What to Wear for a 50-Mile Ultra-Marathon

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“There is no bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.” ~ Ranulph Fiennes

In any adventure, backpacking, mountaineering, cycling etc., what you wear is as important as training. It can make the difference between having fun, being miserable, having to call it quits and in some cases, life or death.

Running an ultra-marathon is no different.

In March, I ran the 51.4-mile Badwater Cape Fear, held on Bald Head Island, NC. The course was flat with 11.9 miles on paved roads, a 1.5-mile trail through a maritime forest reserve and 38 miles on sandy beaches. Competitors had 14 hours to complete it. While the odds of death were minuscule, barring an unlikely Tsunami, as a slower runner my main concern was beating the evening’s high tide – so my run wouldn’t turn into a swim.

Picking your Team

Trying a new brand of anything, for the first time, especially socks and shoes, in an endurance race is not advisable. Wear and consume what has proven to work for you. Time tested. Reliable.

Like an NFL coach, training (camp) is the time to experiment with different players and positions. Figure out what combination works best for your team. In my case, what type of running pack, footwear, socks, lubrication for feet (and other chaffing areas), apparel and nutritional supplements will help me succeed in finishing this 50-mile race with diverse terrain and weather?

Making the Cut

The night before the big race I made my game time decision. I am happy to report I made the right calls.

From the ground up, this is what I wore and why.

Footwear: HOKA ONE ONE®, Bondi 4

I’m going to be out there longer than most. Hokas are maximalist shoes. Their extra cushioning minimizes impact and stress to the foot. Plus, Hoka’s are super lightweight and really comfortable.

Lubrication: Trail Toes

Eliminates friction, helps to avoid blisters and, in chafing areas, painful rashes.

f6029_wht_xl-113134577434e49c64f31cde — Ironman® Run Fit Pro Low Cut Sock

Socks: Wigwam, Ironman® Run Fit Pro Low Cut Sock

The Ultimax, cushioned heel and breathable mesh construction, protects the feet and wicks sweat away. I put an extra pair in my running pack in case my feet got wet from a wave or, if really cold, for impromptu mittens.

Gaiters: Dirty Girl Gaiters

Besides the company’s catchy name, these stylish, thin, lightweight gaiters mold perfectly to the shoe. They kept dirt and sand out of my shoes and socks.

Compression Capris: CW-X

The bi-polar, coastal weather and distance is why I chose to wear CW-X ¾-Tights. It was bone-chilling cold and windy the first half of the race. These capris kept my blood circulating

Windbreaker, Sports Bra & Top: Adidas Outdoor

It would have been a miserable race had I not brought this lightweight, hooded windbreaker. It made all the difference in blocking the wind and cold.

Light Down Jacket: Canada Goose, Hybridge Light

I packed this as a precaution and was glad to have brought it. When the sun went down, it got cold.

Backpack: CamelBak, Ultra 4

This is a comfortable pack! The chest pockets carried my water bottle, energy gels and chews. Easy access. Inside the pack, my extra socks and jacket were there when I needed them.

Nutrition: Honey Stingers, Chews & Gels & Taos Mountain Energy Bars

I ate a couple energy bars before the race to get me going. During the race, chews and gels were easier to consume.

The Finish Line

The winner of the Badwater Cape Fear 51.4-mile ultra, 21-year old Michael Borst from Wisconsin, finished in 6:29.

He passed me two times on the beach…wearing nothing but running shorts and shoes. Obviously, his choice of attire was different. As an elite ultra runner, most people are never going to as fast as Michael. I am never going to be fast as Michael – and that is ok.

I ran the Badwater Cape Fear ultra for the challenge.

I crossed the finish line in the dark, with head-lamp glowing and a big smile on my face, in 12:26. The sense of accomplishment was awesome! I did it. If I can do it, you can too.

This article was written by Payge McMahon for Wigwam Mills Inc.’s Blog, 5/8/15.

The Tennessean: Nashville Adventurer Spreads Mom’s Ashes Around the World

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Payge

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In advance of National Geographic Channel’s new adventure/survival series, The Raft, Tennessean reporter, Jessica Bliss, caught up with Nashville’s Payge McMahon, co-star of the show’s premiere episode. What led Payge to a life as an adventure athlete and onto The Raft?

Below is the start of the article by Jessica Bliss. To read the full article go go: The Tennessean: Nashville Adventurer Spreads Mom’s Ashes Around the World

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Payge McMahon keeps a pinch of her mother’s ashes suspended in a cylindrical pendant around her neck.

The rest, she has sprinkled around the world.

Under the starting banner at the Iditarod, atop<a title="http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2172.html" href="http://www .japan-guide.com/e/e2172.html”>Mount Fuji, along the Inca Trail.

