Zion 100, 2014

Thanks guys. I came across this training plan when I checked out Janson's link for his Idaho run. http://www.erunningguide.com/running/100-mile-ultramarathon-training-program-first-timers

It's pretty good advice in the article and the comments. A few things - I have already exceeded the weekly mileage in the chart and also the mileage for the long runs, but the chart is a recommended minimum mileage. The chart is a continuous build up of mileage. I don't like doing that. What has worked for me is a heavy week followed by a lighter week. Also, he suggests choosing an easy 100 for a first attempt. I am going to say I am going to stick with a harder one for my first given my hiking background. Steeper climbs and descents and technical terrain will keep me slow. Look what Zap did for her first 100! Things I need to work on - back to back to backs and strength training.

My new motto which I pulled from one of the comments. D0 or do not, there is no try - Yoda.
 
Awesome news Rick!

Advice? Well there's probably over 20 different training programmes out there that will all get you there, so focus on what will keep you most enthusiastic in the lead up. As long as there is sufficient exertion in your training, then IMO its the enthusiasm you carry into the race that will get you through 3am in the morning, not whether you did back-to-backs versus strength versus longer runs. The other point is that IMO it's not usually as important what choices you make in the lead up but rather that they are considered choices, as you seem to be doing. So you want to do a tough first 100 miler? No problem. When you are there and it's tough, your self talk will be "I signed up for this, YEAH!", not "Oh sh!t I wish someone had have suggested I do an easier one". All these little conscious decisions in the lead up are loaded with meaning which can unfurl within the race and really colour your thinking. If you can see a decision that will be a source of strength on race day then go for it.

For my part, before my first 100mile run I built up to a 100km training run 10 weeks out and a 100km hilly race 5 weeks out and that worked for me on the enthusiasm stakes. The training run was a big adventure (I asked my wife to drive ahead and leave 3 supermarket cool bags filled with party ice bags, water, chocolate and potato chips at strategic points along the route). It gave me confidence in being able to do a near-enough distance, plus not being a race there was a little more time and space to play with. The build-up race then gave me something to focus on so that I wasn't just sitting there sweating about the 100 mile goal, plus it meant I could taper over the subsequent weeks and arrive at the start line feeling fresh.

So work out what training plan you think will float your boat based on your experience to date and good luck.

PS other tip is if you wear contact lenses, keep the spares in your pack, not your drop bags (apologies if this is an insult to your intelligence). I learnt this on the 100km race mentioned above, where I had to do about 50km of technical trail with only one lens. On the plus side however I was the happiest runner coming out of the 65km aid station, I could see again!!
 
Thanks DayRunner. Great advice. Prepare for many more questions to come. No tips are too small or insult the intelligence (what little I have.) I should wear contacts (I can only imagine how much prettier the scenery is), but I can't deal with the hard lenses out on the trail. One speck of dust and I am in misery. Could be why I am so sore after running, extra foot lift to avoid blurry trail debris.:)
 
No advice, but I'm sure you have the talent and determination to do well. Just one request: if you continue on with ultras, I, as a barefoot bystander, would like to see someone run a tough trail 100-miler barefoot someday. I understand how hard that would be, and I'm certainly not going to try it, but it would be cool for us race spectators to see.

I will also be curious to see how your strength training goes. I secretly suspect that my renewed emphasis on deadlifts and squats has helped me make gains in distance recently, without injury or even the slightest niggle, but it would be nice to see this approach confirmed. I know Zap has had great success with it, but until more people try it, it's hard to be sure if it's the method or if it's just Zap having freakish natural ability. I've also recently (like this week) become a bit more serious about my plyometrics. Have you considered incorporating box jumps and stuff like that into your training?
 
No advice, but I'm sure you have the talent and determination to do well. Just one request: if you continue on with ultras, I, as a barefoot bystander, would like to see someone run a tough trail 100-miler barefoot someday. I understand how hard that would be, and I'm certainly not going to try it, but it would be cool for us race spectators to see.

I will also be curious to see how your strength training goes. I secretly suspect that my renewed emphasis on deadlifts and squats has helped me make gains in distance recently, without injury or even the slightest niggle, but it would be nice to see this approach confirmed. I know Zap has had great success with it, but until more people try it, it's hard to be sure if it's the method or if it's just Zap having freakish natural ability. I've also recently (like this week) become a bit more serious about my plyometrics. Have you considered incorporating box jumps and stuff like that into your training?


Thanks Bare Lee. I'd like to see someone run a barefoot trail 100 too. Hopefully a BRS member. The difficulties of doing that have been discussed many times over, but it is going to happen.
I'll check into the strength training now that I have a slow down of work and I am sure I will be asking you questions. No box jumps right now because of my knee pain history and now my PF. Those are now just annoyances so I believe I can slowly start adding some of those exercises.
 
