Quickly, I’ll try my first 100-mile path race in almost 5 years. As daunting because the health preparation has been, the logistical preparation is looming ever higher as the times depend all the way down to the beginning. Vitamin and equipment choice are essential parts in a profitable all-day working effort. However so, too, are features of pacing and working stride mechanics — the true nuts and bolts of ahead propulsion.
If discovering what works is essential, what could also be much more essential is discovering what else works.
Races of 100 miles or extra are endeavors in survival, which frequently depend upon adaptation and problem-solving. What then occurs if a runner’s plan A is now not efficient or relevant?
Having choices — efficient options — for every efficiency variable is the important thing to success if (and often when) the race day fails to go to plan.
One in all my physiotherapy mentors and pioneers of the career, Vicky Saliba Johnson, coined the phrase, “choices of methods.” She describes “practical effectivity” as a state during which an individual possesses qualities, inner and exterior, that “permit for choices of methods within the efficiency of any given motion or activity.”
In different phrases, high-functioning folks can efficiently full duties not merely after they have one efficient means of doing issues, however after they have a number of choices.
So, too, do probably the most profitable ultra-endurance athletes have a number of choices of methods to satisfy the calls for for fueling, gear, stride, and pacing.
You realize what works for you, however have you learnt what else works?
Kuni Yamagata, at 68 years outdated, was the oldest male finisher of the 2021 Western States 100. He and the others who made it to the end line would have needed to make use of numerous methods and variations alongside the best way. Picture: iRunFar/Alex Potter
Fueling
Most runners have a most well-liked power supply. However fueling is probably probably the most essential space to have choices of methods: the gastrointestinal (GI) system may be extremely fickle and delicate to not solely period and depth, but additionally exterior circumstances like warmth or chilly temperatures. And, maybe greater than another system, the abdomen is delicate to monotony: what works for an hour or three could be fully unpalatable, 10-plus hours into an occasion.
With my teaching shoppers, I promote the next fueling methods:
Clear Burning
The power supply must be simply digested with out irritation on both the highest or backside of the GI system.
Working gasoline is a private selection, however many discover Tailwind Endurance Gas to be supply of power and straightforward to digest on the transfer. Picture: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Quick and Gradual
Gas choices must be fast-acting — carbohydrate-dominant meals or drinks that present rapid power pick-me-up — in addition to slower-burning — these with longer-chain carbohydrates, or proteins and fat that both dilute the sugars, or in any other case sluggish the absorption and physiological motion. An excessive amount of fast-burning gasoline may cause rollercoaster power spikes and crashes; however slower and heavier fuels could fail to supply perceptible power boosts, or could really feel too heavy on the run.
Sweet and Savory
Having clean-burning and quick or sluggish gasoline choices that span the spectrum of the palate is a key technique to offset the fickleness of the GI system and mind throughout lengthy endurance outings. Even when your desire is one or the opposite, ought to your intestine or mind insurgent towards your favourite, oftentimes switching to the opposite finish of the palate — from cola to chips, for instance — could be welcomed even when your physique is rejecting all issues candy.
Footwear
An important piece of drugs for 100-mile path occasions is footwear. The calls for of up and down, rocky and easy, and moist and dry demand a footwear technique that preserves the integrity of the ft. This contains each footwear and socks.
When you’ve decided an optimum footwear technique, think about the conditions the place you would possibly profit from options:
Heel Drop
Many runners at this time desire to run with low- or zero-drop footwear. Whereas this can be an optimum technique day-to-day, having an alternate — particularly a higher-drop shoe in your gear bag — might make a important affect on race day, ought to you could have any foot points. Foremost, a runner experiencing plantar foot or Achilles tendon ache mid-race could drastically profit from even a modest enhance in heel drop. A heel-drop change may additionally enhance blister and toenail points, just by altering the angle of pressure being utilized to the foot.
The Altra Lone Peak 6 is an instance of a zero-drop shoe. Picture: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Toebox Width
The identical applies to the width of the forefoot. Some runners desire the snugness of a slender toebox, whereas many love the roominess of a large one. However foot points can develop with each slender and large footwear. Sneakers which can be too huge or large would possibly permit for extreme movement, leading to blisters. Comfortable footwear could really feel nice early on, after which painful because the foot swells, deep into an all-day run.
Character
Having a wide range of shoe sorts will also be useful on race day, particularly when path circumstances differ from begin to end, or climate circumstances are variable. Most of the most grippy, responsive path footwear lack enough cushioning, whereas quite a lot of one of the best street trainers are completely superb on trails as long as circumstances are ultimate. Packing a number of varieties of footwear permits you to reply to altering circumstances of the course or the day.
