[sgw]

I am considering to try a 50k mountain run with ~1800m vert in around 6 weeks.
Did the training for a 50k two years ago and never entered one … now I have lost track a bit (work, personal life) and did only keep the level without much specific work.

When I look into my TP account I lately ran around 30k per week, with peaks to maybe 50k sometimes. I was more into sportsclimbing lately …

I wonder if that 50k idea is realistic or not. If I put in structured training I think it should be reasonable? I think of getting in the miles, doing more vertical and distance, ramping it up over the next month.

There is even the possibility to run a shorter loop (32k) of the race track in advance. That would contain the main ascent and already cover 1500m vert. I think of running that unsupported as preparation and test run, to see how things go.

Any hints or thoughts?

Topic

[mylon.ollila]

mylon.ollila on May 2, 2022 at 11:13 am #66453

Hi sgw,

To share my own experience, I ran my first road marathon a few years ago with only around 6 weeks of training and it was the most painful running experience of my life. Over the last 15km I was just trying not to cry lol. In hindsight, I had a great time but I was risking injury, especially since I had no previous running history.

That being said, if you have been maintaining between 30-50km/week you can probably survive a 50km ultra if your goal is finishing as opposed to performance. Not sure I’d recommend it but I’ve seen worse. Are there any other upcoming events you can properly train for, perhaps in September or October?

[rich.b]

rich.b on May 3, 2022 at 3:40 am #66497

As long as your goal for the 50 km is in line with where your training is at, it would be doable. What to do with the 6 weeks (now a bit less) until then is the question, and my thoughts only reflect how I would approach it if I were in your situation. Subtracting for a period of recovery/taper before hand then this leaves less than 5 weeks, and ramping up both distance and vertical simultaneously can be a tall order. How to balance those (endurance, vertical) also depends somewhat on your strengths/weaknesses in those areas – that is, what will give you the most payoff over the short timeframe.

I am more comfortable (psychologically as much as physically) having confidence in my endurance first, and for me a few dedicated vertical sessions go a long way. The idea of running the 32 km course with 1500 m vertical as a training round sounds good (and like a good day out on its own), because it hits both of the points: one, it would let you know if 50 km would be a stretch and you could make the switch in race distance if it feels like 50 km would not be a good idea; and two, based on your comments that maybe your vertical training thus far is limited, it would prime your quads for the downhills on race day. If you don’t have the vertical base, then this would possibly destroy your quads for a few days or more, so best done 2 weeks out from the race in order to be recovered. That would leave less than 4 weeks until then, over which time endurance might pay off more, but with some hill sessions to prep for the training round on the 32 km course.

Anyway, an interesting challenge as to how to approach it!

[sgw]

sgw on May 3, 2022 at 4:44 am #66498

At first: thanks to both of your for your replies! That is helpful feedback already.

My goal would be “to finish”, no specific time or pace. Sure, I can’t expect more.

I assume I can benefit from the last few years with much hiking and running in the mountains. Definitely needs some refreshing, but the base should be there. Currently I increase the vert component in my runs, while keeping it in Z2 or so. That works quite well, I can see the progress I made over the last 2 years (although, as mentioned, my volume was reduced in the last months).

That 30k run might be the test, yes, and show if I should even sign up for the race. I have the route on my watch and consider doing it quite spontaneously: did such distances in the past, I know, I can handle that, it’s just the question, how happy 😉

Sidenote: I just remember: in march I did a 26k run with 900m vert in 2:53h … that wasn’t really an issue, just a bit boring in the end, but I wasn’t destroyed or something, went for a walk with the family after …

I approached that one rather slowly and defensive: http://tpks.ws/ZU2Y3YGN5MWHC53YTYQDYRNDNE

The idea with a race in autumn is a good one. The one in june is quite close to my home and that’s why I am interested in doing it.

[sgw]

sgw on June 29, 2022 at 6:30 am #68671

Update (without any real questions attached): did that mentioned 30k test run a few weeks ago, that went great. 4 hrs straight, so not super fast (terrain …), but I am happy with that. And another 28k run last week, rather spontaneously: also happy. So these distances aren’t unusual anymore. Looking forward to increasing the distance.