But over the course of five months and 900 miles worth of training, I learned a few things that I want to share.
You Have a Reserve Tank
With weeks of 60-plus miles, this probably should have been obvious to me. But it became truly apparent on my final long training run. I was 18 miles into a hilly trail run. It was rainy, and I was tired. I was ready to head for the car. Except...I was lost in the woods. I wound up running close to 21 miles that day, mostly because I had to. But the bottom line was, I had it in me even though I wanted to quit. That came in handy on ultra day, with temps and humidity both around 80. I was sooooo out of gas at mile 30. But I knew I had more. And yeah, I walked some, but I made it to the end.
There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather
Just poor gear choices. If you want to prepare to run long distances, you have to be mentally ready for whatever comes your way. It's not going to be perfect. Don't let the weather get in the way of your training. You can always put on another layer if it's cold. You can buy a water-resistant jacket for the rain and snow. Drill some screws into old running shoes to make spikes for when it's icy. Get a Camelbak or hand-held water bottles. And always, always, always carry a handtowel.
There's No Such Thing as Overtraining
Just under-recovering. Recovery is much more than just sitting on the couch after a long run. Rehydrate and pay attention to your nutrition -- that means carbs! Stretch after every run. Make friends with the foam roller, the "stick" and a nubby foot-massage ball. Use ice if you need to. Prioritize a good night's sleep. And yeah, sit on the couch, but also get up and move -- keep your muscles and joints limber for the next run.
You Gotta Make the Time, But You Probably Can
Unless you're Gary Robbins or Jim Walmsley, running 50 or 60 miles in a week is going to cost you close to 10 hours, and that's not even counting the time it takes to drive to where you're running, warm up, cool down, recover, etc. One week, I ran 13-milers on back-to-back weekdays before work. It helps that I'm able to work from home when I need to. But even so, it meant getting up early enough to log the miles -- and that meant getting to bed at a reasonable hour. Limit your TV time. You're probably going to have to put some of your social life on hold, too. And most important, you need to schedule your runs so you have a plan to work around. But if you want it, you can probably find the time to make it work.
You're Going to Get Obsessed
For five months, after work and family, the biggest thing in my life was running. I was spending plenty of time rambling around, but even when I wasn't, I was frequently thinking about it. It's hard not to when a) it occupies as much time in your life as it did for me, and b) you have a 34.6-mile run on your calendar. Remember that the people around you aren't in the same headspace as you, and most important, don't let your obsession get in the way of your relationships. I can't thank my wife Jackie enough for all the support and patience over the last five months.
Build the Mental Muscle
A run that long isn't going to go perfectly. There are just too many internal and external variables. You gotta roll with the punches a little bit. My plan: No treadmill runs regardless of weather, and stick to the schedule no matter how much my inner crybaby was screaming "I don't wanna!" In other words, the best way to get ready to put one foot in front of the other on event day is to put one foot in front of the other during training, no matter what.
Flat Isn't Easier
There comes a point in a long-distance run where, if there aren't some changes in elevation, you're going to feel completely worn out because you're using one set of muscles in the same exact motion for miles and miles. But when you throw in some climbs and descents -- especially if they're of varying grades -- you redistribute some of the work to other muscles. So more muscles get tired, but none of them get super-tired. Of course, if you're going to tackle some hills, you need to build strength in your core, hips, glutes and calves. Do squats. With weight.
Walking Is OK, But Walk With Purpose
On long runs, especially hilly long runs, it's a good idea to break into a walk every so often. It helps recharge your muscles, and especially if you've just completed a tough section, it brings your heart rate down. You simply cannot finish an endurance event if your heart rate is above the aerobic zone. (Test: Can you talk in complete sentences? If not, you need to dial back.) But that doesn't mean you're out for a stroll. Walk with purpose, like you're still trying to get somewhere. Your walking pace should be around 60 percent of your running pace. Your heart rate will still come down, but you'll still get the conditioning benefit and your overall pace won't suffer very much.
You Can Probably Shed Some Fat
Last fall, I decided to focus on strength training to prepare my body for the rigors of this build-up. Just before Christmas, I topped out at 200 pounds, which is 5 or 6 pounds more than I typically carry when I'm not in a training cycle. I knew I'd slim down a little and thought I'd probably go a bit below 190, as I have when I've run marathons. I had no idea I'd get down around 170. I was smart about my diet, but I certainly didn't restrict any calories. In fact, I used them all, plus some.
You Don't Need Gels
I kind of learned this by happenstance. Early in my training, I bought a box of GU gels, and I used two or three on each of my longer runs. Then I ran out, and I kept forgetting to order more. But I was also getting into distances where I was burning thousands of calories in a run, and a 100-calorie gel wasn't enough on its own anyway. I carried a baggie of jellybeans (just regular old jellybeans) for quick bursts of energy. I can fit a banana into the pocket in my Camelbak. And I planned long runs where I could stop at the car -- where I had PB&J sandwiches. (PB&J on whole-wheat bread is the perfect long-run fuel.) Other people eat trail mix, cookies and pretzels. During the ultra, I also ate pickle chips to help replenish electrolytes. Do a little experimenting to find the "real food" that works for you.
Get Used to Running Alone
Even if you have a bunch of running friends or belong to a running club, this is a simple truth: Most people don't want to run long distances on trails. Make your peace with that and do your own thing.
But Friends Are the Best
Something really awesome happened to me when things got really ugly during my ultra run, around mile 30: Two of my friends (who were running a shorter distance) stayed with me. (Look a little closer at the picture at the top.) When I needed to walk, they walked. When I picked it back up into a run, they ran. They encouraged me but kept it realistic, and we made it to the end.
All of these lessons will help me when I tackle my next challenge, whatever that is. I hope a few of them help you, too.
