The Running Thread Vol 2

[Sarkmeister]

Got my first "ultra" in less than 2 weeks, which is coincidentally the one linked above (Maverick Peaks Merlin Ultra 52km).

Training gone ok. Had a chest infection for a few weeks so missed a off-road marathon I was supposed to be doing in preparation, but I've still done quite a few hilly 20-30km off road runs as a practice. It'll be fairly slow (6-7hrs) but pretty sure I'll get round.

Anyone got any tips for someone running a first ultra?

Fuelling is hopefully sorted (Jelly babies and jam sandwiches )

[Smitters]

Sarkmeister said:

Got my first "ultra" in less than 2 weeks, which is coincidentally the one linked above (Maverick Peaks Merlin Ultra 52km).

Training gone ok. Had a chest infection for a few weeks so missed a off-road marathon I was supposed to be doing in preparation, but I've still done quite a few hilly 20-30km off road runs as a practice. It'll be fairly slow (6-7hrs) but pretty sure I'll get round.

Anyone got any tips for someone running a first ultra?

Fuelling is hopefully sorted (Jelly babies and jam sandwiches )

Hydrate well in the days before.

Get your kit sorted well in advance for a chilled lead-up. Be well practiced with all your kit. Know what you need accessible (food) and what can be stowed away (emergency kit).

If you can run and do something, do that. If you have to walk and do something, do that. Try not to stop every time you need to get at something. Time simply bleeds away.

Look after your feet.

Start slow. Nope, slower than that.

Don't hammer the downs and trash your quads. Make sure you can run the runnable sections late in the race.

DO NOT take Ibuprofen. Paracetamol is OK. Kidney issues abound with IB and ultra racing.

Be generous with the anti-chafe lube.

Don't forget the sunscreen.

Pack a few wet loo roll sheets in a ziplock bag for emergencies. An itchy donut is no fun as the sweat pours past.

Know your cutoff times, or write them down somewhere so you're not stressing and faffing with a phone/website etc with poor signal.

Don't take every last bit of kit. Just what you need.

Embrace the suck - there will be tough times. Expect them, accept them, and consider having a pick-me-up treat for just such an occasion. Most dips in mental fortitude can be traced to being a bit cold, hungry or dehydrated, or a combo. Effect a change.

Look around, look back, take photos and try to enjoy it.

Have post-race food available ASAP. Rehydrate. Foam roll and stretch off. It will make day one and two afterwards much easier.

Let us know how you get on.

[markh1973]

Smitters said:

Sarkmeister said:

Got my first "ultra" in less than 2 weeks, which is coincidentally the one linked above (Maverick Peaks Merlin Ultra 52km).

Training gone ok. Had a chest infection for a few weeks so missed a off-road marathon I was supposed to be doing in preparation, but I've still done quite a few hilly 20-30km off road runs as a practice. It'll be fairly slow (6-7hrs) but pretty sure I'll get round.

Anyone got any tips for someone running a first ultra?

Fuelling is hopefully sorted (Jelly babies and jam sandwiches )

Hydrate well in the days before.

Get your kit sorted well in advance for a chilled lead-up. Be well practiced with all your kit. Know what you need accessible (food) and what can be stowed away (emergency kit).

If you can run and do something, do that. If you have to walk and do something, do that. Try not to stop every time you need to get at something. Time simply bleeds away.

Look after your feet.

Start slow. Nope, slower than that.

Don't hammer the downs and trash your quads. Make sure you can run the runnable sections late in the race.

DO NOT take Ibuprofen. Paracetamol is OK. Kidney issues abound with IB and ultra racing.

Be generous with the anti-chafe lube.

Don't forget the sunscreen.

Pack a few wet loo roll sheets in a ziplock bag for emergencies. An itchy donut is no fun as the sweat pours past.

Know your cutoff times, or write them down somewhere so you're not stressing and faffing with a phone/website etc with poor signal.

Don't take every last bit of kit. Just what you need.

Embrace the suck - there will be tough times. Expect them, accept them, and consider having a pick-me-up treat for just such an occasion. Most dips in mental fortitude can be traced to being a bit cold, hungry or dehydrated, or a combo. Effect a change.

Look around, look back, take photos and try to enjoy it.

Have post-race food available ASAP. Rehydrate. Foam roll and stretch off. It will make day one and two afterwards much easier.

Let us know how you get on.

Don't put coke in one of your bottles at an aid stop and then bit down on the valve whilst running - a mouthful of carbon dioxide is not conducive to continuous movement.

[Smitters]

markh1973 said:

Don't put coke in one of your bottles at an aid stop and then bit down on the valve whilst running - a mouthful of carbon dioxide is not conducive to continuous movement.

I concur. Same with effervescent hydration tabs like SIS. Not a nice outcome!

[RabidGranny]

Ran a 5km in a PB 22.5 mins last night. came third out of the entered 8 by the company. First two were footballers so they were running 4min/km as opposed to my 4.5min/km. thought i was nailing it until i got to the line and saw the boys with beers in their hands. fkers :-)

[JimmyConwayNW]

RabidGranny said:

Ran a 5km in a PB 22.5 mins last night. came third out of the entered 8 by the company. First two were footballers so they were running 4min/km as opposed to my 4.5min/km. thought i was nailing it until i got to the line and saw the boys with beers in their hands. fkers :-)

Well done on a PB.

[Rosscow]

Hip finally seems to be getting better!

Managed 2 really good track sessions and a circuit training class this week with no major reaction!

Very happy with that.

Slowly but surely starting to think about a 1:25 half marathon in Cardiff…..

