Ultra Runners

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Lessons from your first 100 (Read 143 times)

    if I was a smart person I'd have written my thoughts down. You have so many hours at the time to think about it that you think you'll never forget, perhaps I haven't. I attempted the Mark Twain 100 in september 2013:

    1. I made it ok to quit because I went into the race with the mindset that I may not finish - I said it to people
    2. I didn't take any 5 hour energy - big mistake - I actually hadn't discovered it yet (it got me through my subsequent successful 100). Caffeine pills are no substitute. 
    3. I forgot stuff.  I got cold at mile 70 and forgot I had my entire wardrobe was in my drop bags and make this an excuse to quit.  (My pacer didn't remind me).  I was so tired at this point that I was unable to think clearly (see above, lack of 5 hour energy)
    4. I forgot that it's ok to walk.  When I started walking at mile 70 because of my quads, I thought I had already failed and it was unfair to drag my pacer through so many night hours of walking.  At this point I was at a sub-24 if I had kept going (running), but I couldn't.  I didn't realize that walking was ok, my pacer didn't say anything. 
    5. I trained on about 62 miles per week, slacking on my hill repeats and this was a predonimantly downhill loop course
    6. A slight downhill course is amazingly easy to glide on, for about 70 miles.  After that your quads catch on fire.  I quit at mile 75.
    7. Dont try to do it without strength training.  I didn't need it for my subsequent successful 100, but that was Rocky Raccoon.  My quads hated me to the core at mile 94 and I know life would have been more pleasurable/tolerable for more miles if I had more total body strength.

    Did I mention 5 hour energy?  I feel sick when tired, I feel cranky...5 hour energy is amazing, but don't take any more than 1/2 a bottle every 5 hours.

     

    MT100 in September, 90 days away.  Now that I'm  1 1/2 vodkas in, it's the perfect time to register (then do some squats)

    bhearn


      I made it ok to quit because I went into the race with the mindset that I may not finish - I said it to people

       

      I hope you're listing this as something you did wrong? I think the most important single factor that separates finishers from non-finishers is determination to finish. It's hugely mental once you get past 50-60. There will always be some point at which you want to quit. If you're not prepared to fight through that, you won't finish.

       

      I didn't take any 5 hour energy - big mistake - I actually hadn't discovered it yet (it got me through my subsequent successful 100). Caffeine pills are no substitute. 

       

      Anyone else use this? I've never tried it (or had the slightest interest). Hmm.

       

      this was a predonimantly downhill loop course

       

      Uh... ???

       

       

       

      MT100 in September, 90 days away.  Now that I'm  1 1/2 vodkas in, it's the perfect time to register (then do some squats)

       

      Good luck! I'm two weeks out from Western States. Going to need some vodka soon, I think; I'm starting to get scared.

      TeaOlive


      old woman w/hobby

         

         Anyone else use this? I've never tried it (or had the slightest interest). Hmm.

         

         

        I used three spaced out during the night at 24 The Hard Way in November.  Seemed to work well enough.

        Who wants to stand around trying to drink a cup of coffee in the middle of a race?  That was my thought any way.

         

        There are other ingredients in the product but personally I think that only the caffeine is actively keeping a person

        awake.  The other stuff is just filler / sounds good stuff.  But that's just meSmile

         

         

        I find the orange flavor least offensive taste wise.

        steph  

         

         

        runnerclay


        Consistently Slow

          My wife uses 5 hour energy. Not a runner. i was thinking about trying it out. Will try it this week on my 25 mile run.

           

          I have been procrastinating on the strength training. It is in the training plan. I will start today. This is the 1st week for 58 miles. 200+ mile month. Race is December 13. Not on any schedule ,yet.

          Run until the trail runs out.

           SCHEDULE 2016--

           The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff

          unsolicited chatter

          http://bkclay.blogspot.com/


          Imminent Catastrophe

             

            1. I didn't take any 5 hour energy - big mistake - I actually hadn't discovered it yet (it got me through my subsequent successful 100). Caffeine pills are no substitute. 
            2. ...
            3. I forgot that it's ok to walk.  When I started walking at mile 70 because of my quads, I thought I had already failed and it was unfair to drag my pacer through so many night hours of walking.  At this point I was at a sub-24 if I had kept going (running), but I couldn't.  I didn't realize that walking was ok, my pacer didn't say anything.  

            MT100 in September, 90 days away.  Now that I'm  1 1/2 vodkas in, it's the perfect time to register (then do some squats)

             

            You STARTED walking at mile 70? I started at about mile 5. Mile 70 is where I started running after a Starbucks Doubleshot. Holy crap, blasted down that hill to No Hands. Lasted about 15 miles until my achilles gave out, then my pacer (bhearn) got lots of practice walking to the finish. Starbucks Doubleshot is now my go-to, it has caffeine and calories and tastes great.

            "Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"

             "To obtain the air that angels breathe you must come to Tahoe"--Mark Twain

            "The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.

             

            √ Javelina Jundred Jalloween 2015

            Cruel Jewel 50 mile May 2016

            Western States 100 June 2016

            TeaOlive


            old woman w/hobby

               

              You STARTED walking at mile 70? I started at about mile 5. Mile 70 is where I started running after a Starbucks Doubleshot. Holy crap, blasted down that hill to No Hands. Lasted about 15 miles until my achilles gave out, then my pacer (bhearn) got lots of practice walking to the finish. Starbucks Doubleshot is now my go-to, it has caffeine and calories and tastes great.

               

              Good idea!

              steph  

               

               

              bhearn


                At Western States, you start walking in mile 1.

                FTYC


                Faster Than Your Couch!

                  My training included lots of miles (most miles, actually) on trails that are similar to what I expected the 100 to be (I did not see the course before race day). It paid off well.

