It's summer which means training for fall ultras is in full swing!
One of the best ways to prepare for your fall ultra is to make your training as specific as possible for your race.
In addition to your actual running plan, here are a few other ideas to keep in mind. The goal is to show up to the starting line confident and ready to deal with whatever happens on race day.
A few months before the big day, start using your long runs and any training races as "dress rehearsals." This is the time to test out fueling options, hydration, gear and pacing strategies.
Try to train on similar terrain as your race, taking into account the amount of vertical gain you'll need to cover as well. This might mean periodically traveling to find similar terrain to train on, or getting creative with what you have nearby. This is where a coach can really help you figure out the logistics.
Incorporate fast walking and hiking into your training. If your hiking pace on tired legs is a 20 minute mile, work on getting that pace even faster--realistically into the 16 minute/mile region or less! This will serve you well on race day because let's face it....most of us do some powerhiking during an ultra, especially in mountainous terrain. Don't be afraid to hike and walk during those long training runs! Improving your walking/hiking speed is a surefire way to keep you moving smoothly on race day. Practice, practice, practice!
Plan your peak training weeks far in advance. Will you run your own "training camp" where you try to cover a large volume of miles over the course of several days? Will you sign up for a race to use as your peak run? Will you utilize back-to-back long runs? Get your game plan ready and don't forget to leave plenty of time to recover and taper.
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