Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running

Soldato
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Hondon de las Nieves, Spain
Ah, i've never really had it fresh, i only ever have it as powder when making curries.

Day 10 of my virtual challenge done. It's funny how the body works, last night i went out around 7ish and felt great (other than stomach cramps since it wasn't long since i'd eaten), the last few miles were getting quicker with each mile.

Today i've just been out and it was a real struggle. It was quite warm which i imagine didn't help and maybe after a quickish run last night my legs were just achey.

5 days to go!
 
Soldato
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Hondon de las Nieves, Spain
I might take a look at them when my New Balance wear out. I'm a fan of Saucony trail shoes but the road ones always felt a little heavy. The newer Triumph were comfy though when i tried them on.

I've signed up for this, it's a cheap Virtual challenge which takes the whole of July.
https://operationbletchley.soldierscharity.org/

Only £10 and involves some puzzle solving to help keep it interesting. Could be good for people wanting some motivation.


Also this one is free. It's a 10 mile run, which rewards people running ascent. Just a bit of fun.
https://www.facebook.com/events/614780112498948/
 
Soldato
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Hondon de las Nieves, Spain
I’m not gonna lie. The remainder of this post is inspired by YouTube and wine.

@D.P. How does your training vary between doing a 50mile race vs a 100mile race?

I’ve 2 races booked in. 45 miles in October and 42 miles in February.

I’d love to do the Lakeland race at some point which is at the end of June. I expect it to be tricky to enter next year given this years delays and rollover entries.

If I was to enter the 100 mile version. Would I likely have enough training carried over from the shorter runs I’ve done to February with March- May as specific training. Or is it a different beast altogether and I’d be better considering it the year after.

I’ll caveat this by saying I have no expectations of pace/time. Simply finishing would be my goal.
 
Soldato
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Hondon de las Nieves, Spain
Well I got drawn out of the virtual challenge in third place. Still I get a free entry to a future Howler event so the entry fee alone more than pays for this event.

It’s been great run and pushed me to my two highest running weeks. This week looks to hit around 57 miles. The biggest impact I’ve found is hills. Even the slightest incline wipes me out and resorts to walking. Yesterday I went by the canal!

In other disappointing news. The 3 Towers Ultra in October is looking very unlikely. United Utilities who own the land wont entertain talks until September and by that point it’d be a case of trying to arrange a lot of things in a short space of time.

I still have a Pendle Hill Ultra in Feb. But it was nice to have something before then in the diary.
 
Caporegime
Joined
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I’m not gonna lie. The remainder of this post is inspired by YouTube and wine.

@D.P. How does your training vary between doing a 50mile race vs a 100mile race?

I’ve 2 races booked in. 45 miles in October and 42 miles in February.

I’d love to do the Lakeland race at some point which is at the end of June. I expect it to be tricky to enter next year given this years delays and rollover entries.

If I was to enter the 100 mile version. Would I likely have enough training carried over from the shorter runs I’ve done to February with March- May as specific training. Or is it a different beast altogether and I’d be better considering it the year after.

I’ll caveat this by saying I have no expectations of pace/time. Simply finishing would be my goal.


My training doesn't vary that much. It is a bit like comparing a half to a full marathon. If you want to get your best HM time you end up training the same amount of time and same volume at a Full. Mostly, you train as much as you have time for in your life. And even if you had no job and no family, there is a limit to how much you can train. You can't keep scaling up. This is especially true for the LR, while you might do 20miles of 26.2 for a LR ina marathon cycle, you can;t do that 77& of a 100 miler. You can get to about 30miles and that is it.

The detail will depend a bit n the difficulty of the course and how fast you are. For a 50miles, since I typically finish in the top 10-25% on an ultra, I tend to aim to run most of it except the climbs (which for some courses still means hiking most of it. For most people, even very fit, you need to plan a lot of serious hiking time for a 100 mile race so that needs to be part of your training.

Te biggest differences between 50 and 100 is not really the physical or at least running side, as you probably can't run more than 40-50 even with solid training and an easier course. Instead, the difference is largely mental. You will suffer much more, and for longer, and the lows will be much deeper. Sleep is a major issue. With a 50miler you might get an hour or 2 in the dark before sunrise, which is fine due to high energy levels and adrenaline, it feel like day time. After you have been running all day and covered 50miles and then the sun starts sitting and you realize you have 12 hours of darkness ahead of you, and however much you have suffered you are half way in distance not even halfway in time, - well, it is humbling and scary! You then have to figure how to handle sleep deprivation, the hallucinations, and loneliness. For 24hours you are typically OK but after that it really gets hard. The urge just to crawl in to a corner and sleep is enormous. After a few more hours it can be physically impossible to keep your eyes open. And yet if you are out in the high mountains falling asleep can be very dangerous. Most people prefer 10-20 minute power naps, they take the edge of the extreme fatigue for few more hours.
Others do continuous 20-30seconds micro sleeps. Handy in an emergency I found (top tip is to hang from the pols so if you fall asleep properly you will fall down and wake up)

