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wannabe ultra runner?
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Hope it goes well Seren. Snap on the tight calf (and down into ankle) - in my case after a trot round some big hills in Yorkshire. Off to physio tomorrow evening in the hope that she will be able to nip it in the bud!
I am thinknig about how to train for the fling- april, 53 miles. 2,300 m / 7,500 ft elevation.
Complicating factors:
1. I am not good on hills
.
2.My knee seems a bit crocked after doing 2 ultras in fairly quick succession ( 42 mile clyde stride- during which I mildly tore a calf muscle, making me limp up hills sideways, thus knackering my knee), followed by the Glen Ogle 33 miler ( hilly!). I am not sure it will hold up to high- mileage training!
3. I am slow -My longest race so far was the glasgow to Edin- earlier thisyear, shich I did in 11:34.- It is pan- flat, though.
4. I am going on holiday for a week ( ski trpi to norway) 3 weeks before.
5. I'm a surgeon, and my job is averaging about 70hours per weeek, some of my operations mean being on my feet for more than 8 hours, and on- call means about 1 in 6 nights is disturbed, occaisionallly with no sleep at all.
SO:
The plan so far-
Finish a 4 week spell of total abstinence from running, that started the day after the last race- I am 2 weeks nito this, my knee is much better, and I am beginning to get twitchy- I will get to the gym and do spinning/ strength/ stretching/ pool running for 2 more weeks ( and perhaps try to lose some weight).
Then:
Mondays- run to/ from work ( 6miles each way)/intervals on tready -depends on on cal comitments and weather
Tuesdays- nothing/ HIIT/ core work
Wednesdays- spin class
Thursdays- moring off- so build up to running 2-3 reps of the local hill- it is 6 miles / 342 m ascent for a single rep.
Friday - rest
Saturday long run- try to get out to some of the recce runs on the race route, but realistically these long runs will stick at about 3 hrs until after jan, I might try 1 or 2 longer ones, but these will be the exception.
Sunday- rest.
Any suggestions?
I have no hope of sticking to any ultra trainig plan I've ever seen, and in the past have managed my ultras on 3 runs per week, mostly peaking at only about 32 miles per week.
I know if I could do more, it would be better, but I remain nervous about breaking down if I do too much. I just want to be comfortably inside the cut off for the fling, and not suffer too much! I would very much like not to be last, but if I have to run wuth the sweepers, itwon't be the first time! ( and the craik is good at the back)
I decis
1: practise
2: walk
3: who cares
4: good start to the taper
5: yikes, good luck!!
6: perfect endurance practise
PLAN: just do what you can, when you are in a week or two with not much running, then up the intensity to make up for the lack of distance
hills are always good.
Yes= practice on the hills is a must- bear in mind I started as a treadmill runner ( 10 years ago), and gradualted to doing most of my longer runs on roads or flat canal paths, but I've never been too keen on hills, 'cos of my crappy knees- hopefully by now they're a bit tougher than they were, and the recent twinges are nothing to worry about longer term.
Think I will start with a couple of walks up the local hills while I'm off running the next couple of weeks- I've just spent a week in Italy, with a couple of 4hour walks thrown in, so shouldn'r have lost all fitness despite the pasta and wine consumed!
i'm not a hill person either most of my runs are along side a canal so flat as a pancake. Must get back into a weekly at least hill run.
How's everyone doing now the sun has gone into hiding for a few months? Training still going to plan? Loving or hating the cooler weather?
I don't enjoy the cool weather. It's the rain I dislike the most. Perversely I run much better when it's cool. I've been maintaining over 50 miles per week thanks to my healthy fear of the thames trot
Enjoying the cooler weather and running in the dark and loving running up the hills, not so much down. Living in Sheffield it is hard not to have to go up/down a hill during any run. Just started my Manchester marathon training plan which is my focus for the early part of the year in an attempt to get under 3:30. It's an extended plan (22 weeks I think) as I will be doing one week hard and one week easy; this is to protect my dodgy ITB which hasn't totally gone away in the last 2 years.
Then, my plan is to run the St Cuthberts Way ultra in July (46 miles), Ultra Tour of the Peak District (50k) in August and Harmoors 60 (60 miles) in August.
That's a fun looking summer carterusm.
Know what you mean about the IT Band, mine doesn't cause any problems, but it's always just there .... slightly tight occasionally, never enough to stop me doing anything, just occasionally makes me pause to think.
I'm not enjoying the mud already! Do most of my runs on footpaths and everywhere is so slippery and slidey now! Makes it difficult to get above a plod for most of my runs. I'm going to have to incorporate a bit more road into some runs, but I get really bored on the road. Next main aim for me is Winter Tanners in January as build up to the Fellsman in April (plus a few LDWA type marathons along the way).
I lost. All of October due to a bad cold. Done far less than I should have in November I'm averaging low 30s this month and I should be peaking.
so will have to try to up my game over the next couple of weeks, going to also be getting as much walking as possible in as well.
