Couple thoughts:

- A fast road course for a 50 miler, with someone like yourself with good marathon speed, is a recipe for an epic blowup in the later miles. It is super easy to go out too fast, because "fast" in this context may be 8 minute pace. Focus on negative-splitting your long runs and running the first 10+ miles at a slow pace. You need to really hold back on race day - avoid starting with the fast guys because that will get your competitive juices flowing and set you up to blow up around mile 30.

- Your volume is on the low end for someone looking to run a fast 50 (7 hours is fast), although I'm sure it will get you to the finish. Try to get in a couple of back-to-back long runs (e.g. run 15-20 the day after running 30). Pounding out 9 minute miles on pavement on tired legs is tougher than it sounds! Being prepared for that mentally and physically is important. Also adding in double runs mid-week can work as well, however since you are only a month out I wouldn't go crazy and significantly ramp up your volume.

- Your nutrition plan is almost exactly the same as mine. Works fine for me!

- Don't get your heart set on a particular finish time for your first 50. Focus on running the first 25-30 really easy. Once you get past 30ish, then start thinking about finish times based on how you feel.

FWIW, I'm 10 years older than you but the same size and similar 50K and HM PRs (never done a road marathon). I've never come close to a 7 hr 50 miler in 5 tries at the distance and blew up epically when trying to shoot for a sub 8 hour (on pace for 7:30 through 25 miles, dropped at 30). My 50 mile PR is 8:37 I think, although I've only done trail 50's. The rule of thumb I read somewhere is 2 times your marathon time plus 2 hours for a road 50 and 3 times your marathon time for a trail 50. I think that is probably on the high side for experienced ultrarunners but probably pretty close for a first time.

Good luck!

Agree with the above. ~8:30/mile is pretty pacey for that distance.
At a time when I was a ~3:05 marathoner, I did a 69mile race at 10:00min/mile and definitely couldn't have gone faster. I doubt that I could have maintained sub 9:30 even if the route was only 50 miles.

Start slower than you think you can run. If you're undercooking then you've got more than enough opportunity to make it up in the back half.
If you start too fast then you're in for a deathmarch IMO.

I am no where near as speedy but have several years of ultra running experience including numerous 50K and 50 miler and 2 100 finishes.
In general, even with all the cross training, you training mileage looks like it was develop for a 50k and not a 50m but it's really late in the game to try to change that.

I would also have to agree that one of the most important features of a solid 50M training program is the back to back long runs. I typically run back to back long runs most weekend when in race focused training. For my 50M, I usually max out at 30 (or 50k if I can jump into a race)/15 but would have also done a couple of 20-25/20 or similar.

It is quite late in the game to add this to your training but if you could move some of your mileage around without a drastic increase in volume to get a few back to back runs under your belt (even if it was just switching your Th/Fr runs), it would be beneficial.

Good luck at door county and let us know how it goes!

Thanks for the input everyone. I know it will be a long day and I've already accepted the fact that there will be pain involved.

It's a little late to start making significant changes to the current plan (especially if you're feeling strong and staying consistent), but you may want to consider breaking up the long runs on Fri into an AM and PM training session spaced 5-7 hours apart. This can mimic the longer duration without thrashing the legs as much.

Ex: 31 miler on 2 OCT. Instead of going straight through with walk breaks on your 5 mile loop, do the same 5 mile loop with walk breaks and do 4 laps in the AM, and 3 laps in the evening. Your legs may feel better and you'll get additional mileage and confidence from hitting higher mileage.

Good luck.

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http://www.reathcon.com

I've never gone longer than 26.2 but somehow I always thought that the ultras put in more like 70mpw+ to get there. If you can bang out 50 miles at around 8:30min/mile on this kinda mileage, then you are one talented specimen.

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Next races on the schedule: none at the moment

Agree with others that your mileage is pretty low. I was doing weekly back to back long runs building up to b2b 25 milers for my first 50miler.

Also, 7 hours I think is very optimistic. I managed to go just under 8 hours and my times are similar to yours but my 50K was faster. I started slow the first 10 miles and then sped it up and started picking people off, especially the last few miles. Ended up 15 overall so a good strategy to follow. DC will be faster though since my 50 was a trail race and DC is a road ultra so who knows.

Nutrition wise, I had a hydration pack with Skratch and carried gels and energy bars. Used aid stations to change it up sporadically.

As a point of reference, I have a similar marathon PR to you (2:56:50 at Boston 2014) and ran my first 50 Miler (JFK) last November in 7:35:37 (and ran Chicago leading up to that in 2:58). I did run a negative split, but that easier at JFK because the first ~16 miles are on the AT and were not fast at all. JFK is also considered one of the relatively "fast" 50 Milers.

I am also training for a 50 Miler on 10/24, but in PA. I do average closer to 70+ miles a week (and just a note since you gave your background, I am a female).

Good luck! Interested to see how you do. I am hoping to run a little faster this year, but it won't be anywhere close to 7:00.

I did the Fall 50 solo in 2010. I think you mileage along with what you've done and having an understanding that at a certain point it's going to suck and hurt is fine.

My advice is the first half is pretty hilly so keep that in mind for your pacing. The solo race is an interesting one because all day you're getting blown by by relay racers and the race is really built for them. Also, be prepared for a long slog in the state park, no aid stations in there.

Love your nutrition plan, I use Perpetuem which sounds the same along with Hammer gels. When you're getting late into the race solid food always help me like chips, pretzels and cola. They should also have some chicken noodle soup at an aid station.

Otherwise, great course, fun day and enjoy it!