Each adventure is another achievement off her mother’s bucket list, a handwritten list of hopes McMahon found concealed in her mother’s nightstand after cancer claimed her.

The travels, both treacherous and astonishing, seasoned her audacious spirit and connected her to her mother’s.

But how the Nashville adventure athlete ended up adrift in a life raft in the Bermuda Triangle for five days with a strange man is another story.

It certainly wasn’t an escapade written on her mother’s bucket list.

On Sunday, we all can tune in to the National Geographic Channel and watch how it unfolds.

To read the full article in the Tennessean, go to: The Tennessean: Nashville Adventurer Spreads Mom’s Ashes Around the World

Payge McMahon, in The Raft, New Adventure/Survival Series on Nat Geo Channel

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Payge

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BumpInTheNight_004_RaftThe — Photo Credit: Brian Catalina Entertainment LLC/National Geographic

“In a grueling test of survival and human endurance, two pairs of strangers are dropped in the Bermuda Triangle with no food or water, hundreds of miles apart. They must survive with meager provisions for a week, adrift in life rafts, until they reach land.”

The Raft: Bump in the Night

2093212_a-bump-in-the-night_oj5art4dcr265hawylupk5urw4eatuw6lrlcsphco3flmkbrawuq_757x567 — Photo Credit: Brian Catalina Entertainment LLC/National Geographic

Nashville’s Payge McMahon, appears in The Raft, a New Adventure/Survival Series on National Geographic Channel

McMahon set out to complete her mother’s ‘bucket list’ and became an adventurer, travel writer and yoga instructor.

Nashville, TN — With Nashville as her “basecamp,” Payge McMahon, embarks on fearless adventures that have taken her to some of the most exotic and remote locations around the globe.

Payge walked away from a high powered corporate career to complete her beloved mother’s “bucket list.” She found the list tucked away in a drawer after her mother died of cancer at the age of 59. Deciding to complete the things that her mother would never get to do, including visiting the Seven Wonders of the World, was the epiphany that launched Payge into a new life and career.

Eight years later, Payge has climbed mountains in the Himalaya, dog sledded in Alaska, hiked the 221 mile John Muir Trail in California, 105 mile Tour du Mont Blanc in Europe, bobsledded in Switzerland, trekked through the deserts of Egypt, Jordan and explored the Amazon Rainforest. She has been to the Great Pyramids, climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, flown in a hot air balloon over the Serengeti, visited the Taj Mahal and cycled across Southeast Asia. She has been featured on the ESPN W video series, Journeys and Victories.Link

Payge’s passion for travel and writing started on family trips when her mother would have her read everything she could about the places they visited and keep a journal. She has become a travel journalist, chronicling her journeys for many publications, and on her blog, www.turnthepayge.com. Payge has written for National Geographic Adventures, Women’s Adventures, Competitor and Self Reliance Illustrated.

The opportunity to be set adrift on a raft in the Caribbean for the new National Geographic series is a challenge McMahon welcomed. She appears in the series premiere in an episode entitled, “Bump In The Night.” The show airs Sunday, April 5^th at 10/9C.

Among her favorite quotes is one from Conrad Hilton, who said “Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” Keep moving, Payge does. Just this month, she competed in the Badwater Cape Fear Ultra on Bald Head Island, NC, completing the 51.4 mile race in 12 hours and 25 minutes. In addition to her travels, the athletic Payge studied yoga in Thailand, India and Nepal. She now teaches fun and informative yoga workshops all over the world, and offers private instruction in Nashville, specializing in training athletes and those recovering from injuries.

# # #

Claire Ratliff

laughing penguin publicity & consulting

po box 140396

nashville, tn 37214

615.476.3200
[email protected]

www.penguinpublicity.com

REVIEW: Fitmark’s Namaste Yoga Bag

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Payge

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Fitmark: Namaste Yoga Bag

Overview

The Namaste Yoga Bag is a stylish and quality accessory for carrying a mat, clothes, toiletries, and nutrition to and from the gym or yoga studio. It is one of the nicest gym bags around.

Snap Shot

Main Fabrics: Water Repellent 840D Ballistic Nylon, 210D Poly Ripstop
Nylon Dimensions: 9″H (add 4″ for top) x 19.5″W x 6.5″D Weight: 1 Lb.
Capacity: 1140 Cubic Inches
Separate kicks and laundry bag
Fit-Hydrate™ pocket with insulated liner for your sports bottle
Fit-All™ Executive-class main compartment for all your needs
Fit-Color™ custom exterior and interior with hand-selected colorway
Fit-Phrase™ lined interior print
Soft to the touch, adjustable carrying strap
Oversized strap-in top buckle to secure your mat or other gym accessories
Crafted with high grade ballistic nylon exterior and fully lined nylon interior
Toiletries pocket with soft-touch classic lining
Colors: Black, Barberry and Blue Jewel
$59.99 Retail Price

Company

Fitmark makes quality fitness bags. CEO Mark A. Samuel founded the company in 2011.

