I am doing IM CDA June 27. I am thinking of doing the leadville 100 (Aug. 22) or Bear 100(Sept 24). Probably the latter. I am just going for a finish on the ulramarathon. Is 3 months enough time. Anyone with any experiance with this. Thanks for any Info.
Kenney
Wow, you asked a question I thought I’d never hear on this forum, and I have an answer for you. I’ve done Marathon des Sables (a 152 mile stage race in the Sahara), Desert Cup in Jordan- a 105 mile non-stop race in the Jordanian desert and also Raid Gauloises (2002 Vietnam) and Eco Challenge ('96, British Columbia). I had good races at Marathon des Sables and at Desert Cup (top U.S. finisher!) but our team didn’t finish either Eco-Challenge or The Raid, we came agonizingly close at The Raid. Bummer.
Ironman is excellent preperation for ultras. It teaches you patience and how to take care of yourself. The largest problems you face in the events I’ve participated in are navigation and foot problems.
Buy the book “Fixing Your Feet” by John Vonhof and John Kozak. Learn the techniques for perventitive foot care maintenance and first aid if things go wrong and you get blisters. This is vital knowledge.
I was lucky enough to attend the finest land navigation school on earth, so navigation is not too difficult for me, but you need to maintain a constant fix on your position on the course. This is also critical. If ace rules allow it, one of the excellent miniature GPS units is invaluable. In Vietnam our team carried two GPS units, mandatory equipment for the race.
Probably the greatest asset to the ultramarathoner is mental tenacity, or utter stupidity. I have both. In the middle of the night when you start to have your doubts about finishing the thing you need to be able to re-orient your thoughts to consturctive ones. Try to stay “in the moment” and don;t worry about how far you still have to go. If necessary, and I find this is different from Ironman where you really have to concentrate to have a good race, let your mind wander.
Remember, essentially, this is what you have to do, so these are the skills you need to learn about (different from Ironman):
Survive. Unlike Ironman these races have long stretches where you may not have access to aid or other competitors and can take place in potentially dangerous environments. Take responsibilty for your self so you succeed in the event and don’t become a burden on other competitors and the race organization.
Navigate. Simple. Know where you are at all times and don’t get lost. If (when) you do get lost don’t panic. Simply take the amount of time necessary to calmly do what you need to do to find your position and then get back on course.
Take care of your feet. Your feet are critical. Learn about using Hydropel, what socks work for you, learn to make the skin on your feet more resilient in the months before the event. By fussy about shoes. I have used Salomon and Montrail. They are both excellent. Fit is the primary concern, but a knowledge of the terrain you are going to be on is also super relevant. Consider mini-gaiters too.
Travel light. Be obsessive about weight. Tear the tags out of clothing, trim your shoe laces, do anything and everything to save weight without compromising the durability of your gear. With the influx of adventure races there is a lot of awesome gear out there from companies like GoLite, Camelbak, Ultimate Direction, Injinji, Rail Riders, Moletracks and others to make your race more fun.
Know your nutrition plan. -But you already knew that from Ironman.
Try using painkillers. It is legal to use over-the-counter medications like Aleve and Motrin in most competitions. Experiment with them conservatively and carefully in training first and inform someone of what you are taking and how in case there are complications. Be careful with this. Some medications, especially Aleve (Sodium Naproxin) can increase the likelyhood of contracting hyponytremia. Managing discomfort is important, and these can be good tools if used correctly.
Remember, you are member of the truly elite. Ironman is an amazing and very difficult event. Everyone who finishes, regardless of place, is an impressive athlete and that is an enormous accomplishment. I think we all know that about Ironman. However, when you do a race over 24 hours through difficult terrain that forces you to rely on your skill, fitness and courage, you have grown to the next level. In is an incredible accomplishment very few people will ever experience. If finishing Ironman is a “10” finishing a punishing Ultra is a “15”.
If you get the National Geographic Channel on cable or satelite check out Boyd Matsen tonight (Decemeber 24) in the new “Gobi March”, a brutally difficult stage race Ultra through the Gobi Desert. You’ll get tips on gear, shoes and a flavor for racing ultras.
