Cocodona 250 Solo - A 250 Miles Ultra Running Adventure Across Arizona
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ย. 2024
- Follow my 250 Miles Solo Ultra Running Adventure Across Arizona as I run Cocodona 250 - a challenging 250 miles ultra marathon across deserts and mountains. Let's just say it was HOT!!! A difficult journey filled with challenges and new friendships.
In this 5 days journey across Arizona, I challenge myself and push both my physical and mental limits as I race one of the most challenging ultra marathon in the world: Cocodona 250 by Aravaipa Running. Adding to the challenge, I'm only 1 week out of racing Mt Fuji 100 miles Ultra Marathon, and I'm racing Cocodona 250 solo - meaning no crew or pacer.
Post-race interview by Mountain Outpost :
• Simon Guerard on his C...
Last year, I ran the Sedona 125, which are the last 125 miles of Cocodona 250 - a great first 100 milers and also a great way to experience the Cocodona 250 course.
This is my first 200+ miles ultra marathon, and once again, I feel totally out of place. I feel like a beginner - surrounded by experienced and accomplished runners that actually belong here.
I've trained for months, and I know what I can accomplish. But an adventure like that is filled with unknown, and pain. In this ultra running documentary, I give you a transparent and honest take on this. The highs, the lows, the challenges. I bring you along on trails as I cross 250 miles of deserts and mountains in Arizona.
I'll also be comparing Garmin vs. Coros. More specifically, I'm testing the Coros Vertix 2S vs. Garmin Fenix 6X. My goal is to create useful head to head comparison, for example - can my coros last the full 5 days?! #TrainWithCOROS @COROSGlobal
Next race - Bryce Canyon 100 miles ... 1 week after Cocodona. Then I'll be racing Bighorn 100 miles June 14
As always - Thanks for watching and remember -
Work Hard!
Believe in yourself!
Push your limits!
Simon
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Music:
• By Infraction : Apollo, Feel the Time, Manga Xi, Future Me, Trip, Searching, Good Vibe, Dreamy
• By Mokka Music: Energy Wave, Willow, Retrograde, One Soul, Lovely, Sunny Walk, Ambient Aria, Energy Wave, Need you the most
• Zelda - Ocarina of Time: Gerudo Valley, Hyrule Town, Hyrule Field
• Megaman X: Ending, Password
• Super Metroid: Norfair (Ridley's Lair)
Music from #InAudio: inaudio.org/
Track Name: ENERGY WAVE (PHONK)
inaudio.org/tr... - กีฬา
![The Cocodona 250 [2024]: Conquering My First 200+ Mile Ultramarathon Adventure](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KK37BRObRjY/mqdefault.jpg)
Post-race interview by Mountain Outpost :
th-cam.com/video/OzfgOF7ns7A/w-d-xo.html
"My balls are ok, thanks for asking", I nearly fell off my chair laughing, thanks for that!
haha a friend had actually asked me (the back story being that it was actually my #1 issue racing Mt Fuji the week before...it was BAD)
😂😂😂😂
I hope Nora appreciated that heartfelt fart you let out for her! Well done on your race, Simon! We were all looking forward to this video. You do an excellent job of showcasing the true experience.
She rated it as a "8/10” lol. But to be fair, she knows me well!
@@runningwithsimon Definitely appreciated :)
It was fun to do live premiere with chat (make sure to check the chat if you missed it!). Should I do this again?
You truly know how to showcase the ups and downs, the painful and humorous, the grind and the joy of ultrarunning. You may be "just an ordinary guy" but you are a pretty fucking extraordinary storyteller. Thanks for sharing your journey with all of us.
Thanks :)
Awesome! You got a big shoutout on Mountain Outpost too!
I did - that was really nice of Jam Jam! Really appreciate what they do and I'm glad that they took the time to give me a shoutout.
I'm still waiting for my post-race interview to be reposted there, although maybe they just won't repost it. Maybe they didn't like my answers. Or maybe the audio has bad background noise - Joe Corcione and Ashley Paulson were talking a bit loud in the studio the whole time. It was actually a bit hard to focus on the interview and maybe the mics picked it up. Don't know but too bad either way.
Your subscriber numbers took a fantastic jump over that few days!
@@Gator35Did it? Honestly haven't seen any spike in subs looking at the channel metrics -steady +50-100 subs daily for a while now. Actually last 2 weeks have been a little slower with "only" 50, but I also haven't post as much which explains it. Still, super grateful for mountain outpost and jam jam obviously!!! I'm glad they appreciate what I do and took time to say it!!
ps: although I guess instagram grew lately. I'm just not on their nearly as much. I prefer longer movie - feels easier to express myself
Dang, I can't believe I passed you and didn't recognize! I watch your videos! (52 min or so, pink shirt).
