Hi!
I am new to ultra running. I have done two marathons a Half Ironman and a couple of 100 Mile Bike races.
I currently run 40-50 miles a week. I was training 10-14 hours a week regularly building to my HIM this past August. I am going to do the Greenland 50k in April on my way to the San Juan Solstice 50 miler in Lake City Colorado (June).
Has anyone ever done this race? Will I need a pacer?
I am doing the Utah marathon in September as well as the Las Vegas Marathon in December.
Is it possible to do my first 50 AND 100 mile race in the same year?
I was thinking maybe the Leadville 100 in August. Stupid?
Any thoughts would be great!
Is it possible to do my first 50 AND 100 mile race in the same year?
Absolutely…I forget what it’s called, maybe The Grand Slam, where they run 6 ultras in a season. There’s at least another popular series like that also so not only is it possible to do what you’re asking, people do quite a bit more.
It’s really amazing how much people can do with some serious consistency.
Good luck,
Tom
Stupid?
It’s ultrarunning - is there any other way to describe it?
Absolutely, you can do a 50- and 100-miler in one season. The former is pretty much a training run for the latter. I wouldn’t build up a base level sufficient for a strong 50-miler without putting those miles to use in a longer race to follow.
I’ll be running a 50-miler in November as well, but my base prep will be roughly marathon-range (due to injury), which is fine by me. Ultras are like 5k’s - they’re the most fun when you’re completely undertrained and unprepared for them. All that running beforehand just sucks the fun right out of it. 
The “grand slam” is Leadville, Wasatch, Vermont and Western States. the “Last Great Race” is Leadville, Wasatch,Western States, Vermont, Angelas Crest, and Massanutten. OR Old Dominion…I think.
FWIW, From what I gather from the Ultrarunners I know, it is not uncommon for them to do long races many weekend in a row, with little recovery, it’s part of being an ultrarunner.
Thanks, that actually helps!
I guess I really wouldn’t want to do it if it weren’t crazy!
I did my first 50 miler yesterday – 10:07(top 3rd finish).
My advice: Run in training conditions similar to your 50-miler. I did not run enough trail hills and I paid for it by being less-than graceful on the rocks and roots. Run those conditions in the dark. The first hour of the race was in the dark and it was freaky running tough trails with only a headlamp. I ran the training mileage in lower increments by running almost every day a week. I did very few longer(15+) mile runs. Doing more would have helped me. Watch your pacing. I started out too quick and my second half became ugly. Check the aid station separation and plan based on that. Some of the aid stations were 7+ miles apart. Going 1 1/4 hours with no human contact is unnerving for some. Run alone in the middle of nowhere as that is how it will be in an ultra.
I ran 50-55 MPW in the 2 months prior after finishing a strong-ish mary at IMLP. Otherwise 11 other marys and a single 50K.
PM if you have questions while the pain/misery is still clear in my mind before it becomes all rosy and I sign up for another or something even more insane.