Bighorn 100 Gear List

It's funny, but I wrote this a couple of weeks after the race and thought I had posted it.  It turns out it doesn't publish unless you actually tell it to.  When I checked today to see how the site was doing I realized my error.  I did spend a few minutes adding hyperlinks to the products and viola, it's alive!  Feel free to comment or email if you have any questions.Clothing: As a mountain runner pretty much everything I use out on the run is critical.  I don’t see the point of using anything that doesn’t work as it was intended to, and when it comes to racing I try to use the very best of what I have access to.  Being that I am an athlete for Patagonia, I feel very lucky to have some of the very best gear (clothing) available.  Here is a list of the clothing that I used during the Bighorn 100 and some thoughts on each. Shorts: Strider Pro-  I have been using an iteration of the Strider shorts for a couple of years now.  The current model fits very well, allows complete movement without restriction, and can carry just the right amount of food/gear in the pockets.  For the daytime sections of the race I chose to carry only a hand bottle and no pack.  This meant that all my fuel had to go in my shorts.  I wore one pair of Strider’s the whole race and they handled the load of fuel very nicely. Shirt: This year it was pretty hot at Bighorn, particularly at the start.  I chose the airflow mesh tank (team jersey).  This is one of the most breathable shirts that Patagonia makes and it was a great choice for the heat of the day.  As the night approached I switched into a capilene 1 long sleeve to handle the cooler temps.  I wore it from the 50 mile point all the way to the finish. Jacket: I always carry a Houdini in the mountains, and at the turnaround, when I picked up my pack, I also picked up a Houdini.  I lucked out and was ahead of all but a slight sprinkle of the rain that occurred during the night and only wore the jacket for a short time just before dawn.  The beauty of this piece is that it pretty much disappears when I don’t have it on, so it doesn’t seem like a burden to carry it. Socks: Merino socks are one of my favorite things on the planet.  I wore the lightweight merino anklet sock the entire race.  I did switch pairs twice just so that I could have dry feet for a little while.  Only one small blister developed from a rock in my shoe, otherwise they performed flawlessly. Hydration Systems: As I mentioned earlier, I went very light from the start using only a single hand bottle.  Later on I switched to a pack.  I have worked very closely with Ultraspire the last couple of years and the products I used have come from a direct collaboration for what I want in these products. Hand Bottle: Isomeric Race.  I used this single bottle race designed handheld for the first 50 miles of the race.  With frequent aid stations it was almost always enough water in one bottle.  I love this for it’s simplicity. Pack: Alpha.  Just after I came on with Ultraspire I submitted some sketches for a pack.  Not long after I went on a trip to the factory they use in the Phillipines with designer mastermind Bryce Thatcher.  While we were there we put the final touches on the pack that would become the Alpha.  It is a stripped down racing vest.  It can carry all that you need, but we eliminated all of the stuff you don’t.  It is by far my favorite pack.  I used it in conjunction with a one liter bladder. Nutrition: One of the most important aspects of ultrarunning is fueling.  During all of my racing I use products from First Endurance.  I am very fortunate to have sponsorship from this  company (and the others I work with), as it is the product I would be using even if I wasn’t an athlete for them.  During this race I fueled a lot with a new electrolyte drink prototype.  It is the evolution of EFS.  This drink worked amazingly.  Taste is very subtle, and it can be mixed to different strengths depending on need.  I also used EFS liquid shot, which is similar to common gels.  It does absorb better and I feel as though I get more consistent energy from it.  In addition to these I supplemented some during the race with coke and broth. Additional Gear:Sunglasses: Smith Approach Max.  I use contact lenses and find that running with sunglasses really helps my lens stay put.  A solid pair of sunglasses has to stay in place (no slipping down the nose), has to have quality optics, and has to not squeeze my head.  Smith makes some of the very best sunglasses out there, and the Approach Max is the sunglass of choice for racing.  You can interchange the lenses, which makes sense for racing in varied weather and makes them more versatile. Headlamps:  Just as important as sun protection during the day, a good light at night makes a ton of difference.  I have been using some iteration of the BD Polar Icon since it was first created by Roch Horton several years ago.  It continues to get brighter and lighter and the current version is amazing.  It will run all night and is plenty bright for route finding even through the "100 mile fog".  This year I used a proto of the new Ion (the new one is much brighter than the one currently listed on the website) for the first couple of hours of night.  I found it more than adequate for running down hill fast and love the fact that it is super small.  I can simply wrap it around my wrist and forget about it until I need it.  Awesome piece of gear for sure.