Need to get faster - any tips?

[SillyC]

Hi everyone,

So, my A race for 2013 is the Bear Mountain North Face 50m on May 4th. The cutoff is 14 hours, and I need to be a faster runner if I am going to finish this bad boy. Realistically, I don't need to be a drastically faster runner. My ranking at ultrasignup is 69.5%, and it's fair enough. I looked at the previous finishers and their ranking, and women around my rank tend to either barely finish or make it to the finish after 14 hours.

What are your best tips? Any advice?

I'm not that slow overall - I just ran a 5 mile race in 38:34.

I think I need to work on my long run pace. I think I don't work hard enough on my long runs. I stop to pick blueberries and pet horses, and I probably need to knock it off.

Also, I just ran a 50K (road) at a 10:10 min/mile pace on Saturday, and it was pretty easy overall. There's probably no excuse for me to EVER go out for 6 miles at an 11:00 min/mile pace, yeah? That's another bad habit I probably need to ditch.

 

[Abide]

What's the elevation chart for the race? That may be a factor in your training too.

But yes run faster long runs, and practice minimal time stops like Jason recommended a while back.

 

[skedaddle]

Try to run as much as possible in the same sort of terrain as the race, there's little benefit training on roads if the race is going to be on trails and up a mountain.

 

[Abide]

Yep run hills up and down regularly in your long runs. You may want to plan your race out too, to ensure you are running the right speed at the right times. Read this for an idea, this is for Leadville but should be similar strategy wise.

http://www.dclundell.net/running/info/train100.html

 

[SillyC]

What's the elevation chart for the race? That may be a factor in your training too.

But yes run faster long runs, and practice minimal time stops like Jason recommended a while back.

Thanks Abide!

I have 20 weeks till race day, so hopefully I can do better than just improving my aid station strategy! For me, though... I linger at aid stations when my morale is low but breeze through them (or don't stop at all) when my morale is high. So that's a bit different - I'm more than CAPABLE of the best practice, but what can I do to make sure I execute the plan? Dunno, really - I need to put some serious thought into my mental game.

As for hills, I would have to drive somewhere to AVOID them...so I got that covered.

 

[SillyC]

Try to run as much as possible in the same sort of terrain as the race, there's little benefit training on roads if the race is going to be on trails and up a mountain.

Well, regrettably, trails are a weekend-only proposition. Can't fix that.

 

[Barefoot Gentile]

Tempo Runs, do one a week. Unfortunately, its best to do these with a Garmin to lock in your pace. Figure out your goal time and pace that you want to achieve. You can do anywhere between 3 - 10 mile tempo runs. You can even incorporate them in a long run, for example you are out for 20 miler, do 5 miles in between at your tempo pace, it's a good workout that way.

 

[Sid]

I'm no expert on any of this, as I don't do races and just run for fun. Incidentally, I have found that my quickest trail runs have come at the end of the day, when I only have 60-90min of sunlight left. I'm naturally motivated to run faster as I literally don't have time to mess around, or otherwise I'm stuck in the woods. So not exactly race advice, but rather an observation. However, those were some of my more exciting runs!

I stop to pick blueberries and pet horses, and I probably need to knock it off.

I'm jealous. All I get is Florida scrub, some skittish deer, and the odd raccoon or rattlesnake.

 

[BFwillie_g]

SC - You need a pacer who knows how to keep you motivated

Also, for Bear Mtn., a pack mule.

You can't train to go 'fast' on a course like that!

 

[SillyC]

Tempo Runs, do one a week. Unfortunately, its best to do these with a Garmin to lock in your pace. Figure out your goal time and pace that you want to achieve. You can do anywhere between 3 - 10 mile tempo runs. You can even incorporate them in a long run, for example you are out for 20 miler, do 5 miles in between at your tempo pace, it's a good workout that way.

Thanks. Will do.

Sadly, I think this is going to involve ditching my running buddies. I have been trying to push myself a bit more for a couple of months, and I'm starting to see the payoff. I went to my running club's Christmas Party. An 8 or 17 mile run, depending on your persuasion, then the bar. I did the 17 mile run. I started with my friends, but had to ditch them and run with a faster group. Sigh.

SC - You need a pacer who knows how to keep you motivated

Also, for Bear Mtn., a pack mule.

You can't train to go 'fast' on a course like that!

