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Aug 2014
4:31pm, 28 Aug 2014
22,663 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Are your ultras usually hilly though hellen (G2E (canal!), Perth 100km (riverside park) and Basel (400m track or 1km?) - all totally flat, aren't they?)
So looks like your best races are those you chose to match your strengths. I'm actually not good at hills either, but my A race choice for 2015 will be WHW (if I can get in) so I just need to TTFU and get up the hills!
So not one size fits all, no, but specific advice for specific goals, yes, a lot of that must be common, surely?  G
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Aug 2014
4:37pm, 28 Aug 2014
14,675 posts
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hellen
that's right happy I know I am rubbish at hills so I tend to avoid hilly races or do them as training runs rather than A races
However, hills still good in training even for flat races
Happy, I understand you are trying to look for a formula nothing wrong with that. However, you remind me in some ways of my students (not in a bad way) I teach economics and some of the mathematicians are not comfortable with there not always being a right or wrong answer to things but a depends. With ultra running there is a lot of 'depends' in there.
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Aug 2014
4:39pm, 28 Aug 2014
14,676 posts
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hellen
I was chatting with Robbie Britton the other day, he doesn't do lots of super long runs but prefers quality so might do a middling type run with a fast finish.
My thought, which are prob wrong, is that those who are naturally talented ie those who did fast times for their first marathons don't need as many miles. Those who are not need more miles to do well
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Aug 2014
4:49pm, 28 Aug 2014
1,629 posts
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MikeR.
Robbie hasn't done any runs over 3hours since whwr and he is doing utmb tomorrow.
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Aug 2014
4:50pm, 28 Aug 2014
22,665 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Thanks hellen, you're right, I'd like a formula! I'm not stressed about it, by the way (my repeated posts are just work avoidance! ) But I *am* interested in finding out what works well for lots of people and seeing if it can help me.
For marathons, learning to do most of my miles slowly and then to do bits of speedwork, a certain times, helped me to build endurance and speed, stay injury free and then perform well and confidently in my target race. Without input from others, reading books, constructing a training plan, and sticking to it, I wouldn't have got the improvement that I did.
I've made mistakes (first year mara training, building up too fast, too many days run, no rest, not enough stretch, recovery etc.) and got injured. I've done too few miles or too few long runs and wondered why I struggled from 18-20 miles to the end etc. So I've made mistakes that others have. But you can minimise the mistakes by learning from others, so that's all I'm trying to do, as I progress to ultras.
Thanks all for your input. Much appreciated. G
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Aug 2014
4:52pm, 28 Aug 2014
22,666 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Have a fab UTMB Mike (great pic on FB, btw!). Robbie is special. You're special too, obv up at the sharp end. But I'd also say you've worked bliddy hard and progressed from a "normal" runner and new to ultras to an elite and a winner through learning and building. Correct me if that's wrong. G
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Aug 2014
5:17pm, 28 Aug 2014
70,827 posts
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santababy
You're not wrong, re Mike. But you're still missing point of overthinking. Stop it or I will have to chase you with my pirate sword, which I have.
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Aug 2014
8:43pm, 28 Aug 2014
6,131 posts
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mrs shanksi
HappyG(rrr) relax man, you will be fine! I agree with what everyone else has been telling you. Everyone does different training for ultras depending on what's going on with the rest of their lives. Personally I do best when I do more miles in training but I can rarely fit in big back to backs. I do like climbing a Munro/ smaller hill with the kids as an alternative to a second run of a weekend. And in the middle of the night in Glenmore it will be mental strength that will stop you giving up and joining Loon Dod's gin palace party. When I did the 24 last year I decided I wanted to run 100 miles. I wrote the numbers from 1 to 25 (nos of laps I needed) on a piece of paper and asked shanksi to score them out as I completed each one. I find telling all your friends you plan to run 100 miles at the race is a good motivation. I didn't want to go home and say I *only* did 81. (not that 81 miles is so bad, I just really really wanted to run 100 miles).
I run around 1500 miles a year but not a regular amount a week. It can vary from as few as 12 miles a week to 50!
:-)G I will be supporting shanksi and any other runner who needs support at the race so I will make sure I kick your butt if you are slacking!
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Aug 2014
9:03pm, 28 Aug 2014
22,670 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Looking forward to my butt-kicking V. x
I was thinking of drawing I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I on my arm in permanent marker and scoring them off. Or 25 sweeties on a string round my wrist and eating them off? G
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Aug 2014
9:14pm, 28 Aug 2014
1,630 posts
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MikeR.
Remember its a 24hour race not 100mile race. You would want to regret giving up at 22hours when you done your target.
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