Elements to contend with

Watching the weather forecast has now become more than a casual "is it going to rain today?" type of observation. Understanding the temperature changes will be very crucial to wear appropriate clothing to ensure a stable core temperature throughout. Too much will not only make you sweat and overheat but it will also slow you down with weight (believe me 200 miles with 1/2 lbs of extra clothing will make a difference). I will already wear 3 lbs of extra weight with hydration and food to the next aid station. This is not a mere road marathon where you wear a pair of shorts, tank top and sneakers.
Well today's forecast calls for light snow up in Pittsfield with a temperature with windchill at 27F. This is daytime temperature. This temperature reflects the town of Pittsfield not what the mountains will provide.
As much as I don't trust the 10 day forecast I was amused to see that on Tuesday Oct 28th of next week had a note attached stating "Grab your skis"!! Well let's hope this race does not have too much snow on the mountain or it could become the east coast version of the mid western Arrowhead Ultra.
In addition to the temperatures there will also be other obstacles to contend with such as:

• Close to 60% of the entire race will be run in darkness due to the season. This is the biggest challenge in my opinion. We all know how we run at night.
• The cumulative elevation ascent and descent will make the muscles work for sure
  
• Heavy slippery fresh foliage on the ground covering rocks, branches and "critters"
• Rock hard uneven ground or muddy slippery hills
• Keeping your fluids from freezing in your bottles
  
• Bears - looking for a last meal prior to hibernation (not a big concern but a possibility)
  
• Hunters - looking for a meal. We will run on private property to reduce this risk but you never know. I will wear bright colors.

Best

Carl