You were too busy climbing at speedlight lol. Congrats on your race. Did you enjoy it!?
Thank you, Simon, for capturing the highs and lows of the ultra experience...as you always do! I love how you always acknowledge Nora's support and how much you miss her. 💕
Thank you. I feel bad for missing so much of that 3rd night but kinda low key proud of some of those clips. Especially the one I say "another two miles, another nap". I was sooooo out out of it, hard to believe I managed the energy to film lol. Seeing myself it’s funny how much I was NOT trying to be dramatic. I was trying my best to talk normal :/
That was incredible and the fact that you held it together to film is beyond imaginable...bravo!
Thanks!
Every single “good morning” with the lululemon pants had me cackling!! Those are a good look on you Simon!
Nora agrees. Now she wants to buy me my own pair
Amazing Simon, your mental fortitude is bonkers. I love how you refered to this as an adventure rather than race and the fact you did it unsupported. Hats off to you.
I always feel that way (adventure vs race). Even the race I ended on podium (super rare…) I was still chatting with the other guys and we were still running side by side rather than competing. And for any high profile race - let’s face it - it’s just a couple of guys upfront that have a realistic claim to compete! Winners did 59 here (vs my 94 which ain’t a bad time). Almost 36hr gap lol.
I don't understand, how can anyone still run, walk or even stand up straight with such significantly remarkable blisters 😮
You seriously have to 'shut off' from it at some point. For me that's much much much easier to do when I know the pain isn't associated to an injury (e.g., chafing or blisters - it's painful, but I know I'll be fine in a week). When it's potential injury, I don't want to shut down the pain because I don't want to mess myself up. That's why the elbow was so bad. I didn't WANT to suffer, but I also didn't want to ignore signs telling me I should pull the plug
The night time perseverance in your videos time and time again show your enormous strength and fortitude. I'm in awe of your accomplishments.
Thanks - that 2nd night was really hard mentally because of my swollen elbow - wondering if there's something severely injured. And third night...I barely remember anything other than sleeping every miles, waking up cold and going again...
I love the Zelda music you used throughout the video! Such a fun effect!
Thanks! 😄
Congratulations! Zion, Fuji, Cocodona, and then Bryce! Excellent film - really showcases the beauty and the adversity - so inspiring to keep trying something harder! Thank you for your hard work and sharing the journey!
Thank you so much for the kind words and supporting the channel!
I hopped in the premiere too late and missed the Gerudo Valley theme kicking in. 😍 I love your training/racing advice and learning from your experience, but man if you're ever in doubt about the video game soundtracks... I'm here for it and have the same thing going through my head when I run! 😂 Congratulations; amazing achievement!
Haha Zelda OoT had some of the best. Gotta had goldeneye at some point for nostalgia, and DK2 for best soundtrack (well after mega man x and super Metroid imo…)
This is amazing!!! I never knew the body and mind could be pushed so for and on such a consistent basis. Thank you for sharing this!!!
It's hard to believe how much more we can do than what we think we can
Love the Zelda music! Very fitting 👌
Thanks :)
You made my day! Long waited movie! Five star movie THANK YOU SIMON
Thanks!! did you make it for the live premiere?
Big Mahalo Simon for taking us on this kick-ass adventure with you, to see you going through such physical and emotional extremes is just amazing. Hope you are healed up well and ready for your next challenge!
Thanks :) Miss Hawaii here... maybe I should put my name in again for HURT!
I'm healing well - except the elbow I suppose, which is healing but slowly. I actually raced already - 1 week after cocodona, I did Bryce Canyon 100 miles. Movie next week if I have time. And next is bighorn- so finally a bit of a breather!
Very well done Simon! Looks like you had a proper adventure with ups as well as downs. Also, the inclusion of Gerudo Valley made my day 😍 (and also the town song)
I miss my N64! OoT, Mario 64 and goldeneye…those were the days!
The mental fortitude, my god! Take care of that poor foot 🤢 Amazing job with the insane schedule.
They're already fine(ish). Used a different model of shoe for Bryce last weekend, and my feet were almost better AFTER the race (Joe Nimble Trail Addict - big and sturdy toe box, which was perfect in this context)
Glad to hear it, I noticed them in one of your last videos, look pretty awesome! Keep up the unreal effort and awesome videos!
