Longest training run

[Shane]

What is peoples advice on the longest training run you should do in preperation build up for the NF100? I have read that it is beneficial to incorporate one 55km training run, four weeks prior (i.e. at peak) to running a 100km event. I have also read that it is beneficial to get one 8 hr run under the belt... but unsure of the merits of this suggestion.

Cheers,

Shane

[toby]

Hey Shane, I don't know what the experts say, but I do believe you need to prepare your body as best you can for potentially the toughest physical challenge you've so far endured.
For me, I have done many 50+k training runs and to be honest, I still feel miles from being ready, (no punn intended). If you're going to be moving for ??hours, wouldn't common sense dictate doing at least 1 session that is 75%hrs of your rough goal time?? Maybe thats overkill, but that's just my personal approach.
It's gonna be a long long day and the k's in your legs from training are going to be the key to your own personal race.
Good luck mate

[Stuart]

Hi there.

I'm training mainly around the 35-50k region, but I am doing one 65k race in the UK 5 weeks before. However, a tip someone gave me was to run several times in a day instead of just one long run. For example. I run to work 16k, then do 10k at lunch, then run home 16k then do a 10k in the evening. Total 52k, but importantly it's spread over a day forcing your body to recover quickly. Might not work for everyone but it's working for me.

[Michael]

Shane, at this stage the run is not too far away so you should be hitting peak kms.  however if you haven't been doing big km's up til now, be wary of overdoing it in the last 2 months.  if you are aiming for a finish, (ie not worrying about whether you are on the podium), You should be doing at least 4-5 hours with some decent hills by now.  That should get you through the run, even if it is not a winning time. Don't overdo it from here in, consistency is the key.  if you haven't run/walked for those times, I suggest at least one hit out before the run.  The worst thing to do would be to double the running suddenly and pick up an injury.  The run is about endurance which is mostly in the head.  You need to know what it feels like to talk your body into pushing up that hill at night when all it wants to do is stop. Thats not an experts opinion, just my experience (no real science involved or required), Michael

[Mike]

Could not agree more with Michaels comments, training distances will peak around mid April, cumulative km is important, the comrades training plans that are available on there web site give a few ideas, they peak the longest run at 60km, 5 weeks from race day, this would be 11th April for TNF100, Better to be fresh for the day than over trained. By the way run walk as many hills as possible and the bigger the better.

Have a good run

[clinton]

This is my first crack at 100km and this is a question i have pondered too.
am aiming to do 4 runs over 50 km with 65 the longest over next 4 weeks, all on trails and in hills.
have done to runs off 44 so far.
have also been using double runs to build miles, body holding up ok so far

[Shane]

Brilliant, thanks for all the great feedback and after re-reading my post it was based on me not giving you a lot of information to go with!

Yes, undoubtedly no substitute for getting the k’s in the legs. I was surprised how long it took to build up to long back to back runs and feel ok (e.g. 4.5 hrs sat, 2 hrs sun).

The several times a day strategy is one have followed a couple of times (including throwing some cycling in), but I have mainly done the back to back weekend long runs. Very beneficial. Have also done some legs weights at lunch followed by a long run in the pm.

Great advice re timing of training program, peak k’s etc. I have mine peaking at 4 weeks out. I used a combination of the training program on the Comrades website and a bit from an article I read.

I have really enjoyed the journey thus far and also doing some fundraising for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia which is also a great experience.

Have an awesome time.

[Simone]

Hi guys,

THis is my first 100, done a 76km in 09 and 50km in 2010 on a 400m track in the Relay for Life (Mind numbing if it weren't for the Band playing) and 5 half marathons, other than that had been short course. Am a personal trainer in the outdoors and have a physically demanding job 6 days per week which includes sandhills/beach two days per week (I live near Cronulla), average 2-3 strength sessions per week, one Run Club per week (avg 10-12km of road, bush or intervals).

Have been training with 2-4 other NF'ers every Tuesday since before Christmas, most runs are now avg 3 hours including plenty of hills and stairs around Audley and the RNP, longest one so far was 4hr 15min. I pretty much back up to work each day with tired legs and manage to get through, am hoping this will help me on the day! Example of this week is:
M - Beach training,1.5hrs then strengths session 1.5hrs
T - Strength session 1.5hrs then 17km, 3hr hill\stair run in 35degree heat! YUK!
W - Sandhills, 1.5hrs then Fitball session with weights1.5hr
T - Run Club, 1.5hrs of bush, hills and stairs at Audley
F - back to back run/hills and resistance training with res bands, 1.5hr each
S -  5 hours of PT (didn't do much other than instruct - am now stuffed as it is 41 degrees and have been in the heat all week!

