wannabe ultra runner? - Page 2 - Ultra / Adventure racing

loulabell

08/08/2011 at 17:36

chili, the guy who did spartathalon said he slept 13hrs a day for 3month aferwards!!!! sounds fine to me!! lol

....JG, criey 3:15 for a mara...think i'll be nearer 4:30hr..

..and i think once you have done one ultra its onwards and upwards......

tricialitt

08/08/2011 at 20:49

Right-I've managed the most difficult bit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!-told my other half!

Also getting back to the running after my cold -11miles home from work, felt fine. If I can work up to manage there and back the same day, that would be a help, I reckon.

JB74

09/08/2011 at 12:59

Howdee All,

Yes Loula im still up for doing the jw ultra and yes i will look into doing the Glos Ultra least it will be cold so even more of an incentive to get done in a quick time haha

shona ross

09/08/2011 at 15:43

ive only been running 7 months,have done a 5k in july doing the jedburgh 10k in october,not the fastest bunny in the warren,but im getting there.so imagine my suprise when i was reading through a running magazine and i saw an ad for The Wall ultra,which is dues to take place in june,and a little voice in my head said "i want to do that" sooo told the boyf,who is fully behind me all the way,so now i guess i just have to get fit enough to run/walk the first stage of 31 miles then the second which is 34 miles(i think) now what im wondering is 1 is there anyone else out there who is mad enough to take this on? and 2 how in the heck do i go about training for it,i want to finish,the only person i want to beat is myself,im not looking for a world record,or even a PB.any advice on books i could read? sites that have training advice that will suit me? or are there any ultra runners here who can kindly pass on their tips and experience

loulabell

09/08/2011 at 17:15

..hi shona...taking on an ultra after doing a 5k and a 10k in oct is quite a big leap-and 'the wall 'at that!...if you really are determined to go for it i would really suggest seeing how you go with the 10k..then adopt a half marathon training plan and build up to doing 13mile runs at a weekend so it becomes a normal run..after that increase your runs slowly...ie stick to 13 miles for 3/4 weeks then increase to 14 for 3 weeks etc..until you do it you dont know how your body will handle it..i think most of us on here are at least on 13miles for a weekend run.

download an ultra training plan designed for females which i posted on the previous page here.....at the moment you may not rely upon fuel/hydration in training , but that is something that has to be looked at as you go further and further....the tank basically runs out at 18miles...and not all the same fuels/foods work for us all....

loulabell

09/08/2011 at 17:26

...btw..i am by no means an expert on any of this and im sure the others on here who have done an ultra will have better advice than i...these are just things ive listened to/been told/advice ive read...lol ...im willing to learn and absorb any info i get!!

JB..i think Gloucester would be great, just a tad sceptical about getting the training in in winter time....mind you there is INDOOR training/excercise to be done....

BouncyBunny

09/08/2011 at 18:01

Hey-lo

I'm trying to weigh up whether to step up to ultras after a few marathons, or conquer my crappy swimming and move in to triathlons...

Each time I think I have decided, I change my mind!

Btw - if the long distance tri peeps have pirates, what do regular ultras get? Can they get their own group recognition - like cowboys? or ... or something better I can't think of?

loulabell

09/08/2011 at 18:03

hi BB...i think ultra runners are just that...a small collective...lol...maybe we should make up a goup name though if there isnt one...good idea....

loulabell

09/08/2011 at 18:04

maybe ultra runners could be known as' Duracells'... because we just keep on going......lol

Running Rodent

09/08/2011 at 19:55

Been lurking on this thread for a bit - something in the back of my mind suggests I quite fancy a crack at an ultra some time. Problem is, although I reckon I could deal with the cv side of things, biomechanically I'm a bit lopsided, so longer distances tend to lead to injuries. But you never know...
Loulabell - how does an ultra training plan for women differ from one for men? I'm intrigued - I don't think I've ever seen a female-specific marathon training plan (maybe I've led a sheltered life) - is it something to do with different fat burning rates?

loulabell

09/08/2011 at 19:58

not sure...the one i found was designed for women in some way..maybe spread over a longer period of time?..*goes off to google men v women ultra plans

*Frodo*

09/08/2011 at 20:10

*delurks*
I seem to remember that plan being discussed on an ultra thread last year, and it not being too popular with the experienced ultra-runners, but I can't for the life of me remember why, sorry!

