For those who have already done it, what was your training background right before training for your first 100? Do you have certain number of shorter races under your belt (50 miles, 100ks...etc), or run certain # of weekly miles already, or other types of milestones?

For those who have already done it, what was your training background right before training for your first 100? Do you have certain number of shorter races under your belt (50 miles, 100ks...etc), or run certain # of weekly miles already, or other types of milestones?

I wish I would have had your yearly mileage for my 100! Not my any means will you be starting from scratch.

Holy Smokes Wing, your log is impressive. I had nowhere near that amount of miles. My only 100 attempt was a 24 hour race where I ran only 82 miles. My training was interrupted by 2 bouts of lung surgery 6 weeks before the race. Longest run in the previous 4 months was 13 miles.

The 100 ,for me anyway, is about pure dogged determination, feeding, drinking, and relentless forward progress. No stopping except to use the restroom or change clothes or fix your feet. Remember, a overall 14:24 pace gets you to 100 miles in 24 hours. If you don't dwell at aid stations.

You are totally more prepared than I was.

 

I saw this video a few years ago.  He's a little bit of a cooky guy, but he's also an accomplished ultra runner. If he could do it all over again, he said he would begin by training for the mile (Start at 2:07).

I like that, but then I started with the mile many years ago. I've yet to get to the point where 100 miles is within my reach, at least and still be able to finish under the cutoff, so my first 100 is still a dream that may or may not be fulfilled.

From 2004 - 2010 - 22 marathons. Ran my first ultra in 2006, a 60K. Then ran five 50Ks, three 50 milers, and one 100K before completing my first 100 miler in 2010. So far I have completed eight 100 milers, no DNFs. Overall mileage has varied quite a bit. I used to run more in the 60s - 70s and now it is more 50s - 60s. I've run sub-3 marathons so maybe that is why I get away with less milage. The hundreds I have done so far have taken 20 - 28 hours. Typically between 22 - 23 hours depending on the difficulty. Thankfully I haven't had to worry about cutoffs. If you have any specific questions, feel free to message me or post here.

Your base looks good to me. You are already running as much as I typically do in a year. I'm running my next 100 miler in November.

Since you've already gone 60 miles in a 12-hour race, running a 100K wouldn't add much as far as distance or time. Is there a 24-hour race that you could fit in?  That should get you close to 100M if not over and the logistics are often a lot simpler so you have less that could go wrong.

 

Many runners come to 3 Days at the Fair and enter the 48 or 72 hour race just to finish their first 100 mile.  Some enter the 72 just so they can finish their first 200 mile.

Some come to see how long they can hold a 6:50 pace.

Good timing for this thread, I just signed up yesterday for my first 100 miler in May.  

However, I'm jumping straight from 50k (training for my fourth one right now) to 100 miles.  My race isn't too aggresive tho, 5k loop on mild trails, so it's setup more like a 24 hour race.  I'll have a bunch of friends there that are doing the 8 man 100 mile relay (two teams of them actually), they're going to crew and pace for me.

I've already started playing with b2b LRs and they're working out really well.  No real training plan, other than to build up my mileage, get in plenty of 40-50 mile weekends, multiple 30+ singles and at least one 40-50 mile single.  I'm always open to advice tho.