Master Your Ultra Running Drop Bags: Tips for Success & Mistakes to Avoid

Transcript

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Hello again and welcome.

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If this is your first time with us.

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I really appreciate you stopping by.

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You're listening to Choose to Endure, the show dedicated to non-elite ultra runners, where we share stories, interviews, gear and training tips specific to the tail-end heroes of the ultra universe.

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My name is Richard Gleave.

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I've been running Ultras now since 2017.

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I have taken on and finished numerous Ultra distances, all the way up through 220 miles, and I am unashamedly a member of the back of the pack, just like many of you.

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Thanks for joining me today.

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Whether you're out on a trail, relaxing at home or maybe even commuting to work, I'm so glad to have you here for a few moments.

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On today's episode, we are diving into a critical topic, I might say, for every ultra runner out there Drop bags.

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Mastering your drop bags really can make or break your race experience.

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Done right, drop bags are like having your own little oasis of everything you need waiting for you on the course.

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Absolutely fantastic, but done wrong, well, let's just say it can quickly turn into a frustrating, quickly turn into a frustrating mess.

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So, before we jump into tips and strategies, I do want to mention that in season two, episode 11, I believe it is we chatted with the wonderful Victor Ballesteros about his company, Victory Sport Design, and they have some really amazing bespoke ultra running drop bags.

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They're fantastic.

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If this topic piques your interest, I definitely recommend checking out that episode season two, episode 11, and exploring what Victor had to say about their fantastic products and go have a look online.

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All right, let's get into this episode.

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We'll be right back after the break.

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Discover raw, inspiring stories from runners who've been right where you are.

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This is the Choose to Endure.

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Ultra Running Podcast with your host he's English, not Australian Richard Gleave.

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So first let's talk about why drop bags matter, especially, perhaps, for back of the pack runners.

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For us, we are out on the course longer, which means more time for weather to change, more time for nutritional needs to change and more time just for unexpected challenges.

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In that context, drop bags really are your safety net.

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They're there to keep you comfortable, fueled and motivated along the way.

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The key is to think of your drop bag as almost a mini aid station, tailored just for you.

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If you're doing it right, that's what it ends up being.

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It's your opportunity to have the specific gear, food and supplies that you might need, especially when aid stations don't always have necessarily what works for you, your stomach or your preferences.

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Sometimes they even run out of stuff, so it's good to know that you have a backup in your drop bag, just in case.

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I'll tell you, I remember one race I did over in England where I underestimated quite how cold the night section would get.

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Thankfully I had stashed an extra jacket and gloves in a drop bag and, lo and behold, that made all the difference.

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Pretty sure that without it I would have shivered my way to a very, very wet and uncomfortable DNF.

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So it really can save your race in some instances too, if you've got the right stuff in your drop bag at the right time.

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So let's talk about that for a moment.

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Let's get into the nitty-gritty, as they say.

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What should actually go into your drop bag?

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Well, as with most things, it really depends on you, but I think there is a sort of a checklist of essentials that you might at least start thinking about.

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Firstly, clothing Back to my previous point pack for weather changes.

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You definitely want to make sure you've got some extra socks, maybe a jacket, a waterproof coat, maybe even a puffer jacket if you have one gloves or a hat.

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Wet or cold feet can really ruin your race, so having some dry socks or extra layers is very much a lifesaver For food and fuel.

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Just think of things you know work for you and that have worked for you during your training, and remember you should be testing these things during your training so that you know what to put in your drop bags on the day of the race.

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I like to include a mix of savory snacks.

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I really like savory stuff.

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I don't go for the sweet stuff most of the time, things for me like salted potatoes or peanut butter sandwiches, and I do tend to have some pick-me-ups as well.

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I may put a little candy in there.

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I really like gummy bears, but only the Haribo ones.

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No other gummy bears compare, and I've even been known to pack one of those really small cans of soda for my own hit along the way.

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The other thing you'll need to think about is first aid supplies.

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They definitely need to go in your drop bag.

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If you have multiple drop bags, you multiply all this stuff by however many drop bags you've got.

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If you've got two, three drop bags along the way, make sure you have some of this equipment in each drop bag.

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And you'll need to think about the timing within the race.

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Are you going into night at this point?

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That way you'll put your extra warm stuff in that particular drop bag rather than coming out of night where you want to change into some dry clothes as you go into a warm day, which whatever works for you again.