Hi all. I occasionally lurk on this thread as I keep considering moving up to ultras. For those other than Booktrunk, that may not know about the Galloway stuff mentioned below, it is an approach to running that strategically uses run/walk/run at the core of its training. Look up Jeff Galloway's official site for details. It is great for marathon and ultra running.
Booktrunk
Just saw your comment about doing lots of walking and I know you have shown a passing interest in the Jeff Galloway stuff. I am in very preliminary discussions about starting a group up in Yorkshire. In my explorations for this I came across the U.S. National Programme Manager Chris Twiggs. If anyone thought the Galloway stuff was for whimps, take a look at him on the Internet, especially his Facebook page. Impressive stuff- Ironman, Hardrock 100, loads of marathons. Thought you might be interested.
Thanks
When is the race Si48? I'd suggest following a marathon plan for a 50k. Make sure you are able to fuel well during the run- geks are a bit sickly for longer than marathon distance, and you are probably better to try to get used to "proper" food - I used Clif bars, flap jacks, and percy piglets- everyone varies, but because you are going just that little bit slower, you ca generally absorb food better.
Got brooks hellrunner in Jan to prepare for first and then it'll be fully focused on the 50
So.. You are concentrating on a 10-12m race and will then spend 2 months - taper - recovery from your Jan race to prepare for your first 50k
..... So umm errr you aren't going to fit many long slow runs in are you?
Good Luck... Personally I'd treat the January thing as just a training run as part of a longer plan and get going with some reasonable length runs now.
Don't kill yourself for a pb, beat last years time slightly save some energy, because your gonna need it
Trying to decide what to do about shoes- I've bought a pair of Brooks Cascadia without realising they were a lower heel drop than my Brooks adrenaline ASR's- I suspect that I'm now going to end up having to change shoes half way through the fling, as I think I will need the adrenaline's for the long flattish bit in the middle, but grip- wise the Cascadia are much better for the steeper bits nearer the end.
Wish I could find something that has the grippy soles of the Cascadia, but with the fit and heel drop of the Adrenalines.................GRrrrrrrrrr.
Any suggestions?
Then pepare for the 50k the same way you would for a marathon as they are very similar races.
My training would be very similar for marathon, 50k or 50 miles.
tricialitt - thinking about your 'long flattish bit' ... Although it might look flat on the map the middle section of the Fling is technical terrain with lots of small climbs, steps, rocks, and tree roots. You'd do well to have something grippy throughout. Miles 6-12 are about the only ones where you wish you were in road shoes.
Great event - I'm sure you will enjoy it.
I've got a few ideas lined up for ultras in 2015, including my first one in the US. I will post what they are once I have satisfactorily entered them which I haven't yet.
Thanks TRex- I'm planning to get out there more to see it's like underfoot, and trying out the Cascadias on some of my long runs. I'm not good on slippy surfaces if I don't feel secure, so I suspect I will use the Cascadias for as much of it as I can. They make a huge difference to how runnable the local steeper hilly paths are.
My other half will be comnig up in the car- I could always phone him and ask him to meet me with a different pair of shoes if I'm not coping. (I've paid my extra tenner to be allowed to have a car along, so may as well fill the car up with spare shoes/ socks/ etc).
Hi all,
Just thought I'd pop on and introduce myself here - I've been hanging around the triathlon part of the forum for the last year as I did my first iron-distance event in August! I have set myself the challenge for 2015 of completing a 100km event - so yesterday I signed up for the Roseland August Trail (R.A.T.) event.
Looking forward to getting stuck back into training after a few months of being quite lazy!
Spent 4 very wet hours recce'ing the middle section of the Fling course- involved a lot of wading through ice- cold streams, and at one point, wading on the edge of the Loch!
Lots of steps, tree roots, rocks, etc- great fun, cold and wet afterwards, but enjoyable!
Has anyone else been out much?
Had the footbridges washed away, then??
See what I mean about the terrain - not too easy ...
Hopefully less wet for you in April.
The bridges were there on the bigger streams, but the tiny little streams that don't warrant bridges had swollen enough to make them too big to just rock- hop across, and at least a few miles of the path had turned into an icy stream about 2-3 inches deep. ( Very cold on the feet!). THe wading in th eLoch occured where you are on the beach, and a little stream that feeds into the beach was just too fast and deep to cross, so we paddled into the loch to avoid the faster water!
I'm pretty clear now that my sole aim is to finish, and if I can move well enough ove rthe earlier sections to give me 30mins or so cushion for the cut off at Bein Glas, that would be lovely.
Felt a bit sorry for another lady who joined us , who was talking about a 12 hour target, as wanting to use it for comrades qualy- I didn't get the impression she'd appreciated how tough the terrain would be, and looks like she needs to re- think her target.
Looking forwards to my nexy day out on the route- might tackle Conic hill next.
Hi Guys and Girls
Had physio today and found out that I have low arches on both feet any suggestion on trail running shoes/running shoes for this would be greatly appreciated, as it seems to be affecting my knees (patella tracking). I've been given a few exercises to assist with this and just want to get back out running ASAP.
Thanks
AL