Ultra Runners

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Looking for a little magic (Read 432 times)

    I've done a couple of 50k's this year, I did my first 50mi last month (technical trail) with a couple of friends, and I did my second 50mi on the weekend (gravel, night run).

     

    For the 50mi with my buddies I followed their strict 25 min run, 5 min walk strategy, with uphill walks too and a couple of days later I was out running again.  On the weekend the terrain was very different, and I only ran on the uphills.  My feet feel like they've been run over by a steamroller and it felt like hours more discomfort during the run than my previous.   

     

    I snuck a couple of ibuprofin somewhere in there to take the edge off the discomfort, because I am a sissy, and it barely made a difference.  I'm wondering if (a) I'm just a sissy, (b) because I'm still a rookie, I should include more walk breaks (c) I need to get over it, it's supposed to hurt, or maybe this is something others have experienced and they've found something that helps. 

     

    Maybe alteration of my diet, maybe some glucosomine (sp?), squats/lunges to build strength....

     

    I want to do 100k in June, I don't know whether I'm too soft and I should just stick to 50's.  I appreciate that I did two in two months and that's not always ideal, but it's worth asking if it got easier for others and there was something specific that helped. 

       On the weekend the terrain was very different, and I only ran on the uphills. 

       

      Do you mean to say that you only walked on the uphills?

       

      Everybody has their own run/walk strategy, but I've personally found 8/2 to be better than 25/5.  I am blessed with a nice rail trail not too far from the house and it basically works out that I walk 2 minutes for each mile when I am doing a long ultramarathon-paced workout.  5 minutes is a long time to walk -- it makes it harder to start running again. Similarly, walking only on uphills means that some muscles never really get the break that would happen with regularly spaced walking breaks.

       

      It is possible, if not likely, that doing two 50 milers so close together has contributed, in addition to the terrain being more runnable with less variation, and in addition to what sounds like a lot more time spent running.  Sometimes the body will just say, "Oh F*** Me! We just did this!  Well, if you insist on doing this, then you'll not be forgetting about it anytime soon." 

       

      Don't sweat doing a 100K in June, but it might be tough if you do a 100 miler in May first.  100K, 100 miles -- pick your poison, in a few months you will be more than recovered and ready.

      xor


        You ran Heartland. 50 miles on gravel.  Gravel!

         

          Yep, typo, I only walked on the uphills.  Actually when I look back that wasn't true, my buddy had knee problems in the last couple of miles and we walked here and there.  

           

          Everybody has their own run/walk strategy, but I've personally found 8/2 to be better than 25/5. 

          I found my knees hurt when I walked and it was a relief to shuffle, I've never heard of the 8/2 although I'm thinking the 5 is too long for me too.   

           

          Similarly, walking only on uphills means that some muscles never really get the break that would happen with regularly spaced walking breaks.

          There was a guy on the course who was giving me a bit of a hard time - to the extent that I was really uncomfortable to be left alone with him.  I caught up with someone else and we both ditched the other guy, but I still was left with the option of that other guy catching up, running by myself, or just sticking it out and keeping up. 

           

          It actually didn't cross my mind that the gravel would be hard, so I'm glad to hear that it was supposed to be.  I figured it was going to be easier than the roots/rocks trail run I did last month.  I do have  couple of hellacious blisters from running in wet shoes, but for the most part my body glide did the trick. 

           

          But I'm right there with you, my body definitely was saying "Oh F*** Me!"....and likely some 'F*** everybody' towards the end. 

           

          I feel a lot better, thank you both.  I do have a tendency to jump right in a hot bath, which I know isn't ideal, so I'm probably not helping things.  I read on active.com that you should eat berries and stuff, stuff that is high in antioxidants and vitamin C.  I'm wondering if I should hit up one of those 1000mg emergency-C (sp?) things? 

           

          Thanks!

            DoppleBock


              Mid-race foot pain = gravel ... even if your foot pain is on the top

               

              POst race DOMS - Lots of factors:  #1)  How hard you ran the downhills / how many downhills there were  #2)  How hard you ran period - I find the races that I blow up and go as hard as I can (Slowly) I am not nearly as sore as the races I pace almost perfectly and can run faster the whole way.  #3)  Hydration / Dehydration in the race  #4)  What I eat and drink post race ~ When I force myself to drink 80+ounces of water post race and take some recover stuff ... and avoid alcohol I seem to experience less DOMS.  #5)  Sometimes for no apparent reason at all I feel way better or way worse DOMS than I should.

