Grand to Grand...Choices

It's the holiday season and I've been inundated with other priorities so this article has taken much longer to write than I'd hoped. With the holidays inching closer now, the work scene has slowed enough to jot some things down before another year comes and goes (like my memory these days!). I also started putting together a 2023 G2G scrapbook and it got my creative juices flowing again.

I think it will be a long time before I forget about this experience - the people, places and sheer passion you draw on as a participant. There are times when I wish I hadn't waited so long to register for this race but honestly, my timing was perfect. I could not have imagined a better experience both in my training, gear and race choices.

My goal with this post is to share some choices I made for my 2023 G2G experience. None of them will make-or-break your time on course - hell, you might not even known there were decisions to be made in some of these categories! If nothing else, they'll give you some things to think about in the overall scheme of how you plan to tackle the race. Given this was my first self-supported stage race, I resolved to only control what I could and have a flexible mind-set to problem-solve anything else that might come up.

Training

TOF = 5 hours

The primary focus should be time on feet (TOF). You can see my Strava posts for the final 3-day training block before G2G.

The secondary thing to focus on during training is to use as much actual race gear as you can. This includes the exact shirt, shorts, socks, shoes, pack (including weight!), water bottles and most importantly race-day food.

Bonus points if you're able to camp out during these training blocks. I routinely camped while training to ensure I could navigate all my camping-specific gear, camp food, recovery drinks and clothing choices just like you'll have to do at G2G.

I cover these and many other training topics during my Grand to Grand podcast. Check it out here.

TOF = 7 hours

TOF = 7 hours

Electronics

I'm sure there's room for debate here but I made the decision early on not to bring any electronics at all. No phone, no Garmin - nothing. My reasoning included:

• I truly wanted to be disconnected for the week
• I did not want the extra weight
• Any device would require charging, i.e. more weight
• I did not want to deal with electronics and sand
• My pack did not have a convenient place to store a phone
• I wanted to focus on a successful race, not selfies
• My pictures never quite capture the grandeur of the moment

I paid for the photo package offered by the race and I would 100% do it again. Anastasia Wilde was our photographer and took some amazing shots of both the race and me.

 

Sleep pad

Bottom-line, use what works for you. While I don't have an accordion-style sleeping pad, I've captured some pros and cons based on my own usage of an inflatable pad (Therma-a-rest Neoair Uberlite) and what I witnessed/spoke about with my tent-mates (who all had foam pads).

	Pros	Cons
Foam pad	Puncture-resistant Lower price Quick setup/breakdown time Used on ground and tent	Bulky, carried on pack (snags on trees) Decreased comfort? Lower insulation (R-value)
Inflatable	Increased comfort? Higher insulation (R-value) Smaller footprint Fits in pack	Higher price Possible punctures (patch kit required) Longer setup/breakdown time Noisier

 

Despite having the Gossamer Gear thinlite pad underneath my inflatable sleeping pad, there were days where the tent was filled with stickers from the Russian thistle. I was afraid of a puncture. I compensated by putting my inflatable sleeping pad inside my sleeping bag to prevent punctures.

Sleep is super-important in your recovery at G2G so whatever you choose, make sure it's the right thing for you. I'm a side-sleeper as well so something inflatable is a must for me. Also consider where you'll be finishing each day. Does an easy deployment take precedent over comfort? Personally, it was worth an extra 3 minutes to blow up my pad each day and only took 3-5 minutes each morning to deflate, rollup and pack away.

As you can see, I had a very streamlined pack without anything strapped to the outside.

Food

This has to be one of the THE most important categories to think about when it comes to your G2G adventure. Similar to what I tell the athletes I coach, there is no silver bullet. Do what works for you and don't be swayed but what others are doing. Having said that however, YOU MUST TRY THEM to know what does or doesn't work for you. Numerous other athletes were genuinely excited about the prospect of a particular meal each night but were ultimately revolted by the smell and/or taste of it because they had never tried it prior to the race.

My goal here is to offer up some thoughts on handling food during the race and not sway you with certain products (except one). This includes both real food, racing food and a couple topics in between.

Breakfast, Dinner and Recovery Calories

Real chicken and biscuits

Ensure you have a variety of meals available to you. Alternate flavors and textures whenever possible. It's very easy to get fatigued over the same bar, oatmeal or spaghetti dinner if you have it every day. Also consider bringing recovery (liquid) calories on top of dinner calories. It's easy to argue that recovery drinks don't help a ton but it is important that you continue drinking fluids once you get back to camp. This forcing function helps reduce the number of meals you need to pack per day and ensures you're staying hydrated.

