Ultra training plans #10 Pacing for ultras

#10 The final topic! PACING
You can do everything right in your training, fuel properly, plan the race out, get the kit you need and then screw it all up by racing off too fast at the start trying to keep up with others (who are possibly going too fast also)

It's a painful way to run.... Exhaust yourself early on then struggle it in for the second half. Grim. We've all done it. Us blokes tend to be worse... Ladies are sometimes guilty too though.

In my eyes the ideal pacing is that where you are just beginning to fade at the end but can just about hold it together. IF you do a massive 'negative split' eg run the second half loads faster than the first, you probably weren't running hard enough initially. If you get to halfway or 80% through then crash and burn, enjoy the rest ;)

A couple of examples.... first from myself.... I ran 47 miles in 6 hours 6 mins back in 2012 on a trail. The 10km was 42 mins pretty much dead on.... My final 10km was about 55 mins
My eventual average was 7 min 51 mile.
I was psyched up and flying early on it felt easy, relatively comfortable for 4 hours but... Battling a bit of a head wind and just generally running a bit too hard the final 2 hours was very tough. Looking back I probably needed more fuel too and should have had a more detailed look at the route towards the end.

I can think of plenty of examples of others too, I don't like to use positions as a measure of a good performance because you just don't know who is going to turn up, if you go and 'win' an LDWA event it might not be as good of a performance as coming 30th in a competitive race.

In a 40 mile race I did a couple of years ago, the 2nd place runner was sticking with me up until about 18 miles then in the final 22 miles lost over 1 hour on me and barely hung on to 2nd position. You have to run your own race. There's an element of mental games and psyching out opponents in the later stages or in shorter races but when we're talking longer races especially ultras.

Let's suppose we're battling for the 1st and 2nd positions in a race, we're neck and neck for the first half of the race but you are pushing at an unsustainable pace, where as I am just keeping it steady and matching your pace, when we get to the final climb and a few miles to go, I've not been working as hard and can therefore push the pace and keep the intensity whereas you've burnt out and just can't answer to the injection of pace at the end.

Play to your strengths by all means, just to start with, be sensible with your pacing, your overall time will be better and usually that means your position will be higher too! After you've won a few races it might not feel the same, but that feeling you get when you run your hardest and achieve more than you ever thought possible.... That never gets old ;)

Hope you have loved the last 10 articles! Stay tuned for a bonus one tomorrow
;
Happy trail slaying folks ;)

Ultra Running training plans #9 Speed training for ultras

#9 Speed Training for Ultras

Following on from earlier in the series of articles we talked about specificity and training planning along with mileage. Let's jump straight to it....

Initially, your ultra running performance will probably NOT be limited by your speed, you'll be busy making mistakes with nutrition and getting lost along with having a picnic at each checkpoint like I did. There are a couple of factors that come in to play, your running economy, your conditioning, your stamina, mental toughness etc.

Once you've built a bit of experience making some mistakes and practicing different strategies (or learned from someone else's mistakes) you'll be able to keep your body fueled and you'll be finishing some ultras mid pack perhaps in the top half. You'll eventually hit a plateau from just running more. To really make a difference in your ultra running times let's consider this

What are the chances of running at your 10k pb pace for a 30 mile ultra? Much less 50 mile or 100! Exactly....Nobody in an ultra race is 'sprinting' EVEN the 'fast ones'. Every runner is running this at a relatively low intensity compared to their 10k pb pace.

So you do get some variances, some people can maintain a higher % of their maximum effort or heart rate for longer than others but, if someone can run flat out for 10k and it takes them 60 mins they are going to be going a lot slower than this when they run 30 miles.

If this runner improves their speed though, so that they can run 10k now in 50 mins instead of 1 hour then slowing down to run a 60 min 10km pace (or 10 min mile roughly) is going to be much more comfortable and therefore be able to go much further at this pace.

When I started running I couldn't run 10k but I built up to it and then eventually I managed to run quicker than 1 hour. So that was a 10 min mile pace.... Now I can run 10km at about 5.30 min mile pace sooooooo..... Slowing down to 7 minute miles for me feels fairly comfortable. With a proper training plan I'm now able to run under 7 min miles for 50 miles. If I never improved my speed much from starting running this would be impossible as I couldn't even run 1 mile this quick when I first started.

#chorley 6 hour race. Grim conditions but a good friendly race

A post shared by Charlie Sharpe (@charliethatruns) on Oct 7, 2017 at 9:57am PDT

If we take someone who can run a 30 min 10k which is about 5 minute mile.... a 6 minute mile is going to feel fairly comfortable, a 10 minute mile is going to feel like an uncomfortable shuffle.

