We are on the verge of Cocodona 250 again. It is amazing how fast it sneaks up. On top of living in Montana and finally seeing snow-free ground, this is my first big exposure to true heat in 2024. But, despite living in the Great White North, there are a few things I have done this year that I hope pay off over the course of running 250 miles. First, here is a gear photo.
To check out some of the previous Cocodona 250 content, gear lists, and race recaps, click here.
Changes for this year's cocodona
A Coach
First off, I hired a coach. I began coaching athletes a little over a year ago, and that took up so much of my time that my own training schedule suffered, so I figured having an outside objective view would only help in the long run. So, I reached out to Scott Traer to see where we could take things. That was in November and here we are.
A True Build
Last year, I raced a 48-hour race just two months before Cocodona 250 and a Last Person Standing event four months before. I was fighting through some overuse symptoms (and injuries) and was pretty worn down. I didn't realize or accept this at the time, but this year, I really backed off and focused on a real buildup, and I have made Cocodona 250 one of a couple of A races this year. I haven't raced since Javelina Jundred in October 2023, so I should be fresh and ready to get after it from the start!
A Heat Protocol
This year, I focused on using a dry sauna for a science-backed heat adaption protocol. It took a lot of time, money, and patience to sit in there for an hour a day a few times a week, but I have a little more confidence in combatting the stereotypical heat of day 1 from Black Canyon City up to Crown King. This crux of the course should hopefully go a little bit smoother this year compared to my absolute blowups in previous years.
Gear List
Now for the gear list. Notably, I am using only road shoes and not using poles. The lack of poles is due to them taking away from the ability to consume as many calories. Road running shoes are simply the most comfortable shoes, and the ones I am using are discontinued, on sale, and cost about 1/4th the price of a pair of trail runners. This shoe strategy worked last year, and after taking poles through the first 37 miles in 2023, I immediately got rid of them when I could. So no poles from the start is the plan this year.
Cocodona 250 Gear List
Item | What I am wearing |
Shorts | Janji Omni Shorts |
Hat | |
Pack | |
Shirt | |
Shoes | Topo Athletic Cyclone (discontinued and on sale) |
Bottles | Hydrapack Soft Flasks (9 of them) |
Socks | Injinji Lightweight Socks |
Sunscreen | |
Watch | |
Headlamp | |
Jacket | |
Gloves | lightweight thrift store options |
Nutrition | Goldfish, Dots Pretzels, Random Gels |
Good Luck | Magic Crystal |
No trail shoes, no poles, no problem. Time to see how this gear list goes.
Fueling Plan
I have also taken the time to separate out and come up with better instructions for my crew and my calorie intake. Eating enough is all the rage, so I have found how many gels, calories, and liters of water I want to leave each aid station with and have a plan ahead of time. In the past I would just grab a handful of items from an aid station and hope it was enough. This time, I even have calories in my water. So, we shall see how this new horizon and venture into proper fueling goes.
