How do you train for an ultra marathon?

you mean...like marmite sarnies?and soup?

Marmite?!?!... lets not be silly Loulabell this is a serious discussion!

yes sir, sorry sir....and im getting confused with all these ultra threads im going home to our wannabe one.....*waits for bus back to Wannbe Road*

a guy i got chatting to at the compton 20/40 who was an experianced ultra runner said he always had ham sandwiches and those pots of rice pudding on his long runs , he said he,d had so many gels over the years he couldn,t stomach them anymore

i like rice pudding for breakfast before runs..i got ed up with porridge, and  toast isnt enough. agree on gels, one is enough for me

Hi there

I am (with 4 friends) planning to do a sponsored run In march next year 80k over two days In malawi so it will be hot. I am looking for some training ideas and pre advice. the longest race I have done todate is 21k half marathons and the last was late last year. I have 8 weeks in the uk starting in a week and hope to use this to try and get my distance in prep for the vic falls half in august and then I wanted to continue training in prep for the 80k. There will be a few of us attempting this and we will have a back up car to follow and supply drinks enroute. I have been running for a couple of years but 10k is normally my prefered distance so this really is a step up. 

we are planning to run early am around 40k on each day. I am totally clueless as to were to start so any help would be good... 

Thanks in advance

Tina

dalli wrote (see)

a guy i got chatting to at the compton 20/40 who was an experianced ultra runner said he always had ham sandwiches and those pots of rice pudding on his long runs , he said he,d had so many gels over the years he couldn,t stomach them anymore

I was manning a checkpoint on the West Highland Way race last weekend and I've never seen so many pots of rice pudding in my life! Also loads of cheese and pickle sandwiches, but most of those seemed to have been packed but left uneaten. My dogs had a feast of drop-bag leftovers that night!

A good thick honey and chunky peanut butter on wholmeal toast for a pre run brekkie ....YUM 

Nak'd bars work for me, they are also called Trek bars.

http://www.naturalbalancefoods.co.uk/

They offer lots different flavours and ranges from protein flapjacks to cola flavoured raisins. They even do a gluten free variety. Far too many to list here.  

Good solid bars for when you need something chunky and different size bars too. Work for me anyway

I'm old-fashioned: malt loaf, fig rolls, pretzels, Kendal mint cake. meant to take a vegetartian hotdog sausage wrapped in bread with me yesterday on my long run, but forgot - must try that during the next week as I think it would be a good savory option during NDW50 if my system likes it!

Loath rice pudding.

Peanut-butter-and-honey sandwich was my recovery food today!

rice pudding, but have seen many people tucking in.  Peanut butter sandwiches and honey sandwiches I love. On SDW I alternated an energy gel with real food every 5 or so miles, real food was sausage rolls, peanut butter sandwiches, salted peanuts and sliced up mars bars + I had a hot dog at 54 miles, oh yes and a fairy cake or two.  A nice cup of tea went down a treat in the latter stages of race too!!

rice pudding yummmmyyyyyyy i want some at NDW

Not sure if it was supplied at aid stations or whether it was stuff they had in their drop bags ... was much more interested it in sugar laden cups of tea at that point

Yesterday I totally forewent gels, and only had one bottle of SIS PSP22 energy drink. My bladder was full of water, and I ate much more frequently than I have in the past - but all the food was natural (not necessarily healthy LOL) - the list was : dates, choc espresso beans, Loula's homemade flapjack, chocolate coated pretzels (amazing!!!) and a Jaffa cake...

The result was a lot better balance of energy, and only starting to feel hungry with about 2 miles to go (mostly because I had stopped eating quite so much over the last 4 or 5 miles as we were pacing it out a bit). I felt a lot better during the run, and a lot better after.

I've come to the conclusion that gels are definitely not for me - I seem to crash more after them, than the lift they give me... so, natural food it is from now on!