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And pain relievers if you do those.

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I think those are must-haves in your drop bag kit, all of them.

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You never know when you're going to need them.

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Lighting is another one too.

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So if your race goes into the night, make sure you've got spare batteries or a backup well and or a backup headlamp.

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The last thing you want is to be stuck in the dark trying to use the light from your phone or the light from your watch, as I once did.

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It didn't go well.

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And then there are the extras, right.

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So what else do you want to put in your drop bag?

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What works for you?

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A few things I've seen work for others are maybe a motivational note to yourself, reminding you of all the things you went through to get to this point and the reasons why you're trying to push forward.

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Slip a little note in your drop bag.

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Pin it on the inside onto something, just so when you go in there you're going to read it and maybe motivate yourself to continue forward or refresh your mental state.

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Maybe you want to put a favorite treat in there that you look forward to.

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Like I said, for me that's definitely Haribo gummy bears.

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Also, think about putting some wet wipes, a small towel or even one of those travel toothpaste and toothbrushes in there.

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It's amazing what brushing your teeth and taking a swig of mouthwash can do to make you feel alive and feel refreshed again.

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Definitely a tip there.

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At a 100k race I did one time, I packed one of those small cans of Pringles in my drop bag as my reward for hitting the halfway point, along with a local beer.

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Yeah, it was a small thing, but at the time it really lifted my spirits and it gave me something to look forward to and it really helped change my mental state.

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Sitting there drinking a beer at that particular aid station I kind of got out of the funk I was in and it got me back engaged and got me back out on the trail again.

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Okay, packing the right items is one thing, but organizing your drop bag with those items in them I think is just as important, and I don't know that everybody really buys into that.

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People talk a lot about what goes into your drop bag and where you're going to locate your drop bags along the way, but I really think organizing your drop bag is equally as important.

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That's why I really like the Victory Sport Design bags so much, because they make organization really easy.

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It comes built into those bags.

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It's there for you.

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The last thing you want to do is be wasting time when you hit an aid station digging through your bag trying to find the things you need in the dark, rooting through there, especially if you're sleep deprived, if you're chasing a cutoff, which is even worse, or even your crew, if you have a crew who is trying to help you out and can't find the thing you need because it's buried three feet deep at the bottom of your bag somehow.

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So I like organization.

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Here are some tips for staying organized.

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If you have a Victory Sport design bag, this will be a whole lot easier, but otherwise, some other tips that I have used in the past that seem to work quite well.

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Use clear Ziploc bags to separate items and you can write and label on them.

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Group food together, group clothing together and put first aid supplies together in their own bags, if you can, so that everything is easy to find and covered from a waterproofing perspective.

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Label the bag clearly.

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Put your name and bib number on the front of your drop bag.

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Many races actually have specifics that you need to do for that, so make sure you read the race manual beforehand and that way you are naming and numbering your drop bag appropriately for where it needs to go and when it needs to be there.

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Think of all this as very much.

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Grab and go right inside your drop bag.

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Place the most critical items, like your food or socks or the things you're going to want to do.

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First, think about putting them at the top so that you can grab them quickly, and then the things you want to use after that put underneath.

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So you sort of work your way top down on every drop bag and therefore you don't have to think about what you're doing.

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You just take the things out on the top, put your socks on and then you move to the next thing down in the bag.

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You pull, pull out the Pringles and you start eating them and then you move to the thing on the bottom which might be first aid or blister kit or whatever it might be.

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So it saves you having to think about stuff.

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You just work your way down top to bottom through each of those sort of clear packs that you have put into your drop bag, making life easier.

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You don't have to think about it too much.

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I've seen people spend like 10 minutes searching for a single gel in their drop bag, which is wild right.

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They really wanted that gel at that particular time and it was one gel and it ended up being way down somewhere tucked away in the dark.

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So they were spending time doing that.

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Meanwhile I was in and out of that particular aid station in like five minutes because I had everything packed, I had it labeled, I knew what I needed to hit.

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I had thought about it on the way into the aid station, so gave myself a heads up of what I needed to do.

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And that time saved definitely adds up later when you're well hopefully not, but if and when you're pushing to beat final cutoffs.

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So finally, let's talk about some common drop bag mistakes that I have seen and you may know more.

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Overpacking Definitely very tempting, especially if you're new to the sport, to throw everything you might possibly need into your drop bag.

