Member Since 2008
I am contemplating a 100 mile ultra race during the first part of November, (this year). The race is the Rio Del Lago 100 in Folsom, California.
My question, is this doable. I am a 54 year old male, who has been running since 2006, though up until the end of last December, I took several years off due to life.
I have run two marathons, one half marathon and numerous other smaller races. During the peak of my last marathon (2010), my mileage was up to around fifty miles per week. I am currently a little over 20 miles per week and climbing.
Am I just dreaming and headed for disaster if I attempt the race this year, or should I wait until next year? Thanks for your advice.
Are we there, yet?
Ultras are a whole different world from marathons. Before committing to a 100M race, I'd strongly suggest running some 50K and 50M races, even a 100K race.
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
Slower but happier
Why do u want to do this? Just curious. Not saying you should or shouldnt.
2020 goal: couch to 5K, currently working on the couch block
The 100, or doing it so soon? I guess because it's there. I'm really not sure. I swore after my last marathon I wouldn't do that again, but I just have something in me that finds it intreging and exciting.
Rick
It is doable, but being honest, maybe realistic, your time frame is tight. You would have to nail every training week and not have any setbacks. Then there is the mental conditioning. I could go on and on. Your chances of a successful and enjoyable first 100 will go up with a longer buildup. Not to mention, training (I dislike that term, I prefer "conditioning"), will be more enjoyable without the stress of a time frame.
My recommendation is to train like you are registered, but don't register yet. If everything goes well sign up. If you have set backs postpone. You can still go to the race, volunteer, pace, etc. and see what the environment is like.
Glad to see you in the group after that messy thread in the main forum. You registered for the American River right? As others have mentioned, progressing through the distances is a good idea. Treadmill Hound suggested skipping the 50k race distance. I agree, but you want a few 50k training runs leading up to your 50 miler.
12-22 Last One Standing - dnf 37 miles
1-23 Sun Marathon - 3:53
3-4-23 Red Mountain 55k - 7:02
4-15-23 Zion 100 - 27:59
I feel like people only ask these questions so they can hear "no" and then proceed to try. You don't have to spend a decade perfecting every distance before progressing to the next, as I've seen people recommend in the past on the RW forums (naturally, they did not follow that path themselves...), but I don't see the point in rushing to run a 100 mile race less than a year after you got back into running after several years off.
People do races all the time for which they're underprepared and undertrained. You wouldn't be the first and you wouldn't be the last. A trail ultra is nothing like a road marathon. Running 50 mpw in 2010 is irrelevant. At times you'll be going 8-10 miles without aid - is that something you're ready for? What's the longest amount of time you've ever spent on your feet at one time? It's been 8 years since your last marathon - your body is 8 years older - how will it respond?
You can always train for it and see how it goes. Set up an Ultrasignup alert so you'll get notified when the race is close to filling up, and then make the decision at that time.
Trails
I would like to do a 100 also but I'm on the slow train to get there. I'm doing 50ks this year and my first 50 miler in Dec. I'll do a 100k next year, the universe willing. Reading race reports gives me FOMO so I try not to. Ultrarunner magazine is bad too...I got the ultra bug after reading Cory Reese's Nowhere Near First. I'm not an expert at this and have only done one 50k so far so listen to the others with more experience. BTW, I'm a 54 year old female started running about 3 years ago and am working hard on consistent conditioning.
I cant recall which one, but i heard a podcast w Cory Reese and he was the coolest guy. I like that he would go out on self supported ultras just to do it.
I think it is doable. It's also possible you'll get hurt along the way or something will go wrong in the race and you won't finish. It certainly isn't a given that you will finish (it's not a given for folks who have run multiple 100s). The uncertainty of success is part of the appeal of trying it.
The advice to defer entry until you are sure is good. On the other hand, if you need that hook for motivation go ahead and register.
I recommend tapping into the local ultra community in Elk Grove. You'll find folks who have run that race before and who are running it this year. Get on the course as often as possible.
If you want to check yourself, I think you should be able to comfortably run 25-30 miles on the course at ~12 MPM or faster to have a reasonable shot of finishing under the 30-hour cutoff (~17 MPM).
Please stick around and let us know who it goes.
Excellent advice, you are all telling me what my brain is telling me. Take my time and enjoy the conditioning. I'm not in a hurry, if I rush it I will crash. Thanks everyone.
Paul, this is really awesome advice that I'm going to adapt for myself when I'm trying to decide if I can do my first hundo or not. I don't plan on doing any 30 hour cut off races though - can't even run a 50K at that pace. It's also a good reminder that the pace you run between aid stations can be easily wiped out at the aid station. Run 10 miles, spend 5 mins at the aid station, you've just added 30 seconds per mile. And say there's 12 aid stations in a race - 5 mins @ each = an extra hour on the course. I need to keep that in mind for FANS this year. I spent so much time farting around between loops.
Go PRE - is there a cool 50 miler you're interested in this year (probably this summer)? Where do you live?
Thanks RWD - I can't guarantee it's accurate. I've been comparing results of folks on ultrasignup across distances. I was surprised at how much folks slow down going up to 100 miles.
I padded the number a little for OP because I think he will come into the race somewhat under-trained.
And this is one of the reasons why I have not considered a 100M race. If I ever exceed 80 miles in a 24 hour race, I might reconsider.
I live in the Sacramento area, so there are plenty of races to choose from.
Thanks RWD - I can't guarantee it's accurate. I've been comparing results of folks on ultrasignup across distances. I was surprised at how much folks slow down going up to 100 miles. I padded the number a little for OP because I think he will come into the race somewhat under-trained.
It's a good approach - I will just look for the results of people who run times like mine for shorter races and see what's applicable for me.