Thanks guys. I came across this training plan when I checked out Janson's link for his Idaho run. http://www.erunningguide.com/running/100-mile-ultramarathon-training-program-first-timers

It's pretty good advice in the article and the comments. A few things - I have already exceeded the weekly mileage in the chart and also the mileage for the long runs, but the chart is a recommended minimum mileage. The chart is a continuous build up of mileage. I don't like doing that. What has worked for me is a heavy week followed by a lighter week. Also, he suggests choosing an easy 100 for a first attempt. I am going to say I am going to stick with a harder one for my first given my hiking background. Steeper climbs and descents and technical terrain will keep me slow. Look what Zap did for her first 100! Things I need to work on - back to back to backs and strength training.

My new motto which I pulled from one of the comments. D0 or do not, there is no try - Yoda.

It is interesting what you say about doing a heavy week followed by a light week, rather than a continuous build in mileage. The week before this running week, I took an unexpected SIX day break from ALL physical activity. And I then went on to run 29 miles in six days (hopefully 39 by the end of tonight). I am QUITE certain that 6 day break had something to do with being able to kick out that kind of mileage! As did my strength training that I'm doing 2 days of. I already have to take a 4 day break once a month, but I think I am going to do that twice a month. It seems that taking a "single" rest day does not make much of a difference, but a handful of CONSECUTIVE days, does.

Your hiking will be perfect training for Zion! I have found a machine to replicate some incredibly difficult hikes - and I even do it backwards -which by the way- I inadvertently discovered that running backwards will strengthen certain muscles that I can find no other adequate way to strengthen and it is now part of my strength training plan.
 
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I think that somewhere out there, there is an ultra course that is totally barefoot-able. That being said, it is unwise to run any course barefoot, that you have not seen in it's entirety.

Mine is 95% runnable, pretty flat, only a 745 foot elevation gain - it's three 10+ mile loops. I also plan to go up there and do training runs on it before the actual race!

I plan to do mine in my highly modified VFFs - they're even toeless. :)
 
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Thanks Bare Lee. I'd like to see someone run a barefoot trail 100 too. Hopefully a BRS member. The difficulties of doing that have been discussed many times over, but it is going to happen.
I'll check into the strength training now that I have a slow down of work and I am sure I will be asking you questions. No box jumps right now because of my knee pain history and now my PF. Those are now just annoyances so I believe I can slowly start adding some of those exercises.
Hey Rick, if you have any questions about ST, it'll be best to post them on Abide's "Optimal Strength Training for Runners" thread, so you can get multiple perspectives. Abide in particular has thought a lot about how to integrate st into his running. If you want to PM someone, I think Zap would probably be the best person to talk to, since she's an ultra runner too, although I'll be glad to try to answer any questions you may have. I don't do anything specific for running in my strength training though, and I'm not really even a real runner. I'm just trying to stay fit, and running is my preferred aerobic activity by far. The ST I do is for overall conditioning, not really for running, more as an anaerobic complement to running.

That said, I think almost everyone agrees that squats are great for running, as well as deadlifts and some of the other common lower-body exercises. You may want to do them higher rep though, so you don't add too much mass. You want endurance strength, not power, right? I also like doing mobility exercises with ankle weights. They're especially good for the hip flexors.
 
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I will also be curious to see how your strength training goes. I secretly suspect that my renewed emphasis on deadlifts and squats has helped me make gains in distance recently, without injury or even the slightest niggle, but it would be nice to see this approach confirmed. I know Zap has had great success with it, but until more people try it, it's hard to be sure if it's the method or if it's just Zap having freakish natural ability.
First.. woohoo!!! Congrats man on signing up!!! You go kick som 100 mile a$$!
Second, Haha! I would love to say I have freakish natural ability, but. I don't. And I would even go as far to say that no one can run a 100 miler on freakish natural ability alone. We all get to the same place in the end with our training. We all work hard. You can get strength by running miles upon miles upon miles day after day or you can get strength lifting heavy sh*t, focusing on the muscle groups which will benefit you most in the "end" - yeah... that would be your a$$.

But yes. Im a freak. Freakishly injured all the time when I try to run big which is why I train the way I do.

And if I were to offer you advice the best advice I was given was race day advice. On the starting line you've got to BELIEVE 100% you can do it and dont let that belief falter.

Also, someone told me to beak the total distance up into thirds:
1st third should feel effortless
2nd third should feel like work
Last third should be everything you got.

Turns out for me that was great advice.

Again... congrats man on registering! Cant wait to hear all about your buckle! Those are cool buckles too!
 
First.. woohoo!!! Congrats man on signing up!!! You go kick som 100 mile a$$!
Second, Haha! I would love to say I have freakish natural ability, but. I don't. And I would even go as far to say that no one can run a 100 miler on freakish natural ability alone. We all get to the same place in the end with our training. We all work hard. You can get strength by running miles upon miles upon miles day after day or you can get strength lifting heavy sh*t, focusing on the muscle groups which will benefit you most in the "end" - yeah... that would be your a$$.

But yes. Im a freak. Freakishly injured all the time when I try to run big which is why I train the way I do.
Glad to hear it was the former (method not freakiness).

If you have a minute, I'd be interested in hearing about your training routine.
 
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