Epic... thanks for all the filming, I don't know how you do it all the way through but it's really appreciated, super interesting to see you go through the highs and lows and how you push it through is awe-inspiring! Congratulatiins you rock 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thanks! It was a wild ride for sure!!!
Yay I can’t wait to watch this! Did my first 50k today and smoked my time goal - it was hard and painful! The first guy I met before the start asked me if I ever watched Simon Guerard and I said Hell Yes!!! You inspired me to accomplish something I never thought possible!
Congrats, that's awesome! :)
haha were you wearing "my" hat for someone to ask you this?!
Damn straight I wore the Simon Hat! It truthfully is the greatest hat I’ve ever owned - the quality is amazing. I didn’t ask, but I bet that was probably what he noticed.
@@Gator35 Or maybe it was your lululemon pants? ...we'll never know!
@@runningwithsimon OMG your Lululemon segment is cringeworthy - but they do look SUPER comfy!
@@Gator35 Honestly when you're that far out in a race, cringe doesn't matter lol. I really don't know how I would have done Elden at night without anything to cover my legs!
You stated "it's frustrating to be so slow". I was humbled during my 100k (doesn't compare to your 250 mile journey) and I remember walking for a couple miles at a 16-20 minute per mile pace. I remember thinking how much longer those miles felt! LOL! So did your wife's tights help keep you warm? Haha! Well done and thank you for sharing this epic raceventure with us!!!
Exactly! And at that time for me the frustration was also that I knew very well I could normally go much faster than this on a slope like this and this early in the race. But my body was not 100% so I was trying to be more conservative with energy.
Yup the pants absolutely helped. It was cold up there - and short shorts would have been an issue. Probably could still do it, but that'd probably lead to my hip flexor being tight and all. I don't think I'll ever forget my tights ever again!
For someone looking to do this race, I LOVE all the video. It really opens the window to the terrain. Thank you for sharing all the highs & lows that come w ultra running. It really is amazing how when you get in a dark place, you just need to move...even if it's just walking, move
Thanks - and that's really one of the goal. I try as much as possible to show the terrain / trail, and what you can expect racing it. Highlighting what I think are the good-to-know and the likely challenges you face at different segments.
Winner of the 2024 Sexy Pants Award … 🎉🏆🎉🏆🎉❤️🎉
It's was a tights race :P
Congrats on Bighorn 100! I was watching on Live Tracker. I can't wait to see the video!!
Thanks :)
Wow you were quick on that!! Bighorn wasn't my best race - even just motivation wasn't exactly there. But Nora was pacing me the second half so that really helped :)
Arizona looks just.. I have no words.. Being a brit I am just always blown away by how vast U. S. A. Is and the variation in states.. We only really have the Welsh /English /Scottish variations.. All beautiful but I envy you the desert 🎉
Arizona is surprisingly diverse in its landscapes!! I’m an AZ native and there’s so much to explore. Everyone should make a trip here at least once. In the late fall or early spring for sure :)
@@aliciadurette1312 100%. I'm always surprised. As a foreigner when you think arizona, you think grand canyon. Which is cool of course. But you don't picture things like around flagstaff. And more broadly, as an avid hiker, I couldn't be happier to be in the US for the variety. You get grand canyon, but also the 14ers of the San Juan and Colorado. I've traveled a lot but there's still plenty to see and do.
Congratulations 🎉 that race is like military training
I bet this race is much easier!
Congrats on finishing!!
I was in the 125, met you at Kelley Canyon.
Your videos helped set me up for success.
Absolutely loved this race.
Gonna go further 250 in 2026
Good luck out there!
Will we see you at Mogollon again this year??
Congrats :)
Was i sleeping at Kelley?! Actually that's when Ed the jester was there I think, right? Sorry it's a bit blurry that third night/morning. I don't know if you heard, but Ed is planning like 50ish 100 milers this year. Crazy!
For mogollon, no not this year "unfortunately". It's with " " because the reason I won't do it is because I'll be racing Tor des Geants in Italy - which is my #1 dream race from even before I started trail and ultra running. It's actually the first ultra I ever heard of. And from everything I've gathered, it's one of the hardest race (~200 miles, 80 ft climb). Gonna be fun!
You are succeeding hugely in showing the accessibility of trail running, I already have a passion for it but haven't always realised that my dark moments and euphoric moments are a collective thing, just knowing that is such a game changer... Thank you 🎉
Thanks :)
Wow that was so inspirational 🎉. Well done to you🎉🎉🎉
Thanks - it was quite the adventure!