Design Features and Field Functionality

The fabric is durable and water resistant. It does not snag or tear when shoved into a gym locker. The contents inside stayed dry when I got caught in a downpour. I even tested the bag to see if condensation would accumulate internally by leaving the bag in a humid hot yoga studio. The contents stayed dry.

The strap-in buckle for securing a yoga mat is great. You won’t have to worry about the mat getting loose.

Internally there is a pocket for a water bottle. This is nice, but rather a challenge to get to if you are walking 8 blocks to a yoga studio and get thirsty. I recommend FitMark add an external pocket for easier access.

The Laundry/shoe bag is a nice add to separate dirty things.

At 1140 cubic inches, the bag could be wider. You can pack a change of clothes, shoes, toiletries and a towel into the bag, but zippering it will be a challenge.

Aside from a few design enhancements I’d recommend, I love this bag. It is attractive and functional.

Pros:

Beautiful bag

Easy to carry

Easy to clean

Internal net pockets

Laundry bag/shoes

Strap-in buckle for yoga mat

Cons:

Could be wider. Hard to zip up with clothes, shoes and a towel in the bag.

No place to put water bottle on the outside

Recommendations

More space – make it wider

Adjustable straps

Add a zipper pull to aid in opening and closing the bag

Add a hoop on the end of bag to make it easier for hanging in a locker

Add another pocket on the outside for a water bottle.

The 51.4 Mile BADWATER® CAPE FEAR Challenge

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Payge

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“I am not fast, I know my running form is weird, but I think I can do this!” I told my boyfriend, a veteran of many marathons.

At 40 years old, I have never run an actual marathon, but on March 21, 2015, I’ll lace up my sneakers and attempt to run the 51.4 mile, BADWATER® CAPE FEAR ultra. Held on Bald Head Island, NC, 38 miles of the race is on the wild and secluded sandy beach between Cape Fear and Fort Fisher. Competitors have 14 hours to complete the course. A 50km/32mi route is also offered and must be completed in 9 hours.

Last year, I read the book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall and started eating Chia seeds, the secret uber-healthy sources of some of the world’s best ultra distance runners. Yes, I know this doesn’t mean I’m ready to run 100 miles at one time. But 50 miles seems reasonable.

I’m not a total running novice. I have finished a handful of 10K’s, 5 half-marathons and the G2G Ultra, a 7-day, 250km, self-supported footrace. The sand dunes in the G2G Ultra were a bitch and I swore I’d never run in sand again, but…hey, a girl can change her mind.

The idea of trying to cover 51 miles in 14 hours intrigues me. I’m more of a middle-distance backpacker than a runner. I’ve trekked everything from the 220-mile John Muir Trail in CA to the 105-mile Tour du Mont Blanc in Europe. The most I’d ever covered in 1 day was 38 miles and that was with a 20lb backpack. How hard could 51 miles be with a basic runner’s pack, some GU gels and 2 liters of water?

What I lack in race experience, I make up for in determination and training. I’m running longer distances, mixing up cardio training with a StairMaster (saving my knees and back) workout, strength training and yoga.

Expectations

In 2014, Gabriel Helmlinger, 47, from Cambridge, MA, won the BADWATER® CAPE FEAR 51.4 mile ultra in 8:12, having crossed the 50km mark in only 4:34!

That is amazing and not realistic for me.

I know I’m going to get my butt kicked by the sand, physical exhaustion and the real ultra runners. My body is going to hate me. I want to do it anyway.

I’ll be lucky to cross the 50km mark in under 8:00. This is something I’ll have to do to make checkpoint cut off time and continue on the 51.4 miles race.

I am in BADWATER® CAPE FEAR for the challenge. I have to average 4 miles an hour to finish within the 14 hours time limit. I am not competing against anyone but myself…and the clock…of course. If I can do this, anyone can!

If you are interested in following my BADWATER® CAPE FEAR challenge, signing up to run it or any of the races organized by AdventureCORPS®, including their world famous BADWATER® 135, go to http://www.badwater.com.

Turn The Payge | Official Site of Payge McMahon

What to Wear for a 50-Mile Ultra-Marathon

The Tennessean: Nashville Adventurer Spreads Mom’s Ashes Around the World