The next big issue is food/calories/hydration. Well, for have enough glycogen stores for 20 miles at marathon pace. Slowing down you can get to 30-35 or so, and so for a 50 miles you have to consume about 15-20 miles worth of food. So gels, power bars, nuts, dried fruit, soda, and the odd banana gets you there. For 100 miles you have thousands of more calories to eat, and you just have to become an eating machine. It becomes so tiresome just constantly trying to consume calories. There is only so many hours you can eat dried fruit and gels before anything sweet is vomit inducing. When it is warm, keeping hydrated and electplytes in balance is also extremely difficult. If your stomach goes south then you have troubles drinking enough. And the more you have to drink the more likely you screw up the electrolytes.

None of this stuff is really trainable. You just have to enter a race and cope. With experience then it becomes easier to manager, or at better still prevent. Prevention is critical for 100 milers. A blister will mean certain failure if not caught early. Hydration issues are a show stopper. Maintain suitable body temperatures is critical not just for safety but to maintain energy or hydration. Shivering on top of a mountain at 2am because you didn;t pack enough warm layers at best will completely drain you mentally and waste load of calories while you shiver your arse off.

Training wise, try to run on the same kind of terrain as much as possible, and don't forge the hiking. Runs at night time are important. This can make training easy. Set out at 8pm Friday and run/hike until midnight. Running when sleep deprived. Even just getting in a solid hike helps. You can try and run before work, then hike in the evening once the kids are in bed etc. Get used to wearing a head lamp

The long runs are critical but after a point they don;t help. Sure, if you have 8-10 hours to do a hike-run then do it. But 4-5 hours with a bit more pace is sufficient. Sufficient to give fatigue and ensure you are eating. Try and pack your backpack with a similar quantity of gear. For mountainous 100milers you have quite a lot of extra clothing, 1st aid kits, water,food, head lamps. You can quickly get to several kgs even with the lightest gear you can buy.

Some people swear by the back to back LR. But that seems like a recipe for injury. IMO, The 2nd run should be a hike with short jog stretches, and a lot shorted than the 1st day's run. Count on accumulated fatigue and consistent volume, rather than some of the insane weekends I see some people do (40miles Saturday, 30 Sunday.
Really, it is the shorter 50 mile races that act as the best training for the longer races, as only in these conditiosn will you be pushed to extreme exhaustion.
 
Associate
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Ran on Sat am and realised afterwards that I should possibly have eaten something after the 3Hr MTB ride the night before :) Was feeling totally out of it at the end of the run. It was a bit surreal anyhow, as as I was heading down the towpath, I nearly ran into a stationary cow! Had to persuade it to walk in front of me for a while until of got bored and let me past.

Never realised quite how slippy canal towpaths are though. Any suggestions for trail type shows that I not going to break the bank on?
 
Soldato
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After finally realising a main road actually had a path along it just about suitable for running, I decided to have my first go at a marathon on Saturday. Halfway was my parents house, so I could refill water etc, and worst case, call it a day if needed.

o6RhXsj.jpg

I had the same niggle on the top of my right foot at about 11 miles in, and after a bit of a rest at my parents decided to carry on. Luckily it managed to keep to a very bearable level, and actually improved slightly towards the end.
I've no idea how that time compares, I'm just about running sub 1:25 halfs at the moment, so for a marathon training run, not too bad. (The total time, with stops, was 3:44)

Just need to find the cause of the foot niggle. Might start stretching the muscles there a bit more.

Oh....and I took the plunge and bought a Theragun (percussion massage gun thing)the other week. Bit of a risky purchase, but I can definitely say that it has helped with recovery. No dreaded DOMS the next say, just a general low ache. I've been using it quite regularly after heavy cycling sessions too, and I can feel an improvement the next day.
 
Soldato
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@D.P. That's an excellent post and one i need to come back to. I think i'll hold off and see how i cope with the 2 shorter Ultras as whilst i get a moderate amount of ascent on runs (1500ft/10 miles roughly), it's not in the same league as the Lakeland which is pretty mental. Maybe aim for the 50 mile event in 2021 and then move up to the 100 mile the year after if i think i can handle it (obviously depends on ballots)

Whilst the October run is cancelled, i think i might still train for it and run the route on my own. I have the GPX and at ~43 miles, i've estimated a 9hr event time as a realistic target. There's no point which is too isolated so any issues i run into shouldn't cause problems.

