An Ultra Weekend - 40 Miles, 24 Hours, and 8,000 Calories!

Date: 2/16/14

Current Weight: 183 lbs. 

Long Run This Past Weekend: 40 Miles (split between two runs within a 24 hour period)

Total Distance Logged Last Week: 54 Miles 

This weekend finally brought some relief from our freezing cold temperatures. This weekend the average temperature during our runs was a balmy 13 degrees. A wet 3 inch snowfall made for some slow, slippery training, but it was nice to be able to head out without fearing for the safety of our fingers and toes 

: ) 

Our self-constructed training schedule dictated that this weekend we would do our first "twofer" where we did two long runs, totaling 40 miles. Though we typically hit two runs each weekend, the Sunday run is typically a shorter "recovery" run to loosen up the body and keep the blood flowing the day after a hard effort. The original plan was to do two 20 mile runs, one Saturday, one Sunday. However, since we knew the temperatures were going to be lower on Sunday, we decided to tack a few extra miles on and do a full marathon distance on Saturday, and make up the additional 14 on Sunday. The runs were best described as slow, slippery, and cold, but we got them done, and finished feeling good. Another milestone surpassed - 40 miles in a 24 hour period. 

I suppose now is a good time to publicly let readers know that I've at least verbally committed to do the Superior 100 mile in September along with Tony. The Zumbro 50 mile actually got added to our schedule so I would have completed a race of 50 miles or more, a requirement to register for the Superior 100. As soon as I have the Zumbro 50 mile under my belt, I will be registering for the Superior 100. You can check out the details of these events here: 

https://www.zumbro100.com/race-info/50-mile-info/
https://fall.superiortrailrace.com/race-info/100-mile/

I have been doing a lot of reading into 100 mile runs and thought I'd share a few interesting details with you...

• The average pace of the winner of the Superior 100 last year was about 14:10/mile  (with a 23.5 hour finishing time)...think about that. A respectably good pace for a marathon is in the 8-9 minute per mile range. 
• Typically 100 mile runs have a cutoff of about 30 hours (the Superior 100 is known as one of the hardest courses in North America, and therefore has a extended cutoff time of 36 hours)
• Typical paces for 100 mile runs range from 14:00/mile - 18:00/mile depending on the difficulty of the course. 
• As the pace would indicate, 100 mile trail events are ran / hiked. 

This week I also got my feet into a brand new pair of Altra Instinct 2's. Up until this point, I have been completing my long runs in the more minimal "The One," also from Altra. While "The One," or..the "Green Ones" as I like to call them, have served me well, the added cushion of the Instincts was welcome this weekend. The shoes were very comfortable, and I ended the weekend without any fatigue in the muscles of my feet. Interestingly enough, I actually first fell in love with running in a pair of Vibram Five Fingers. The lack of shoe helped me re-learn to run and refine my form. The great thing about Five Fingers, is that you really don't have a choice but to run with good form. If your form is poor in Five Fingers, you will be reminded quickly with aching feet and joints. I credit learning to run in Five Fingers with my ability to cover very long distances without the chronic joint problems that plague many runners.

"Running with poor form and a heel strike in cushioned supportive running shoes is like strapping a pillow on to the front of your car and running into a brick wall." 

Vibram Five Fingers

That being said...running with good form AND cushioned shoes can help add longevity and comfort to your long runs. Though, I still prefer footwear that is still based on minimal principals - low or no heel-toe differential, a wide toebox that allows your toes to splay, very little to no stability or support features built in. Altra has been my brand of choice, because they do a great job providing shoes that allow you to run naturally, as you would barefoot, but with varying degrees of cushioning. It is important to note, that I still cycle in my more minimal shoes for short - mid distance runs and cross training to keep the muscles of my feet strong and injury free. 

Altra's Instict 2

This next week will be a bit lighter than last week. I will be hitting 2-3 shorter runs during the week, some tempo work and some hill work. Next weekend we will be doing a 20 mile long run on Saturday, and then a shorter distance recovery run and resistance training on Sunday. The forecast looks pretty miserable for next weekend, but let's hope that it changes in our favor. Either way, we will out there getting it done like we have all winter!