The one thing that makes a pacer better than running with another competitor is that you can tell a pacer (more than likely a friend of yours) to shut up if you don't feel like conversation. More than likely your friend will just chalk if up to running lows. However, if you do that to a fellow competitor you just kinda look like a dick.

But i'm with you, on my 50 milers, Ive never felt the need for a pacer.

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When all is said and done. More is usually said than done
Ba Ba Booey

Doing Rocky Raccoon 100 mile ultramarathon in a couple weeks (have run it before) and am applying to run Badwater. Fingers crossed and ill be accepted to Badwater 135 this summer.

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2x Deca-Ironman World Cup (10 Ironmans in 10 days), 2x Quintuple Ironman World Cup (5 Ironmans in 5 days), Ultraman, Ultra Marathoner, and I once did an Ironman.

Hennepin 100 might be an option for you. Aldo, find the Flatlanders Ultrarunners Facebook group.

I live in north Texas where the largest hills are the highway overpasses; last year I did the Pike's Peak marathon with 7800' gain/loss. The treadmill set at 12+ degrees is your friend. Stairwells are also good. If you have access to a multilevel parking garage the ramps are good for repeats, just keep going up and down over and over. Without the luxury of real hills whatever artificial hills you can find will work, you just have to get used to the boring/repetitive nature (I find treadmills insanely boring). Good luck with your 50m!

Orcus Island 50K in February, Then depending on lottery results, Waldo 100K (WS lottery qualifier) and McKenzie River Trail Run 50K.

Hey, thanks for posting that video, it was really well done. It's been awhile since I ran an ultra, and watching that video brings all the feelings back to make me want to get back into them.
That race looks beautiful too.

My last ultra was actually Rocky Raccoon a few years ago. Made it to mile 80, and made the mistake of sitting down. My body (more likely mind) did not cooperate on getting back up. So, I'm going to have to give that one a go again sometime and get that dang buckle!

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@davempratt

I did Vermont 50 twice. It's not easy, it's up and down Mt Ascutny, which is a ski slope. Lots of triple diamond trails and the like. With that said, it is gorgeous country. I had a pacer for the very end, but turns out I spent a lot of energy worrying about the pacer so I probably really didn't need the pacer. Enjoy the race, it's a great one!

Tarawera Ultra (100km) in two and half weeks. Which reminds me, I have to go run.

So I have 3 seasons of short course tri behind me. I'm young and really wanted to focus on a run block this season in lieu of tri-training... I have this weird desire to take a peak into the long stuff... the really long stuff (from my never having raced even a 13.1 perspective.)

Am I punching way above my weight class in thinking about a 50 miler? I was never a runner in school. I averaged 35mpw for the past year, but have hit 45 a few weeks. Any beginner tips from the ST are greatly appreciated.

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@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri

I've embarked upon the Gary the Vale Ultramarathon Training Program, with the idea of doing the Rocky Run 50K in December

In a nutshell, every week, you add ONE mile to your long run; ideally, by going 1/2 a mile further on an out-n-back route, so you can look down the road and say to yourself "Self. We're going down to there next week. Just a little further, that's not so bad, right?"

Now, be warned ... to my knowledge, no one has actually started at zero [or 1, as the case may be*] and stuck with it for an ENTIRE year, culminating in a 52-mile run [people tend to do silly things like sign up for races along the way, messing up the progression]




*to be honest, I started at 5

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

That is a flat 50 miler! The flat ultras can be deceptively hard because of the constant running and using the muscles the same way, and not the prettiest course. Just curious why he chose that race? I suppose a lot is personal preference, but I'd much prefer a really hilly mountain ultra.

I can imagine they don't come much flatter, unless you're running around a REALLY BIG parking lot

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

I'm planning to do my first ultra at the end of February assuming my recovery from a marathon this past weekend goes smoothly. It's the BCS Ultra (50k) outside of College Station. Looking forward to dipping into this scene.

My biggest advice: don't idealize ultra running.

Unlike cycling, where you can keep turning the pedals no matter what, the body can totally shut down in an ultra. Ultras quickly disillusion the undertrained.

Also, running an ultra won't necessarily make you faster, if that is the purpose of your run block. All that being said, if you are set on it, apply these principles in training:

1. Emphasize the long run. Get comfortable at 2-3 hours every single weekend, then leading up to race day, do 4 key long runs/weekends, all on similar terrain as your planned race. I'd envision a 22 miler, a 20 mile/10 mile weekend, a 20 mile/15 mile weekend, and a 50K race or training run.

2. Do a mid-week workout. Even though you're racing long, staying sharp will make you fast across all distances. Aim for simple fartlek-style runs like 6 x 3 min, 10 x 1 min, 8 x 2 min, preferably with ups and downs.

