Ultra marathon help needed!

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Lord Bamber

Legendary Chairman
Feb 23, 2009
4,366
Heaven
Ultramarathon help needed!

Have any of you good folk of NSC run an ultra marathon and if so, where did you get your training schedule and importantly what food and drink did you take on board?
 




Lady Whistledown

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
47,559
Ultramarathon?

You're right. You do need help.
 




Badger

NOT the Honey Badger
NSC Patron
May 8, 2007
13,065
Toronto
Ultramarathon help needed!

Are any of you good folk of NSC complete mentalists and if so, where did you get your training schedule and importantly what food and drink did you take on board?

Corrected for you
 


Bob!

Coffee Buyer
Jul 5, 2003
11,581
What event are you looking at LB?

I did http://www.saltmarsh75.co.uk/ at the weekend.

My training is largely the same as Marathon training, with my midweek runs being 8 miles (sometimes I'll run the 13 miles home from work). Also the addition of a a couple of weekends where I'll do back to back longer runs (perhaps a 12 and a 20). It's useful to get a couple of marathons (perhaps LDWA events) in as part of the training.

I wear a backpack with bladder for water, and use flat coke as well (it's worked better for me than Nuun and the like). Real food is better than gels IMO, you'll find out on your long runs what works for you. Brioche, Pain au Chocolat, & chocolate crepes have all worked for me as well as Salt & Vinegar crisps and cereal bars. Other people love jam sandwiches, jaffa cakes.....
 




Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
My brother does a lot of ultra-marathons and with some friends has set up his own events trail events organisation. They run their own series of events in the Sussex and surrounding areas.

http://www.sussextrailevents.com/

I'm sure if you drop him a line he'll be able to point you in the right direction. Either follow the link or PM me and I can put you in touch. Good luck, you're all mental.
 










Lord Bamber

Legendary Chairman
Feb 23, 2009
4,366
Heaven
My brother does a lot of ultra-marathons and with some friends has set up his own events trail events organisation. They run their own series of events in the Sussex and surrounding areas.

http://www.sussextrailevents.com/

I'm sure if you drop him a line he'll be able to point you in the right direction. Either follow the link or PM me and I can put you in touch. Good luck, you're all mental.

Cheers Buzzer, most appreciated. :thumbsup:
 


Lord Bamber

Legendary Chairman
Feb 23, 2009
4,366
Heaven
What event are you looking at LB?

I did http://www.saltmarsh75.co.uk/ at the weekend.

My training is largely the same as Marathon training, with my midweek runs being 8 miles (sometimes I'll run the 13 miles home from work). Also the addition of a a couple of weekends where I'll do back to back longer runs (perhaps a 12 and a 20). It's useful to get a couple of marathons (perhaps LDWA events) in as part of the training.

I wear a backpack with bladder for water, and use flat coke as well (it's worked better for me than Nuun and the like). Real food is better than gels IMO, you'll find out on your long runs what works for you. Brioche, Pain au Chocolat, & chocolate crepes have all worked for me as well as Salt & Vinegar crisps and cereal bars. Other people love jam sandwiches, jaffa cakes.....

Thanks for the link Bob, not sure of the event yet, just wanted to start some training and look at a schedule etc. Fancied taking a leap from Marathon upwards. How much worse is it than a marathon in the latter stages? Is it like hitting the wall but worse?
 




Bob!

Coffee Buyer
Jul 5, 2003
11,581
IMO a lot of ultra running is done with your head. If you can keep positive you can keep going. I run a lot slower in an ultra than a road marathon, so hitting the wall has not been an issue. Battered feet from off road running is my main problem (as well as convincing myself that I can't make Checkpoint cut-offs!!)

Take a look at the sussex trail event website/facebook. There was talk of doing Brighton Pier to Worthing Pier (via the Downs) in Jan/feb next year.

One worth considering is: http://www.centurionrunning.com/south-downs-way-50-2014/

also look at the LDWA website, they are great for cheap events with decent time limits
 


Lord Bamber

Legendary Chairman
Feb 23, 2009
4,366
Heaven
IMO a lot of ultra running is done with your head. If you can keep positive you can keep going. I run a lot slower in an ultra than a road marathon, so hitting the wall has not been an issue. Battered feet from off road running is my main problem (as well as convincing myself that I can't make Checkpoint cut-offs!!)

Take a look at the sussex trail event website/facebook. There was talk of doing Brighton Pier to Worthing Pier (via the Downs) in Jan/feb next year.

One worth considering is: http://www.centurionrunning.com/south-downs-way-50-2014/

also look at the LDWA website, they are great for cheap events with decent time limits

Again, thanks Bob. What is your Ultra time compared to marathon time in MPH?
 


Bob!

Coffee Buyer
Jul 5, 2003
11,581
Marathon PB is 3.53, so I was never fast.

A 50 mile off road ultra would be around 12 hours for me.
 




Greg Bobkin

Silver Seagull
May 22, 2012
15,856
Not quite an ultra, but I'm doing a combined Olympic distance triathlon and marathon on the day of the Brighton Marathon next year. I can't figure out how similar it is to an Ultra at the moment - probably because the thought of it will be horrific.

Thanks for the pointers, Bob. They'll probably be of use to me in training because until now (longest distance is Mararthon), I've steered well clear of anything apart from water, and the odd bit of Gatorade when I got desperate last year. I've had one gel in my life, as I was about to go up Chichester Drive East/Wicklands Ave in Saltdean during the Mince Pie 10 miler a few years ago and it completely mullered me. I've been afraid to try anything else since, but given that I'll be doing 8/9 hours, I'm gonna need something...
 


Lord Bamber

Legendary Chairman
Feb 23, 2009
4,366
Heaven
Marathon PB is 3.53, so I was never fast.

A 50 mile off road ultra would be around 12 hours for me.

We are very similar PBs so it gives me a guide. Thanks for the info.
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,381
The Fatherland
Jesus. I cannot offer any help but I wish you good luck.
 






BrianWade4

Well-known member
Aug 17, 2010
3,152
A nice bit of South London
I do. Food is same as marathons: honey sandwiches, bananas and things mentioned by others above. I have also trained myself to p!ss whilst running, because if I stop to go to the toilet (especially im the latter miles) I cramp up and can't get going again!!

Read the book called 'Survival of the 'Fittest by Mike Stroud

My PBs are similar to yours.....
 


blue2

New member
Apr 21, 2010
1,229
I have done several London to Brighton 60 miles south downs 80 miles for example you need hours on your feet don't go out of the door unless you intend 10 miles as a warm up learn to run slow low leg lift reduce your arm swing economy of movement building up to around 150 miles per week. Teach yourself to drink and eat while running this is far harder than most think you will need to train your body to hold a couple of litres of fluid, a good diet, spend as much as you can afford on good shoes two or three pairs on the go at any one time spend and change them at around the 500 mile mark it does become expensive.
Join a club that have other ultra runners and train together it's good to have buddies for the long runs.
I am now retired but would run to and from work 10 miles each way then run another 5 to 7 miles in the evening with others and a long run on Sunday 25 to 30 miles
 


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