Ultra/Everyone Items to Bring

• SIGNED EVENT WAIVER!!!
• A BIG thank you for the splendid volunteers
• A sharp eye to see all the ribbons/flags/signs (especially the sign, dammit) (the run takes longer when you're lost)
• A big box of baby wipes - great for cleaning up in between runs and much better than toilet paper (or leaves!) if nature calls. BUT! LEAVE NO TRACE! Don't leave anything in the woods except your footprints!
• A crew person with dry socks and food if you like or train with something specific. It may not always be on the course!
• A first aid kit with blister pads, band aids, antiseptic spray, icy-hot type ointment, insect repellent, POISON IVY BLOCK, POISON IVY SOAP (Try IvyX, since Bert's Bees quit making their awesome soap.), sunscreen, ace bandages, instant ice packs, pain relievers, and Solarcaine (relieves the pain of minor scratches)
• A Good compass. You'll need it after the locals move the course markings
• A map of the area if your crew is directionally challenged
• A sense of humor (the relay people go lots faster - get used to the idea of having rabbits run past you)
• At least 2 and probably 3 pairs of shoes. – Either alternate pairs throughout the day or just to have an emergency pair or 2 in case something blows out during your run
• Cellular phone – Make sure it works!
• Bandana (for head/wipe sweat/cuts/anything at all!)
• Camera, I got some of the greatest shots at last year’s DWD. I feel that if you are going to be working your butt off like you are, you should have proof of it for posterity
• Carry two bottles of sports drink/water at all times, and drink regularly.
• Detailed county road maps
• Electrolyte capsules if it's hot
• Extra clothes, socks and shoes
• Extra copies of the maps. One to pin to yourself in case you get lost and someone finds you
• Flashlight
• Fresh fruit, candy, snacks, sport drink and lots of water
• Gear drop bag
• Gloves if it's cold
• Hats can be nice on some of the rougher terrain routes. Lower your head & crash through the briars.  Also, protection from the sun and deer flies.
• Plastic bags for the smelly spent running gear after use.
• Towel for during the event and for a swim and shower afterwards
• Water, Water, Water (for rehydrating and for cleaning up the scrapes resulting from the inevitable chin-digger)
• A couple of beers for finish (or during!) and a good attitude.
• A good map
• A safety first attitude (the traffic and people at exchanges can be challenging to negotiate)
• After each leg of the race, and BEFORE I put on a change of clothes, I had a wash basin in the back of my van with some wash rags and hand towels. I would simply treat my weary and sweaty/stinky bod to a little TLC. Then, I would put my fresh running gear on. Sounds a little anal? Well, the pampering paid off for me because I felt fresh and rejuvenated after my little "ritual" between legs
• Air mattress (have to stay at the campground -- need good night's sleep)
• Bail money
• Bear repellant
• Cigar to keep the bugs away when you are lost
• Cigarettes to use as barter for directions from inmates
• Duct Tape - a number of uses: to shut up a fellow team mate, to fix worn out shoes, to use as bandages, and to hang signs.
• Flare gun to signal rescue team at night
• Good sense of direction, coupled with a good attitude!
• GPS (or at least a Lo-jack so that we could find our lost runners)
• Lotsa water - not just for drinking, but for washing mud, blood, poison ivy, snake bites
• Paper Towels
• Patience
• Race directions
• Smoked Oysters and crackers to share with other lost souls.
• Something salty (I prefer Pepperidge Farm Goldfish)
• Sweat suit (so you don't cool down)
• Tootsie rolls and a REAL Coke
• Your humility and your sense of humor -- doesn't matter how well prepared you think you are, you're probably still no match for this course
• A 30’ RV
• Bring a bathing suit for a swim after the finish, unless you're the unabashed sort. A dip in the lake/river feels great, but nylon running shorts offer about the same covering level as a coat of wet paint
• Body glide
• Bug spray
• Carry a course map in your fanny pack. Carrying a map gives you something to refer to, besides another lost runner, after you've realized you're lost
• Encouragement for struggling runners. Especially if it's you
• GU
• Power Bars & Plenty of fluids
• Rain/foul weather gear (although not needed)
• Sunglasses
• Sun block lotion (helps keep you cooler in the sun)
• Toilet paper
• Vaseline
  
  

Relay Items to Bring

• EVENT WAIVER SIGNED BY ALL TEAMMATES!!!
  
• Extra clothes, socks and shoes for each leg you are running.
• A designated-driver -- this year we think we'll try to draft a non-participating runner from our local Club to do all the driving for us. That way we can involve one more person in the day's madness and not have to do any driving ourselves ... save ourselves for our next section out on the course.
• An extra car key or two. Make sure that a team member who is not out running has a key.
• An intimate knowledge of the first leg, gained from having your lead runner run the leg the day before.
• Boom box.
• Bring a driver/camera man - you can't have just the 5 runners and "enjoy" taking pictures and driving to the next exchange, too. Your next turn comes so quickly that there is little time besides recovery time and preparation (stretching, etc) time.
• Bring something to cover up the seats in your car -- plastic trash bags, old table cloths, etc. Otherwise your car will smell like a hockey locker room for several weeks following the race. In my experience, regular towels don't work very well for this purpose. Too much sweat soaks through.
• Conditioning for a half marathon race, or longer.
• DO NOT BRING: A very serious competitive must-win attitude. Hello there!
• Flip flops to wear between each leg.
• Food, but light stuff such as fruit, nuts, crackers, Power bars, bagels, GU, something with protein (sandwich stuff or cheese), lots of beverages, ice, a big water jug and a giant Gatorade container.
• Giant cooler filled with ice and smaller water bottles. If it's hot, people may want to carry water with them.
• GREAT FRIENDS TO RUN WITH BECAUSE IT IS A VERY LONG DAY
• I didn't do this last year but, health willing, if I run DWD this year, I will bring along my porta-potty to put in the back of my van. Last year, when nature called, not all of the hand-off points were "nature boy" friendly...but, when you gotta go, you gotta go!! So, if your support vehicle can accommodate, the portable toilet would be a winner.
• Lots of patience and a sense of humor. The exchange locations can be a major traffic jam.
• Lots of room to stretch out -- last year we rented a huge van (like a 12 or 14 passenger size) from Rent-a-Wreck for the day -- I think it cost us about $10 each. It was well worth the couple bucks and gave us loads of extra interior space which we pretty quickly trashed.
• Pencil/paper
• Poster board and a variety of colored marking pens (to make signs to trash the Trail Tramps)
• Small lawn chairs to use while waiting for your runner at the exchange points. (We didn't think to bring these last year and were very, VERY envious of the folks who did.)
• Money to tip the Pinckney Track team for rinsing you off after Leg 6 (Hell Relay Only).
• Mountain climbing equipment (particularly handy on that section of "The Beast" and "Repeat the Beast" that we affectionately refer to as "The Elevator Shaft").
• Well thought out strategy of who runs which segment at what times