Bottom line, speed is still a factor in ultra running and shouldn't be neglected, it might not be a prime focus year round every single week but it should certainly feature during some of your training phases.

100 mile ultra training plan #8 Recovery Tips for Runners

#8 RECOVERY 

Often overlooked but as we talked about in the previous article you have different phases of training and there is no magic number of miles per week or training method.

After you goal race where you've trained hard and tapered down before pushing yourself to your limit for hours (and hours and hours in a long ultra) your body is probably going to need a bit of a rest. I've heard all kinds of wild ideas, from having a day of rest per mile you raced (I could basically never run again if that had any truth to it) to saying you should only do 1 race per year or per month or whatever. The real answer.... It depends...

If you have trained well and ran with good form and have finished the race simply with fatigued muscles then you might need a day or two to a week or two before you can get back to easy running or at least some cross training.

#snow day in Warrington

A post shared by Charlie Sharpe (@charliethatruns) on Feb 27, 2018 at 2:23am PST

If you've finished the race and were hobbling a bit because your legs were dead before half way then everything stiffened up and you got a blister and were running 'funny' you might have been straining one of those knees more than the other and also got an achey calf or Achilles or whatever on one side more than the other... In this case you might have caused a bit of damage that's in excess of the usual fatigue. Similar to if you're running with poor movement like tightness in the hip flexors and rounded shoulders from hunching over a desk and a smart phone too much. If you've actually got an injury then you'll need to go and see a relevant professional and wait for it to heal before beginning some rehab work.

If you're dragging yourself out the day after a race and your legs are hurting simply for the sake of continuing a run streak etc then it's risky... Would you be better doing something with less impact like an easy spin on the bike if anything?

Honestly I feel better having done some light activity than done nothing at all. I wouldn't run if my legs felt bad or injured, I'd do something more gentle like I just mentioned. To me recovery is active and takes me the way I want to go not the opposite... How many people consider recovery to be going to the pub and eating junk food for 2 weeks? Going off Facebook newsfeed, quite a few. Whilst that's fine if that's what they want to do, it depends on your goals and what you want to achieve. Whilst I don't think sharing inspirational quotes on Instagram helps ones fitness much, remember that you get what others don't by doing what others wont.

I get a few questions about how frequently I race and get back into training after a long ultra. It depends how hard you're running also.... I run my legs off in a couple of races per year not every weekend, I do a lot of events purely for my training as it's easier when there's checkpoints and a nice route and nice to meet new people and bump into old friends too. To meas I write I've a marathon pb of 2hr 41 which isn't anything special but I can happily run sub 3 on the flat without much effort, I maintain a good mileage year round, consistently. Based on that, in something like a 2 marathons in 2 day weekend, my body isn't going to be so worn out compared to someone who has just smashed themselves to hit 3 hours on the first day and begins the 2nd day with legs that are in bits. 

After my first marathon and a 6 hour drive home my legs weren't good for much, a couple of years ago I ran the Berghaus Dragon's Back Race 200 miles in the Welsh mountains before heading over to Spain for Al Andalus Ultimate Trail another 5 days and 140 miles the week later. For me it was more like my summer holiday and a good block of training than my goal events for the year, it just depends on how you train, all those daily choices you make are either helping you with your fitness or they're hindering you.

Key points listen to your body and keep safe so you can enjoy more days out on the trails and less days at the physio :)

100 mile ultra plan #7 Training plans

#7 TRAINING PLANS

HOW many miles should I run each week?
Everyone has wondered this at some point.... It's not a simple answer again. There's no magic amount and it's going to depend on how long you have been training/running for and what your goal is.

A lot of people say the elites are running 100 miles per week, you've got to be doing that if you're serious...
Is your body really going to know the difference between 90 miles and 100 miles per week? Maybe... Maybe not... It's difficult to prove it with a scientific study what the optimal mileage is for anyone, there are so many variables, and then is that optimal for marathon runners or 100 mile runners or what?

Whatever position you're in at the moment, you will likely benefit from different 'phases' of training, briefly you might have a block say 8 weeks where you are running higher mileage before having a block of shorter but faster running say another 8 weeks before a taper and then a recovery period. In each of these phases your mileage will be different.

