Vermont 50 - Equipment and Nutrition

I'm running my first 50 miler in a few days and here's what I'm using:

- two baggies of Tailwind Nutrition (150 calories each)

- one Probar cut in half (flavors Koka Moka and Original)

- two Amphipod 20oz water bottles  (Strap w/ out  pocket) 

- Hoka One One Bondi 2 shoes

- Dirty Girl Gaiters 

- Drymax Trail Socks 

- Race Ready LD shorts (modified) 

- Nike Pro Comp compressions shorts

- Patagonia silk weight capeline shirt  

- Garmin 910xt watch w/ HRM

I plan on fueling with Tailwind and water. I'm bringing the bars in case the tailwind doesn't feel like enough. I don't plan on using anything from the aid stations except water. I have tried tons of different hydration strategies and always come back to the Amphipod 20oz bottles w/ out pockets. I have been running in Hoka One One shoes the last year and a half. I recently switched from the Stinson Evo to the Bondi 2 which fit my feet better. I find that the Bondi's have a lower cut below the ankle though and I get more debris in them. So I am wearing the Dirty Girl Gaiters. They are great and I barely notice when I have them on. The Drymax trail socks have always done great by me so I'm sticking with them. I have a pair of Race Ready shorts that I love for the pockets. But I find, like I do with a lot of running shorts, that they bunch up in my crotch. So I cut them up and basically made them into a cross between shorts and a skirt. They feel great and don't bunch up anymore! I wear Nike Pro Comp compression shorts. They are more for chaffing than any compression benefits. I like them because they are $25 unlike a lot of "compression shorts" that cost much more. I've had the Patagonia shirt for 15 years and it still fits and feels great. What a company. I recent got the Garmin 910xt GPS watch and love it. Big and easy to read and not as heavy as it looks. Very user friendly and a 12 hour battery life. I use a heart rate monitor all the time now and find it really helps me gauge where I am at. It also keeps me from going out too hard. (or at least makes me aware when I do!) 

Here is what I will have in my drop bags:

- two baggies of Tailwind Nutrition (150 calories each) 

- two Probars 

- pair of socks

My crew (aka girlfriend) will have:

- two amphipod water bottles 20 oz 

- Tailwind

- Probars

- duct tape and scissors (foot care)

- pair of shoes (if the other blow up!)

- pair of socks 

- towel 

If all goes as planned I will trade my empty bottles for full ones with Tailwind and water at each handler aid station and that will be it. Everything else is just for backup. And backup to the backup. I'm leaving drop bags just in case my crew has some type of issue and doesn't make an aid station. I think the best thing I can do for my first 50 is keep the gear simple and focus on the running. Probably good advice for any 50 no matter how many you have run. I'll write a follow up race report and let you know how it went.