3. Train the downs. Uphills are mostly a product of body weight and fitness, but downs involve lots of pounding. In your long runs and mid-week runs, don't noodle downhill all the time. Be sure to let your body flow and learn to make downhills your strength.

4. Run consistently. Just like in shorter distances, run 5-7 times per week. Frequency trumps volume as long as you can get in the key long runs.

Hope this helps!

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David Roche
Some Work, All Play podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/...ll-play/id1521532868
Coaching: https://swaprunning.com/

He had already selected this race to celebrate his 50th birthday - the course profile is mostly flat but with 2 1500 feet bumps towards the end--- weather can be snow to 80F -- should be fun

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Graham Wilson
USAT Level III Elite Coach
http://www.thewilsongroup.biz

I've never heard of this race, but my sister goes to A&M and I'm in DFW so I may come down for the 25k. Thanks for posting it!



I'm also doing hells hills 50k in Texas in April followed by the Silver Rush 50miler in leadville in July. That's the goal race, everything else is just training.

Ultras quickly disillusion the undertrained.

This in a BIG way.

To cloy26: The training will let you know if you're mentally ready for an ultra. If the idea of doing the 20+ mile long runs every week doesn't sound like fun then waiting awhile to do a 50 miler might be a good idea. Ultras have a huge mental component, the concept of running a marathon after you just finished one can really mess with your head in the middle of a 50 miler. Once again the training is what prepares you for this. If the training sounds like fun or a good challenge then by all means go for it!

Adding to DaveRoche's advice I'd suggest practice hiking towards the end of long runs; you'll almost certainly spend some time walking in a 50m so it's definitely worth training for it when you're tired. Also don't overdo it with mileage outside of the long runs; I got caught in a trap once of doing too much during the week in addition to the long weekends figuring I needed big mileage to prepare for a 50m, all it did was left me tired and stale. Consistency and being smart and resting when your body needs it are key in the big distances.

A friend of mine [who has 2 Badwater finishes, a Rocky Racoon, plus more than a handful of Umsteads to her credit] has the following as her forum sig

"100 milers are all Gallowalking festivals."

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

I've been running a lot with an accomplished ultrarunner and she says I'm so ready for a 50k and even a 50 miler. She thinks I might be able to do a 100, but would need more mental prep for the 80 mile dread; "Will someone just kill me, please!" So, I'll probably progress up over the next year, maybe to the 100. I'll likely crew her at Badwater-Salton Sea and possibly Badwater, itself and get that first-hand experience. Right now, I'm running shorter stuff - the Big Baz WTRS series (12k; 15k; 18; & 21k) very technical singletrack stuff. Still want to do some tris and masters swim meets, as well.

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Proud member of FISHTWITCH: doing a bit more than fish exercise now.

It's the mental component that I find interesting (from the comfort of an armchair. hah.)

And thanks to both you and Dave for the good tips! Especially with regard to the midweek workout and being conservative with weekly mileage. I feel like I would automatically be defaulted into the "more is more" mentality and eschew any speedwork while adding in too much mid-week volume.

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@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri

This right here is huge. It will wreck you if you think in terms of, "I just ran this much and still have that much to run" I know during my first 100 mile attempt, after running 50 miles, I thought, " I've run 50 miles (which is an accomplishment in itself) and I'm only half way?!?!?!?!" This sadly reduced me to tears sitting in my chair next to my support car.

I think it goes without saying that you need to break it down into more manageable goals/distances. For instance, when I was still racing Ironman I used to think toward the end of the bike that there is no way I could run a marathon. But I can run from aid station to aid station.

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_________________________________________________
When all is said and done. More is usually said than done
Ba Ba Booey

I honestly don't know alot about the race other than it fits well in my calendar, is fairly close to my house (about an hour) and is run by the same group that runs the BCS marathon which is organized well from what I hear. From what I've been able to gather it's a second year race but was quite small last year. Terrain is relatively flat but that wasn't a driving concern for me.

Listen to David. If I weren't such a cheap bastard I'd likely hire him as my running coach. Instead, I stalk him here on ST and try to sponge as mich info as possible. :-)

You are awesome :) I also am a Contributing Editor for Trail Runner Mag now, so you can read jokes masquerading as advice all the time. Like today! http://trailrunnermag.com/...-really-dont-want-to

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David Roche
Some Work, All Play podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/...ll-play/id1521532868
Coaching: https://swaprunning.com/

Hells Hills is an awesome course. In fact, all of Tejas Trails races are really great. I can't say enough good things about them. Of course I ran most of them under the old RD, Joe Prusaitis. He and his wife are just great people and really put on some good, well run (no pun intended) races. I have heard that since his retirement, the new RD is Tejas Trails is pretty good too. I don't have any first hand experience though.

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@davempratt