Let me give you an example from my own training.
AUG 2016. 100 mile race then 2 weeks @ 30 mile per week easy running with some additional easy cross training
SEPT-FEB 16. Avg 75/85 mile per week few races, couple of faster sessions per week focus on speed rather than ascent
FEB - APR Avg 90-95 mile per week including 2 marathons on weekends, long speed sessions
MAY - 2 weeks @ 55 mpw taper
End of may 100 mile in 13 hour 58 mins.

Key thing... If you're trying to race everything every weekend you'll likely be limiting yourself, worth considering the ultimate goal and what you're working towards, by all means use other events in your training, just don't smash yourself to bits on long slogs all the time if you want to build your speed and improve your half marathon time. 

I'm surprised how often I have conversations like this
Runner 'Ohhh I wish I was faster'
me, 'Right I see, when did you last do a faster run/ speed session?'
Runner 'Ohhh I went to the track once last year, I don't like running fast' 

If the thoughts of pain/ suffering/effort etc a runner has associated with doing intervals are outweighing their desire to be a faster runner then they will probably never get faster until they decide to change.

Sure, if you are running at a challenging pace then it's going to feel challenging, maybe a bit uncomfortable at times. If you are struggling here, go back to #1 Mindset. And also focus...

For a bit more insight head to this webinar recording it's the bottom video on this page here
Webinar where I walk you through step by step how I build a plan from the ground up.

If you have any specific questions get in touch, I also include various tips in my Instagram stories which you  can see by following me @charliethatruns on Instagram

100 mile ultra run training #6 Specificity

100 mile ultra run training series #6 Specificity 

When it comes to your long runs, whilst in ultra training....
My top tip here is specificity...
Try to replicate the terrain and ascent that you plan to race on.
For an extreme example, say you enter one of the hilliest 100 milers going Andorra Ultra Trail with 13500m in the 100 mile route (about 45000ft) and your mountain running experience stretches as far as canal paths around London, it's going to be a shock to the system.

So first, find out a bit about the ultra in question, what's the maximum and minimum altitudes? What's the total ascent? Is it a few big climbs or a load of small climbs? What is the terrain like? Sandy, rocky, hard, soft, wet, dry? Find out these numbers, you could take the total ascent and divide it by the distance to give you a rough comparable figure.

Eg IF

Lakeland 100 mile has 6000m over 100 mile =600m per 10 mile

Andorra Ultra Trail has 13500m over 100 mile =1350m per 10 mile (more than twice as hilly based on this)

OR L2M Ultra 100 mile has about 650m = 65m per 10 mile! Aka flat

Equally, training specificity goes the other way around too...
When I was training for the 13 hr 58 min 100 mile in 2017 I did a lot (for me) of my long runs on fairly flat or slightly undulating trails and canal paths, cycle tracks etc Most of the previous year I spent in the mountains so initially these flat runs felt a bit strange on the legs. It doesn't mean you can't do a hilly run if you live somewhere flat, but just consider it and try to prepare as best as you can.

If you only have small hills to work with then you might need to do multiple reps during a longer run to build up some ascent, you might have to drive further afield. 

To clarify the flatter runs aren't pointless but you'll soon feel those quads after a nice 1000m long descent if you're not used to it. 

Specificity can extend further than just the terrain though, think about the time of day, weather conditions, whether or not you'll be carrying a lot of kit, is it multi day? Get clear on the goal and these questions are easily answered.

http:www.charliesharpe.co.uk

100 Miles of Istria, Croatia 2015

100 miles of Istria, Croatia. Actually a sneaky 172km so a few bonus miles in there. With 7000m of ascent and a linear route (a to b rather than a loop) I'd never been to Croatia so thought I'd get an entry in! I found all the organisation was fantastic, all the pre race communications were really simple and it made the whole thing easy to organise. There are a couple of shorter distance options too, we in the 100 mile were first to start on the Friday evening in a town called Labin. The finish is in Umag along with the registration and busses are put on to get runners to the relevant start. So after an hour or so on the bus we arrived in the town square where there was a few undercover areas and a snack buffet to get us going, was nice to get a bit of pizza and churros with my 9bars! 

After a short wait we were grouped together in front of the start arch way for a photo, it was cool and the forecast was for cloud and some rain through the night and into Saturday. I was right up to the front of the photo then the count down begun... everyone proceeded to turn around and start the other way! Ahh... I crossed the line in something like 296th position oops... the first km or two is downhill on a single track which had the odd rock and was a bit wet but basically had to walk down here until the path opened out along the sea for a few quicker kms. The first proper checkpoint is about 17km and I'd made it to the top 10 or there abouts. I can't remember if it had just about gone dark then or was just about to, this photo is just before dark as we ascended into the hills the cloud thickened.

