Ultra Runners

1

Thinking about running an ultra....someone talk me out of it!! (Read 317 times)

    I'm not an impulsive person, more a methodical planning type...I ran 6 or so marathons in the mid to late 90's one of them being a 27 mile trail marathon. I was reading about Kelly's (ultrachick) success and I saw that she also ran the nipmuck trail marathon too. I began to read about ultra's and look at some training plans and philosophies. I have always enjoyed running on single track and woods than the roads. My goals at the beginning of the year were to run 2 marathons....the Shamrock in VA Beach and the Hartford....but...and this is a big but...I was wondering if I could slip in a 50 miler in late April. This past fall I was backpacking with friends over the Columbus day weekend in the white mountains of New Hampshire. The Pemi Loop was our goal with about 19,000 feet of elevation gain over the 3 day hike. On our first day the temperature dropped and we were hiking through ice pellets. My buddy's girlfriend began to have an asthma attack after our third 4000 footer. The next day we decided to abort the hike...they would take the fastest route down and I would go back to the car and drive it around to them. I shouldered my pack (35 pounds) and instead of hiking I shuffled off at a trot...volksmarching to the tops of the peaks and jogging my way down. In all I ran 14 miles with a full pack.. I think I could of run all day at this shuffling pace with my pack. I wasn't sore at all...I know 14 miles isn't 50, but as I get older I'm realizing that blazing speed is not going to be my forte' I feel more like a grizzly bastard than a gazelle. My long run this weekend is going to be 17 miles....with two twenty milers before the shamrock in March. My question is...is it possible and probable that I could ratchet my training base up by April to run a 24 hour event and do 50 miles in 24 hours? http://www.happypaceraces.com My apologies for such a long post, but I am looking for some advice about the unknown. Thanks Karl
    Purdey


    Self anointed title

      I suspect that you are capable of running 50 miles MUCH quicker than 24hrs. Not going to talk you out of it ------------------- DO IT! Wink

       

       

      Carl A


        Karl, It sounds like you're made for ultras. Of course, I think that just about all people are! In fact, you're technically already an ultrarunner due to the the 27-miler. I looked briefly at your log summary, and although your fall mileage was down, you've been keeping pretty steady weeks lately. I think that you're ready to train more, and in fact are in much the same boat as I. I think a methodical ramp-up and short taper has a great chance of working well for you. Carl

        Speed my steps along your path, according to your will.

          Go for it, Karl (with a "K")! I started running just a little over 2 years ago and completed my first ultra in May 2008. (Of course, I DNF'd on my second attempt . . . Wink ). In my case, I think I bit off more than I could chew just a tad too soon. You, however, look to have all the base you need to make that jump. And like Carl (with a "C") said, technically, you're already an ultraunner. Big grin

          Leslie
          Living and Running Behind the Redwood Curtain
          -------------

          Trail Runner Nation

          Sally McCrae-Choose Strong

          Bare Performance

           

            Go for it!!
            mbk


              I say go for it, too. I did my first in marathon in March 2006 and my first 50 miler (and first ultra) in October 2006. Just take it easy and build up gradually. This thread has some similar questions and some advice: http://www.runningahead.com/groups/ultra/Forum/Post/620251ce9bfc4e718f238ca5039fc9f0#focus


              #2867

                If you want people to talk you out of it you came to the wrong place, methinks. Wink

                Run to Win
                25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

                  Thanks everyone...I'm going to do it...gulp...saying it out loud is the easy part... I started to modify my training by slowing down the runs and working on duration and distance rather than increasing speed. I appreciate everyone's comments...There is a 24 hour event just an hour drive away from here in April. It's not some epic run up the side of a mountain(s) but a lazy loop of 3.75 miles around a park. I know that’s like a million laps of the same trail, but, my family is in Connecticut and I'm stationed down in Virginia so the only support I will get is what my pos Chevy pick-up can carry. In a word it is “safe" and reading all of your post run reports about support teams, drop bags and pre-positioning all those concepts are foreign to me. Knowing that the furthest I will be from my "nest" will be two miles brings me great comfort. They allow camping on site and since I have way more camping gear than running gear this should work out well. There is no limit on the # of miles that can be run. The loop is opened up for 24 hours and the lap counters just mark down how many you do. At the end of the event the person who ran the farthest wins...Last year it was 115 miles (30+ Laps). Please everyone keep posting your post race blogs...They are incredibly inspiring and an awesome source of information. Laters Karl


                  Ultrachick

                    I agree with Blaine-you came to the wrong place to be talked out of running an ultra. I bet you'll get further than 50 miles in 24 hrs. Good luck with that little loop-there's a mental challenge greater than a physical one. My two cents! Kelly
                    If you never go fast, you'll never go fast.
                      A beer 18 hours into a 24 hour race goes down especially well too... Wink