Note
Ultrarunning Tips for the Very Average Runner
(Warning: long!)
Since I need to take a break from training to shake this cold, I've been thinking. (Dangerous!) Top orienteer Marie-Cat Bruno once said that we should identify what we do right so we can repeat it. Most of us focus only on fixing our mistakes, which is also important but misses a key part of the process.
So although my inclination is to obsess about what I could have done better over the past year and a half of ultrarunning, many things have gone right. Over thirteen months, I ran my second and third 50K races, my first and second 50-milers, the 125K Canadian Death Race and the Oil Creek 100K. Next up is a 100-miler. So far, I've finished every ultra feeling reasonably good. Sooner or later, one of these ultras will kick my butt; it happens to everyone eventually. I'm still a newbie but I've been lucky so far, even in races with high DNF rates. My age group rankings have been good and I've been in the top 15-20% of women overall in my 100+K races.
This has little to do with being a good runner because I'm *not*. If you're reading this, you are likely a better runner than I am. Paddling coaches say that women sometimes pick up technique more quickly than men because they can't rely on upper body strength. I think that may be a good analogy for my ultrarunning. I knew that I couldn't get by on running ability so I've had to focus on other aspects of the sport. I'm sure it would be a very different experience for a good runner getting into ultras.
I thought it might be useful for future reference (and maybe for other newbies) to write down a few lessons learned, some of which I learned by doing things the wrong way first. If you're a *really* good runner, please ignore my list and talk to an athlete at your own level.
1) Race Your Own Race
- Set race goals that are realistic for you and independent of other runners, e.g. "finish before the cut-off" or "under 12 hours". Compete against the race course and conditions, not against other runners. Of course you will be proud if you win your age group or place in the top 10% overall or whatever may happen, but don't think about those things too much on the race course. Don't let it change what you're doing.
- Don't let other runners distract you from your plan. I genuinely do not care or react when someone passes me, except maybe in the final kilometer. People who push hard to pass me early in the race sometimes appear later at the side of the trail - but if they're able to stay ahead, they deserved to beat me. Say "Good work!" when someone passes you, and sincerely mean it.
2) Embrace Solitude - if that's your thing
It's great to share outdoor activities with friends but I also genuinely enjoy running (and biking, skiing, etc.) alone. If I'm trying to focus on some aspect of training, it works best if I'm alone unless it's something like intervals where we can each do our own thing. Enjoyment of solitude may not be a characteristic one can learn, or maybe you can develop it by training alone - I don't know. It is neither good nor bad in regular life but if you feel lonely or bored on a long solo bike ride, or if you find it hard to train without a class or group to motivate you, then ultrarunning may not be your sport.
As weird as it sounds, I think this is one of the key reasons I've finished all my ultras. You need to be content with and even entertained by your own company for hours on end - with occasional help from an iPod where permitted, although I seldom turn it on in long races. You need to be able to appreciate beauty, see the humour in things and enjoy a laugh on your own. I sometimes compose my Attackpoint entry in my head to pass the time. You need to be objective enough to recognize your own silliness, mistakes, dehydration and moodiness and talk yourself back into the right frame of mind - as if you were a third party observer watching yourself race. Of course, this doesn't preclude having great conversations with runners you meet along the trail, as long as that doesn't interfere with racing your own race.
An exception to this rule is the type of training and racing partnership that Dee and M&M have forged, but that is rare and special.
3) Take Ridiculously Good Care of Yourself
Take good care of yourself early in the race when it feels silly to do so and when other racers may be less cautious. Get food and drink in the bank while it still seems appealing - before it feels like work to consume it. Be easy on your body. Take the early uphills and downhills much more gently than you think you need to. I've seen runners go down hills sideways to use different muscles. Keep your feet dry if the race course makes it feasible. Don't launch yourself off rocks; step down from them. Go more slowly than you want to until you're at least halfway through the race. Consider trekking poles. Tape and lubricate your feet, your back (under the pack) and other chafe-prone body parts before you run. Remember the basic outdoor accessories like sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, insect repellent, gloves - whatever is appropriate for the conditions.
4) Don't Give Up Multi-sport Training for Ultrarunning
Dee once told me that if you're training for adventure racing, you don't need to run that much to prepare for ultras. Sure, there are things you can only accomplish by running such as technique drills, downhill pounding and fatigued runs. But you can build strength and endurance by going for a long, hilly bike ride or spending a day on cross-country skis. You can simulate a longer run by biking for a few hours first, then bricking it with a run. This keeps you ready for adventure racing and also reduces the chance of overuse injuries.