Perfect soundtrack :)
Thanks :)
I got nostalgic of zelda for whatever reason so had to have that!!!
Bad Ass! I love how you keep it real through all the ups and downs! Thank you once again for the great video. I was excited to see you come in at Crown King. Congratulations and take care. 👍🏽💪🏽 *farts*😅
You go and try that fart in a race ;)
Running 250 miles may sound impressive, but that fart, haha not everyone can do it with confidence that they'll still have clean undies after!
Congratulations on an amazing accomplishment Simon! Thanks so much for sharing the adventure! We're all looking forward to following your burgeoning career as a Lululemon model!
haha thanks! I'm still waiting for my cheque from them...
Great job and video, Simon! This is very inspirational and made me chuckle more than once.
:)
You’ve been a great inspiration so I was happy to see this posted on the eve of my first 25k trail run. I’ll definitely think of this (especially what you said around minute 46) if I’m struggling tomorrow 😊 Great work!
Good luck tomorrow!
Awesome effort and thx for sharing and being so honest & transparent on your adventures.. it's so refreshing. I'm 63 and started running 4 yr ago and got my first 2 Ultras completed this year...Hoka Bandera 50K & the Rocky Racoon 50 mi. My goal is to finish a 100k & 100 miler in the future. You're an inspiration, thx again and keep on keeping on!
Are you based in Texas? I did rocky racoon 100 last year...or was it the one before. Anyhow - it was a good one I think for first 100. The loop format is very helpful!
Anyhow good luck!
Congrats Simon! Was following you and others on the live tracking and stream. Sub-100hr finish despite all the challenges throughout is a massive accomplishment. Seeing your progress on the tracker and your impromptu participation in the chat did not give a clue to how tough it was really going for you. I can't think I've ever heard you say the word "scared" during a prior video. It was a bit shocking, almost as much as the heartfelt toot, haha! Thanks for sharing your adventures!
Thanks patrick :)
Yeah it was a battle for sure, and I was worried about it. It went much better than I hoped to be honest...which I'm not sure I say that often haha!
Congratulations Simon!! Just... WOW. I'm so bummed that I missed your live stream! I thought you were referring to Mountain Outpost, so I was on there. (I dropped your name a couple times in the chat. 😉) The encouraging signs must have been an awesome boost. I'm surprised they chose to hold a controlled burn during a big outdoor athletic event. Thanks for recording the highs and lows during this epic adventure, and producing another amazing video. You're seriously inspiring!
I'll do 'live stream' / premiere / chat while we watch for my race recap in the future. Maybe not always - depends on schedule. But it was fun :)
For the fire - yeah it hurt for sure. I feel I got the worse timing, passing right by when it was happening. Faster runners like Chad seem to have mostly been affected on the last 8 miles, and slower somewhat similar. Cocodona is a big race in a small sport. I bet whomever planned the fire didn't even know. Plus, it's affecting the resident more than the runners, so I'm not upset at anyone. Just a bummer. I'm fine now.
So inspiring great work 😮
Thanks - that was quite the adventure!
Omg Simon I felt your pain in there😮, you are amazing 🤩, what a achievement 💪👏👏👏👏
Thanks!
Bro that fart was epic!!!
Exactly! Nora jokingly rated it as "8/10 .... I know what you can do Simon, and I know you can do better!"
I was impressed with my Garmin Enduro, took me 47:15 hours to finish the 125, still had 14 days of battery life afterwards.
Yeah, if I could, that's what I would compare with. But can't really just buy it for comparison - so if garmin wants a rematch, they should send me one lol
Thanks for taking us on another awesome journey! Congratulations!!
Thanks! It was fun - I kind of low key miss it ever since I've been back to civilization. Week long race are cool... just gets in the way of work so much :/
I'm voting this one as Best Music for Ultra Running videos.
And now that you say this - I realize I didn't even put that in the "awards" on the thumbnail.. Talk about missed opportunity! But I'm stealing it for Bryce Canyon!
Been waiting all week to see this. Thanks again for the content simon
Thanks for joining the chat - much appreciated :)
Amazing effort, so glad to come along with you on the journey, congratulations on all the problem solving and getting to the finish line.
Thanks so much!
Love the movie.. thanks for taking your time to share such a roller coaster experience! Did you find out the issue with your elbow and what was the coros battery life at the end of the race?
I’m now signed up for one marathon trail run in August then a 50k trail run in October. Potentially a 50 miler in December. Thanks for the inspiration!