Socks
Most runners have their go-to model, thickness, and top. However just like the shoe construct, sock selection can present useful choices for both roughly cushion, comfortable match, and even thermal regulation.
As a physiotherapist, I like to recommend runners of all types to run in all kinds of footwear. A foot experiencing all kinds of stimuli tends to be stronger, extra cell, and extra resilient. Take into account this — and think about packing a number of socks choices — in your subsequent path occasion.
You don’t must deliver this many alternative socks each time you pack for a race, however it’s good to have some choices! Picture: iRunFar/Morgan Tilton
Pacing and Stride Methods
How can we get from begin to end? By placing one foot in entrance of the opposite! Working is the best propulsive technique however almost all of us stroll or hike, as properly, in overlaying the 100-mile distance.
Since working and strolling is what will get us from the begin to end, one would possibly assume we might put extra thought and follow into how, precisely, we try this with our our bodies — together with various choices of methods to ahead propel.
Strolling Versus Working
Most runners making ready for mountain ultramarathons embrace mountain climbing of their coaching plan. However in what particular circumstances ought to we stroll versus run? Some preliminary analysis has been accomplished to research the mechanical and metabolic effectivity of 1 versus the opposite. However selecting to run or stroll is in the end a person desire.
A mistake I generally see as a coach is a runner who solely walks when fatigued. This usually implies they run an excessive amount of or too laborious, fatiguing the system, which forces a stroll. A superb technique is to follow particular components of your race course throughout which you’ll stroll. Even higher is to find out particular grades of incline, altitude, temperature, and/or terrain throughout which you’ll hike.
Working towards each the mechanics of a brisk strolling tempo will get probably the most out of the stroll, whereas nonetheless feeling like a restful break from working. Furthermore, training the transition again to working from mountain climbing is a potent — and sometimes ignored — ability, as a result of it’s all too straightforward to maintain strolling, when you begin. Mountain 100 miler success could boil all the way down to run when you’ll be able to, stroll when you’ll want to, after which get again to working as quickly as attainable.
Ellie Greenwood powerhiking on the 2014 Speedgoat 50k. Even in shorter ultras, there shall be events the place it makes extra sense to stroll than run. Picture: Paul Nelson
Pacing
Profitable and sustainable 100-mile pacing usually entails working the sides of our consolation degree. I think about the next methods as important to cowl floor with peak effectivity:
- Working flats slowly. Sustainable 100-mile tempo usually requires a a lot slower-than-usual flat run pacing, in comparison with day-to-day working. That is very true if working mountain ultras at excessive altitude, the place even flat working is an cardio problem. Discovering an all-day gear on flats that’s slower-than-normal, however nonetheless mechanically environment friendly, is a key technique.
- Strolling shortly. Conversely, most of us stroll or hike fairly slowly in our each day lives. Pushing the velocity of strolling and uphill mountain climbing will maximize the velocity of strolling, making it extra intentional, and produce that tempo nearer to our sluggish working tempo.
- Working downhills shortly. The one greatest distinction I see between elite-level ultramarathoners and mid-pack and back-of-pack runners is downhill working velocity. But, in contrast with all the opposite bodily capacities, it relies upon least on total health. With follow, any runner can turn out to be a extra competent, environment friendly, and quick downhill runner. Working towards working downhills considerably uncomfortably in coaching will set up a normal of velocity and agility that may preserve you shifting shortly downhill on race day.
Alex Nichols bounding down the rocky prime of the Pikes Peak Marathon in 2016. Not all downhills shall be this tough, however getting snug with downhill working on a mixture of terrain generally is a quick means to enhance your ending instances. Picture: Tim Bergsten
Working Stride Methods
Most runners have a gait technique that’s pure and best for them. However having choices of methods for the way, precisely, we run can actually save the day. Many orthopedic aches and pains, in addition to frequent points like blisters and toenail points, are closely impacted by working stride mechanics.
If stride traits may cause an issue, so can also adjusting the stride probably clear up them. Sore calves and quadriceps, knee or hip ache, and even varieties of leg cramps, may be abated by adopting a distinct stride technique. These methods embrace posture, hip motion, knee alignment, foot engagement, and arm swing, to call just a few.
Conclusion
People thrive by means of effectivity and execution, however we survive by means of adaptation and compensation. Probably the most profitable ultra-endurance athletes are, in the beginning, survivors. And the important thing for survival is to have choices of methods, in as many areas as attainable, to get you to the end.
Like several technique, these choices must be developed and practiced properly earlier than race day. And when you do, you can be well-armed to assault and conquer even probably the most daunting challenges that these formidable occasions place earlier than us.
Know what works, but additionally hone what else works for you.
Name for Feedback
What methods did you discover labored properly on a latest extremely? Or what didn’t work?