My only food recommendation: Pinnacle Foods

In all my searching, this Montana-based company produces small-batch freeze-dried meals that (1) are the highest calorie-per-ounce I've found (nearly 150 cal/ounce), (2) have vegetarian and meat options, (3) are single serving and (4) have ingredients you can pronounce.

Everyone in Tent 5 was envious of my meal selection each night 🤤 Especially the Thai Green Chili Curry.

Vacuum packing

I chose to vacuum-seal all my primary meals to save both on space and weight. You save approximately 2 ounces per meal when vacuum-packing and gain more space in your pack. It's extra work but can save you up to a pound in food weight!

Note: Vacuum-sealed food is dense and hurts when rubbing on your back for nearly 7 hours. Placement in your pack is critical!

You may need to crush down your dehydrated food to vacuum pack it

Meal Preparation

I saved one of the Pinnacle retort/food bags and reused it each night for my freeze-dried meals. I would cut my vacuum-packed meal open, dump it in the retort bag, add hot water (measured using my Sea to Summit x-series silicone cup). After accounting for the altitude, most of my meals were perfectly cooked/heated...which was far better than most.

If you're considering using Ziplock bags or the ultra-light foldable bowls...honestly, don't. The last thing you want is to get into camp after 7-10 hours on your feet and have a shitty meal of crunchy pasta or rice that somewhat tastes like chili or chicken teriyaki.

High-quality well-prepared meals not only keep your belly full but there is something mentally satisfying when the food is savory, delicious and hot!!

Trail food vs. Racing Food

Early in my training, I assumed an adventure like this called for "trail food". I was relying on nut butters, trail mix, bars and anything else that was calorically dense. However, a month out I came to the conclusion that I could not sustain these types of food throughout a long day or running/hiking. Even on my longest training days I was moving at 14-15 miles per hour and choking down dry, dense and salty foods was just not working for me.

I won't discourage anyone from bring "trail food" but I would emphasis racing food more...gels, chews and anything else you would normally use in a race. But then again, use what works for you. By day 2, I had figured out that trail food was best consumed in the morning hours before the heat and dehydration started to set in. Beyond that, race food and liquid calories were the clear winners for me.

Here's how I would structure my calories next time:

Morning - trail food (nuts, bars, oatmeal)

Afternoon - race food (gels, chews, liquid calories)

Evening - liquid calories (BCAA's, Tailwind recovery)

 

Water Bottles

It's undeniable that most stage racing packs (and runners) lean toward the typical bottle with the extended straw and bite-style tip. I purchased numerous versions of these including the Race The Planet and Raidlight bottles. They are quality products but I chose NOT to use them for G2G for 3 reasons that I discovered during my training:

1. They have a release valve on top that makes mixing recovery drinks a huge mess
2. It is virtually impossible to squirt water onto yourself (for cooling purposes)
3. The SIS bottle is nearly 900 mL (more than enough to meet minimum requirement)

Staying cool is paramount for desert races and one of those methods is to use your allotment of water to squirt on yourself (neck, arm sleeves, buff, etc). 

Use this 👍🏽

Not This 👎🏽

Poles

This is 100% personal preference. I trained with poles (both uphill and downhill) and distinctly remember a quote from one of the G2G Zoom calls..."Days 1-3 I carried my poles but on days 4-7, my poles carried me"

I don't regret bringing or using my poles.

Pack

Again, personal preference here but from another G2G Zoom call quote, "make sure you love your pack". I started with the Raidlight Ultralight trail running vest but after a few training runs, I could tell it wasn't right for me. I switched to the USWE Hajker Adventure Daypack about a month before the race and did not regret it at all. The unique x-style chest harness and waist belt were exactly the right fit and helped prevent any bouncing (which limits the amount of chaffing).

The x-style straps of the Hajker pack made bib placement a bit tricky

Taping

I never taped my body (shoulders) while training and ended up regretting getting my shoulders taped pre-race. It ended up chaffing my chest and causing blisters. During the race, I was mindful of anywhere that was rubbing and would stop to tape them but only as necessary. Definitely bring tape and have it handy at all times.