              Long dead ... But my stench lingers !

               

               

                There was a guy on the course who was giving me a bit of a hard time - to the extent that I was really uncomfortable to be left alone with him. 

                 

                I was at a race last January when a runner caught up to me and asked if she could run with me for awhile. This was surprising as she is a much better runner than I. Turns out some guy was being assholish to her and she was uncomfortable. After a couple of miles at a quicker pace, we dropped the guy and she went on her way.

                 

                Man, people can be dicks sometimes.

                "Famous last words"  ~Bhearn

                  sorry I spaced out for a while there.  Re-reading an ultra running book I have it mentions that it's better to chose varied terrain for an ultra rather than a consistent ground and it totally makes sense.  Where I could have given an individual name for every sore spot on my feet during the rocky/rooty 50mile I did, every stride was just like the previous on gravel, so really - what you guys said.  Dumb, I figured it would be easier.  There was no relief when running faster or slower, or on different parts of the course, it was all exactly the same. 

                   

                  I think three days later I signed up for another, so apparently I have short term memory loss. 

                   

                  I think it's funny our Family Safety has blocked your image gumbee  :-)  But yes, it was just as you describe.  He was so bad I look up his name on the signups.  It's one of those things you don't think of, that you're stuck miles from anyone with a weirdo, I forgot to pack my pepper spray in my drop bag. 

                  TeaOlive


                  old woman w/hobby

                     

                    I think it's funny our Family Safety has blocked your image gumbee  :-)  But yes, it was just as you describe.  He was so bad I look up his name on the signups.  It's one of those things you don't think of, that you're stuck miles from anyone with a weirdo, I forgot to pack my pepper spray in my drop bag. 

                     

                    AG, what did he do?

                     

                    "I was at a race last January when a runner caught up to me and asked if she could run with me for awhile. This was surprising as she is a much better runner than I. Turns out some guy was being assholish to her and she was uncomfortable. After a couple of miles at a quicker pace, we dropped the guy and she went on her way."

                     

                    Man, people can be dicks sometimes.

                     

                    And "your guy" Gumbee?  What did he do to the other runner?

                    steph  

                     

                     

                       My avatar image? Heh, it is Dan Akroyd dressed as "Fred Garvin, Male Prostitute" from an old SNL skit

                       

                      I think it's funny our Family Safety has blocked your image gumbee  :-) 

                      "Famous last words"  ~Bhearn

                         She passed him a couple of times and each time he would wait until they came to a spot on the trail that had a big puddle then he would go storming by her straight through the middle of the puddle kicking and splashing mud and water on her.

                         

                        This is her description of the events, I did not witness but can think of no reason for her to make it up. It was sufficient to freak her out a little. 

                         

                         

                         

                        And "your guy" Gumbee?  What did he do to the other runner?

                        "Famous last words"  ~Bhearn

                        TeaOlive


                        old woman w/hobby

                           

                          This is her description of the events, I did not witness but can think of no reason for her to make it up. It was sufficient to freak her out a little. 

                           

                          Yes, I can imagine.  Scary, yes.  Not to mention annoying.

                          steph  

                           

                           

                            well, there's really no way I could pretty it up, or make it clean.  I think if the words came out I'd be blocked.

                            TeaOlive


                            old woman w/hobby

                              well, there's really no way I could pretty it up, or make it clean.  I think if the words came out I'd be blocked.

                               

                              Damn.  Sorry that was inflicted on you.  

                               

                              What the heck is someone like that thinking?   Makes me wonder how someone like that

                              acts in their every day live life.

                              steph  

                               

                               

                                You ran Heartland. 50 miles on gravel.  Gravel!

                                 I second this. My first and only 100 was on a rail to trail and the thing that killed my feet were the rocks. I WISH it was gravel however I can imagine gravel can be hard on the feet as well. I would MUCH rather run a technical 100 than a flat one with 75% of it nothing but rocks

                                Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

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