[ad_1]
Yearly round this time as athletes are gearing up their coaching for lengthy races in the summertime, I get requested questions on the perfect methods to arrange. Just lately, an athlete reached out to me and requested, “In making ready for a 100-mile race, what do you suppose the one most necessary coaching factor to do is?”
To be trustworthy, earlier than being requested this query, I had by no means actually considered narrowing my ideas all the way down to only one factor. However, after reflecting on it for just a few days, and fascinated with 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 one most necessary factor to do is a three-day coaching camp.
If the timing is correct and your plans enable, there are just a few organized choices for three-day camps. Each Western States 100 and Leadville 100 Mile set up three-day coaching weekends that enable 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 unbelievable three-day stage races in the US, similar 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 wonderful coaching quantity.
The adidas Terrex staff 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 an excellent quaint 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 want to have the ability to go all in. When you can journey to the racecourse to your coaching weekend that’s ultimate, but when not, it’s sensible to discover a locale similar to the race atmosphere of your objective race to have your camp. Find a coaching floor, take note of path floor, vertical acquire, and climate situations, and do your greatest to match these up along with your objective race.
In establishing the schedule for the three days, for a 100-mile race, I recommend not less than 70 complete miles over the three days, with the primary day being the longest. One thing like 30 miles the primary day and 20 miles every on days two and three usually works greatest, though some variation is likely to be crucial. Moreover, some of us need to get observe working at night time on drained legs, so you may combine some night time working into the three days, as properly.
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, is just not a lot the bodily profit, which is substantial, however the psychological profit. In that context, I urge individuals when planning their camps to determine a approach that they are often utterly absorbed in coaching and restoration with no distractions. Every time potential, this can be a time to unplug from social media and work emails and commit your self to the duty at hand. Whereas this is probably not potential for all athletes, the psychological edge that may be gained from an “all in” camp generally is a sport changer.
So, for all of you studying this who’re pondering by your coaching plans for the following few months, think about a three-day coaching camp. I can guarantee you you’ll come out of it extra bodily match and, higher but, mentally sturdy and well-prepared for what lays 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 easy, this can be a traditional 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 an organized a number of informally? In that case, did you discover it helpful?
[ad_2]
