3 Bests – what aspects of the race did you like the most
1. The whole atmosphere of the race. Small, friendly, relaxed.
2. The final 2/3rds of the course – it seemed so easy relative to the first climb!
3. The final downhill stretch was really fun & runnable.
Pre-race chat about hole punching the map along the way
Not so much – aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you
Nothing. It was a great event.
Weird factor – what’s the weirdest thing about this race
How hard the downhills are! I was expecting the hard ups, but not how steep and technical the downhills would be.
All the colored rocks we had to find.
Highlights of your race – what did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular
I felt really good about the last 8 or so miles. Mostly downhill and I had plenty of energy and legs left.
Lessons for others – share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner
Camping was great before the race – would highly recommend it (was my first time camping before a race).
The first climb is a monster, and be prepared for some steep downhills!
Make sure to fill up water at the first aid station – it’s a long, long ways until the next one.
I had the track loaded on my phone which helped a lot with reassuring myself I was on the right trail, since it was not heavily marked. I took one wrong turn, and was quickly able to figure out where I should be instead.
Lessons you learned that will help you next time around
As I seem to keep learning again and again… things shift around a lot later in ultras.
Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race
10,000 feet of elevation gain, which also means 10,000 of elevation loss.
The second half of the course has many creek crossings, which might be difficult if you don’t like wet feet.
The aid stations really are quite minimal (as advertised), and I wouldn’t plan on looking forward to anything specific at them – everything is just a bonus.
They say to predict your time as close to a moderate 50 mile race. It’s probably a bit faster than that, but something to consider when choosing regular vs early start time.
Aesthetics – is it a pretty course
Very pretty, lots of mountain and lake views
Difficulty – is it a tough course
Yes! Hardest 50k I’ve done.
Organized and well run – did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?
Felt really well organized, especially for only the second year.
Competition – is there a strong field?
It seemed like everyone there knew what they were doing, so it felt like a really experienced crowd. It was barely above fatass style though, so I’m not sure there were a lot of people out there looking to be super competitive. I’m guessing things will probably evolve as word gets out about the event!
Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.
I don’t know how people found out about this actually (including myself). You need to hunt down info if you want to register, especially since it’s such a small field and fills up.
Aid Stations
Two – and they were 10+ miles apart. Minimal amounts of typical aid station food.
Weather and typical race conditions
It was a beautiful day – I don’t know actual temperatures, but probably started in the high 50s, ended in the low 80s? It got a little hot up top, but the hottest part was definitely the ~1/2 mile back to the finish along the airstrip.
Gear – did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next guy?
I carried 1.75L of water at the start and 1.5 from aid station 1-2. I should have filled all the way up at aid station 1. I also filled up 1.5L at aid station 2 for the 8 downhill miles, which I originally thought was overkill, but it wasn’t. If you like poles for hiking, this would be a place to have them.
Spectators – is this a friendly course for your friends
No, it’s pretty remote.
Awards
None, just empty promises of giant checks 🙂
Ice cream fairy delivery!
The Overall Score – how many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it
5 – lived up the its self-proclaimed “burliness”
2 thoughts on “Needles 50k Race Report – Stephanie”
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2 thoughts on “Needles 50k Race Report – Stephanie”
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