours. In summary, a good nutrition plan will cover when and how much you eat during the race, the nutrient value of the food, how well you like and tolerate those foods, and what you will try if you have problems such as nausea, stomach bloating, runs, or just plain seem to loose your appetite. Just be sure to try out the food plan (food types, frequency, amounts) in training and adjust as necessary (especially weather conditions) for the race you will be running.