Yearly round this time, as athletes gear up their coaching for lengthy races in the summertime, I get requested questions on one of the best methods to arrange. Not too long ago, an athlete requested me, “In making ready for a 100-mile race, what do you assume an important coaching factor to do is?”
Earlier than being requested this query, I had by no means actually thought of narrowing my ideas all the way down to only one factor. However, after reflecting on it for a couple of days and interested by what I’ve noticed within the sport over the previous 20 years, I discovered my reply:
In making ready for the bodily calls for of a 100-mile race, the only most vital factor to do is a three-day coaching camp.
If the timing is correct and your plans permit, there are a couple of organized choices for three-day camps. Each Western States 100 and Leadville 100 Mile arrange three-day coaching weekends that permit runners to expertise a lot of the course earlier than race day and to log 60 to 70 miles alongside the best way. Moreover, there are two implausible three-day stage races in the US, corresponding to Three Days of Syllamo in March in Arkansas and the West Virginia Trilogy in October in West Virginia. Each of those occasions cowl in extra of 90 miles and supply glorious coaching quantity.
The adidas Terrex group, throughout their 2021 coaching camp, on a run within the Grand Canyon. Photograph courtesy of Emily Hawgood.
Nevertheless, if none of those organized occasions match into your schedule, I like to recommend a great old style do-it-yourself coaching camp. For the DIY model, you will need to time your camp someplace between 4 to 6 weeks upfront of your occasion and to dam out the time with household, work, and many others., as a result of you will have to have the ability to go all in. In the event you can journey to the racecourse on your coaching weekend, that’s excellent, but when not, it’s sensible to discover a locale similar to the race atmosphere of your aim race to have your camp. To find a coaching floor, take note of path floor, vertical acquire, and climate situations, and do your finest to match these up together with your aim race.
In establishing the schedule for the three days, for a 100-mile race, I recommend at the least 70 complete miles over the three days, with the primary day being the longest. One thing like 30 miles on the primary day and 20 miles every on days two and three typically works finest, though some variation is likely to be mandatory. Moreover, some of us wish to get observe working at night time on drained legs, so you may combine some night time working into the three days.
Stephanie Howe on the 2014 Western States 100 coaching camp. Photograph: Joe McCladdie
Maybe an important facet of the three-day coaching camp, for my part, isn’t a lot the bodily profit, which is substantial, however the psychological profit. In that context, I urge folks when planning their camps, to determine a method that they are often utterly absorbed in coaching and restoration with no distractions. Every time attainable, it is a time to unplug from social media and work emails and commit your self to the duty at hand. Whereas this will not be attainable for all athletes, the psychological edge that may be gained from an “all in” camp is usually a sport changer.
So, for all of you studying this who’re pondering via your coaching plans for the subsequent few months, take into account a three-day coaching camp. I can guarantee you you’ll come out of it extra bodily match and, higher but, mentally robust and well-prepared for what lies forward.
Bottoms up!
AJW’s Beer of the Week
This week’s beer of the week comes from Mountain State Brewing Firm in Thomas, West Virginia, one of many sponsors of the West Virginia Trilogy. Their Miner’s Daughter Oatmeal Stout is as darkish and as wealthy because the coal that comes out of the West Virginia mines. Creamy clean, it is a basic oatmeal stout that has a beautiful mix of chocolate sweetness and burnt espresso bitterness.
Name for Feedback
Have you ever tried a three-day coaching camp as a part of your ultramarathon prep? Both organized or extra casual? In that case, did you discover it useful?
