1-2-3 Sundays: 4 Weeks Out From My First Ultramarathon
1 Theme
Being Dynamic
As an engineer, I'm drawn to processes as they often, but not always, produce a desired outcome.
When it comes to coaching, it's a little different.
You have to be dynamic in your approach.
This has probably been the hardest aspect for me to adapt to since stepping into the world of coaching however I feel I've improved in this area.
Both approaches have their place and going between the two is what makes a great coach. This is the level I aspire to.
2 Positive Outcomes
22 Miles
Building on last week's 20 miles, the goal was to go hit 35km.
It felt very fast compared to previous runs, maybe in part due to the deload I took in the gym or the buzz I got from looking at my last 4 weeks of training.
I'm now starting to think about the time I want to complete the race which means I'm going at this pace or better in training.
I've properly geeked out on the amount of elevation I'm gaining which I'll come on to shortly.
The Perfect Roast Dinner
Aimee and I have become proper adults and started making a Sunday roast.
We started with chicken which turned out very well and last week took the leap of faith and went for a joint of beef.
Unreal.
Roast dinners are the GOAT.
3 Things I've Learned
With being 4 weeks out from my first Ultramarathon, here's a breakdown of what I've picked up so far in the following 3 categories: Nutrition, Recovery & Training,
It's important to remember that these don't exist separately but are intertwined.
Nutrition
I've put a greater focus on this compared to when I prepared for the marathon last year.
Honesty, I didn't carb load properly before big runs. Whether this hindered me is hard to tell because I often hit the times I was going for.
The day prior to a big run includes roughly 450-500g of carbs.
During the runs, I'm using the same tactic as last year for taking on carbs.
- 45 minutes - gel
- 1 hour 15 minutes - Squares Bar of Flapjack (something later)
- 1 hour 45 minutes - gel
And so on.
Afterwards, it's important to refeed. So I'm taking back on what my watch estimates I burn (gels and bars are included in this). Planning what I'm going to have has been helpful so I'm coming into nothing in the house.
Wraps with rice and chicken have been a go-to because they're pretty dense but not too filling.
On other days, I'm eating at maintenance of 2800-3000 calories. Protein remains consistent every day at 170-190g.
Recovery
I've implemented a few protocols to make sure I'm recovering well.
Sleep is the foundation of recovery so 8 hours per night is non-negotiable.
Strangely we're the only creatures who deliberately deprive themselves of sleep but that's a discussion for another day.
Immediate recovery after a workout/run includes 2 tools - sauna and cold shower/bath.
On lifting days, I'll include a 10-15 sauna post-workout for reasons detailed here.
Post-running, a cold shower or bath is essential.
I've been including more stretching/mobility in the evenings and found it to be helpful for relaxing and reducing soreness.
Training
In terms of adherence, this is the easiest part for me.
I've fallen in love with trail running. Being out in nature going up hills and through woods is great for the mind.
In the gym, leg days have become harder due to the volume of running however that doesn't mean intensity drops. If I have to lower weights or deload I'm fine with that. The intensity you train with never changes.
As I mentioned earlier I've geeked out on the amount of elevation I gain during a run.
I've worked out the elevation gain per distance covered for the race. Then I try to replicate this in my training as closely as possible.
For example, over 50km the elevation gain is 1381m. This works out at 28 m of elevation per km run. Yesterday's run was 35 km with 925 m of elevation - a ratio of 26 per km ran.
The reason for this is to recreate race conditions as best I can to prepare for what I'm going to face on the day.
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