Gobi Desert Gear List
Mandatory Equipment (required by the race organization)
Additional Stuff (personal items I’ve chosen to bring)
Note: If you followed my progress through the Sahara Desert last fall, you’ll notice that this gear list is quite similar with the addition of a few extra pieces of clothing for warmth at night in the Gobi. Making solid gear choices the first time around for an event of this format made prep for this upcoming event much more fluid.
Approx. pack weight at race start – 19-20 lbs.
Mandatory Equipment List (this are items required by the race organization):
My gear choices and why in [ ]
Backpack – [Gregory, ISO, 20 liter. The ISO is ultra-light, compact, comfortable with all the features necessary for an event of this type—including:
Gregory's ISO Backpack
Photo Courtesy of Gregory
*Mesh pouches on both sides of the pack for bottles. mesh zipper pouches on both sides of the waste belt for easy to reach running food
*Small, thin and light compression straps
*Rear zipper opening to allow you to refill your water bladder without removing the bladder from the pack
*Shoulder straps that are padded without overkill
*Outer expandable compartment that zips closed when not in use
*NO extra/unnecessary bells and whistles. Simple, complete, ultralight]
Sleeping Bag – [Montbell, U.L. Super Stretch Down Hugger #3;packs shockingly small, hugs the body for extra warmth, Minimum Temp: 32F, Total Weight: 1 lb 5 oz, Insulation: 725 Fill Down]
Mont-Bell U.L. Super Strech Down Sleeper
Photo Courtesy of Mont-Bell
Tights – Patagonia Silk Weight Capilene
Fleece Hat – Montbell
Gloves – Patagonia fleece glove liners
Headlamp and back-up headlamp – [Petzl Myo XP and a tiny pen light. The XP is light and small yet lights up the woods at night with 3 lighting levels. It uses 3, AA batteries that last for up to 170 hours – huge bang for its size, no need to bring back up batteries.
I am anticipating needing my main light for our 50-mile stage so it needs to be bright enough to run with. Got the smallest pen light I could find at a drug store.]
Compass – [my compass is in my HighGear Axis watch]
Safety pins (20)
Knife – [Spiderco Ladybug – I’ll use my knife quite a bit to cut plastic, clothing, food, tape, etc. so it needs to be light, sharp and small]
Whistle – [the smallest I could find – a piece of mandatory gear that will probably get a ride through the desert without ever being touched – BUT a good thing to have along in a pinch]
Space blanket – [smallest. Always carry a space blanket in any wilderness adventure. I have used mine countless times and it’s saved me from potential hypothermia. They are uncomfortable, non-breathable and loud, but are an excellent vapor barrier]
Signaling mirror – [a small piece of plastic mirror made for backpacking. I bought the full mirror at an outdoor store and chopped a small piece off - a piece of mandatory gear that will probably get a ride through the desert without ever being touched - BUT a good thing to have along in a pinch]
Baseball cap or similar – [Outdoor Research mesh running hat – pinned my Buff to the back of it when I needed extra sun protection for my neck]
Sunglasses – [Revo wraparound glasses with polarized lenses – if I need more eye protection I will line the lens with duct tape]
Windproof Jacket – [Montbell Ultra-Lightweight Wind Jacket – 2.6 oz. – packs into a bundle small enough to fit in your fist. Serious warmth from a featherweight jacket]
Running/Trail Shoes – [Montrail, Continental Divide – I use a half size bigger than what I train in to accommodate for foot swelling (and will use every inch)]
Electrolytes for 7 days – [Succeed Electrolyte tabs – enough to take 1-2 every hour or so while running (double what I take in my Nor. Cal. environment) – these tabs have the highest grams of sodium and potassium per capsule so I can carry less and take them less often] – also see recovery drink…
Blister Aid Kit –
*[Injinji tsoks –Each toe has it’s own little, dry, friction-free, space in which to move and be happy.