Top ultrarunner Anton Krupicka, who has been plagued with overuse injuries, points to Kilian Jornet’s ability to train and race extensively without injury and credits the fact that Jornet skis almost exclusively for half of each year. Jornet also agrees that switching between skiing and ultrarunning changes the stresses on his body, gives him variety and limits injury.
5) Rest, Recovery, and Healing from Injury and Illness are Important
These are essential components of an effective training program - not annoyances that compete with our training. They're just as important as long runs or core strength sessions. As adventure racers, we're sometimes guilty of thinking that more is always better - longer distance, faster speed, heavier weight or extra races. It feels weak to take a day off. But the body becomes stronger as it rebuilds between training sessions that push our limits. Injuries are all too common among endurance athletes because we like to ignore them and push through them. I've done it a few times and it has never gone well (but it is *so* hard to be patient!) Many ultrarunning training programs include two rest days per week. You can still be active on those days but you're not supposed to train for running. I've taken more days off training since I started running longer distances.
6) Analyze Races in Detail Beforehand
I've seen photos of top Salomon runners studying elevation charts and topo maps before races. They know where the aid stations will be, what will be served, where the big climbs are, where they can make up some time, where they will need to carry more water, where they need their lights, what layers they'll want, etc. Some events provide a lot of pre-race info. Read it, look at the maps, distance charts, photos and videos, and visualize what the race will feel like at different points. Look at past results and find runners who can give you an indication of what your time should be. Estimate your arrival times at key checkpoints, using splits from past races if you can get them. I carry the map, pace chart and estimates with me, although I rarely look at them since I study it beforehand. The only race course I didn't review in advance was the Sulphur Springs 50K and, as a result, I did two loops out of order when a volunteer sent me the wrong way - an easily avoided error if I'd prepared properly.
7) Use Other Ultrarunners as a Resource
Listen and learn! We're lucky to have some fantastic ultrarunners here in Ontario, and a number of them are accessible on Attackpoint or Facebook. Dee, M&M, Mrs. Gally, Trav, Baloney, Zoolander, Turbo, Slowrunner, STORM, Philly Cheesesteak, Ken Niemimaa and more - they're an experienced and generous bunch. Not everything that works for them will work for you, and they won't always agree with one other. Ultrarunning is *very* individual but you can still collect different ideas. You may hate someone's shoes but love his pack. You may not be able to stomach his favourite sports drink but think he has the best snack ideas ever. If she logs on Attackpoint, you can see exactly how she trained for a race and read her race report. I had a race application with a cheque ready to mail until I re-read Funderstorm's account of a particular ultra. I tore up the envelope and am glad I did. Lots of runners blog so you can search for other race reports to learn more about an event.
8) Test Gear, Practise Techniques. Train like You're Going to Race
Don't use anything new in a race that you haven't tested in similar training conditions - not shoes, underwear, food, drink, socks, trekking poles, hat, sunglasses, pack, foot taping, headlamp, hydration system... nothing!
Running the Hockley Loop as fast as you can is a great training run but doesn't simulate what you'll be doing in a long ultra. Do some training sessions where you choose the types of uphills you're going to walk in the race, then practise speed hiking them. The uphill walks are not "breaks" but they do change the stresses on your muscles. Charlotte Vasarhelyi, who recently set the Canadian 72-hour ultrarunning distance record, practises this by turning up the incline on her treadmill and hiking faster and faster while slowly increasing the speed. She can glide up hills without running - it's worth asking for a demo.
For me, multi-kilometer downhill runs were a major weakness since we don't have that kind of terrain around here, so I did drills where I purposely pounded my body on downhills. It reduced the post-race quad and hip pain I used to get in my early ultras. I'm going to need to start doing that again soon since I'm sure the training effect has worn off! Other race-specific training conditions might include rocky trails, steep climbs, hot weather, rainy weather, etc. Getawaystix runs up creek beds to practise agility on uneven terrain. Test yourself and your gear in race-specific conditions as much as you can.
9) Respect Trail Karma
It's a long race so take a few seconds to ask a fallen runner if they're OK or offer a salt pill to someone with cramps. It could be you next time. You may be repaid when someone sees you taking a wrong turn or if your headlamp battery runs out. Ultrarunning is a collegial sport, and the vibe is, "We're all in this together so let's help and encourage one another". Even Kilian Jornet has been known to wait for runners behind him so they can work together. And *always* treat volunteers like rock stars.
I've undoubtedly forgotten lots of things, and maybe some of this stuff only applies to me. Please jump in to share lessons you've learned or to vehemently disagree with me! I'm getting excited about planning my season after the UTMB lottery is decided next Friday. :)