How Nuun's Bill Dittman Prepares for His Ultra-Running Adventures
In this special series of blog posts, Nuun’s very own Bill Dittman shares how he came to love ultra-running and how he’s preparing for FOUR different ultra-running events in 2021.
My name is Bill Dittman and I am a huge fan of the trails, which is how I ended up in the crazy world of ultra-running. I didn’t grow up doing track or cross country and I only began getting interested in running in my 20’s. I moved to Arizona in 2012 where my love of running really started to take off. By 2014 I ran my first ultramarathon AND began working for this very rad electrolyte slinging crew known as Nuun.
In the 7 years since my first ultra, I’ve run 50K/50 mile/100K/100 mile/120 mile distances in the US and Canada. Ultra-running, to me, isn’t all about races though. I also enjoy setting up routes that feel interesting to me and occasionally shooting for a FKT (fastest known time). A few achievements that I’m most proud of include:
- I was the first person to double up the Black Canyon 100K. I started running from the finish line the afternoon BEFORE the race. I arrived at the start line 30 minutes before the race started, and I turned around and ran the actual race back for a grand total of 200K/120 miles – (link to race report)
- I ran and won a “fatass” style 100-mile race in San Diego with no crew, no pacers, no course markings and only 5 aid stations – (link to race report)
- I hold the 44.5 mile FKT for the Ice Age Trail segment that goes through Waukesha County in Wisconsin, which is where I currently live – (link to FKT)
With the rise in popularity of ultramarathons, some of the most notable races require entering a lottery process. After several unlucky years in a few different lotteries, my 2021 is shaping up to be an exciting year! In May, I will be running the inaugural Cocodona 250 mile run in Arizona. In June, I’ll be lining up for the Western States Endurance Run in Northern California. Then I’ll be heading out to Badwater 135 in July to crew and pace for a fellow Nuunie who is running across Death Valley, Ryan Fecteau. To finish off the year, I’ll be heading over to France in August to run the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB).
To hydrate these adventures, I will DEFINITELY be consuming all the Nuun. My go-to product is the Nuun Endurance line. It contains a little more calories and carbohydrates than our tablets, which is great during the long efforts. I really like the non-caffeinated Lemon Lime and Citrus Mango flavors, and the caffeinated Strawberry Lemonade flavor when I need a little pick-me-up. Nuun Endurance avoids the sweetness overload, which allows me to continue consuming it for hours on end. I also always have a sachet or two of Nuun Instant Watermelon on me, in case I get dehydrated and need to get my electrolytes back on track quickly.
If you want to follow along with my adventures, you can follow me on Instagram (@bdittman13). If you are going to be at any of these races, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Always happy to meet new friends in the running community!