I did my first ultra (Lakeland50) the weekend before last - absolutely loved it, amazing experience

I did nothing on that scale, training-wise, at all. A few back-to-back long runs on weekends (18 then 15 miles on consecutive days, for example) following on from spring marathon training. I made sure I was familiar with the terrain (which was the toughest aspect of the L50) and made sure I could eat and run without upsetting my stomach.

Good luck to everyone who wants to have a go - I cannot recommend it highly enough

BouncyBunny

09/08/2011 at 20:23

I've got a spring marathon lined up so have a little while to decide which way to go. The Welsh one day series is a very tempting set of ultras... I guess I'll prob do a tri and an ultra at some point, it's just which I do first.

I wonder if an ultra is as addictive as a marathon thou... you say you'll only do it once or twice then after 4 or 5 you want the next challenge.

I read the book the Robin Harvie on his spatathlon journey - didn't like it myself, he just got so self-obsessed and kept adding in literature reviews - quoting over and over what other people had said.

*Frodo*

09/08/2011 at 20:30

I'm going for my first tri and Ironman in 2012, BB. But I fully intend to do the Lakeland again next year too - now I know the course, I know I can go at least an hour faster, if not more.

Can I also recommend you have a look at the Long Distance Walkers Association (LDWA)? They have long distance events every weekend of the year, are dead cheap, incredibly welcoming and some of their events accept runners and run/walkers (and there's usually great food offered at the finish/CPs

)
Walking is a good way of getting some longer miles in the legs too. I did the Njmegen Marches in 2007 (120 miles) which was also an amazing, life-changing experience

seren nos

pirate

09/08/2011 at 20:57

would definitely encourage people to look at the LDWA challenge events......most allow runners and its great if you are slow as there are people walking the courses..............I try and run the flats and downhills and walk the uphills...................

I did manage to ultra train earlier this year as well as marathon training................after the long run I did a back up very slow recovery run of 8 -10 miles which helped my body prcactice running on tiired legs..............I also started my marathon training early and so di a few more 20 to 24 mile runs in my schedule.................

added to that some long bike rides and I managed to smash my marathon PB as well

loulabell

09/08/2011 at 22:10

...a friend of mine mentioned LDWA too..and yes, she said the food was scrummy!!

.....frodo, the male schedule i found is exactly the same distances at same weeks so goodness knows why its down as 'female' schedule

.......im kinda with you frodo on the training plan..i havnt ever stuck to rigid training schedules not even as ive increased mileage..i just kinda work it out in my head and if my body is feeling ok with it...sometimes life doesnt allow us to stick to rigid training plans and i think id get really narked if i kept missing days or distances i 'should' have done...in fact itd probably get me a bit panicked......my aim for JW was to be at 18mile runs by the end of this summer/Oct...maintain over winter, then increase over spring to 20/22.....

Tiago Hefner 2

10/08/2011 at 08:47

Hi all. I've just completed my first iron-distance tri and when thinking about the next challenge I found the idea of ultras very appealing, so that's what I'm going to do. I'm doing 2 marathons in 2 days in December, then I think I'll try the Thames Trot in Feb with an eye to doing The Wall in June. I don't think I'm going to follow a schedule, just do some back to back long runs. But I think I'm going to see where cross-training gets me, as I'm finding that quite liberating after the IM training, just having the freedom to go mountain biking or weight-training or a group ride or whatever I fancy. It's got to be fun, right?

loulabell

10/08/2011 at 09:21

morning all you Duracells

...Tiago, i think im going to do the back-to-back LSR idea for training, itd suit me much better and ft in around things more easily..i will make sure i roughly know when i want to peak at the highest mileage and then taper.....thames trot is meant to be good..nice along the tow path, i like that idea of being there and not on roads so much, thats why JW appeals to me. i may go for thames trot too at some point as im in Oxford..

...i agree with the cross-training, i used to bike a lot but then for a while didnt even have one!.my daughter is now old enough to ride bikes on roads and country lanes/paths so i have just this last month got a bike and finding a bike ride on days in between LSR is really good recovery but still feeling like not having long gaps between exercise

...im hoping miss llb will be able to cycle some distances and pace me and be company!

Tiago Hefner 2

10/08/2011 at 09:38

I work in Oxford, so the Thames Trot seemed to make sense.

loulabell

10/08/2011 at 09:46

how far was the IM tri distance?