Brian, The Busy Beaver Taxi Co. is $85 to go to the airport on Monday.Tough trying to get info, but that is what he said. The number is 605-890-0753. I called the Best Western in Hot Springs and no (like we are use to) shuttle services (that they know of) and I then pursued to get more info. and we can up with this. Good Luck (Maybe other hotels or call co-race directors for ideas?

Louis, sorry I hadn't responded (haven't been on this site in a while and didn't see your post). Since we last corresponded, I've run 51 miles of the Black Hills 100 (it was pretty tough - I'm looking forward to flatter, faster and cooler at Lean Horse!) and all of Leadville Silver Rush 50 Mile (even tougher than Black Hills), but finished.

Good job! I'm not against hills, however at my age there is a certain amount of enjoyment in long runs with some hills and 60 degree weather. See you at Lean Horse. Lou

I got some feed back that 47 miles is good to have your headlamp ready for pick up.

Very little of Lean Horse is shaded - probably well less than 10%. Aid stations are plentiful; only thing I'll do in my drop bags for hydration is to make sure I have Gu Brew (aid stations will have more than enough water, sports drink, soda - you want to make sure you have the kind you like/use). I put a softsided cooler in each of my drop bags (with a bag of ice); it allows me to have very cold drinks of my choosing (really enjoy a Starbucks frappucino later in the race). I didn't wear gators last year and probably won't this year. Unless you kick up rocks by dragging your feet, rocks in shoes are a minimal issue. For me, greater issue is heat (and gators - even those that are lightweight - hold in heat). I wore them the first year and didn't the second year. Again, it's a matter of preference, but I don't recall ever having to remove a rock from my shoe last year (maybe a few toenails!).

You running this Lean Horse this year (100M?) or Badlands? Thanks for the info, I think then heat aspect is a good one for the gators. I really appreciate the knowledge of no "cover", so I can adjust training to this. Toenails off already, no problem here. So how many drop bags do you use and do you get them back...what is the procedure? Thanks, so much! Lou

Louis, I'm running Black Hills 100 later this month and Lean Horse 100 in August. With respect to drop bags, I think they allow 3 (you'll pass each of them twice - once out and once back). As you go through the aid station on the return trip to the finish, the people working the aid station take your bag, load it on a truck and make sure it's back at the finish when you get there. Let me know if there's anything else I can help with. Mark

Mark,Your a good man...I'll try to follow Black Hills...they say it's that tough...Lean Horse, upon recovery, should be fast for you! What are you looking at for times from Black Hills and then Lean Horse (30 hours and under?)

Louis, no idea what I should expect at Black Hills with more than 16,000 feet of climbing. I'll be happy with a 24-28 hour finish. With Lean Horse, under 24 would be good.

Mark, The "man" to know...would a plan for Lean Horse be an 11:30 to 12 pace up till noon and then (if it's hot or hotter than 80 degrees) a pace slower of 13.30 till cooler temps of night (5 pm) sound good or a straight 12:30 pace be better? What worked for you...again Thanks!

Louis, can't advise you regarding your pace, but know that - around 10:00 a.m. last year, I started backing it off a bit (increasing walking intervals) and kept it throttled back through the mid-afternoon (temperature peaks in the late afternoon). On your way back from the turnaround, you got primarily an uphill grade with the most significant grade from the base of Crazy Horse to the top (that's where I plan on power walking, eating as much as I can, and hydrating); once you crest at Crazy Horse, you've got a downhill grade for most of the next 5 miles (it was my fastest section of the course). So...short answer is that I started out at a comfortable pace (slight uphill grade for the first several miles - and you are running at 4000 feet above sea level), backed it off through the midday (10-4:00) and then picked it up as it cooled.

Thank you, Mark..gonna go look at Black Hills, again to keep up with your journey...I know I will have another question later so you can answer whenever...taper well and Good Luck in Black Hills! Lou

Louis, everything you ask is a matter of personal preference. I like to have clothes available to change; at Lean Horse, you may need to do this because of differences in daytime/nighttime temperatures. A lot of folks change simply because they feel better when they change shirt/shorts/etc. On this trail, it's not a bad idea to change shoes/socks 1-2 times; the dust generates friction which can promote blistering. With regard to a light, it's personal preference. I've not seen many red lights, although I understand that there are some benefits at night. Nutrition is heavily individual; do what works for you. With all of your questions, my encouragement would be to get a few 50 mile or 100K events under your belt, try out different clothes, shoes, nutrition, lights, etc. and do what works for you.

Thanks, Mark...always wanting to learn from experiences of others and myself: a lot safer, too!

Louis, one last thought - I'd strongly encourage you to do as much training as possible on hard pack trail, mimicking the Lean Horse course. It's not a trail race per se (most of the course is a rails-to-trails conversion, comprised of hard-packed gravel. Both years I run it, I found that road shoes worked better than trail shoes - at least until I got the Argyle Aid Station for the last 16 miles of the race (when trail or road shoes are equally good). Just a thought...

Mark, I left my comment at the top, sorry...