Clothing

As an avid camper and through-hiker, I'm used to relying on a single set of clothes for multi-day trips. Clothes add weight. In my opinion, having (1) a set of running clothes and (2) a set of camp clothes is the best approach to G2G. I brought a small bottle of camp soap to wash my running clothes daily but sometimes this isn't always possible depending on what time you finish. There was one morning I had to slip on wet shorts because they did not have enough time to dry.

Running clothes

Camp clothes

OTC Medications

Admittedly, I brought a small pharmacy with me. I was less concerned about the day-to-day aches and pains of the miles but rather the post-run issues I tend to experience. I personally have a hard time sleeping after 5-7 hours on my feet AND I get congested. Consult your doctor when it comes to NSAID's and Ibuprofen but for me, the key OTC medications were a decongestant and a sleep aid (everyone will have a snoring tent-mate!)

Foot Care

If there is one thing the race directors and past participants pound into your head it's foot care. Do not underestimate the amount of sand you'll be dealing with at G2G! The dunes are one thing but generally speaking, nearly every stage has sand to navigate.

I've trained and raced with toe socks for nearly 20 years and literally am that guy who never gets blisters. I chose not to wear gaiters for the race except for the long stage - even then, I did not put them on until CP6 (right before the dunes). At the finish line I had a minor blister on my heal and pinky toe because of all the hiking and unevenness of the sandy terrain.

(Why no gaiters? For starters, I don't train with them - never have. Second, I believe that gaiters actually hold moisture in the shoe which creates the ideal environment for developing blisters, not preventing them!)

I chose to bring 3 pairs of toe socks (vacuum-packed!) for the race. I knew I would need to re-use a couple during the week but again, quite easy with the camp soap. I also brought small expandable camp wipes to ensure my feet were clean each night before getting into my sleeping bag.

Heat

Don't underestimate the heat in the high desert! Even this kid from Phoenix who is used to training in 110+ F had a hard time being pounded by the high desert sun on the first couple of days.

I recommend a Buff (around the neck) and cooling sleeves. They will keep you warm in the morning and then you can get them wet in the afternoon to keep you cool. The volunteers are great at spritzing you with a water bottle but that evaporates 3 minutes after you leave the check point.

I also recommend calf sleeves (compression is optional). The over-growth of Russian Thistle between a number of checkpoint tore my shins to a bloody pulp. Also handy for navigating through all the overgrowth areas. They also double as clothing you can get wet to help you stay cool. Not to mention the really cool tan lines they'll produce by the end of the race 😂 lol

(Funny G2G story: By day 2 the high-desert heat had fried my legs pretty good. No amount of sun block would help so I re-purposed my cooling arm sleeves and turned them into protective leg sleeves! Additionally, they helped a TON in those over-growth areas.)

Final Thoughts

Generally speaking, all of these topics can be considered individually when it comes to participating in Grand to Grand but I would also suggest you look at the macro picture as well. It will help guide which of these topics will be more or less important to you depending on how you want (think) your race will go.

Hanging at the G2G cafe

For example:

1. What is your estimated 50k finish time?
• A 7-hour finish means it's still light (hot) out
• Less time, less calories
• No headlamp needed
• Time to wash/dry clothes
• Time to clean your feet
• Time to set up sleep pad/bag
• Time to eat
• Medical tent access
• A 13-hour finish means it's dusk (cooler)
• More time, more calories
• Headlamp, additional batteries/charger?
• Need warmer clothing more accessible
• Limited medical tent access
2. How well do you tolerate 7-10 hours in the heat/desert?
• Do you have an electrolyte strategy (salt tabs v. drinks v. salty food)?
• Do you need a variety of calories and textures (bars v. gels v. liquids)?
• What sun protection do you need (sunblock, clothing)?

I am also a big fan of checklists.

First, for the end of the stage. Take the final :30/:60 minutes before you finish each stage and assess the top 3 things you need to take care of once you cross the finish line for the day. Once all the cheering dies down, just do those things without hesitation. Otherwise, you'll sit down (crash) in the tent and not want to get back up!

Secondly, make that checklist for the top 3 things you need to do in preparation for the next stage. Do those things either before you go to bed or before packing up in the morning. Otherwise, your groggy and fatigued mental state will go on cruise control and you'll forget something. These things have a tendency to pile up over time and create bigger issues later in the race.

7 OA, 1 AG (50-59)

Hopefully between this blog and the amazing G2G podcasts being published from other race veterans you'll have no problem making great choices and figuring how your Grand to Grand adventure is going to play out.

Best of luck and stay safe out there!

(Maybe, just maybe, I'll see you out there in 2024) 😉