*Elasticon tape – 3” – for heels and low back - a few feet or so wrapped around a chopped off chopstick
*Leukotape – 1.5” – for heels and toes - a few feet or so wrapped around a chopped off chopstick
*Tincture of benzoin (put this on the skin before the tape job and the tape will stick very well)
*Hydropel – lubricates as well as keeps moisture out
*Engo pads – these are wrapped around the heel cup of my orthodics for a frictionless surface: to prevent sub-callous-deep-heel-blisters from forming (the religiously-painful kind). You can use these pads for any part of your shoe that creates excess friction]
7 day supply of food - The race requires that we bring a minimum of 2000 calories per day; I will bring about 2500-3000 cal per day plus running food.
A typical day looks like the following:
Breakfast: hot cereal. Luxury item: JavaJuice coffee (www.javajuice.com), creamer
Running food (approx. 1000-2000 per day – more for the 50 mile day): Carbo Pro and Perpetuem powders – both are mixed into a thick paste and put in separate gel flasks. Clif Blocks which are my favorite treat when running, Gu2O sports drink and EFS sports drink, water (provided by race organization).
Post Run Recovery - my double secret weapon taken immediately following each day of running: Ultragen recovery drink (2 scoops – 320 calories) mixed with packet of Oral Rehydration Salts (the Salts are like taking an oral IV – sodium 3.5 g., potassium 1.5 g. and glucose 20 g.). Ultragen has the perfect 4/1 ratio of carbo/protein as well as a serious dose of minerals, vitamins and electrolytes – a perfect recovery drink with a light clean flavor easy to toss down in a few minutes. Will mix above with 2-3 liters of water and drink all within 30 min. of finishing running.
Post Run Snacks: chicken or miso soup powder with couscous added (soup is my comfort food) or ramen noodles. Luxury items: almonds, potato chips (Krinkle Cut Kettle Chips), sunflower seeds, salmon jerky, herb tea.
Dinner: Alpine Aire dehydrated meals of various types. Took the meals out of their bulky wrappers and put them in smaller zip lock bags – only will bring one with it’s original wrapper and reuse the foil wrapper to “cook” each nights meal.
Notice: I am not interested in anything sweet once I am done running (sans my recovery drink). Many people make the mistake of taking a lot of sweet snacks for post run and they never touch them. The body gets saturated with “sweet” when we run—and one ends up craving salt and fat instead.
Additional Stuff:
1 running shirt – Patagonia Airius short sleeve T-shirt – (after a couple days I
chopped holes in the front and neckline for ventilation)
2 running shorts – Patagonia long haul runners – one for running, one for camp.
Patagonia's Long Haul Runners
Photo Courtesy of Patagonia
After 2 days of running my running shorts stood up on their own…
1 long sleeve shirt – Patagonia Silk Weight Capilene long sleeve-T for night
2 Sports Bras – Patagonia mesh bra for running and Patagonia seamless bra for camp – both dry very quickly
Montbell U.L. Down Inner Series Jacket
2 pair Injinji tsoks/2 pair Wright Double Layer Socks
1 Buff – to wrap the head in sandstorms, cover neck while running, wash with, cover greasy hair with, wipe nose with, yada yada – excellent general multi-use item.
Thongs - 1 pair, cheap, light, plastic for camp
Watch - HighGear Axis– with Altimeter, Barometer, Compass, Temperature, Time,
Alarm, Chronograph – the perfect light bundle of useful information for this type of adventure
Gaiters – Custom made. Sewed Velcro around the outside rim of my running shoe upper and the other half of the Velcro to a specially made gaiter that extended out over the shoe upper to meet shoe Velcro. Thus the entire shoe upper as well as my ankle and upper ankle were covered. These work perfectly in all conditions.
2 handheld water bottles and 1-40 oz Nathan bladder – One bottle is carried in my hand and houses sports drink. The other, water as needed. The bladder with water, goes in my side mesh pouch and the tube placed in front of my chest for easy access. I will fill each at Check Points depending on the distance between checkpoints (if I needed more I’ll use race provided bottles).