Coros battery was at 44% by the end (pff amateur - I could have lasted longer!). Then I didn't charge it next week, and went into Bryce Canyon 100 miles on the same charge (it was down to 35% by then). Ended the race in about 30h30min, and the battery went from 35 to 10%.
Elbow - not really. I went to the doctor and it did some work. One was that it could be gout. He took fluid out of there with a syringe (not as bad as it sounds) and tested. No crystals means it's not gout (good!). Then tested for bacteria. There were a little bit but not much, so he prescribed antibiotics. It didn't really help. My elbow now is less red and less hot and less swollen, but still swollen a little and painful. Most likely, it's just bursitis / inflamation cuase by the repeated motion with poles. Should go away in couple of weeks. Hopefully... But at least it's much less painful, and was not an issue for Bryce (except that I didn't use poles of course, which by itself is kind of an issue)
@@runningwithsimon sound like the Coros watch is the way to go for those longer races!
I’m glad the elbow is healing up a bit! One of these days I’ll hopefully run into you at a 100mile run. Keep on keeping on!
@@greg9767 if you are us-based, let me know when our race calendar meet!!!
@@greg9767 I think so. WIth the garmin, I'd have to charge it more than once in a 200, which would be super annoying (because I only have 1 cable). It's a detail, but one less thing to worry about that I didn't even need to worry about it!
For 100, it's almost overkill. But there's somethign to be said about really not needing to worry about it. I know it will hold the whole race. And I don't need to stress the night before to "top it off" to 100% for fear of it dying in the last few miles and saying "good job on your 94 miles run!"
Congrats. I work near the finish line but never knew the intensity of this event. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Oh that's so cool! Well cocodona is (relatively) new so i guess it makes sense
Huge congratulations Simon! Really enjoyed this journey. Thanks for taking us along for the ride. 🎉
As always, another great video, Simon.
Thanks - it was a tough but fun one to put together. I didn't want it to run too long, but of course had to cut a lot because 4 days is a lot of clips and random blah blah blah
What an amazing adventure, great job Simon 👏
As always, big thank you! :)
nice work dude! I'll probably pick your brain leading up to next year's race. I'm also in Socal often if you ever wanna run or hike. I am doing San Gorgonio on Sat June 8 if you want to tag along
Sure, reach out with questions. Wes is also probably a good (better) source on this one.
Am awed that even you get imposter syndrome... And even more impressed that you have the grace to admit it... Great runner and it would seem, a great human x
I don't always do anymore of course, but yes some times. I think it's so normal unless you have somewhat of an ego thing going on. I guess we're all somewhere on the spectrum of overconfidence and self-doubt. I think what is "hilarious" however is that the most insecure people tend to lean on overconfidence for some reason...
I was amazed by that, too! Now I can reframe my own nerves by saying it's perfectly normal to feel like everyone else is so much fitter, better prepared, better equipped, etc. Just get out there and get it done.
@@Kelly_Ben I think anyone saying they never have that impostor syndrome is either a liar, or delusional and about to be hit in the face by reality! Doesn't mean you always have it of course, but (some) self doubt is kinda normal and healthy. I think Jake Jackson who's a solid runner (was USA 24hr team last year) did cocodona and said basically the same "feels like I'm a new runner and don't know what I'm doing"
Well done fella, that was fantastic 👏
Thank you :)
great movie thank you!! Excited to see what you’ll do next
Thanks - and thanks for joining the premiere!
Next is Bighorn June 14!!! (well next was Bryce Canyon 100 miles last weekend but that's already done - movie next week hopefully)
Bravo Simon !!!!
Merci :)
Love your videos. Congratulations Simon! Edit: I love that you used Zelda music 😂😂
Thnks :) Glad someone recognizes it! Certainly big part of my teenage years!
Congrats Simon, huge accomplishment
Thanks - really proud of this one! I had no clue how it would go and if i could do it. But ended up managing decently well (relatively speaking...)
Congratulations 🎉 thanks for the recap and inspiration
Thanks - glad to share it!
Great video, and have to day love the humor 😉🤙🏽 go Lulu Lemon leggings 🎉
Thanks :)
You worked so hard and suffered so much. Im proud of you, internet friend! Tough mofo.
Thank you so much! Hard work and loads of pain, but also, loads of joy on this one! It was a cool adventure!
Really cool adventure, Simon! Thanks for sharing and kudos for continuing to push your limits
Great job! Thats amazing.
Thanks!