Most importantly, Good Luck and Happy Holidays!
also Raid Gauloises (2002 Vietnam) ------------- Wow, Off road in Viet Nam! I have heard that there are still land mines out there. No worries about that? I didn’t like being there and I even got paid for it! :~) Aloha, Larry
Thank you so much Tom for your detailed answer. I have your typical ex-Marine attitude,so I can be pretty obtuse! (I am a non-combat vet)As you probably remember from previous posts I am the one time homeless addict. I am intrigued by the ultra. I have seen(on TV) the Marathon de Sables and heard of the Gobi. One day I would like to do one. No matter how hard I train I never can get fast.So I love the challenge of “Can I Do It”?because am to slow for the challenge of “Can I Win”.On Jan 15 we are supposed to take ownership of a “Red Wing Shoe” store. We sell Vasque shoes so I have great access there. I still can not beleive it. From the streets to IM to business ownership. I am a very fortunate individual.I have been restored in every aspect of my life(yes I credit Jesus). Sorry for the rant, I am sitting here thinking how fortunate I have been.
Well I I am pretty sure I will go for the Bear 100,that
will give me 3 months.
And Merry Chirstmas and Happy Holidays to you Tom. You are always extremely helpful and generous of your time here.So a Hearty Thanks to you....Kenney
I was very, very afraid that this would come up at some point.
I have been avoiding this subject for 2 years, as IM USA approaches in July. Even as I would drool over coverage of the ultra races in Runner’s World magazine.
Perhaps I can avoid the inevitability of becoming an extreme accomplishment junkie, but that silver belt buckle is real nice.
I really love my wife. I hope she doesn’t divorce me some day when I tell her we are vacationing in Death Valley.
Kenney, I’m glad you’re doing well. Even I, a self-proclaimed heretic(I rebel against the Catholic Church, not the belief in God or Christ), recognize the great wisdom contained in Christ’s teachings. With hope and perseverance, there is little that we cannot do.
Be well. Merry Christmas.
I got excited to throw something out there on this post since my run training partners are ultra runners… and then Tom just nails it. You know your stuff, don’t you Tom! For what its worth, I do a lot of long trial runs and a few 50k ultras as part of my ironman training. It helps to build the endurance base, dial in the fueling and work on the mental training necessary to deal with some of the bad patches you often experience in ironman. I paced my run partner through the last 38 miles at Western States 100 and I can vouch that the severity of the distance makes it more of a survival test than a race.
Moose and Tom: What kind of distance training runs would you suggest I throw in while training for IM and the next couple months after. I take it I should take a couple off for recovery after IM then build again. Should I do my training runs on the 5:1 or 25:5 ratio or do some 30 milers without break ect…Thanks Kenney
And to J Morrisey… I am a couplete rebel of rules of organizations compared to loyayalty to relationshops. The on hems in, the other produces growth…LIFE
A good friend and regular poster here has done the Leadville 100 double.It seems to me with your fitness doing the run should be no problem.One strategy to get the Trophy buckle is to do 60 miles at 18 min. per mile pace and 40 at 12 min.pace.=30 hr.I believe for a fit person that the race is more of an exercise in sleep deprivation.In some ways I think shorter events are easier.
Cullen
Kenney - I would obviously defer to Tom given his experience. As for my experience with ultras (finishing/not racing) and ironman, however, I could add the following:
Recovery from your IM is imperative as you mentioned and should be determined by your past experiences with recovery periods and the effort of your IM race.
For long runs in building for an ultra, we use time as our benchmark as opposed to distance. The long runs build to 4 and 5 hours. We figure to average 10 to 15 minute miles on our training runs. Considerably slower than being on the road. We build a progression that includes long runs on both saturday and sunday as opposed to going past 5 hours in any single run.
The walk/run ratio is often determined by the terrain and hills. As a rule, we walk up and run down. Target effort is established for the run and maintained as opposed to focusing on distance and pace. I’m a HRM addict, so I find setting my HR around 75% is effective in managing my effort.
The book Tom mentioned, “Fixing your Feet” is a must have.
Pay attention to the expected temperature/weather and plan accordingly. My partners did heat training to acclimate their bodies to dealing with the hottest part of the day.
As for navigation, you should check to see what is recommended. The larger, organized 100’s are fairly well marked, but you should always be prepared. Lighting for running at night needs to be figured out and practiced beforehand. We used a small handheld and a headlamp.
I wish you the best of luck and look forward to seeing how the transition from your ironman race to the ultra works. I will likely be doing the same in the not too distant future.
My tips for Leadville and many other ultras is have low body fat; make your race plan before you start; pace yourself; care for your feet; eat and drink smart; and learn mental games to keep yourself motivated. Leadville is tougher than Ironmans and there are fewer babysitters on the course to help you and feed you. If you’re deeply committed to finishing, have a decent endurance base, and run a smart race, you can finish without a lot of long training runs.