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I get it, I did that too but this makes it really hard to find the essentials when you actually need them.

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So stick to the basics, think practically and think minimalist.

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Make sure you've got enough, but not too much, and that's going to be a little hard to figure out out the gate.

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But if and as you get more experience, you'll know exactly the kinds of things you use.

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And think back at previous races what did I take and never even touch?

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Probably isn't something you might want to think about taking to the next race, potentially depending on where the race is and weather and all that kind of stuff, but kind of work your way through and figure out what you really need and what you can do without.

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Another common mistake talking of weather is forgetting weather contingencies.

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I've learned this one the hard way.

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I learned it right out of the gate, in the very first race I did.

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But always plan for the worst-case scenarios weather-wise.

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If there's even a chance of rain or cold or you even think there's going to be a chance, pack accordingly.

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Another common mistake I've seen people make is not actually using your drop bag.

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I've seen runners spend hours meticulously packing their bags and then just blow through an aid station during a race without even touching them.

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Know what's in your bag, plan when you'll use it and when you get there, actually use it.

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Whatever you do with that drop bag, you did it for a reason, and blowing right by it, I think, sets yourself up for a trip and a fall, so to speak, from a race perspective, later down the line when you realize you could have took two, five minutes to sort your feet out or take that extra gel, or take that hit of coke or whatever it was from your drop bag.

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Take that jacket, for instance.

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How long does it take to stop and grab a jacket out of your bag.

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So think about that.

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It doesn't take that long.

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Blowing through an aid station and not using a drop bag that you've planned to use, I think, is definitely a recipe for disaster.

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Another one might be assuming that the aid station has, or will have, everything you need.

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Even if the race promises particular items on the website, it's very easy for them to run out.

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If you rely on specific snacks or specific gear, make sure you have extras of those in your drop bag.

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Don't rely solely on aid stations for those kinds of things.

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I know at one race I packed a spare pair of socks and I forgot to include the body glide anti-chafe balm that I use, and I went through a stream crossing.

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I ended up with blisters, and that 100% could have been avoided if I had thought through my packing more carefully.

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Lesson learned.

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So to recap, here are some key tips for you to master your drop bags.

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Number one think of your drop bag as a personal aid station.

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Pack essentials like clothing, food, first aid supplies and lighting.

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Number two organize your bag For easy access.

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Make sure you've got some way to recognize whether it's those clear zip-top baggies with labels.

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Whatever it is, make sure you have a quick way to recognize what's in each of those bags.

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Number three avoid common mistakes like overpacking or forgetting about those weather contingencies.

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Number four, most importantly, use your drop bag strategically.

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Plan it out in advance.

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It's there to help you succeed.

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Drop bags are one of the most overlooked tools in ultra running, I think, but when done right, they can really make a world of difference.

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A well-prepped drop bag is like having a little piece of home waiting for you out on the course.

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It's like a nice, warm little hug to get you back out into the race.

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Now, if these strategies are resonating with you and you are ready to take the next step in your training journey, maybe let's keep the conversation going.

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Do you have a favorite drop bag tip that others might benefit from?

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A favorite drop bag itself?

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Maybe you have one of the victory sport design ones, like I do.

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They're absolutely terrific.

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Feel free to share in the comments or on the social media pages.

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Absolutely looking forward to your drop bag tips, maybe some that we haven't even mentioned here.

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If you're out browsing on the internet, don't forget to subscribe to the show and that way you get notified each time a new episode drops.

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And if you haven't had a moment to do so yet, please consider hitting follow rate the show and if you're getting something of value, leave a review and let others know.

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That would definitely mean the world to me, and your support helps grow the podcast.

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It helps connect it to more runners in this amazing community and spreads the word to those who could benefit from the information that we're sharing here.

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You can find us on Instagram and Facebook at ChooseToEndure, or visit us anytime at Choose to Endure dot com.

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I love hearing from you guys, whether it's just to say hello, to suggest a topic or to share a story.

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There are so many fantastic ones out there.

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You can also email me directly at info at Choose to Endure dot com.

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I really love interacting with listeners, just like you.

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It's definitely one of my favorite parts of doing the show.

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So until next time, make sure you run long, run strong with a drop bag and keep choosing to endure.

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We'll see you next time.

Master Your Ultra Running Drop Bags: Tips for Success & Mistakes to Avoid

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