Green Beret Fitness Operation CENTURY Part I: Preparation, Training, Gear, and Nutrition

2024.08.30 1700

Note: This is Part 1 of 3 of the Operation CENTURY Race Report. Part II is coming soon.

Overview

Altitudes range from about 6k to nearly 10k – you are not at sea level. The race is self-supported – you can self-crew at the start point after completing each loop.

Training and Preparation

I signed up for Operation CENTURY while undergoing Operation STIRLING in 2023. My initial plan was to push hard through OCALA (January 2024) and then figure out how to train for this beast from there.

September through November 2023 were tough in terms of motivation. I was going to the gym and doing WODs, but I was burnt out. I really picked back up training in December, with the OCALA date looming, and started sporadically incorporating these “bulletproof” workouts I saw posted on Instagram by GB3, a cadre I had met during the 2022 GORUCK Recon HTB.

I was successful at OCALA but realized I needed more expertise to be prepared for CENTURY. So, I contacted GB3 and started my 1:1 training with Omni Athlete Training.

As I’ve outlined in all of my race reports, the training is a mix of strength, endurance, mobility, and more. My favorite training weekend included three 21-mile back-to-back days over the Fourth of July. My least favorite training day was a 12-mile mountain ruck after coaching Operation ENDURE, a 24-hour gym-based endurance event; I hadn’t slept in over 24 hours.

Beyond the physical, we did mental training, including visualization sessions and breathing. Additionally, I spent a lot of time practicing my nutrition. One training session was programmed with short loops, and I ate solid food between each one. I tasted and tested different mixes of gels, bars, and powders to help determine what my stomach could handle during strenuous efforts.

I went into CENTURY prepared to be moving for 48 hours and ready to ruck 100 miles in the mountains.

Travel

Three of us had an Airbnb booked in Swan Valley, about 30 minutes from the trailhead. A full kitchen, comfortable bed, and large space were very welcome for this trip. Even though we hadn’t planned to be there for two of the days, it was perfect for event preparation.

On Friday, it was business as usual: eat, ensure everything was ready to go, and take a midday “nap.” Before getting to the trailhead, I stopped off at the Reservoir and sent a few texts, knowing my service would be basically non-existent for the next two days. I went through a quick breathing routine and then drove the last 10 minutes to the trailhead.

We stayed at the Airbnb through that Monday, and I drove back to Salt Lake on Monday to spend one night there before flying back home.

Gear

Standard Outfit

• Kill Crew Shorts
• T-shirt
• RNNR Running Hat
• Woxer 5” Boxers
• Born Primitive Sports Bra
• Ininji Toe Socks + MudGear Socks
• Topo Terraventure
• Garmin loaded with AllTrails maps for navigation + Whoop

Pack: Kifaru Antero 2.0

Packed

• Emergency shelter, Emergency 16.9oz plastic water bottle, light green dry bag w/extra medical items (duct tape, shoe laces, etc), LifeStraw collapsable bottle, extra shoes
• Battery packs, chem light, wallet, spare batteries, eye drops, chapstick, spare mouthpiece, medical kit, headlamp, running belt light
• Blue dry bag: t-shirt, sports bra, Woxers, socks
• 2.5L water bladder (~2L max) + 2.5L bladder w/LMNT + Tailwind (~1.5L max)
• Jacket, sun hoodie, base layer, gloves, and beanie
• Collapsable hiking poles accessible via side pocket (I used these a lot)
• Easily Accessible: Garmin InReach, whistle, utility knife, and bear spray
• Inside pouch: compass, sharpie
• Outside pouches: most nutrition, battery pack, phone

Resupply (available after each loop in car)

Nutrition

Pre-Race

I did not eat enough in the days leading up to CENTURY. I have a bad tendency to delay eating when I’m traveling, and I ran into this a little. It’s not that I starved myself, but I could have eaten more. I was well-hydrated.

Race

Plan

I don’t often spend as much time overviewing in-race nutrition, but it is a key component for the duration of a race.

My intra-loop nutrition plan was relatively straightforward – eat something every 30 minutes whether you want to or not. My go-to were Clif Blok and Gu Gels. Let’s be honest: they could be better tasting, but they are fast, convenient, and easy to get down. I had rotated in a bar early on but realized it was difficult to chew, especially during the climbing, so I stuck to the east things. I aimed for 50-100g of carbs per hour (~200 calories).

Inter-loops, I needed to eat solid food. I would eat at least one real food (e.g., PB&J), a salted avocado, and snack on whatever else I gravitated to.
I carried at most 2L of water and up to 1.5L of LMNT + Tailwind mix for liquids. This mix had about two packets of LMNT and 4-6 scoops of Tailwind. I sipped both consistently and made sure to sip anytime I ate.

Execution

I nailed my intra-loop nutrition for the first three loops. “Trail Daddy Clint” had a reminder on his watch going off every 30 minutes and reminded our group to eat every damn time during the first two loops. On my third loop, I remained consistent. If I missed a 30-minute block, I would eat immediately and return to the original schedule. My fourth loop calorie intake was a mess (you may even say non-existent), which I’ll touch on more in Part II.

Inter-loop, I did as planned. I stuck with PB&J, an avocado, and typically a handful of pretzels. Looking back, I would have liked to put down more between loops, but this was my first time really doing this. I also wish I had drank any other liquids available to me between loops, but it didn’t cross my mind.

I drank well during the first two loops, though I carried too much for the first loop. I knew it would be cool at night but took enough liquid for a hot day. For this distance, even a pound can make a difference. My third loop was the opposite; I carried less than I should have and even resorted to my emergency water (which I immediately refilled at a stream). My hydration dissipated as time went on, and so did my consistency with drinking. At future comparable races, I would also bring something like a Coke or Gatorade for later miles.

Reflection

Nutrition is key for a race like this. It was my first time experiencing having to be this focused on nutrition in addition to self-care. Later in this race report, I’ll touch more on specifics about inflection points revolving around nutrition. I learned a lot and will continue to take this into future races.

Part II Coming Soon…

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