If You're Running Western States This Weekend, This Could Be the Single Most Important Thing You Do

This morning, I checked the weather for this weekend in Auburn, California (the finish of the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run) and saw this:

101 degrees is no joke--and neither is a low of 69! That would tie for the third hottest WSER on record. I have written at length about how my race last year fell apart in the canyons. I am still amazed that I somehow finished that sucker. If you are lucky enough to be running States, this weekend you will get lots of advice. I know I did last year. Overall, I took the advice except for one nugget of wisdom that, looking back on it, might well could have been the difference between my 26-hour-and-change finish and a sub-24, which I was fully capable of achieving.

This weekend you will hear many advice-givers encourage you to take full advantage of the water on the course--the streams, the river, and of course the ice at the aid stations. That is dead-on. But let me take it one step further and make it as precise as possible:

When you reach the bottom of the insanely hot Deadwood Canyon and are greeted by a raging river, do yourself a favor and get in it. 

Last year, when I reached the bottom of the canyon (mile 45 or so), I thought to myself, "I'm not that hot. I did plenty of heat training and am good to go. Skip the river and onward!" Huge mistake. No sooner than a few hundred feet up the nasty climb to Devil's Thumb (and it is very nasty), I was melting from the heat. By the time I reached Devil's Thumb, I was was overheated, leading to major stomach distress at the aid station that ultimately plagued me through Foresthill (and then after that the damage was done). Had I taken the good advice I'd gotten and soaked for a few minutes in the river at the bottom of the canyon, I would have gone into the climb up to Devil's Thumb much cooler and my stomach might have held together. But I didn't and I paid for it...and I believe it was the single biggest mistake I made--a mistake that cost me hours and hours.

So, on Saturday, when you reach the bottom of ridiculously hot Deadwood Canyon and are looking at the wall of a climb in front of you, take stock for a second. The 2-3 minutes you spend in the river might actually save you hours in the long run. Get in the river. Soak for a short bit. Get your head, neck, wrists and entire body in that cold water. You will be glad you did it.

Enjoy the race and get it done! It's an amazing experience.