[Mankers]

JimmyConwayNW said:

Ran the Alderley edge 10k road run last weekend. Took from Sunday until Wednesday for my calve muscles to recover. I'm currently weighing in at 104kg and managed a 44:18 which was a recent PB for me. First 5k was also close to PB as managed 20.59 best ever was 20.33, need to break that 20 min barrier.

Loved having the pacer, stuck with the 42.30 pacer until km 7 and I just couldn't hack it anymore, had to back off at the 9k marker as felt I was going to puke, had a couple of coughs and kept it together and got back on it. Heat was unreal, I always find the first few runs when it goes hot hard to adjust to.

Realistically I think I can get my 5k down under 20 and maybe a sub 43min 10k to aim for before the end of the year.

Really well run event for anyone local organised by Run North West Wilmslow running shop.

In theory if you can run 20min for 5 km then your 10km in 41min should be achievable.

Looks like your 10km fade could be down to weight and a lack of endurance? Are you running a 10 miler plus each week as your long run? Combine this with 6 x 800m reps at 4/min km pace (2min jog recovery) add in an additional 20-30km or so of easy running and should be doable.

[ben5575]

Just signed up to my first ultra; the Silva Dales Traverse. 55k, which is basically the smallest leg of the full coast to coast Northern Traverse. Time to man up

[redrabbit29]

Still having plantar fasciatus issues in left heel. It's very mild but annoying enough. I also think I am walking wrongly so I've got an appointment tomorrow through Bupa to ask for Shock Wave therapy and gait analysis.

Tried everything with the plantar issue:

Ball rolling
Icing
Massage gun
Not massaging at all
Using a sharp object to massage the skin
Calf strengthing/stretching
Bending toes back
Insoles

I also stopped running for about 3 months and still an issue including walking when I feel it afterwards.

[NaePasaran]

Did my first half today in the pissing rain just under 2hrs 2mins.

Thanks to those that have given me advice on this thread.

Quite pleased given my first parkrun was only about 9 month ago.

Here's to the next one. Or maybe a full....?

[cslwannabe]

Well done on your first half. I’d do a few more first and then maybe look for a 20miler. It’s a big step up from HM to full as fuelling becomes a real issue which you’ll find out during training, whereas I can run a training half before breakfast, without any drama.

[Pete102]

Ran the Basel half marathon yesterday, although I was on pacing duty for my girlfriend who knocked her PB down from 2:17 to 2:03.

It was a different but enjoyable experience for me, no nerves or stress I could just enjoy the atmosphere and then make sure she took on water, energy gels and give her info on speeding up or slowing down.

Felt absolutely broken last night, then I realised why...my weekly mileage has been hovering around 30-35, this week it was 55.

Next race is a 6k on Thursday (work arranged thing) then my home town 10k on Sunday.

[RabidGranny]

Pete102 said:

Ran the Basel half marathon yesterday, although I was on pacing duty for my girlfriend who knocked her PB down from 2:17 to 2:03.

It was a different but enjoyable experience for me, no nerves or stress I could just enjoy the atmosphere and then make sure she took on water, energy gels and give her info on speeding up or slowing down.

Felt absolutely broken last night, then I realised why...my weekly mileage has been hovering around 30-35, this week it was 55.

Next race is a 6k on Thursday (work arranged thing) then my home town 10k on Sunday.

how was the actual course?? was it two laps? I do lucerne most years for the marathon. might do the half this year for a time.

[The jiffle king]

British masters at Mallory park on Saturday. It’s a great event with a real mix of running abilities which is brilliant.

Some of the V35’s are running sub 15 for 3 miles but there are plenty of others running 24 mins + across all categories.

Was a great team day out and really was for all abilities and not just the fast crew . A closed to traffic course with a couple of hills but great for spectators

[Pete102]

RabidGranny said:

how was the actual course?? was it two laps? I do lucerne most years for the marathon. might do the half this year for a time.

Its funny you should ask. To be honest I was a little underwhelmed by the course and it plays quite a lot on it being a 3 country run, in reality the sections through France and Germany didn't particularly add much (quite a bit of running through residential or industrial sections). I would have liked to spend more time by the Rhine along the promenade through Basel. Additionally at one point there was the 10k, half and full marathon runners on the same course, with some coming back against the flow of runners which caused a bit of confusion.

I fancy Lucerne this year, but likely the half. I have the Aletsch half marathon next month and then a 50k in Engadine.

[RabidGranny]

Pete102 said:

RabidGranny said:

how was the actual course?? was it two laps? I do lucerne most years for the marathon. might do the half this year for a time.

Its funny you should ask. To be honest I was a little underwhelmed by the course and it plays quite a lot on it being a 3 country run, in reality the sections through France and Germany didn't particularly add much (quite a bit of running through residential or industrial sections). I would have liked to spend more time by the Rhine along the promenade through Basel. Additionally at one point there was the 10k, half and full marathon runners on the same course, with some coming back against the flow of runners which caused a bit of confusion.

I fancy Lucerne this year, but likely the half. I have the Aletsch half marathon next month and then a 50k in Engadine.

you have that a little in lucerne, they are differentiated with the colours of the numbers though, but certainly going over the bridge and back out by the train station you see the people on either side. to be fair its well managed and its a decent marathon scenery wise as you head out into the sticks by Horw.

[redback911]

Just arrived home after finishing my first multi-day event, the Cape Wrath Ultra. 400 km in 8 days and 11,400 meters of elevation, across the Scottish wilderness. Wow, just amazing. The trail running was sublime but the real challenge was the cumulative fatigue, balancing the daily effort with evening rest, nutrition and recovery. Out of 181 starters, only 57 completed the full course. I can highly recommend the event..!

Edited by redback911 on Tuesday 28th May 12:13

[ben5575]

Incredible effort. Well done!

[bigandclever]

And time to take some good photos too, well done!