So... Fenix navigation? I am thinking I may need to invest as have entered a race which is known for some tricky sections..
I'll post a review soon about my experience. I think both the garmin fenix and coros vertix are good and can get the job done. It's when you lose the trail that it gets more annoying because you need to scroll through - and it's easier on the coros. Minor inconvinience but if we are picky, I'd say preference for coros. Well, #1 preference would be to never lose the trail and need to navigate...but that's another story.
Also, I think a two system method is important for navigation. i'll make a video about that...some day. I just don't have time. But primary is watch, you put your gpx on it and use it at junction and sporadically to make sure you're on track. If you do lose it, using your phone with offline map on gaia works best. It's by far easir to navigate on the "big" screen of the phone. You just don't want to always use it because battery will run out. So watch for spot checking, phone for "where the heck am I...oh wow, I'm all the way THERE....oh boy"
The fact that he points out mile 69 in each race 🤣🤣
It's really just a coincidence!!!! I do it every 3 or 5 miles, and it just coincidently happen that 69 is both a multiple of 3 and 5!
🤣🤣🤣👍👍@@runningwithsimon
tyvm for sharing, glad to see your elbow fully recovered
Oh it's not fully recovered. It's not as bad, not as red or hot, and is a little less swollen. But still swollen. Maybe was more like the size of a quarter, now a dime. And still hurt. Went to doctor. Ruled out gout through analysis of elbow fluid (no crystals). He suspected infection but antibiotic didn't do the trick. I think it's just bursitis from repeated movement and will disappear in 2 more weeks. Hopefully it won't be a recuring problem, but it's really hard to say today
Nicely done on the run and video, seems like we helped pull you along a bit there. I ended up with an extra bonus mile around the airport mesa somehow missing the turn sign and didn't realize for a 1/2 mile. You ended up at the Sedona aid about the same time I did. The aid station workers were trying to make out the Casner Canyon climb to be like 3-4k and it ended up about 1700ft when I did it as an extra hike the next day. A lot easier when you sleep for 9 hours. Your video helped confirm what I was suspecting, which was the second half (of the 125) on the rim was groundhog day with the forest.
Extra miles always hurt lol.
You know what's funny is that except for the beginning of the 125 course, I felt pretty similar last year when I raced sedona 125. Sure I was a little faster, but just a little. The road around schnebly made me sleepy. Reaching Tuthill felt like we were very close. Elden was steep, etc.
@@runningwithsimon Yea, Elden is definitely tough. I did it as a solo hike 4 or 5 years ago and it was definitely harder than Casner Canyon, probably mostly from altitude.
@@markstreeter9920 Yup! The only you have going on for you at this point is I kept thinking "that's the last one!!! I can 'full send'!"
I hope they manage to bring back the 38 and 125 miles up elden somehow.
Amazing video Simon! Loved the Coros vs Garmin comparison although I think we all knew who was going to win. I’m trying to find the best setting for my Fenix 6 next week at the Tahoe 200. Can you share what settings you used (had turned off). At one point in time I believe the Fenix had a battery time of 62hours, something I’ve never seen…assuming that was because you have the HR turned off? Any insight/tips would be super helpful. Cheers
Yup and I"m about to publish the full review. TBH for a 200+ race, no question it was worth the upgrade. And you are right, I turned off HR on garmin otherwise it'd have died much quicker - but the 62hrs is balloney. It lasted 42h30 or something (despite saying that). Otherwise based on experience, it'd probably have been something like 38-40hrs. I also turned off the auto-back ligthing. I tried to mostly used the coros when navigating too. But even with all that, you're looking at recharging 3 times, which is very inconvenient. There's really no way around it other than turning off the GPS...at which point, might as well not have the watch.
@@runningwithsimon thanks for the reply. Waiting for Garmin to release the new version in the fall. Will use Gaia on the phone if I get lost…
🙌🏼🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🙌🏼
Thanks Simon for the watch comparison! I have the Garmin 6x Pro, and I am about to looking into upgrade to the Coros Vertix 2s for its battery life. I hate to charge things while I am in the action of running an ultra. I will be selling my Garmin and picking up Coros with my up coming miler race.
Sure thing - I'll make a more detailed video about my experience in probably a week or two (basically - as soon as I have time). I'll be testing the coros APEX pro soon too. Probably at Bighorn in June. It's a big purchase, and for me, i thnk it's important to have real life data to make informed decision (for example, my garmin said "69hr left" but clearly that was more like 35 of real use....)
