6 Things to Consider to Customize your Ultramarathon Training Plans
Running an ultramarathon is a journey in getting to know yourself. The difference between a marathon and a 50-mile and a 100-mile race isn't so much about moving your legs. It is much more about the time you get to spend in your head. And on your training.
Besides just running, meaning your weekly mileage and long runs, the most important thing you can do to prepare for your event is to add training specificity to your plans. That means looking at the race and identifying what is outside your normal training conditions. Is there more uphill/downhill than you usually run, hotter, colder, or rocky and rooty terrain rather than smooth buffed out trail?
Racing in conditions that are different from the conditions you trained to add a significant challenge during the event. But, you can increase your chances of success and enjoyment of the race if you add specificity to your training.
The trick to being successful with a training plan is adapting training to the conditions of the race. Incorporating specificity into your training plan will play a part in setting you up for success with a bit of tweaking and know-how.
Vertical Gain
Check out the profile and terrain of the race you are training for and simulate the events' conditions as best you can with what you have. If you are preparing for a hilly rugged trail race and live in the city, this may mean that during the week, you do the best you can and find hillier asphalt routes. And then on the weekend, you head out to the trails and find one in the area that is as rocky and rooty as possible.
During the week, you may want to turn your workout days uphill too. This will pay off big-time building strength in your legs. In addition to your typical short hill intervals, but you should also consider doing your threshold intervals into the hills as well. There don't need to be crazy steep, but a gentle uphill will do. If you don't have a hill long enough to run your whole threshold interval uphill, it's ok. Running a bit of it downhill or on rolling hills will help conditions the quads.
Typically you don't need to be too concerned about doing downhill intervals. These are very high risk and low reward. You are very likely to get injured, and you won't gain very much fitness. Your downhill running will take care of it self running easy on your recovery time between intervale and spending time on the trails running at a long run pace. By getting in more vertical, you will naturally get in more downhill running as a result.
When you out for your weekend trail runs, don't forget to practice your power hiking! Chances are you are not going to be running every hill in your trail race, so you need to train to hike efficiently. Your hiking muscles are different than your running muscles.
Terrain
Do you best to know what you are getting into? Is the course runnable dirt roads and ATV trail, or is it primarily rooty and rocky single track with poor footing?
If your race is mostly runnable dirt roads and your favorite trail that you and your friends like to hit up on the weekends is rooty and technical, that trail is not going to help get ready for your race as much as a more runnable trail would. The technical trail will be slowing you down, causing you to hike more than you would on a more runnable trail. If you go into your race and all you have run your long runs on is this technical trail, you will likely find that you limiting factor to your race day performance will be shear muscle failure or fatigue due to the repetitiveness of running more consistently.
You want to try and match this the best you can in your training. Ideally, you would at least be getting one or two weekend runs in on trails similar to your race.
Weather
We can't predict the weather, but we can prepare for it. Know the likely high and low temperatures so you can be prepared with the right gear. If your race is going run through extreme heat or cold, you should have one or two training runs where you have to deal with the weather and overcome it, so you know how race day is going to feel. Get out on the days that are muddy and rainy too, you never know what race day will bring, and it's best to experience the rain and slippery footing in training. There will be so many new stressors on race day, so go ahead and give yourself the best shot by eliminating some within your control before you reach the start line.
Night Running
If your race is going to have you running through the woods at night, you need to be mentally prepared to run in the woods at night and try it out before race day. You should also keep in mind that depending on the race start time, you may have already been running 12+ hours and will likely be fatigued.
In general, you will be much better off sticking to your regular sleep schedule and training at normal times rather than running your entire long run through the middle of the night. But do make sure you get out in the dark once or twice.
You can try night running in one of two ways. Start your run out early and run into the sunrise. That way, you know it is going to get light out in an hour or 2. Or, start late to and run into darkness. Try out your headlamp and make sure you know how to change your batteries.
Another critical thing to keep in mind is the temperature can drop drastically at night, and even in summer months, hypothermia can be a risk.
Gear
No new gear on race day. You should plan ahead of your race what gear you think you will need and then train with it as much as possible.
If you are wearing a pack on race day, train with it. Do your long runs with the pack fully loaded, including all the mandatory race gear and the water you will be carrying. This way, you will get used to the feeling and weight and have the opportunity to see where everything fits best, so it makes everything easy to find and reach.
Poles or No Poles?
This is a question only you can answer. It is going to depend largely on the terrain and profile of the event you are doing. If it is a more technical course or has lots of elevation gain, then poles could be an awesome tool. If you have a flatter or less technical course, you may find out that you just end up carrying them and not using them. If you plan on using poles, train with them for at least a month or two leading up to the race.
Fuel with a formula
Your stomach is a muscle, just like any other in your body. The more you train it like you plan to use it on race day, the better. The more you can match your anticipated calorie intake and fluid intake on your training runs, the easier it will be on race day. You should also train with the kinds of foods and liquids you plan on using.
Learn what types of food you prefer, gels, fruit, bars, burritos, and mix it up to see what works for you and what doesn't. The more you try, the more you can add to your arsenal, but as a minimum, you should have 2-3 go to's of sweet, salty, and whole foods.
Training specificity
There are many variables at play when training for your race or adventure, and your race day performance depends on how well you prepare for each of them. You will enjoy the experience so much more and have a much higher chance of success if you are well prepared. Training specificity matters, so you should start thinking about it now.