                   

                  I did many night runs and just got used to running in the night in all conditions, not just one or two nights with perfect weather and trail conditions. I figured out how to work my lights, and experienced a dying headlamp in training, not just on race day, and how to deal with it.

                  I learned how to change batteries without seeing a thing, with wet and cold fingers, and where to store the extra and expired batteries, and not confuse them later. So I'd say night runs can be quite useful, too.

                  Oh, and I got used to being out in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night all alone for hours, too. In the race, you might be out in the night alone for hours, too, and not see anyone, except at aid stations.

                   

                  My first 100M went very well, I sort of just flew through it, so in that sense, I lucked out that I did not experience nausea, overheating, or cramping, like I had in other ultras, despite the unseasonably hot weather on race day (up to 85 degrees, and high humidity, in October). No idea what the reason for this was, the only thing I did differently was to consume a lot more calories than on previous runs.

                  I did not have the feeling that I should have done anything differently in training than what I did.

                   

                  I avoid 5-hr energy, coffee, and other "pick-me-ups", they don't serve me well, I just get the jitters. I can stay awake through nights easily, I probably learned that in my job, and with the kids. But that's just me, I guess you'll have to try yourself how to keep going.

                   

                  I learned that everything up to mile 80, as hard as it is, is the easy part of the 100M. The real challenge comes after mile 80 or 85. These last miles take all of your training, mental and physical strength, and willpower, so be mentally prepared for this to happen.

                   

                  Don't rely on just one set of clothes. You can never know if your shorts or shirt will chafe until after mile 90. And usually, you won't go that far in training. Have some alternatives ready, and lots of bodyglide. And maybe some duct tape, too.

                   

                  Walking depends on the terrain, weather, and other things. It is certainly worth training for long walks. I benefitted a lot from doing long (night or evening) runs after a whole day at work (in a physically challenging job), and extended hikes at a fast pace, especially right after a long (20+miles) run.

                   

                  Sleep deprivation was not a significant factor in my first 100M (I took 28:47 to complete it). The rising sun did not energize me again, however, it was just easier to move forward in the daylight because of the better visibility.

                   

                  Aid stations at nighttime have something scary about them. I did not sit down, or linger there, just kept moving right back out onto the trail again (except for changing clothes once, and stocking up on food and drink). Probably saved me some time.

                   

                  In training, also learn to improvise. Like AussieGirl said, you'll foget to put things in your drop bags, or they are in the wrong drop bag, or you can't find them, or your drop bag got lost or broken,... been there, done it. And have a mental strategy in place to cope if things go wrong.

                  Run for fun.

                  bhearn


                    Here is Joe Uhan's advice on how to handle the Western States "killing machine". Much of it applies to any 100.

                     

                    http://www.irunfar.com/2014/06/the-western-states-killing-machine-part-two.html

                    bhearn


                      runnerclay


                      Consistently Slow

                        Here is Joe Uhan's advice on how to handle the Western States "killing machine". Much of it applies to any 100.

                         

                        http://www.irunfar.com/2014/06/the-western-states-killing-machine-part-two.html

                         

                        Thanks for posting.   I will find my flow " Like The Marble in The Groove"

                        Run until the trail runs out.

                         SCHEDULE 2016--

                         The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff

                        unsolicited chatter

                        http://bkclay.blogspot.com/

                        runnerclay


                        Consistently Slow

                          xxxx

                          Run until the trail runs out.

                           SCHEDULE 2016--

                           The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff

                          unsolicited chatter

                          http://bkclay.blogspot.com/

                          corland


                            Good thoughts here - thanks to everyone who's posted.

                             

                            I am tentatively planning the Run Woodstock 100 in Michigan on 9/5.  This week and next will be my two biggest mileage weeks followed by a significant taper.  I'm taking advice from this thread and planning 25 ish on the trails this Friday night.  I may run 5-8 earlier that day.  Next weekend I'll be running a very difficult trail marathon on Saturday (8/16), and also running (or mostly walking) something long on Sunday.

                             

                            I've run a few 50 milers with marginal success.  My log is open, I certainly would welcome any thoughts about my training...

                              I clearly don't come on here often enough, I'm glad this thread is still going.

                               

                              So let me clarify.  I was in what felt like a dream-like state, I'd tell my pacer that I was going to take an s-cap, or whatever, then 30 mins later (or so it felt) I'd ask her if I had recently taken an s-cap.  My brain was not worth a darn some time on that third of four loops (subsequently, I dumb down and label baggies in my drop bags).  I didn't remember extra clothes in drop bags and I certainly stated repeatedly that because I was walking it didn't count, as I had forgotten all conversations with seasoned 100 mile runners who have walked even earlier than the 70 mile point, and finished with respectable times.  My pacer thought silence was a better response than arguing?, so in my weakened mental state I thought she was agreeing with me.

                               

                              My previous note amuses me, although it's totally not funny.  I've now got less than three weeks until the race and I'm still yet to consistently do strength training to avoid what took me out last time.  But...I know the course, I finished a hundred in between, so I have much more mental toughness than I did that first time.

                                Good luck! I'm two weeks out from Western States. Going to need some vodka soon, I think; I'm starting to get scared.

                                 

                                I hope your western states was great, that's my dream race!

                                 

                                They have that picture you posted in my dental office, I stare at it forever every time I go.  Beats staring at the image of my teeth on the TV screen I suppose.

                                 

                                Gradual downhill for me meant it felt like I was flying and that the course was so easy, only to later learn that my right foot was sliding forward in my shoe and doing bad things under my big toe nail.  No human should ever witness what I had to take care of at mile 50.  I'll be lacing up tighter this time around.

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