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OSS CIA 50 miler- 1st ultra training questions (Read 53 times)

    Friends,

     

    My sister is wanting to do a 50 mile race this summer. She is looking at the race that is linked below. She has been running about 10 years and has run 18 marathons (i think). Anyways, most of her training has been low mileage stuff. She said she has hit 50 miles in a week probably only once. I think her PR is like 4:04 or something like that. She was 4:06 at MCM last fall I think and finished Houston last weekend.

     

    So now to the questions:

    What is the best way for her to build up mileage to be able to complete a 50 mile race?

    Is there some sort of beginner ultra plan that someone would recommend?

    Any advice or resources that would be good for her?

     

    ** Her only expectation is just to finish the race in under the 13 Hr time limit. - (I guess its a bucket list thing)

     

    Thanks

    Tomas

     

    http://www.athletic-equation.com/OSS_CIA_50M_Night_Run.html

    ”Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”

    “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.”

     

    Tomas


    Occasional Runner

      I would suggest a much easier 50 miler for a first event at that distance. OSS/CIA has some technical trails, which will be hard to avoid in that region, but they run the whole thing at night and that adds a level of difficulty that presents a real challenge for even a seasoned ultra runner.  I ran the course last year and was shocked at how slow I was.

       

      Nonetheless, her best bet for any 50 miler is to log a lot of training miles on trails, but mix in some roads too. Her weekly base should bottom out at 50 miles per week (in my opinion). If she wants to run a night race, she'll need to get very comfortable with running in the dark.

      AT-runner


      Tim

        I've run in the Prince William forest, and agree that the trails are technical.  I would tell your sister to go for it, but she should definitely work on her trail skills and practice some night runs.

         

        As far as training, there are several sights on the web with sample plans that she should look at.  Everyone is different, and she should find a plan that works for her.  My DW has always used this site from Santa Clarita Runners.

         

        I felt that the my biggest obstacle when making the 26.2 to 50 mile jump was working on the nutrition, and that can't be stressed enough.  Tell her good luck.

        “Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway! 

        Sandy-2


          Good advice from lace and AT.  I agree that there should be some higher mileage weeks in the 50 to 70 mpw range, but don't forget to schedule a few cut-back weeks to recover.  When I did my first one (after having done a bunch of marathons) I had a theory that if I went slower I felt that I could run all day, and doing the 50 miler was just putting that theory to the test.  Worked fine.

           

          I couldn't agree more with AT's comment about figuring out the nutrition thing, which needs to be figured out during those long slow training runs.

           

          Running trails in the dark is lots of fun, but she'll need a little practice.  Don't forget to have two lights and spare batteries (it's hard to change batteries in the dark if you only have one light).

           

          Good luck.

          2/17/24 - Forgotten Florida 100 Mile, Christmas, FL

            Thanks for all the input. I will share with her all of this stuff. She said she has an idea about nutrition from a half iron man last year, but I am not sure if that's the same. She said she will be running in the dark at least once a week until the race. Sometimes at the beach, some road, some trails. I like the idea of multiple lights. I have no idea how Lon batteries last in various things such as head lamps or things like that.

             

            Thanks again.

             

            Btw- she is committed to this race. She seems pretty excited about it and it's still months away.

            ”Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”

            “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.”

             

            Tomas

              Battery life depends on type of battery. We generally use lithium up here because of their performance in cold and shelf life. (they advertise about 8-9x life of alkaline for certain apps. )

              "So many people get stuck in the routine of life that their dreams waste away. This is about living the dream." - Cave Dog
              FTYC


              Faster Than Your Couch!

                Running in the dark requires a pretty good light. It makes all the difference.

                 

                Another aspect of a 50-miler is simply the mental part of being out there running for a long time. You have to be able to run, even when you really don't want to any more. Some longer training runs will prepare for that.

                Run for fun.