I played a small part in the creation of the Team Foster Last Person Standing. I was brought in as an advisor when Nick Liermann contacted my friend John Sullivan. Nick was interested in putting on an ultra, but wasn’t sure what type of event. I had recently completed my first LPS, and was riding the high of such an awesome format. I advised on a few minor details, and that was the extent of my involvement. Nick and his team took the idea and create a amazing event for its first, and hopefully annual event on the SRT. If you are unfamiliar with the format it consists of a 4.1-mile loop, or out and back run every hour on the hour until everybody drops. Sounds simple, right? In this race report I detail what went right, what went wrong, and what I would have done differently.

What Went Right

• Warm Clothing: I brought two types of jackets—a lightweight and heavier one for night that I could remove. It was VERY cold in sections, and if you slowed even just a bit, you felt it. I have NEVER raced this far in December. Of my 15+ years of running ultras I normally stop running this time of year. There’s good reason for that, I treat December as the transition season, to wind down, and explore some other activities. The big issue with December is managing the cold, but for the event I dressed in layers that I kept adjusting throughout the day. Not sweating was critical to success. I only felt cold once I stopped running at 12AM, and that was to be expected.
• Real Food: LOTS of it. I had sushi and two containers of avocado rolls (with soy sauce for salt, it’s so good in a race), no-bake granola bars . I could eat these all day, they are simple AND amazing. It’s the mix of carbs, salt, sweet, and protein that makes a perfect source of energy. I also had a McDonald’s delivery from my parents that was a huge success in our tent.

• The People The crew I was sharing my tent with helped keep the fun going. John Sullivan (@eyb) was with me until he had to leave for his Christmas party. I also shared my tent with his friend Jesse. Fellow runners are the secret sauce in these events. The longer you keep talking and socialize with other people, the longer you will last. I met lots of cool people during the event including many accomplished runners. The biggest mistake you can make in these events is not socializing with fellow athletes.
• Coaching & Helping Others: I helped a few people with my coaching experience. There were two runners for whom I think I made a difference. I was giving unsolicited advice, which I’m sure everybody loves, on the trail regarding issues they were actively having, such as chafing, and being overdressed. They thanked me for the tips and I do think it changed how far they made it. The secret to longevity in this sport and in life is how much you direct your energy outward vs focusing on yourself. Times when you can help others, in turn, helps you in avoiding self rumination. It lifts you up and makes you forget your own problems. It’s why I got into coaching in the first place.

I helped a man climb a mountain, only to realize I too had reached the top.

• Foot Care: An early shoe change early in the race at mile 30 helped keep my feet happy. If you remember from my last adventure, ES100 included a host of foot issues. I came back to my tent and swapped to a carbon plate shoe and a double pair of socks. My feet felt great to the end. Injinji socks with a Darn Tough on top is how you create bullet proof feet. The double socks create a friction free barrier to avoid blisters.

Recipe for an amazing no bake oat bar to use in racing

No Bake Granola Bar Recipe

What Went Wrong

Terrain

In all my years of racing, I always treat December as my transition season. It’s a time to heal, and focus on other non-running-related activities. I haven’t been running much except for a few trail runs. That’s a key point here, zero road running leading into a road race! So, what’s the number one rule for performing well in a race? Specificity in training! Train the terrain!

I knew pounding the pavement was going to be an issue. If I could do it over, you would have seen me running on the road to get my body ready for that abuse. I learned years ago the benefits of softer terrain, especially as I grew older to prevent injuries. Removing road running has kept me mostly injury free for a 25+ running career. I think the road is unforgiving as we age, and personally, I find more enjoyment on the trails. I was OK with whatever the day gave me. I had my expectations set from the start that something was going to give without the proper training.

Food Shortage

My real food was gone by 10PM. Multiple jars of overnight oats, sushi, McDonald’s burgers with fries, and a thermos of ramen. What was left was four 250ml flasks of homemade gels. I used 4 of them on the next few yards. At that point all I had were gels I had purchased. Trips back to camp were not as rewarding as they had been earlier in the day.

Hydration

The cold was throwing off how much liquid I thought I needed to consume. I noticed just how dehydrated I was after I had dropped from the race. I dropped the ball here, but in my defense I never felt thirsty. By the time you realize your dehydrated its too late. Performance is the first thing to go when dehydrated. I passed the mile marker on my final yard at 15:00 a mile and realized it was over. Part of me didn’t want to push that hard, part of me liked the idea of sleeping in my own bed. I knew I had nothing to prove. This is VERY important detail here, the WHY is critical in ultra events, its what motivates you when it gets tough. I stopped there and made the decision to turn around. I was slowing and, in turn, not generating enough heat. The idea of getting enough sleep to be functional the next day for family was an easy decision. I headed back to ring the bell and end my race.

What Would I Have Done Differently?

What makes LPS events so fun is the people you do them with. Everybody starts together, everybody runs the same pace, and everybody is going through the same pain. It was fun running with John, and others that day. Hanging out with your friends, and doing what you love was an opportunity I didn’t want to miss. I jumped in because I had lent them the idea, and I knew it would be a fun event. They took the idea and created something pretty amazing, I look forward to doing it next year.

For their first year, I don’t think they could have run a better event. There’s only 2 MINOR things that I would change. The notification to corral is typically just a whistle vs using a PA announcement. Next year they should use a 3-whistle(3 minutes), 2-whistle (2 minutes), and 1-whistle(1 minute) roll call to return to start. It’s easier to know exactly when to walk over. People will use every second to rest before returning to the corral.

Runners with no crew should get some hot food assistance over night. The food can be as basic as ramen, or chicken broth. Those that have crew basically have an unfair advantage to assist them as thinking gets cloudy, and breaks shorten into the night. It’s impossible to prepare something like that when time gets short, but its a huge benefit. This is a small number of racers that would even need this assistance. Hot food keeps you alive in these events by warming you from the inside.

Mind you, these are minor things; other than that, the event was a major success on all fronts. I hope they come back next year and do it again, and the participants go even farther!

My first experience running a LPS event can be seen here:

Patrick Durante

Patrick is an ultrarunner and coach from Philadelphia who loves documenting his running career. His mission is to provide useful tips and tricks to assist others along their ultra journey.  You can find his coaching services at https://ultraruncoach.com.