Chris_ Posted July 18, 2018 Posted July 18, 2018 How much speed work and strength work do you ultra trail runners do? (I know theres a few on here..) Mrs and I are getting more into trails now, Karkloof 50 in Sep will be first long trail, but I'm dead keen on 100 miler eventually. Reunion, Skyrun, UT Drakensburg.. the popular trails are really getting my juices going. I'm by no means a 'natural' runner so I'm thinking I need to focus on longer slower runs with these on my radar. Or should I be spicing training up a bit?
dave303e Posted July 18, 2018 Posted July 18, 2018 (edited) For 100 milers and other runs listed there are very different ways to approach them. Reunion and Skyrun are steep with big elevation gain, skyrun also has no real paths often so you want to be strong not fast and a good power hike is worth 10x as much as being able to tick off sub 4:30kms all day. UTCT and Karkloof are more running events so speed work will do better for that and general running. Karkloof you can train on road for 95% of the training. I do speed work once a week, the rest i just distance and elevation hunting usually. If there is a 5-10km night run then that becomes my speed work and the goal is to start at a stupid pace and try go faster from there. Strength work is a separate day, walking stair repeats with a 25kg sand bag, running stair repeats and then the usual leg day workouts that most do. Also take time to do a lot of balance strength and core work, bosu squats and pistol squats etc. All my other runs at the moment usually are just elevation hunting. Edited July 18, 2018 by dave303e Chris_ and candz1 2
Chris_ Posted July 18, 2018 Posted July 18, 2018 For 100 milers and other runs listed there are very different ways to approach them. Reunion and Skyrun are steep with big elevation gain, skyrun also has no real paths often so you want to be strong not fast and a good power hike is worth 10x as much as being able to tick off sub 4:30kms all day. UTCT and Karkloof are more running events so speed work will do better for that and general running. Karkloof you can train on road for 95% of the training. I do speed work once a week, the rest i just distance and elevation hunting usually. If there is a 5-10km night run then that becomes my speed work and the goal is to start at a stupid pace and try go faster from there. Strength work is a separate day, walking stair repeats with a 25kg sand bag, running stair repeats and then the usual leg day workouts that most do. Also take time to do a lot of balance strength and core work, bosu squats and pistol squats etc. All my other runs at the moment usually are just elevation hunting. nice one, thanks
Paddaman Posted July 18, 2018 Posted July 18, 2018 First rule, is any run is better than no run.Second rule, if it is short it must be fastThird rule, LONG SLOW DISTANCEFourth rule, start slowly. Today's fast is tomorrow's slow. Today focus on today.Fifth, Train the terrain you are going to race.Sixth rule, don't over train. Always leave a bit in the tank for tomorrow.Seventh rule, listen to your body. Rather have a bad day and end the session early than have a flat week or worse an injury.Eighth rule, race and then recover. So race infrequently and give yourself time to recover. The mind often takes more time to recover than the body.Ninth rule. Specialise. You have to run fast to race fast, and run far to race far. And so on and on. Ed-Zulu, mon-goose, Chris_ and 3 others 6
Stretch Posted July 18, 2018 Posted July 18, 2018 (edited) .Seventh rule, listen to your body. Rather have a bad day and end the session early than have a flat week or worse an injury..Why didn't you remind me of this yesterday morning! Edited July 18, 2018 by Stretch
Paddaman Posted July 18, 2018 Posted July 18, 2018 Why didn't you remind me of this yesterday morning!I told you to drink beer........... Stretch 1
Stretch Posted July 18, 2018 Posted July 18, 2018 I told you to drink beer...........That was after I strained the hammie!....Doing that tonight though
Prince Posted July 18, 2018 Posted July 18, 2018 Ninth rule. Specialise. You have to run fast to race fast, and run far to race far.
SeaBee Posted July 19, 2018 Posted July 19, 2018 Ninth rule. Specialise. You have to run fast to race fast, and run far to race far. I'm not on this bus. You have to be able to run far to race far. And you can't race fast without ever having run fast. But you can't just do one thing/pace/terrain. Lexx 1
Prince Posted July 19, 2018 Posted July 19, 2018 If you want to run a marathon you need long runs. If you want to run a fast marathom you also need speed sessions. In other words each training session should be focussed. Just running x distance at x speed is insufficient. Oh and remember hill sprints Paddaman and Odinson 2
Lexx Posted July 19, 2018 Posted July 19, 2018 If you want to run a marathon you need long runs. If you want to run a fast marathom you also need speed sessions. In other words each training session should be focussed. Just running x distance at x speed is insufficient. Oh and remember hill sprints You must first have a decent base to work from.
Prince Posted July 19, 2018 Posted July 19, 2018 Definitely. Thats a given. Trying speed work off a poor base will just be injury central. Lexx and dave303e 2
ScottCM Posted July 19, 2018 Author Posted July 19, 2018 Woman after my own heart, what's not to like about Gerda...... Lexx and Frosty 2
Lexx Posted July 20, 2018 Posted July 20, 2018 So life has thrown me a bit of a curveball. We had a meeting with Management and they decided we are now going to start working 12h shift, 4days in, 4 days out, seeing as they want to operate the border post 24hours. So that's going to affect my running and training immensely. But thats life, just have to try and adapt. Pieter-za 1
SeaBee Posted July 20, 2018 Posted July 20, 2018 Ouch Lexx, that's a bit of a lifestyle change, for sure. Hope you can make a plan to work around this. Lexx 1
Ed-Zulu Posted July 20, 2018 Posted July 20, 2018 So life has thrown me a bit of a curveball. We had a meeting with Management and they decided we are now going to start working 12h shift, 4days in, 4 days out, seeing as they want to operate the border post 24hours. So that's going to affect my running and training immensely. But thats life, just have to try and adapt.06:00 to 18:00 I suppose? Time to buy a treadmill
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