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What to Pack for a 2 Day Relay

Last TIR related post for awhile.  This is for posterity IF I ever need it again, which I surely will.  Tuesday after TIR I found myself making a list of all the things we packed and what we should have packed.  This is the list I will use next time compiled from the TIR recommendations and our own experience.

TEAM:
At least 2 flashlights or headlamps.
At least 2 reflective vests or belts.
LED blinking lights
Vehicles (not to exceed 22 feet in length)
IDs for team members.
Stop watches, clipboard, pens
Coolers (2/van)
Cell phones
Trash bags
Scissors/knife
Hand sanitizer
Markers for decorating van

First Aid Kit (per van) includes:
    sunscreen, bug spray, after bite, ibuprofen/advil, tylenol, various bandaids, neosporin, Tums, ziploc bags for ice packs,
    Baby wipes, spray bottles, or some other creative washing method
    team toilet paper
    Picnic blanket, tarp, and maybe even club tent for finish line area.

Information Binder (per van)
    Maps (course maps, Houston, and Texas road maps)
    Leg assignment sheet (with approximate start/finish times, relay exchange points)
    Team member phone numbers of both vans
    Emergency contact list for all team members

Water guns?
Van Decorations


INDIVIDUAL:
Electronics   
    Extras of the required items an individual may want to bring
        reflective vest, blinkies, flashlight, headlamp, etc.
    Phone & car charger
    Watch or GPS watch (and charger if necessary)
    Camera
Running Stuff   
    Sunglasses
    Cap or visor
    An extra pair of running shoes
    3-4 sets of running clothes (1/leg + 1): socks/shorts/bra/shirt/hat
    Plastic bags for damp clothing
    Water bottle (2)
    Cell phone carrier/waist pouch?
Other Clothes   
    Sleeping clothes & dry clothes for between runs
    Sandals or flip flops for between runs
    Jacket/sweatshirt
    Sleeping bag/blanket, pillow
    Towels (2 to dry off & sit on after running, 1 after showering)
Misc    Toiletries: tooth brush, tooth paste, deodarant, BODY GLIDE, soap, shampoo
    Money for meals, etc.
    Frogg Togg (ice wrap for neck)
    Book/Magazines
    ipod/head phones (not for running)
    sleep mask
    Ear plugs
    Anything special that you HAVE to have on trips or runs. Epi pen? Meds? Inhaler?


Food list for the team
    Ice (2-3 bags per van to start)
    cooler of ice/van
    cooler for food/van
    Bins/boxes for food (to keep from sliding around and for easy access)
    Plastic utensils
    Big plastic cups for ice/water dumping on runners
    1-2 gallons of water per person
    Gatorade
    GU/Gels/Blocks
    White bread
    peanut butter
    jelly
    turkey lunch meat
    sliced cheese
    pickles (for salt!)
    mustard
    bagels
    chips
    almonds/nuts
    fruit: clementine oranges, pears, apples, bananas
    Energy bars/granola bars
    Pasta salad (bowls/forks)
    Gum
    Candy (non-melty)

Photos at the Park 2/19

John bought me a new camera for Christmas. A Cannon Rebel T2i with a couple lenses that I had no idea what to do with.  I was lucky enough to find a local photographer who teaches a class, Kristen Duke.  Her class was great and the handy book is a fabulous reference for day-to-day use.  I highly recommend it!

I have been using my camera on manual more and more, but find it easier to do when I have time to play vs. getting a quick shot.  Sunday's trip to the park gave me a chance to take a ton of pictures while the kids played.  These are some of the better shots.

Post Race Report: Mostly for My Benefit

This post is mostly for my record keeping, so pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

Marathon prep -
What did I wear?  Lululemon short sleeved shirt and shorts - my favorites.  Garmin watch, hat, Wright socks, throw away gloves, Brooks Adrenaline shoes, and hydration back pack filled up to the top.

my gear

What did I eat?  In the morning I had a bagel thin & peanut butter.  Before the race started I had a Gatorade Fuel drink.  During the race I tried to eat every 5 miles.  2 Cliff Shots Chocolate Cherry, 1 pack of Cliff Shot Blocks, 2 candy orange slices, 4 peanut butter crackers, a couple Gummy Bears, all the water in my pack (72 oz), plus 8-12 more ounces and 8-12 ounces of Gatorade on the course.  This was probably the perfect amount of food for me.  I finished not feeling hungry or dying of thirst.

What else did I carry?  Chap Stick, tissue, sunglasses, iPod and phone in my back pack. I also had an extra Cliff Shot I didn't eat.  I started out with a throw away long sleeve shirt on, but tossed it before I crossed the starting line. 

Any regrets?  Not really.  All my pictures look sort of dumb because I'm decked out like I'm on a mountain climbing expedition.  I did use almost everything I carried and nothing annoyed me.  Next time I will try to carry a spare bottle with Gatorade to refill at water stops, especially if the weather is any warmer. 

Book Review: Born to Run

Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen  by Christopher McDougall

Amazon Book Description: Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world’s greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong.

Isolated by the most savage terrain in North America, the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s deadly Copper Canyons are custodians of a lost art. For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tarahumara immune to the diseases and strife that plague modern existence. With the help of Caballo Blanco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, the author was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder.
With a sharp wit and wild exuberance, McDougall takes us from the high-tech science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultrarunners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to the climactic race in the Copper Canyons. Born to Run is that rare book that will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that the secret to happiness is right at your feet, and that you, indeed all of us, were born to run. 

This was a great book, I really enjoyed it.  I had never heard of it but picked it up last winter.  I enjoyed the authors point of view, liked the characters and the story line.  It was inspirational!  I was not necessarily inspired to run barefoot, but inspired to run for the love of running.  Its not about the shoes, the socks, the iPods - its about running because it feels good.

Fuel Belts?

 I'm thinking about getting a fuel belt.  ~Sigh~  I think they look pretty silly but I'm also tired of carrying my water bottle.  We have lots of long runs ahead and carrying water is no fun. 

Foam Roller

My new friend, the foam roller

New Kicks

L-O-V-E the purple! Brooks Adrenaline 11 in a sweet new color.