@@runningwithsimon Looking forward to your video in two weeks time. I want to hear your watch comparison as well as your nutrient during the race.
@@runningwithsimon i hope its detailed video. I just have a simple garmin watch and am thinking if I can do an ultra next year I want a watch with the ability to have the course on it. I get lost easy, LoL
@@canelami1285 Both my old garmin Fenix 6 and my new coros could do that. I prefer navigation on coros, but either way was fine. Also, one quick tip (also a future video but hey let's help now) - you can download the course on your phone. Download the Gaia apps - it will work offline. During a race, I HIGHLY suggest having it both on your watch and your phone. You use your watch at junction and just 'here and there' to make sure you are still on course. If for whatever reason you are waaaay off the course, you turn on your phone to figure out the best way to get back on track. Phone because of the screen is 100x easier to use when lost. The only issue of course, and why you shouldn't rely ONLY on phone, is that batteries don't last that long so you need to save it. And phone can break or fail more easily. But having both is what I always do, and it's super handy (and honestly feels 'better' or 'safer' to know I have two ways to not get lost)
@@runningwithsimon thank you so much for your reply. Thankfully I have time before deciding as right now I just need to work on my fitness
Great job, Simon. Rich experience. Love the OOT transitions, what do you think? 😅
I just miss my N64 and OoT ...and the goldeneye days I guess. !
Epic thumbnail! Loud fart LOL!
haah thanks!
really enjoying this one. not done yet with it, though. how is your elbow by now? i felt bad for you not having crew. i think that would have helped your mental space some. ❤
Elbow isn't as swollen or as bad, but it's still a little swollen and still painful. I went to the doctor the week after because it wasn't getting better. He drained it with syringe - not THAT much fluid like 3-4 mL, but a bit gross/odd to think about it, and did some test. It's not gout because no crystals (would have been surprising). There were some bacteria in there, but not much. So he prescribed an antibiotics just in case - but it didn't solve it. I think it's just inflamation but we'll see if it doesn't get better this week or next.
Bah it's not so bad to be alone. It's annoying to carry all your gear - and there's some issue like blisters which I would have been able to deal with better (by changing socks). But otherwise, it's fine. People are very helpful, so it's not like I was "alone" - I simply didn't have anyone dedicated to only helping me and carryign my stuff around.
so glad you're doing better! also wonder if holding the Go Pro inflamed it or if you when you fell, you maybe hit it? 😊 question about the blisters. did you uktimately pop them and tape them down or trim back the skin or what did you do afterwards to help your feet recover?
@@jenblied9193 For the GoPro - someone else mentioned that. I guess it could contribute - and it's true that, although I never noticed, I tend to use with my right arm. So it'd actually match. But at the same time, i've never had issue with this before.
Blisters - i'm not a big supporter of popping them. I left them as is. In the week following, one popped by itself, and not the other. But it eventually popped during Bryce. Most important is to try to clean if it popped itself or if you did it yourself.
Was it bursitis after all? So scary! I would def be in tears if a body part did that, like is this step 1 of turning into a human blueberry? 😬😫
I think it is. Doc made test and it’s not gout, and antibiotics didn’t clear it. So most probably will resolve in a few more weeks. It’s better but still not normal / fully healed
@@runningwithsimon wow sorry! You're amazing running with this thing!
@@carrieannbeckerfishman4292 It was really painful at cocodona, not nearly as bad at bryce. But now it's rest time for sure! I run for fun, and injury is usually where I draw the line...
@@runningwithsimon a wise rule to live by!
We crossed paths several times, Simon. I said hi to you at the Sedona aid sleep station and thanked you for your content, which inspired me to try ultra races. You weren't exactly happy, and you didn't agree with my kudos to you. ..now I understand why you were kinda of not so pleasant. But when I passed you another time on the trails, you said, good job...I know you were hurting, just by the sound of your voice and i wanted to give you space and show you respect as you worked through a low point. But I have to say, we were in they Kelly Canyon aid station together later in the race, and you seemed more awake,talking with the joker, fella. We then passed each other a few times. The last time was when you passed me and another fellow at the 1 hour and 5 minutes mark in your video. I was sooooo happy to see things shift for you as you passed us with a burst of energy. You mentioned how important it was to get done so you could support Nora. I was thrilled for you as the 250 was no joke. I plan on doing the full course in 2026. Congratulations on an adventure that pushed you and taught you special lessons. I am grateful again to spend some miles here and there with you.💪
Sorry if I was unpleasant ! I sure wasn't exactly awake by Sedona lol but that's no excuse...
