John Morelock - ultrarunning.


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Some odds and ends to get you through the day, the
distance, whatever ...

Believe in yourself--nothing else will get you to the finish line.

Decide before you start what will stop you--if that
doesn't happen, you continue.

Are you racing or running?  Time goal (sub-24, big
buckle, age group) or running to finish.  Don't let
the initial goal be etched in stone.  Something may go
wrong out there--adjustments will need to be made.
Make them and keep going.

Run your plan.  Stay within your realm.  Don't feel
bad if someone passes you.  Don't chortle with glee if
you pass someone.  Keep a sense of what your are about.
Keep pressing on, maybe it is one of those good days
when you pick it up and keep on picking it up.

Have faith in walking.  Walk when you need to or when
you want to, but walk with purpose...no trudging...no
survival shuffle...keep a good mind-set and walk with a
purpose.

Be sure your crew (if you have one; remember, a crew
is not a necessity) understands that you might go
through a transition from nice person to "not so nice"
person.  Have a talk with them about the need to kick
your butt back out on the course.  Sympathy may exist,
but not to the extent of shortchanging the runner.

Problems.  Is it a problem or just an inconvenience?
Decide which.  Find a solution for the problem.  Block
out the inconvenience.

Food.  Stick with the safest food there is at the aid
stations.  Use as much of your own stuff as you can,
but don't be inflexible about things not being just
perfect.  Be flexible as you go.

Equipment.  If some equipment change comes into your
head--is it a need or a want.  If it is a need, solve
it at the next aid, crew, or drop bag point.  If it is
a want and can't be fixed fairly easily, drop the
thought--keep going.

Throwing up, vomiting, and coughing the cookies...it may
happen even if it has never happened before.  It is
not fatal.  It is an inconvenience.  You will need
more water between the point it happens and the next
aid station (it does dehydrate).  Drink more.  Stay at
the next aid station long enough to drink and eat more.
Your body is now low on fuel and water.  You must pay
attention to eating more.  You can restore the liquids
fairly quickly, but you must eat every chance you get.

Try not to throw up on anyone :| .

Don't stop.  Keep moving.  Low points will come;
continued movement will bring you back around.  Don't
sit in those chairs unless you really need to--you will
not really need to until somewhere really really late.

Be encouraging to others.  Smiles and laughter will be
helpful to others.  Helping others will be helpful to
yourself.

Smile and joke with the aid station folks and say
thank you to the volunteers.  They will help you all
through the day and night and...be good to them.  They
are a great source of energy and inspiration donating
all that time to get us through our little escapade.

No externalizing of negatives.  No, "Hot out here,
ain't it?"  No, "This is a long hill, eh?"  Just
believe in yourself, all that training, all those
folks you ran with throughout the winter, spring, and
summer that got you so strong.

It's all there...yours for the taking.

Run gently out there.

John Morelock

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