We caught up with HydraPak athlete Jeff Stern after his recent third place finish at Cascade Crest 100 to chat about his hydration strategy. As a seasoned ultra runner, Jeff was able to give us some key insights into how he prepares for hot Summer races, including what's important leading up to the race and how to keep yourself hydrated mile after mile.
Can you share a bit about yourself and your running experiences?
I’ve considered myself an athlete for my whole life, but didn’t get into endurance
sports until my early twenties. First, I got hooked at the Tahoe Trail 100 which qualified me for the Leadville 100 MTB — the first two mountain bike races of my life. The historic Dipsea race in my hometown of Mill Valley introduced me to trail running in 2009 and I did my first 50k ultra in 2017. I consider myself a jack of all trades, master of none type athlete. I love dabbling in new distances!
I ran my first longer ultra at the 2019 Black Canyon 100k and it went horribly. I ran my first 100-miler at the 2023 Javelina Jundred and it went great!
How do you plan your training, hydration and nutrition?
This has evolved over the years and even more recently in the last year or two. I really made it a focus in my build towards Javelina to train my gut, in the sense of fueling and hydrating each day out as if I was running a much longer distance. I can unequivocally say it paid off. I learned and became accustomed to high carb fueling and reaffirmed that I am a very salty sweater, so I need a lot of electrolytes in my bottles.
I’m at a point in my career where I do appreciate a certain amount of high-level training programming and planning, but I don’t feel as if I need day-to-day guidance because of my vast experience. A little bit of spontaneity and flexibility goes a long way in keeping the mind engaged.
Tell us about your 2024 Race Calendar:
This year has been a busy one, per usual! I’ve been racing since January, where I started my season off with a win at the 30th Mountain Mist 50k in Alabama. I then went back to Black Canyon 100k to slay some demons and find redemption in the form of a well executed race and big personal best at the distance. I then traveled to the PNW for the 30th Chuckanut 50k where I ran another personal best and finished 6th in a very deep field.
Switching gears I ran the Boston Marathon for the second consecutive year and although I didn’t get the faster time I was looking for, I finished 100 places higher than in 2023 (it was a hot year). I followed that up with my first ever Bay to Breakers, the Marin Mile, and my 16th consecutive Dipsea where I finished in 11th for the second straight year.
Then I did Mount Marathon in Alaska for the fourth time and I just ran the Cascade Crest 100 in Washington finishing in third place. Up next is the Angeles Crest 100 on Saturday!
Cascade Crest was your first real mountain race. How did it compare to the other races you have tackled?
I can really only compare it to two events I’ve done. Javelina, my first hundred last year and when I went for the Backbone Trail FKT (68-miles) in 2020. Compared to those events, I really focused on super easy pacing in the first half, hiked a lot with poles, and stayed on my hydration and nutrition plan so that I could compete once the sun went down. I moved into third place at around mile 77 and started really racing there.
Knowing the terrain and potential for warm weather, how did you train and prepare for the race?
The best way I can prepare myself for hotter conditions is to run in the middle of the day and to take advantage of sauna sessions 1-2x per week. The other part of that is practicing fueling and hydrating during those hot runs like you’re going to do on race day. Finally, practicing your cooling protocol; getting wet, wearing sun sleeves, ice bandanas…essentially anything you can do to keep your core temperature down when the heat index is really rising.
How did the heat impact your performance during the race? What challenges did you face with hydration?
I never really felt hot all day because I was constantly wet, had ice in my sun sleeves, hat, and bandana, which enabled me to continue eating and drinking on a regular schedule to keep my energy levels consistent throughout.
Hydration is one of my strong suits and I feel like my plan was really solid. I had two flasks in my vest and one in my waist belt. One had water, the other high carb or electrolyte drink, and the third typically had ginger ale or ginger beer. I like taking small sips and rotating what I’m consuming to keep it fresh.
What is your go to for gear for races like this?
I typically love the SpeedFlask for shorter races, but for Cascade with long distances between aid stations I went with a vest. Also to carry more liquid, I opted for the 600ml Speed Ultraflask so that I could carry an extra 300ml across the three bottles.
What were your key takeaways regarding hydration from Cascade Crest 100?
Biggest takeaway was that eating and drinking early and often in small bits, akin to an IV drip, really helps to keep the energy levels consistent without any big dips or spikes. It takes a 20 hour race and turns it into 10-15 minute chunks that easily distract my mind from the task at hand and make it feel very manageable. Second biggest takeaway was how helpful poles are in mountainous terrain but going up and on technical downs — it’s like four-wheel drive!
Will the terrain and weather be similar at Angeles Crest? Will you need to make any changes to your hydration strategy?
Terrain is similar at Angeles, but maybe slightly less technical. It goes up to higher altitude early on, but most of the race is run at around the same altitude as Cascade. There’s less shade and it will be hotter, so sticking to the cooling protocol and fueling/hydrating will be absolutely critical for success. I plan to follow the same strategy as I did at Cascade Crest. It worked well and I’m going to try and replicate it again. If anything, that third bottle at every aid station will be even more critical.
What advice do you have for other runners who are running or racing in the heat?
Bring more than you need. It’s always better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. If you have extra water that you’re not going to drink, you can always use it for topical cooling. Salt tabs can be a life saver, too. I take one every thirty minutes during a long run or race. Chances are you’re not getting enough sodium from your food/drink alone (take a sweat test to confirm). It’s nice to supplement along the way for sure.
I think on hot days you should always have a bottle with you. It’s good reinforcement of what you’ll need to do on race day. The more your practice, the more second nature it will be for you. The idea is to make hydrating and fueling fun, easy and something you look forward to. That’s going to set you up for success when it counts most.
Any other tips for hydrating that you can share?
Hydration is life — even when I’m not running I’m thinking about staying hydrated. I just feel better during the day, no matter what I’m doing. I love the collapsible Flux or Stow, which make it easy to always have water with me. If you’re hydrated going into your runs or rides, you’re much more likely to feel better and enjoy them. Ultimately, enjoyment is what we’re all striving for anyway, so hydration is a clear path towards finding that fun.
Thank you Jeff. You can follow along with Jeff's upcoming races on his Instagram - @uponward.