Well, I can, actually, willie. I've been thinking a lot about this, and I think I need another "uphill" gear. Right now, on hills, I stagger up them and consider them a "rest". I can do better. So, here on out, when I see a hill, I'm going to kill it. That way, I think, my uphill stagger will be a bit faster come race day.

And a real jerk for a pacer might help.

 

[BFwillie_g]

SC - the best hill drill I've come across yet is backwards uphill running, give it a try.

Also, deep lunges with weights for general leg beefiness...

But I think (based conversations and rr's I've read, and also from hiking in the area) the biggest problem with Bear Mtn is the terrain, that's what I was thinking of with not being able to train to go fast...

 

[SillyC]

Well, I ain't going to finish it if I can't go faster, willie! I've gotta try something!

 

[Zetti]

This is great advice, but have you considered just running faster?

 

[SillyC]

Yes I have! And, largely, the strategy has been working. I ran a 50K this October, which I had previously run the year before. I took about 20 minutes off my time, and this year, I got lost and did a couple of bonus miles as well.

I'm also fishing for mental tips on how to pull that one off - I've identified my mental game as one area where I could make some improvements. I tend to sell myself short, and give myself excuses to go out and run slowly. That really needs to stop.

 

[BFwillie_g]

Ok, maybe another angle to explore: bombing the downhills. That's where you can really make up for lost time, but you also have to practice, train, and on appropriate terrain, with good shoes (good for you and good for the course).

Flip side: it's also where the worst injuries occur

 

[SillyC]

Willie, the terrain is similar to what I have here. But, I've looked at the map and I DO know the course. Some of the course uses the woods roads that are open for cross-country skiing. It avoids some of the peaks, and there's a few miles of ridge walking. I need to kill it on those sections.

 

[BFwillie_g]

Willie, the terrain is similar to what I have here. .

Hi Heather - wondering how your progress is progressing ... where ya at in your training?

 

[KiwiRunning]

As a general rule most people run too fast uphill and too slow down hill to maintain a constant effort. So running uphills in trainign is great for strengthening your legs, or as a hidden tempo run, but you should also really practice running fast downhill, both for the experience, and for toughening up your legs.

Next is if your loosing a lot of time in aid stations then if you improve that, your making up time virtually for free in tems of running effort. So try and figure out something hat will help you to get in and out fast... Perhapes a aid station mantra migh help... certainly being organised and knowing what you want and how much before you get there cant hurt.

In terms of training, having one tempo workout at least eavery fortnight is a good idea. perhapes alternating it week for week with a pure speed development workout... Ie after a solid warmup doing 10 controlled sprints over 50m with a lead in and out and a good 2-3 min rest between each one. (the aim is to make you a more fluid efficient runner, which translates into a higher end speed for the same effort level)

Id caution you to mind the effort level during your regular Aerobic Trainign runs. They must stay Aerobic, but you can mix it up with easy and medium efforts, even doing it like a fartlek in the same run if you fancy, just be carefull that you dont end up doing Anaerobic stuff when your supposed to be doing Aerobic.

Finally the single best thing most of us can do to improve our pace is to simply run more miles... ofcourse the downside is that your increasing the risk of injury, often significantly, especially if you try to add too much to quickly.

 

[SillyC]

You know, kiwirunning.... what you've written up there is the standard advice for the adult who ran cross-country as a kid , was decent at it, maybe got out of shape in his 20s, and now is trying to qualify for the Boston marathon.

And that isn't working for me.

Me? I was never an athlete, and I come from a background of "Hooray! You got off the couch! Good for you, fatass!" This article here really resonates with me:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/30/health/nutrition/30Fitness.html?_r=0

I don't know how to work hard. I really don't. Too many years bopping around the neighborhood at an 11 minute mile, for no good reason.

ANYHOW - here's how it's going. Really well. I've been trying to kill the hills, and now the hills in the neighborhood don't even look like hills anymore. I'm running all my runs faster, and in the month of January, I set "PRs" on all my regular training runs. Many of my regular runs were "near" PRs as well. And it doesn't feel so hard. Early on in January, I felt really tired even though my mileage was lower, and the runs were a lot harder Now it really is seeming easier, and it's time to make a major bump up in my miles. (From 35 mpw to around 50). And I'm ready. No more lazy!

 

[BFwillie_g]

ANYHOW - here's how it's going. Really well. ... Now it really is seeming easier, and it's time to make a major bump up in my miles. (From 35 mpw to around 50). And I'm ready. No more lazy!

Woot Woot!!! We're at about the same stage. I had to remind myself that today is a rest day. That's a good sign for me!