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First Ultra. Training advice

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 CrushUnit 11 Oct 2015
So I have signed up for my first Ultra (55km 1700m ascent) in July next year.

At present I am only running 15 miles at week and the longest I have run is 14 miles.

I have been looking around at training plans but there is so much info out there is hard to know what to listen to. Also most of them are a 16 week build up from an assumed base of fitness.

My plan is to build a solid base over the winter, slowly increasing my milage so avoid injury and then to start getting more specific in about March.

I am lucky to live in the Lakes where the race is happening so can train on the terrain.

Any general tips and pointers appreciated as I am really clueless in this area.

Cheers
Gc
 Ridge 11 Oct 2015
In reply to CrushUnit:

St Begas by any chance? (Can't offer any advice, just being nosey!)
 afshapes 11 Oct 2015
In reply to CrushUnit:

Build the miles slowly and learn to rest and cross train. ....coming from someone who's failed to get to the start of two marathons !!!
 yorkshireman 11 Oct 2015
In reply to CrushUnit:

It should be doable on a standard marathon training volume. You've got bags of time.

1700m over 55km isn't enormous, but is definitely hilly. Get plenty of practice smashing your quads on descents - sounds like you're in a good spot for that. You will probably be out for about 7-8 hours I guess? Thats not too long for an ultra so you should be able to get out for a similar period of time in training. Practice eating on the run with the kind of foods you'll have on race day.

The golden rule is don't neglect the long run. Try and get out for 5 hours or so every 2-3 weeks at the weekend at an easy pace.

Finally, don't take advice off the internet to heart Be prepared to adapt and be pragmatic, and do what works for you. Listen to your body and take your rest seriously.

I found the book 'Relentless Forward Progress' by Byron Powell quite a good read when I was preparing for my first ultra. You might find that a more structured approach as opposed to a jumble of contradictory stuff on the internet.

Good luck - I'm lucky to live and train in the mountains as well so find it easy to get the kind of specificity needed for ultras on everyday runs.

Good luck.

 SouthernSteve 11 Oct 2015
In reply to CrushUnit:
Some dubious advice from a novice!

I just did my first one - the Round Ripon Ultra 35 and despite being quite badly injured after a race in May and only starting to run at the beginning of August it was an enjoyable experience. I was slow (as instructed by the physio- that's my excuse), but I still made all the cut offs with room to spare. I had lost a lot of fitness, but just did lots of miles at whatever speed was possible without hurting myself and that seemed to work much better than running fast at any point over the period where the aches and pains would be felt.

I wish I had done more time doing much longer runs. Despite being determined not to I went out far too fast at the beginning - rookie mistake and by the time I was at 30 miles I had slowed dreadfully. I will also get much more comfy shoes before next time. I picked trail shoes, but the ground was hard due to the weather. Mrs SS is much faster (and more experienced) so we did not run together, but really enjoyed it and like me found everyone really easy going.

If I was you I would pick a trail half-marathon early in the new year and perhaps a trail marathon in May and do lots of cross-training and buy a really good head torch to allow evening running over the winter.

Have a look at http://www.ultramarathonrunning.com
Post edited at 21:19
 Curry 11 Oct 2015
In reply to CrushUnit:

Slotting in a few sessions of core strength/plank work a week. Majority of your miles should be at easy pace, conversational pace. Trial loads of different types of food, sweet and savoury. Sage Canaday has a good Youtube channel, covers loads of areas, he does waffle on though! But a bloody fast runner who knows his onions!
 Roadrunner5 12 Oct 2015
In reply to CrushUnit:

Run more. Ignore the ultra for now. Just focus on say a trail half or 10 miler in 3 months time, build up your miles first. I wouldnt add any speed work or hills until you can sustain a good 25-30 miles a week without injury. Once you can that work on extending your long run, just to 75-90 minutes at first and then add some basic speed sessions to get used to running quicker.

I'd throw in a few races soon as a measure of where you are at and to get used to racing, look at some park runs (free 5k races, maybe a hilly one, a faster flat one and look at some lakeland trail races).

I wouldn't focus on the ultra until March like you say. Your plan sounds sensible. As YM says a general marathon training schedule will see you fine, just add some hillier runs but 1700m in that distance is certainly hilly but nothing exceptional.

Running is about long term consistency, avoiding injury. But try to build your miles. Cycling and hiking will help but running is better but the main thing is avoiding injury, if that's just 20 miles of running a week and plenty of cycling then thats better than 2 weeks and 60 miles and 3 weeks off injured. But try to build your miles to more than 30 if you can. ideally 40-50.
OP CrushUnit 12 Oct 2015
In reply to CrushUnit:

Thanks everyone who took the time to reply, some really useful ideas!
 Wonrek 13 Oct 2015
In reply to Ridge:

That's in August
 mountainbagger 13 Oct 2015
In reply to Wonrek:

Funny enough, I was reading Trail Running magazine last night and they mentioned the Ultimate Trails 55K in July next year. Wonder if it's that? If anyone is interested, I think they have some extra places: www.ultimatetrails.com
XXXX 13 Oct 2015
In reply to CrushUnit:

Run more

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