Wrapping my head (and stomach ) around it

Many of the questions I received surround what I ate, and how I prepared myself mentally for what was about to do.
The first one is easiest.  I practiced with all the foods I was going to take so I knew that my digestive system could and would function well on light weight, high calorie foods.  That being said.. my menu plan went out the window after the first day.
I learned a valuable lesson on my second ever 50K, the Run on the Sly, late summer of 2010.  At mile 26 aid station there was DELICIOUS looking water melon floating in ice water.  Those who know me closely know this story. In go a couple of boiled potato pieces at the aid station, and along with me go a couple of hunks of water melon.  Exactly .2 miles later my stomach responded with a WHAT THE.. oooooowaaaaaaaaa. And out came all of it, taking the wind out of my sales (and everything out of my stomach). My erstwhile coach, Bev Anderson-Abbs, Western States champion and elite ultra runner, when learning of the debacle, responded with the first of two quotes I will forever remember her for: "had you TRAINED with  water melon Ed?????"
The second quote was "Of course 50 miles is a long way.. why do you think we invented cars?"... but thats another story.
Back to MdS cuisine.  At the outset I planned on Natures Path Organic Oatmeal with Flax (Instant) for breakfast along with some Starbucks "Via" instant coffee to start the day.  Lunch would be Top Ramen, only chicken flavor, and Cliff Bars for snacks with a Cliff "Builder" Protein bar at the end of the day.  Dinner would be an assortment of Backpackers Pantry meals, all some combo of Chicken and Rice. At the end of Stage One I saw that the oatmeal was not sufficent and stopping for "lunch" simply didnt happen.  All the energy gels I brought were simply taking up room (and precious weight) in my pack.
Day two brought a bout a change that thankfully I had prepared for.  Out went the energy gels and the oatmeal.  Breakfast was now Top Ramen and coffee...laugh if you will but I never "bonked" the whole race. Lunch, and my saving treat became my "trail mix" of soy nuts, sunflower seeds, almond slivers, M&Ms (wouldnt melt) and cut up "sweedish fish" candy.  They seemed to stand up to the heat better than gummy somethings....This approach served me (pun intended) really well since I had trained with all of it and I never had any digestive craziness the whole week. Leaving me plenty of time to focus on my blisters!!!
As to the second question.. how did I prepare mentally? I will speak to this later during the stage reports but suffice it to say that you cant really prepare yourself for how hard this event is.  There is nothing remotely like it in my experience. I keep coming back to a bumper sticker I saw about 6 months before the race that stuck with me..
"You never know how strong you can be...until you have no choice but to be strong."

Stay tuned and run happy!