Training for an ultra

[AAM2012]

So blndsnbrdr post about her 50k got me thinking about doing an ultra. I am currently training for my 2nd marathon and feel that my next step could be a 50k but I am not sure of how to train for them and it seems there aren't a lot available in my area (Florida).

So..

1. How do you train for an ultra?

2. Any recs for an ultra in the southeast area?

[foundmylazybum]

No idea really how to train, but GA has a fair amount of ultra races b/c of the Appalachian Trail.

I just did the North Face Endurance Challenge last week in Pine Mountain--which is only a couple hours from the FL border--they had 50 MI, 50K, marathon, 1/2 marathon, 10K and 5K..so really you could take your pick

This link has a couple races...click on "races."

www.runbumtours.com/

a link to a calendar--

www.ultramarathonrunning.com/races/usa.html#GA


I didn't click on any of these to see if they were updated, but it gives you a jumping off point.

[chw57]

I just trained as if I were training for a marathon, except the day after a long run (longest was 25 miles) I'd do another double digit run.

[mrsjthompson]

I sure can't help you with training, but I thought of your post when I got an email from the LRS in Pensacola this morning for this race: Blackwater Trail Challenge

[blndsnbrdr]

I didn't do ton of training for my race - I got talked into it about a month before the race. At that point I had a very solid half marathon base with a 16 mile run + a random "see if I can do it" 26 mile run. The two months prior to my ultra looked something like this in terms of long runs/weekly mileage (mtn hiking/summits included in weekly)

13.1 long/38 wkly
16 long/30 wkly
8 long/32 wkly
26 long/44 wkly
11+12 mi hikes/35 wkly
15 long/30 wkly
13 long/24 wkly
50K Race/45 wkly

Here are a few thoughts from my limited experience:

- time on your feet counts, especially if you're on trails, I didn't give up hiking if it conflicted with training, I just hiked faster/harder - some of my hikes left me more tired than long runs.

- spend quality time on the type of trail you'll be running on - initially my race was on 95% single track, I spent a ton of time on single track for my long runs, on race day the floods put us on maybe 75% single track...my body felt the pavement! Kind of a reverse example of "train on trails!".

- talk to people who have run ultras (more ultras than me...) - holy information. Even if they are 100x above your level, you'll learn so much just listening to them, asking stupid questions and taking it all in. My biggest concern was nutrition, they had great advice and I had zero tummy issues on race day!

- look at the elevation and terrain of the race before you sign up for it, most road races are bearable, even with hills but my training would have been majorly different if I had been running a mtn ultra with major elevation changes.

Here is a decent looking training plan: cdn.running.competitor.com/files/2012/11/46_nat_r1.pdf


**I am definitely a newbie in this area so take all of this as a grain of salt, but if you ever want to chat about it or anything my email on the blog - clicky in signature**

[clseale]

I know nothing about training, but for races in your area, here are two options.
www.croomzoom.com/
www.fools50.com/

[AAM2012]

Thank you ladies, I think I am going to sign up for a local 1/2 marathon trail run in Dec to see how that goes. I haven't done any trail running so I should probably add some incline TM or ramp workouts in the mix.

[blndsnbrdr]

Oct 2, 2013 17:30:27 GMT -5 AAM2012 said:

Thank you ladies, I think I am going to sign up for a local 1/2 marathon trail run in Dec to see how that goes. I haven't done any trail running so I should probably add some incline TM or ramp workouts in the mix.

Definitely get out on the trails as much as possible, especially for long runs - you'll find new muscles when stabilizing and navigating rocks/roots/etc.

[katinthehat]

My husband did a 50K about five weeks after a marathon. He had a recovery week after the marathon and then repeated the last four weeks of the marathon training.