Moab 240 & the Triple Crown of 200's with MPF Athlete Joe Del Conte
For 4 days we supported one of our athletes at the Moab 240! The word Inspiring doesn’t even come close to the feeling we had while watching all of the runners and their support systems out there night after night, day after day as they made their way from the hot desert to the high La Sal Mountains on one continuous 238 mile loop. It was a powerful reminder that we are capable of so much more! Whether in life or in ultra!
Congratulations to Joe Del Conte for finishing the 238 mile loop, 28 hours prior to the cut off, placing in top 25 overall and completing the triple crown of 200’s. Your positive spirit and inner strength to persevere with the attitude of a warrior was electrifying. Shout out to his wife LuLu and all crews/pacers for driving endless miles, staying up most of the time, caring for blistered feet, etc.
Snapshot into Joe’s training from Coach Elizabeth Azze
Joe was on top of his sleep, nutrition and stress levels throughout training. This was imperative to be able to recover well and load him appropriately.
In the beginning we worked solely on strength, mobility and cross training, then we began power hiking with loads using strategic hiking routes and a treadmill.
When moving from one event to the next, we made sure his movement patterns were not affected meaning there were no glaring asymmetries. Squatting, single leg, rolling patterns, TGU (for control and mobility).
Leading into Moab, we did a fair bit of running, seeing how the elevation profile was a lot less, but the added 40 miles would need to be taken seriously.
Joe performed strength and mobility work 3x per week.
Getting him to the starting line in one piece was only one part of the puzzle! Joe's experience, mental fortitude and drive got him to the finish line.
Races completed in 2022
A few thoughts from Joe
“The final piece of the triple crown. As hard as it was, I never wavered from the goal of finishing. The heat and sun were relentless. Mostly exposed throughout. The only reprieve from the sun was at night. Sandy washes and beautiful views of and in the La Sal mountains. I never knew Utah had such beautiful mountains! I only got about 2 maybe 3 hours of total sleep in the 85 hours that it took me to finish. A few unsuccessful trail naps and a few longer sleeps in the crew vehicle yet I still had the energy to keep moving.
Nutrition was always on point thanks to many Spring energy. I never get tired of eating them. Veggie burgers, potato wraps and some vegan breakfast burritos made up the other half of my calories. Dehydration was a different story early on. I thought I was drinking enough, but the first night I was severely dehydrated. My urine was brown to almost dark red. Even after drinking gallons of water that first day. I was a bit nervous that it could get worse, but after speaking to the medic, and upping my tailwind and water it eventually cleared up and stayed clear for the rest of the race.
Feet had some blisters/hot spots which I had taped up by the amazing medical staff. I can’t say enough about them. They’ve always taken great care of my feet! The last 18 miles were a pretty technical section that was pretty hard on my feet. It caused them to swell up some. But a half sized bigger shoe helped compensate for that. Sprinting the last 3.5 miles to the finish was the icing on the cake.
I have to thank my wife Lulu Mg for pacing and crewing and just all around taking care of me, my feet and my mental health. My coach Elizabeth & Joe Azze / Mountain Peak Fitness for pacing, crewing, videographer and moral support. It was a team effort for sure!
I’m sorta happy that it’s over. But sad at the same time. Overall full of joy that I completed it. With the help of my wife, I dedicated and sacrificed a year of my life for this. And it was well worth it. A few days removed and I would say that I could see myself running the triple crown again some day.”