03/05/2019
Dragon’s Back – The Final Prep
So the training is done and the race is nigh, the excitement builds but there is still a lot of preparation if you want to be as prepared as you can be.
There may be a few of us racing in the Great Lakeland 3 Day this weekend but it is only 2 weeks from the start of the Dragon’s Back so personally I will be taking it steady and using this as an opportunity to fine tune my kit.
Equipment checks
• Rucksack – is it big enough, easily accessible pockets, where will you store your food, is there enough space for water bottles, how many water bottles will you need, does the rucksack rub – is there an alternative or is there something you can wear to prevent it rubbing
• Shoes – are they in good condition – I like to use a pair that have done 10 to 20 miles so they are broken in but not going to wear out during the race and I will take a spare pair. It is very important that the shoes fit and do not cause blisters or other discomfort – this is the most likely thing to end your race. I use La Sportiva Mutants – they are perfect for long distance, they are hard wearing, well cushioned, work on road, trail and rough ground and they are not too heavy.
• Socks – if it’s very wet then consider dry socks but you should be used to wearing these try them out now if you haven’t before. Dexshells are the ones I use – they are a bit thinner than sealskinz so they fit in the shoes better and they are soft so don’t give me blisters. Wet feet for 5 days will result in trench foot which is painful and a race ender. Other socks I like to use are the X-bionics X-socks run speed 2 they have some nice cushioning over the inside of the big toe joint which is where I tend to rub.
• Head torch – for those who will be on the hill at night it is very important that you have a decent head torch with good battery life again might be best to buy a new battery if yours is old. I recommend the Petzl Nao – which is lightweight lasts up to 12 hours on reactive lighting, but can be turned to a higher power setting as well for downhill running or searching for a checkpoint.
• Nutrition – fuelling for the race is very important. Dodgy tummies is another big race ender. You need food that you enjoy and that is not just sugar that will upset your stomach and make you ill. I like using the Mountain Fuel xtreme energy fuel sachets particularly the tropical flavour. I can add these to my soft flasks and it aids my fluid intake as well as putting some calories in. Alongside this I like to eat “real food” nuts and dried fruit, cheese, salamis, biscuits, crackers, Danish pastries. At the halfway point it is important to try and get a decent meal down to fuel your afternoon. There are a few things around now that can keep without being refrigerated eg. John West Tuna meals.
• Waterproof jacket – ensure your jacket is either new or reproofed. I recommend the Berghaus Hyper 100 it’s more waterproof than the Montane Minimus and lighter, it is perfect for warmer weather as it’s breathable. If the weather is really atrocious I pack a thicker one like the Montane Air Jacket or the Haglofs Gram Comp (sadly they have stopped making this now), but if it’s like it was 2 and 4 years ago these are not necessary.
• Camping: for a comfortable night’s sleep it is important to have a thick thermarest and a decent sleeping bag, a down jacket normally suffices as a pillow and can be worn around camp at night.
• Luxury foods to supplement meals – everyone needs a pick me up after a hard day of racing, slip something you really like into the overnight bag that you can tuck into after you’ve had that hard day on the hills.
• First Aid kit – you’ll need to take care of your feet and chaffage. I have a little box with all sorts in it – spray on plaster, blister plasters, moleskin, scissors, needles, sudocrem, chaffage cream, paracetamol and this year I will definitely be adding loperamide.