Ran on Sat am and realised afterwards that I should possibly have eaten something after the 3Hr MTB ride the night before :) Was feeling totally out of it at the end of the run. It was a bit surreal anyhow, as as I was heading down the towpath, I nearly ran into a stationary cow! Had to persuade it to walk in front of me for a while until of got bored and let me past.

Never realised quite how slippy canal towpaths are though. Any suggestions for trail type shows that I not going to break the bank on?

I've heard good things from the Decathlon trainers, though personally i'd go elsewhere. I'm a big fan of the Sauconys, the Solomon Speedcross gets great reviews too and can usually be had for not too much money for an older model. For just the canal you won't want anything with big lugs. Depending on your size, i've got a pair of Hoka Speedgoat 3's, i never quite got on with them as they're a little narrow. Could have them for postage. They're an 11.5 but ideally would suit a 10.5-11.
 
Soldato
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@Shadowness That's a great time for a first run, especially since it's just a training run. I imagine on an actual race you'd knock a decent chunk off with more training etc.

I also picked up a massage gun a few weeks ago, i've been pretty happy with it too. It's helped these last few weeks and i noticed the difference the day after when i used it vs not using it.
 
Associate
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@D.P. That's an excellent post and one i need to come back to. I think i'll hold off and see how i cope with the 2 shorter Ultras as whilst i get a moderate amount of ascent on runs (1500ft/10 miles roughly), it's not in the same league as the Lakeland which is pretty mental. Maybe aim for the 50 mile event in 2021 and then move up to the 100 mile the year after if i think i can handle it (obviously depends on ballots)

Whilst the October run is cancelled, i think i might still train for it and run the route on my own. I have the GPX and at ~43 miles, i've estimated a 9hr event time as a realistic target. There's no point which is too isolated so any issues i run into shouldn't cause problems.



I've heard good things from the Decathlon trainers, though personally i'd go elsewhere. I'm a big fan of the Sauconys, the Solomon Speedcross gets great reviews too and can usually be had for not too much money for an older model. For just the canal you won't want anything with big lugs. Depending on your size, i've got a pair of Hoka Speedgoat 3's, i never quite got on with them as they're a little narrow. Could have them for postage. They're an 11.5 but ideally would suit a 10.5-11.

I am normally a 46 in Euro sizing, so that sounds very close size wise.
 

SPG

SPG

Soldato
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New plan which i am probably going to regret.... Cutting my running down to 1 maybe twice week while i focus on trying to increase my FTP over the next 8 weeks on the bike.....

Already not looking forward to the the running again :)
 
Soldato
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Hertfordshire
Yes, they look really nice! When my Nike FlyKnitts are done. The Asics Meta Racer is getting good reviews as well.

I don't want to wear Next% or AlphaFlys they cost too much and I seem to wrongly form a negative opinion of people when I see them wearing them lol

Dont think much of the Nike in my experience very expensive shoe but crap longetivity they fall apart easy.

I know they are designed as a racing shoe but even so when you spend a lot of money you expect quality.
 
Soldato
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Gloucestershire
Dont think much of the Nike in my experience very expensive shoe but crap longetivity they fall apart easy.

I know they are designed as a racing shoe but even so when you spend a lot of money you expect quality.

I'll be able to give feedback on that in the future as I have a pair of VaporFlys and AlphaFlys.

They certainly feel so light that you wonder how long they will last, but as you say, I will only really use them for races etc
 
Caporegime
Joined
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Posts
32,615
@D.P. That's an excellent post and one i need to come back to. I think i'll hold off and see how i cope with the 2 shorter Ultras as whilst i get a moderate amount of ascent on runs (1500ft/10 miles roughly), it's not in the same league as the Lakeland which is pretty mental. Maybe aim for the 50 mile event in 2021 and then move up to the 100 mile the year after if i think i can handle it (obviously depends on ballots)

Whilst the October run is cancelled, i think i might still train for it and run the route on my own. I have the GPX and at ~43 miles, i've estimated a 9hr event time as a realistic target. There's no point which is too isolated so any issues i run into shouldn't cause problems.



I've heard good things from the Decathlon trainers, though personally i'd go elsewhere. I'm a big fan of the Sauconys, the Solomon Speedcross gets great reviews too and can usually be had for not too much money for an older model. For just the canal you won't want anything with big lugs. Depending on your size, i've got a pair of Hoka Speedgoat 3's, i never quite got on with them as they're a little narrow. Could have them for postage. They're an 11.5 but ideally would suit a 10.5-11.


It certainly helps to do the shorter ultras to prepare you for the suffering. A lot of the hard aspects are difficult to train for (eating, severe exhaustion), but shorter ultras gets you there in manageable steps. You also have to try an normalize the suffering.
 
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