2 gel flasks – for Carbo Pro and Perpetuem
A few compression straps for tying gear to outside of pack
Lip sunscreen – Dermatone SPF 23 – stays on longer than most. Kept it readily available in my shorts pocket.
Sunscreen – ProTech SPF 30. Non-greasy – doesn’t make you feel claustrophobic when hot. I will take sample packets so I can throw wrappers away each day to eliminate excess weight.
Drug Bag - Advil, Aleve, Cipro (just in case), Voltaren (lower back security blanket), Pepto Bismol tabs, 1st Endurance Optigen and Multi-V supplements.
Part of a Nalgene bottle (sawed off the top half). For tea, coffee, soup, hot food.
1 lightweight backpacking spoon (thanks Bugaboo!)
Wet Wipes – 2 per day. These are for daily “showering”
Toothbrush – half of handle sawed off
Toothpaste – very small travel tube
Dental Floss – can’t sleep if I don’t floss – also comes in handy if I need to sew anything – a length wrapped around a chopped off pencil
Duct Tape – a few feet or so wrapped around the above chopped off pencil
Sony Cyber-Shot – slim/light digital camera with an extra charged battery, carried on my pack waist strap in a small neoprene pouch.
Earplugs – silicon – to deal with snoring tent mates
Paper to write on
Pen
Favorite pair of running earrings
2 favorite necklaces, 1 good luck bracelet (my brother and sisters will all wear the same one while I race)
1/2 a comb (that I affectionately named “the rake” after a few days sans shower in the Sahara)
3 hair ties and a barrette
Chinese Money
Picture of Gryphon (my dog and favorite all-around buddy)
A few good jokes
Additional Stuff (personal items I’ve chosen to bring)
Note: If you followed my progress through the Sahara Desert last fall, you’ll notice that this gear list is quite similar with the addition of a few extra pieces of clothing for warmth at night in the Gobi. Making solid gear choices the first time around for an event of this format made prep for this upcoming event much more fluid.
Approx. pack weight at race start – 19-20 lbs.
Mandatory Equipment List (this are items required by the race organization):
My gear choices and why in [ ]
Backpack – [Gregory, ISO, 20 liter. The ISO is ultra-light, compact, comfortable with all the features necessary for an event of this type—including:
Gregory's ISO Backpack
Photo Courtesy of Gregory
*Mesh pouches on both sides of the pack for bottles. mesh zipper pouches on both sides of the waste belt for easy to reach running food
*Small, thin and light compression straps
*Rear zipper opening to allow you to refill your water bladder without removing the bladder from the pack
*Shoulder straps that are padded without overkill
*Outer expandable compartment that zips closed when not in use
*NO extra/unnecessary bells and whistles. Simple, complete, ultralight]
Sleeping Bag – [Montbell, U.L. Super Stretch Down Hugger #3;packs shockingly small, hugs the body for extra warmth, Minimum Temp: 32F, Total Weight: 1 lb 5 oz, Insulation: 725 Fill Down]
Mont-Bell U.L. Super Strech Down Sleeper
Photo Courtesy of Mont-Bell
Tights – Patagonia Silk Weight Capilene
Fleece Hat – Montbell
Gloves – Patagonia fleece glove liners
Headlamp and back-up headlamp – [Petzl Myo XP and a tiny pen light. The XP is light and small yet lights up the woods at night with 3 lighting levels. It uses 3, AA batteries that last for up to 170 hours – huge bang for its size, no need to bring back up batteries.
I am anticipating needing my main light for our 50-mile stage so it needs to be bright enough to run with. Got the smallest pen light I could find at a drug store.]