[10/3 Update]


Current Weight: 156lb, hope to be 153 on race day (10/24). Diet has been on point the last 5 weeks and I believe that combined with plenty of post workout naps and compression leggings have really aided in recovery and helped me stay injury free.

2 weeks ago the temp touched 85 here in Iowa again. 12 miler on Thursday, 26.2 again on Saturday (had to work Friday so I couldn't go back to back. I waited until it was the hottest part of the day Saturday to get my 26 miler in and really focused on fine tuning my race day nutrition and keeping en eye on my Heart Rate. I also have been going negative on my long runs trying to simulate my race day plan. It was hot, and I have been doing this on purpose to build some fitness and get tough mentally.


This week was my 50k dress rehearsal followed by 10-12 miles the day after.

Woke up at 3:00AM Thursday morning and ran to my group run which was 9.5 miles away, I had dropped bottles every 5 miles along the way so I could simulate my 50M once again. Everything went very well, stopped to pee once and hit a port-a-potty once due to leaving at 3AM my food from the day before hadn't been cleaned out yet. Hopefully that is taken care of ahead of time on race day and have made a note to make sure it doesn't happen. Once again, I tried to go negative on my long run and it went well. The weather was perfect 45-50degrees and no wind.

9.5 miles there
12.2 trail run with my group at 5AM
9.5 miles home

I ran with music on the way there and back but never use it with my group and this is something I also plan on doing for the race. Run the first half without music and bring it out for the second half when I really need it.

Strava file for the 31.8 mile Thursday Run
https://www.strava.com/activities/404062834

Everything went well, no issues with cramping/blisters/GI/etc

The day after I ran 11 miles at the same race pace and it felt surprisingly great with zero issues whatsoever.

11 mile Strava File
https://www.strava.com/activities/404942603


Overall I am happy with my progress but am still searching for some advice, especially on when to eat real food vs when to suck down gels and Roctane mix.
I've been mixing in a good bit of yoga and easy indoor trainer spins to get my legs loose on days that I am not running. I have also been doing ALOT of juicing and getting a lot of fruits and veggies, especially beets and my body has felt great.


Here is my training schedule for the next few weeks up until race day. Any input is greatly appreciated. Prepared for Pain and the goal has remained the same at 7:00:00 but I have been calculating a few things and factoring in the 9 aid stations where I plan to walk through (~1 minute each) so that would put me in at somewhere around 7:09:00 with the walk breaks.

It's a bit late to make changes to training now, so the important thing is to consider you approach the race.

Forget 7 hours. It appears overly ambitious for a debut, particularly given if is not a pancake-flat and sealed course, you have a relatively low mileage and your conversion from half marathon to marathon may indicate a lack of endurance over the longer distances.

You come across as an athlete who is very focused on structure, planning, routine and a firm goal. In isolation, those are not disadvantages, but ultras are often about having the flexibility to adapt plans and reassess goals. Remaining focused and calm when parameters drastically change (or things go to pear-shaped) is an integral part of the challenge.

I'm not going to suggest a time goal, but rather a goal as to how to run the race:

• Do not concern yourself with time in the first 30 miles, only with the possibility that you may be running too fast.
• Beware the relay runners. Don't get sucked into running with them early in the race. It may be easy to latch onto someone's pace or become involved in their conversation to your detriment.
• The order of finishers in ultras has a strong correlation with runner's times over the final third of the race. That is where the large chunks of time are lost, as opposed to the relatively small increments are gained in the first 2/3 of the race. Focus on reaching 35 miles with as much running in yor legs as possible. This is where the race starts.

And of course, have fun.

I have only done one 50 but my scenario was similar to yours. It was a few weeks after a 2:57 marathon and I managed 7:05 on a very flat course. I think I might have gone a little faster with a more aggressive initial pace; less total time on the feet perhaps. I did gel only and managed 212cal/hr ave at 175lb. I could not get any gels down in the last hour which was a little odd since I've done IMs with only liquid/gel. You might want to be prepared for that. I'd also be careful walking the aid stations because it will get extremely difficult to start running again after 30 miles. Good luck.

I don't have any great advice,other than to say good luck and I'll be part of the relay. Somehow I was hornswaggled into 20 of the 50 miles and I may or may not be wearing a pirate costume.

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http://Everydadironman.blogspot.com

You're lucky its so flat there! Add 10k' of gain and its a whole different story :)

On the 50's I've done I've gone by feel for when to eat real food versus gels. I try to stick with Hammer Gels and Perpetuem as much as possible, normally half way through I'd have a simple sandwich and on the back half when I'm sick of gels I'll do some fruit, pretzels, flat Coke, M&Ms, etc. It's a great pick-up when you're hurting and it's been a long day so far.

Update: Finished in 7:12:XX
Strava File: http://www.strava.com/activities/419491632
Was on pace for 7hr up to mile 42 then had to add a minute of walking for every mile in order to stay in the game. Nutrition was on point, but my heart rate was higher than normal.The weather was less than optimal and I missed my 7 hr goal but it was a great learning experience. Also a new course record was set today so it was a great day to be in Door County. Thanks for the help along the way ST!

BIG Congratulations!! What an awesome achievement!

Congrats man... I'd say you crushed that pretty darn good!

Congrats! Great race!

Gotta go check out the results and see if it was Tyler Sigl who won it. I ran the North Face Endurance Challenge Wisconsin 50 a few weeks ago and he crushed it. He won the DC 50 last year and said his goal was to win it again this year and hopefully go faster. Dude is fast.

Nope... looks like Sigl didn't run. The winner was Zack Bitter who's another stud. He won the Ice Age Trail 50, which I also participated in, comfortably.