Enjoyed engaging with ya, no worries at all. Congratulations 🌻
Simon, I really enjoyed watching this! I just signed up for the 38 mile course. I am a bit worried because I will be alone and the trails don't seem well marked at all :( How was it going through this in the night?
Nice job! Good to see you move onto the 250s! I signed up for it next year! Where is the link to the post race interview!?
They haven’t reposted it yet. Not sure why - but they think it’s a bad interview, or maybe I’m small potatoes. I can try and see if I find it in the stream
Here's when it was during the live stream. We should ask them to re-post it seperately...
th-cam.com/users/live4eG6l0hFRNk?si=6OKYMhHM6NqtjKJs&t=14865
First. Nice butt. Second. I can't understand where you find the strength to continue. Amazing! Very nice video as well! I love seeing the different types of trails in the races you run.
Thanks! Yeah, I don't know some times looking back how I found it in me to go. Say the schebly aid station in 3rd night. But to be fair, I also stayed there a solid 30 min. At some point it just feels like "ok ok ok, just go, just got!"
Great adventure Simon! Which camera you recommend? Gopro or Insta360?
I'm not an expert honestly. I presume you are asking insta360 Ace vs GoPro Hero? Because what I use is GoPro hero (8...yes I need an upgrade VERY soon). I tried a 360 x3 (for Zion 100 if you are curious about how it looks). Personally not a fan of the 360 cams - it's a nice view for some shot, but not the whole movie. Sound wasn't as good. And editing took forever. Ace vs. hero - I've never tried ace so can't really say from first hand experience. I looked at some footage and it seems to me ace and insta360 in general kinda over processes the image a little. That impacts too much motion and sharpness. But it's minor. They are good camera for both as action cam. Never as good as my DSLR, but you have to sacrifice things to be compact.
@@runningwithsimon thanks Simon for sharing. I also love to record the memory during long races but I don't have experience using camera in longer than 10 hours race. Did you hold the cam with your hand all the time? Did it affect your performance?
@@lddthao I stuff it in my side pocket of my running vest if not filming (or not planning to film). I do hold it for long period sometimes when I know some footage is likely (you just don't want to miss the 'hot stuff'). I don't know that carrying affects my performance much (it's extra weight I suppose, and extra space, especially when factoring all the batteries). But the key thing is that you have to stop to film, or walk to film/talk. It also takes a bit of energy to think about even just filming or saying something. You'll see in my next movie about Bryce - I got so mentally tired that the last 20-30 miles, there's much less footage or talking. It's draining. But still, although I'm probably a tiny bit slower, it's probably not adding up to soooo much. And well worth the effort. I started filming before making movies just to share clips with my wife. No plans other than "hey I'm at the top of hope pass, thinking about you"
Thank You for sharing this. Super amazing, you are incredible strong - unbelievable, I enjoyed all the video. It’s was hot 🍑 😅👍🏼💪🏼
"It's even hard to describe how hot it is!"
Thanks :P
How come you run an epic race like Fuji just a single week before cocodona? Don’t you need some rest? 😂
I need rest so badly after all those race! Finally getting some!
Ce prout de la mort, lâché sans retenue telle une fanfare villageoise, offert comme un bouquet de roses (sulfureux) à ta Nora bien-aimée, m’a fait plier en deux, voire en quatre.
haha merci. Ca c'est de l'amour, n'est-ce pas?
Everybody at work knows you like wearing women’s clothes now
You do what you got to do...
Awesome job Simon ! You saw me, but somehow I missed you somewhere around Kelly canyon , where you got me on video 😀. My wife texted me to tell me that I passed you, but I was at autopilot at that time 🙄. Nice work on doing Fuji and Coco in such a short time !
Thanks! It was a wild ride for sure with Fuji, Cocodona and Bryce!
How did you do yourself?
Damn wicked man
Been watching all your vids
Big time inspiring
And what’s better…. Zelda fan 😂
Thanks :)
I wish I still had my n64 sometimes...
Awesome video, as always. Did I catch a Zelda song in there on the morning of Day 3? Nice touch.
Yes!!! There are actually 3 tracks from ocarina of time in this movie. Gerudo valley (after cotton wood - going into the big climb towards Lane mountain), hyrule field (that's what I played in the morning) and hyrule town (at crown king)
@@runningwithsimon Nice! An epic soundtrack for an epic adventure.
Amazing adventure!!! Thank you soooo much for taking us there with you 😀
My pleasure, thanks for joining!