Compass – [my compass is in my HighGear Axis watch]
Safety pins (20)
Knife – [Spiderco Ladybug – I’ll use my knife quite a bit to cut plastic, clothing, food, tape, etc. so it needs to be light, sharp and small]
Whistle – [the smallest I could find – a piece of mandatory gear that will probably get a ride through the desert without ever being touched – BUT a good thing to have along in a pinch]
Space blanket – [smallest. Always carry a space blanket in any wilderness adventure. I have used mine countless times and it’s saved me from potential hypothermia. They are uncomfortable, non-breathable and loud, but are an excellent vapor barrier]
Signaling mirror – [a small piece of plastic mirror made for backpacking. I bought the full mirror at an outdoor store and chopped a small piece off - a piece of mandatory gear that will probably get a ride through the desert without ever being touched - BUT a good thing to have along in a pinch]
Baseball cap or similar – [Outdoor Research mesh running hat – pinned my Buff to the back of it when I needed extra sun protection for my neck]
Sunglasses – [Revo wraparound glasses with polarized lenses – if I need more eye protection I will line the lens with duct tape]
Windproof Jacket – [Montbell Ultra-Lightweight Wind Jacket – 2.6 oz. – packs into a bundle small enough to fit in your fist. Serious warmth from a featherweight jacket]
Running/Trail Shoes – [Montrail, Continental Divide – I use a half size bigger than what I train in to accommodate for foot swelling (and will use every inch)]
Electrolytes for 7 days – [Succeed Electrolyte tabs – enough to take 1-2 every hour or so while running (double what I take in my Nor. Cal. environment) – these tabs have the highest grams of sodium and potassium per capsule so I can carry less and take them less often] – also see recovery drink…
Blister Aid Kit –
*[Injinji tsoks –Each toe has it’s own little, dry, friction-free, space in which to move and be happy.
*Elasticon tape – 3” – for heels and low back - a few feet or so wrapped around a chopped off chopstick
*Leukotape – 1.5” – for heels and toes - a few feet or so wrapped around a chopped off chopstick
*Tincture of benzoin (put this on the skin before the tape job and the tape will stick very well)
*Hydropel – lubricates as well as keeps moisture out
*Engo pads – these are wrapped around the heel cup of my orthodics for a frictionless surface: to prevent sub-callous-deep-heel-blisters from forming (the religiously-painful kind). You can use these pads for any part of your shoe that creates excess friction]
7 day supply of food - The race requires that we bring a minimum of 2000 calories per day; I will bring about 2500-3000 cal per day plus running food.
A typical day looks like the following:
Breakfast: hot cereal. Luxury item: JavaJuice coffee (www.javajuice.com), creamer
Running food (approx. 1000-2000 per day – more for the 50 mile day): Carbo Pro and Perpetuem powders – both are mixed into a thick paste and put in separate gel flasks. Clif Blocks which are my favorite treat when running, Gu2O sports drink and EFS sports drink, water (provided by race organization).
Post Run Recovery - my double secret weapon taken immediately following each day of running: Ultragen recovery drink (2 scoops – 320 calories) mixed with packet of Oral Rehydration Salts (the Salts are like taking an oral IV – sodium 3.5 g., potassium 1.5 g. and glucose 20 g.). Ultragen has the perfect 4/1 ratio of carbo/protein as well as a serious dose of minerals, vitamins and electrolytes – a perfect recovery drink with a light clean flavor easy to toss down in a few minutes. Will mix above with 2-3 liters of water and drink all within 30 min. of finishing running.
Post Run Snacks: chicken or miso soup powder with couscous added (soup is my comfort food) or ramen noodles. Luxury items: almonds, potato chips (Krinkle Cut Kettle Chips), sunflower seeds, salmon jerky, herb tea.
Dinner: Alpine Aire dehydrated meals of various types. Took the meals out of their bulky wrappers and put them in smaller zip lock bags – only will bring one with it’s original wrapper and reuse the foil wrapper to “cook” each nights meal.
Notice: I am not interested in anything sweet once I am done running (sans my recovery drink). Many people make the mistake of taking a lot of sweet snacks for post run and they never touch them. The body gets saturated with “sweet” when we run—and one ends up craving salt and fat instead.