The legs had felt a bit stiff the day or two before the race but I put that just to the travel or maybe just because I'd cut the mileage quite a lot in the couple of weeks before hand? Any of the times I've had legs feeling stiff has been after weeks were I've run the least.... Anyway moving into the night I was feeling good and it felt warm on the whole aside from the last few minutes ascending up to the high point of the course at 1400m where there were some patches of snow to the side of the path. Vest and shorts weather! Progress through the night was good, although no rain as yet the ground was wet and rocks were very slippery in the wet grassy paths. There was plenty of skidding about and found myself running with 2 other guys on and off for a few hours. A few runners from the shorter distances had flew past during the night. I was coming up to the 83km CP which would be about halfway. A good long descent into the valley and I felt something in my quad, carried on running and a few steps later the same thing, I slowed thinking it might be a rogue cramp but could feel a dull ache still there. Nothing changed over the next few minutes and I stopped to do a few stretches whilst admiring the misty view of the valley in front.

It didn't seem to feel any different so I thought I'd just carry on a couple of km to the next CP which was indoors and I could have a poke around and see what was going on. It was a bit further than I thought (I think 86km) but I got in just as it had begun to rain lightly. I got a drink then began to stretch out the hips and had a feel around in my quad, one of the muscles in the quad felt a bit tight and stiff compared to the others. I wasn't expecting my legs to feel totally fresh at this point but the fact that one particular bit of the muscle felt different to the other made me a bit curious. Whilst I was stretching I decided I might as well do something useful and got some extra food and drink down. The quad didn't improve so I decided to go steady for a bit and see if it loosened off. Any kind of downhill was becoming a bit painful, I could jog on the flat ok and walking uphill also was ok. I knew my pace had dropped but was happy to just keep going and surely I could just keep walking worse case scenario?

The route got a little muddy in places and we came across a cp inside a church which was pretty cool. Again I tried to release the muscle but nothing seemed to help. It did feel a bit worse than the previous cp but I continued on anyhow. The rain began to set in a bit heavier and I was thankful that I at least had good gear on to keep dry (Berghaus Hyper Smock which packs down to smaller than a fist) This was about the worst of the mud, almost reminded me of the Viking Way! I was glad I'd packed a spare base layer and a spare jacket.

As I slowly made my way to the 110km cp it was quite open and there was no shelter from the rain so I wrapped a foil blanket around me to keep me under my backpack so I was totally dry. The cp was in a stone arch way so dry but with a cool wind blowing through. I knew the leg was getting a bit worse so I decided to sit off for an hour or so get plenty of food and drink in whilst massaging the leg then I'd carry on. After a quick change I began shoveling food down. Some runners coming through the  cp were drenched and really quite cold from the rain. Some were worried about going into the next night as they now had wet gear and wet clothes. I was glad to still be pretty dry and have a spare jacket and top to go on if needed but having tried to move around a little bit my quad was still tight. I decided to drop as something was clearly not right. 

The day after the race my legs felt ok aside from the one part of my quad which was painful. It felt like I had run all the race just using one strand of muscle! I was limping about a little bit and just iced the muscle and took it easy. The following day, so 48 hours later than finishing the race, I could slowly walk normally but still feel some tension. After checking in with Richard for a massage when I got back there was a definite difference in the texture of the muscle, plenty of foam rolling and I did some gentle cycling and some upper body training to get me through the week. 

2 weeks later I'm glad I did the right thing. Not had any pain although I've not really run more than 2.5 hours I'm confident to put some decent training runs in this week to see how we go. Looking back I didn't see the sense in limping to the end for an additional 45 miles for the sake of finishing, had I picked up a more serious injury I might not be able to do very much even now. I thought I'd be regretting dropping out at the time but it still seems like the only sensible option. I had done nearly 30km at a slower speed to give it time to loosen up.

The race itself... fantastic! The wet ground made for difficult conditions in places. I think the leg issue came about from a combination of being a bit stiff after having 2 easier weeks and also a lot of sitting during travel (aside from driving or cycling I rarely sit down) it was probably made worse from regaining a footing numerous times on the slippery descents.

Doing a little less running has given me some more time to get planning the next trail run coaching holiday for later this year. I'm just looking at possible locations although I'm keen to repeat the location from February! Here's a little trailer to whet your appetite http://youtu.be/J08bO_qAG20