Purdey's training for a 24hr ultra.... (Read 772 times)

Hi guys. I've started this thread as a bit of a "weblog" to record my progress from overweight plodder to a state where I am able to compete in a 24hr track ultra marathon. I'm hoping to compete in the Sri Chinmoy event in Oct 2007... but depending on my progress it may have to be the 2008 one! I'm currently about 1 1/2 stone overweight and can only manage 10 miles - I'll need all the support I can to get ready for this. (My aim is to break the 100 mile barrier in 24hrs and become a "centurion")..... at what point do you "hit the wall" in a 100 mile run?

Wow me too! Those Chinmoy events are amazing things... best of luck on your training and I look forward to reading your reports!

Guys - thanks for the encouragement!!! Zoom-zoom: a stone ("quaint English term" I guess) is 14 pounds. To put it another way, I reckon I'm about 10 Kilos over my ideal weight: I am an ex-rugby player and still carry quite a large frame for my size. Well, the training is starting well. I'm running every morning with my dog, but only for about 2.5 miles. I then tend to get another session in at lunchtime and will try to do some strength work as well. I think it is important to do some form of resistance training/weight training to help prevent injury. This afternoon I'm planning an 11 mile run (slow) at about 70% max HR. I have found this website to be particularly useful for guaging how fast or slow you should be running in training - most people run their easy runs too quickly - http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/Running%20University/Article%201/mcmillanrunningcalculator.htm So far I've had no real niggles or injuries, just a bit of soreness in the quads and tightness in the hamstrings. The sky is blue, the air is fresh and running is one of the Lord's great gifts.... if you are wondering why I'm in such a good mood, I'm off on holiday to France for two weeks on Saturday and hope to do some relaxing running on some woodland trails - no stopwatch, just a pair of shorts and some trainers. Keep running - but most importantly: keep smiling!

Thanks Wingz. Hey Kirsten - checked out your homepage : great photography - I'd love to be able to take pictures like that!!

Hey fella, where you heading in France? If you're anywhere near Montpellier we could hook up for a canter. Johnny

Well France was a blast. Johnny - you are so right - the temperatures in France over the last few weeks have been sky high. This mean't that running at 0630 was the order of the day - still, managed some nice relaxing runs and some decent distances for "holiday running". Came back and decided to test myself over a 10k training run and clocked a good pb - so very pleased with the way things are going. Over the past month I have taken my 10km time down from 63mins to 50 mins. I am hoping to have it down to 42 mins by Nov - watch this space! (As a schoolboy runner I did run a 35min 10K and a 1hr 28 1/2 marathon - but I think those days are well behind me....). In the meantime I am gradually increasing my weekly mileage, but am being v careful to listen to my body and rest when tired. Injury prevention is my main aim - not mileage accumulation! So far my only problems have been inner thigh chafing - guess losing a bit of weight will help that. (French cuisine and wine did little to help my weight....) Only 10 days to go until my first "race" for a few years. I'm probably going to do a local 20km trail race - but if I'm feeling brave I may enter the 30km event instead. I would hope to run about 1hr 50 for the 20km and maybe around 2hr 50 for the 30km. I'll let you know, but they are both on quite demanding routes.

Well. 20Km trail race completed in 1hr 50. A bit slower than I would have liked - but some difficult trails and 2 navigational errors didn't help. All in all, a great course and good fun. The aim now is to build up some good mileage as a base before adding in a bit of "speed" work. Currently on about 40mpw and will aim for 60mpw in the near future. Have registered for a trail marathon on 01 Oct - so that is the next goal - hoping for a time of under 4hrs, but I know the course is very challenging. I now need some good, slow, long runs under my belt before I can hope to complete the marathon distance!

Thanks Lynn B - I notice that you have done some pretty awesome races..... what sort of weekly mileage were you clocking in your build up to the 100 miler