Additional Stuff:
1 running shirt – Patagonia Airius short sleeve T-shirt – (after a couple days I
chopped holes in the front and neckline for ventilation)
2 running shorts – Patagonia long haul runners – one for running, one for camp.
Patagonia's Long Haul Runners
Photo Courtesy of Patagonia
After 2 days of running my running shorts stood up on their own…
1 long sleeve shirt – Patagonia Silk Weight Capilene long sleeve-T for night
2 Sports Bras – Patagonia mesh bra for running and Patagonia seamless bra for camp – both dry very quickly
Montbell U.L. Down Inner Series Jacket
2 pair Injinji tsoks/2 pair Wright Double Layer Socks
1 Buff – to wrap the head in sandstorms, cover neck while running, wash with, cover greasy hair with, wipe nose with, yada yada – excellent general multi-use item.
Thongs - 1 pair, cheap, light, plastic for camp
Watch - HighGear Axis– with Altimeter, Barometer, Compass, Temperature, Time,
Alarm, Chronograph – the perfect light bundle of useful information for this type of adventure
Gaiters – Custom made. Sewed Velcro around the outside rim of my running shoe upper and the other half of the Velcro to a specially made gaiter that extended out over the shoe upper to meet shoe Velcro. Thus the entire shoe upper as well as my ankle and upper ankle were covered. These work perfectly in all conditions.
2 handheld water bottles and 1-40 oz Nathan bladder – One bottle is carried in my hand and houses sports drink. The other, water as needed. The bladder with water, goes in my side mesh pouch and the tube placed in front of my chest for easy access. I will fill each at Check Points depending on the distance between checkpoints (if I needed more I’ll use race provided bottles).
2 gel flasks – for Carbo Pro and Perpetuem
A few compression straps for tying gear to outside of pack
Lip sunscreen – Dermatone SPF 23 – stays on longer than most. Kept it readily available in my shorts pocket.
Sunscreen – ProTech SPF 30. Non-greasy – doesn’t make you feel claustrophobic when hot. I will take sample packets so I can throw wrappers away each day to eliminate excess weight.
Drug Bag - Advil, Aleve, Cipro (just in case), Voltaren (lower back security blanket), Pepto Bismol tabs, 1st Endurance Optigen and Multi-V supplements.
Part of a Nalgene bottle (sawed off the top half). For tea, coffee, soup, hot food.
1 lightweight backpacking spoon (thanks Bugaboo!)
Wet Wipes – 2 per day. These are for daily “showering”
Toothbrush – half of handle sawed off
Toothpaste – very small travel tube
Dental Floss – can’t sleep if I don’t floss – also comes in handy if I need to sew anything – a length wrapped around a chopped off pencil
Duct Tape – a few feet or so wrapped around the above chopped off pencil
Sony Cyber-Shot – slim/light digital camera with an extra charged battery, carried on my pack waist strap in a small neoprene pouch.
Earplugs – silicon – to deal with snoring tent mates
Paper to write on
Pen
Favorite pair of running earrings
2 favorite necklaces, 1 good luck bracelet (my brother and sisters will all wear the same one while I race)
1/2 a comb (that I affectionately named “the rake” after a few days sans shower in the Sahara)
3 hair ties and a barrette
Chinese Money
Picture of Gryphon (my dog and favorite all-around buddy)
A few good jokes
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2 Comments:
you go girl - offering up my workouts for you this week!!! Take it on!!! Sitting here in the comforts of the N Cal environ hoping you are well and knowing that you will shine!! LOve the bracelette!!! Hope that you read this Steph!! With you in Spirit - Terri - Jane
AHhhhhh - a fellow Java Juice compatriate ! - Great stuff, but your link is wrong, as it is http://www.javajuiceextract.com/ - keep on keepin' on !
Michael Jahn
Simi Valley, California
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