Walk-Jogger
A few weeks before my December 24 hour I did a 2 mile to the track, 26 at the track, 2 mile home run. Yoderc/UnkleCranky joined me halfway thru the run. Based on that and other ten milers I have done on the track, I have to say that the long distance is much worse than it sounds. It was just mind numbing. I don't know if I could have done the whole thing alone. Thank God I had company. That changed it dramatically. On the other hand, RACING for 24 hours on a 400 meter track? So much easier than people think it would be. Cecil, one thing you may want to take into consideration. You may end up wanting to change directions periodically during your run. That means some wrong way running in the far outside lanes in order to not be a jerk. That will affect your calculations.
A few weeks before my December 24 hour I did a 2 mile to the track, 26 at the track, 2 mile home run. Yoderc/UnkleCranky joined me halfway thru the run. Based on that and other ten milers I have done on the track, I have to say that the long distance is much worse than it sounds. It was just mind numbing. I don't know if I could have done the whole thing alone. Thank God I had company. That changed it dramatically. On the other hand, RACING for 24 hours on a 400 meter track? So much easier than people think it would be.
Cecil, one thing you may want to take into consideration. You may end up wanting to change directions periodically during your run. That means some wrong way running in the far outside lanes in order to not be a jerk. That will affect your calculations.
WG, Thanks - reversing direction on the track periodically does make a lot of sense so I will plan on it. Most of the time I have the entire track to myself in the summer, at least on Sunday mornings, and I just pretend that I own it. So I can run in any lane. I can't imagine running in circles for 24 hours, but that does make my measly little 3-4 hour workout sound like a cake-walk. I probably won't plan to do this anytime before June, since that might be tempting fate a bit too much with regards to my tibia stress fracture. I'm running on it again on flat ground after 3 weeks, but I'm thinking 8 weeks minimum might be good before running that long. I've got my first real full marathon coming up mid-July, so I need to do this either long enough before that to recover, or else sometime after that. First couple weeks in June is making the most sense to me, but somewhere in there I think I'm doing a 1-mile race also so have to fit this all in appropriately.
Retired & Loving It
Well I might have to back off this as I am thinking about taking a BQ shot on June 1 in South Bend (genuflecting while I say that). But I will certainly do it in June. NO SPIKES! Eff that.
"He conquers who endures" - Persius "Every workout should have a purpose. Every purpose should link back to achieving a training objective." - Spaniel
http://ncstake.blogspot.com/
Feeling the growl again
Cool. I can't do it as I'm working that weekend.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
105.412 laps is just WAY too many laps. If you ran in lane 5 you'd only have to run 98.79 laps - totally doable and you would only have to measure the track in 100th's rather than 1000th's of a lap.
After doing some lane width measuring and a bit more number crunching, it turns out that lane 4 is the "magic" lane on an outdoor track with 48 inch lanes and an inside curb rail, like the WSU track I run on. Each lap is 422.40 meters. 100 laps equals 1 marathon, (99.89 laps).
I've shifted the focus of my "make it up as you go along" training plan to longer runs, and I am doing these on the track since it's a softer surface and therefore easier on my recently repaired tibia. It's also very flat, much like the old RR bed trail that my July marathon is run on, except for the lack of a gentle downhill grade...
My goal at the moment is to do a bunch of long runs on the track before the marathon, and either whip myself into shape to be able to go the full distance and enjoy it, or at least be able to finish and not collapse in a sobbing heap at the end. Alternate goal is to run enough miles to break something else, and then have a good excuse to DNS the marathon...
So far I've run 60 laps two days ago, 32 laps yesterday, and 65 laps today. Plan is to try to keep increasing the number of laps I can run without stopping. Both of these runs involved water and powerade stops after 50 laps and then run the remainder in sets of 4 or 5 laps with a 200m walk break between.
My goal at the moment is to do a bunch of long runs on the track before the marathon, and either whip myself into shape to be able to go the full distance and enjoy it, or at least be able to finish and not collapse in a sobbing heap at the end. Alternate goal is to run enough miles to break something else, and then have a good excuse to DNS the marathon... So far I've run 60 laps two days ago, 32 laps yesterday, and 65 laps today. Plan is to try to keep increasing the number of laps I can run without stopping. Both of these runs involved water and powerade stops after 50 laps and then run the remainder in sets of 4 or 5 laps with a 200m walk break between.
That's a lot of laps on a track! People must think you're like the Energizer Bunny that just keeps going and going and going... Are you at least getting the opportunity to switch directions? I would think the turns are hard on the ankles and knees.
I do switch directions every 25 laps - but as I'm used to running on an indoor track all 6 months of winter, the turns on the outdoor track are almost not noticeable compared to the silly little indoor track and its sharp 90 degree awkwardly banked turns. As far as people thinking I must be the energizer bunny or something? LOL - On the weekends there really isn't anyone around, and I have this beautiful, newly resurfaced track all to myself, most of the time. The occasional walker or jogger comes along, stays for a few laps and then leaves. M-F in the afternoon there are a few college track types doing workouts, and before work or at noon there are sometimes a few walkers or ROTC types working out. After work and weekends, "I own this track, and lane 4 has my name written all over it..."
MTA: LOL - I just noticed that someone has photoshopped in those trees in the top left corner of the track - that's actually the driveway into the area under the stadium seating.
That is just plain crazy. You remind me of a friend of mine who used to post on RA. He likes to tell the story of how before he ran his first marathon he wanted to make sure he knew what running 26.2 felt like so he ran a 'test' marathon on the track. Why wouldn't you just go out on the roads or something and run 26.2? Said it was important to get it right and the distance on the track would be correct and he wouldn't be interrupted by traffic etc. It was great and gave him a big shot of confidence - he ran in the 2:40's in his marathon. He still runs a lot of laps on the track. I'll have to ask him if he ran his test marathon in lane 4!
Best of luck with your plan.
After doing some lane width measuring and a bit more number crunching, it turns out that lane 4 is the "magic" lane on an outdoor track with 48 inch lanes and an inside curb rail, like the WSU track I run on. Each lap is 422.40 meters. 100 laps equals 1 marathon, (99.89 laps). I've shifted the focus of my "make it up as you go along" training plan to longer runs, and I am doing these on the track since it's a softer surface and therefore easier on my recently repaired tibia. It's also very flat, much like the old RR bed trail that my July marathon is run on, except for the lack of a gentle downhill grade... My goal at the moment is to do a bunch of long runs on the track before the marathon, and either whip myself into shape to be able to go the full distance and enjoy it, or at least be able to finish and not collapse in a sobbing heap at the end. Alternate goal is to run enough miles to break something else, and then have a good excuse to DNS the marathon... So far I've run 60 laps two days ago, 32 laps yesterday, and 65 laps today. Plan is to try to keep increasing the number of laps I can run without stopping. Both of these runs involved water and powerade stops after 50 laps and then run the remainder in sets of 4 or 5 laps with a 200m walk break between.
Some here have done 24 hour races on a track....