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* '''Mile 65/11 Hours'''. At this point I started to have a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aura_%28symptom%29 Migraines Aura] that prevented me seeing properly. I have only had a [http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/migraine-headache/DS00120 migraine] while running once, and never before in a race. I rapidly ate several gel packs and 200mg of [[Caffeine]] to see if I could abort the migraine. After about half an hour my vision returned and I was left with some mood disturbances but no headache.
* '''Mile 100/17 Hours'''. For a few hours my digestive system had been unhappy and uncomfortably hot. Therefore at the 100 mile mark I decided I'd slow down for a bit to bring things under control. The 100 mile mark was a good point for a gentle lap and I also realized the leader had dropped. However, things went rapidly from bad to worse and I had nausea. This was different to what happened to me at [[2012 Poland 24 Hour World Championships|Poland]] and vomiting resolved the nausea within a few minutes. However, my stomach would not tolerate food or liquid from this point on.
* '''Last 7 Hours.''' The inability to take fluid or fuel prevented me from making any real progress, and I did just enough to keep a 2 lap lead over the second place runner. I tried a few things, but even water upset my stomach. As far as I can remember I took in about 4oz of Ginger ale, 6oz water, a saltine, around 5 M&Ms, and sucked on 5 gummy bears. My legs stayed strong through to near the end of the race, and I could run well when I needed to, but I was worried that the lack of fluid and fuel could cause me a medical problem. I was also painfully aware that my body was not only burning fat, but also tucking into my [[Muscle|muscles ]] to provide energy, which would make the subsequent recovery harder. The stomach problems were either due to me rapidly eating too many gels to abort the migraine, or more likely the migraine itself shut my digestive system down, as nausea and vomiting are common symptoms of migraines.
=What worked=
* '''Muscular endurance'''. I was surprised how good my legs felt through the race and I had little [[Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness| DOMS]] after the race. There could be three factors behind this.
** '''Run/Walk.''' I took a short [[Walking Breaks| walking break]] on every lap after running the first couple to get clear of the pack.
* '''[[Shoes]].''' My [[Modified Nike Free]] [[Shoes]] worked well for the first 50 miles, but did not provide the protection I needed for my soles. The modified Hoka worked better than I expected, giving me amazing protection from the surface. I also found the minimal heal rise and the reduced sole thickness from the ball of the foot to the toes helped keep my biomechanics efficient. However, the fit and inflexibility produced some hotspots and pressure on my Achilles, and they felt heavy. ([[Hoka Shoe Review|Full review of the Hokas]].)
* '''Mid race [[Massage]].''' I often find that my hip flexors become painful and tight after about 30 miles, and the pain arrived on cue at Hinson Lake. Some simple [[Massage| massage]], digging into the [[Muscle|muscle ]] with my thumbs, resolved the problem and it didn't come back.
* '''Self-crewing. '''At Hinson Lake I find it easy to be self-crewed. I can take my drinks made up in 8oz bottles and lay all my stuff out on a table. I've found this [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Table&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FOffice-Star-4-Foot-Resin-Multipurpose%2Fdp%2FB0015TRJCM folding table] works remarkably well. Having everything is Ziploc bags helps keep things organized and dry in the rain.
* '''Fluid and Fuel.''' In addition to my usual [[Fellrnr's Go Juice| Go Juice]], I also made up some [[DIY Electrolyte Drink]], both of which went down well. I also had a few [[Comparison of Energy Gels| Gels]], including Peanut Butter Gus, Accel Gel and PowerGel. The latter were runny and were easier to eat where the Peanut Butter Gu was too thick. To solve this, I put some Gus in a chemical hand warmer.