Weekly Kms at the moment is around 40-60km including work, and our long runs lately have been more hill so haven't clocked up as many km's as I thought although we are on our feet for 3 hours.

I am trying to find the balance between work (which is constant training)  and training without becoming overtrained, but still doing enough to get me over the line in May!

My question is, am I doing enough at his point? We are plannning a 6 hour test run in a few weeks (50-60km) , then an 8 hour test run in late March, approx 60-80kms, am I on track? Hoping to finish around 17-18hours, but as its my first I really want to just finish!

Any tips would be much appreciated!

THanks for your time, sorry it is so long!

Simone

PS have 2 great training partners, one is a NF veteren giving me loads of tips, the other is just a freaky runner, so I am in pretty good hands - I hope!

[Ana]

Hi Simone,

I think you are doing a lot!  I only started to do longer runs 2 years ago (before that I was the usual 1hr runner, about 8kms and did that like twice a week max). Then I started to train for my first race ever, TNF100 2009, where I could not face 100kms and trained for 54kms only and that's what I did in about 9.30hrs - I could not bear the idea of running at night in the mountains. Then last year I started to train middle March for the race in May (crazy little time of prep), but this time I was going to try the whole thing. I trained at night, alone in the bush to get over my fears (it wasn't that hard). The longest runs I did before the race were 28kms. I finished the race just above 20hrs. The only thing I think you should do is go one day to the Blue Mts and train on the course. "Something magical" happens there, and the kms you run in any other bush are about double of what you do in the Blue Mts in the same time - at my best, running in bushes (national parks around Sydney) I could do about 20kms in 2.20hrs. In the Blue Mts, the same kms would take me more than 4hrs.
I hope that helps, good luck!
Ana.

[Simone]

HI Ana,

Thanks heaps for your feedback! The part about the BM's km seem to double worries me though! One of my trainng partners reckons that its best you don't know what's ahead! He has done 2 or 3 TNF100's and heaps of other ultra's so we have been listening to him. In saying that my other friend (the freaky runner) would like to do it and mentally face it before race day so I might suggest to her.

The night running does worry me a bit, we have bought our headlamps  but haven't tried them out yet, I was waiting for daylight savings to end as I just can't stay awake that long for it to get dark! I get up at 4.45am every day and need my sleep! I am hoping that I have plenty of t ime to learn to run in the dark! I do start work in the sandhills and bush in the dark most mornings so I hope that will count!

Thanks again for your tips, happy training!

Simone

[Ana]

Hi Simone,
I don't think you need to go and run the entire course, but if you do at least one of the legs there, it will give you an understanding of the terrain and get you more aware of how to run it - you need to learn to concentrate on 2m ahead of you, look at the path, see if there are any rocks or other obstacles and get used to the sounds, the animals, all of that - it does make it less scary for the nightime I think, well, it worked for me (and doing just a section won't show you all that is ahead, but rather introduce you to the terrain). I think your training is perfect, smart and varied, just one question...Have you been training with a backpack? I weigh around 50kgs, and the backpack with the basic stuff weighs about 5kgs, that's 10% of my body weight and the first time I ran TNF I found hard to get used to run with a backpack.

[Andrew]

Hi Simone,
Just like to add to what Anna has said in that it is all about time on your feet for your long training runs. If you have the ability to keep moving forward when you are tired, albeit slowly, you will be amazed at how you eat up the kms!

Personally I haven't run beyond 5 hours (about 45kms) in training for TNF (and I'm a sub 14hr finisher). I do all my training on trails, so your sandhill work will serve you well.  It's all about quality of training and the mix of strength and endurance, so plenty of core and plyometrics, which in your business I would have thought would be par for the course.

It's also about the mindset to keep plodding on, as you will go through some down periods, but if you keep going you will have an up on the other side of it - I guarantee it! You may not believe it whilst in a slump, but in my experience if you just keep moving it always gets better.

One more comment on training, do not underestimate the value of quality rest during training, and a decent taper period. I do next to nothing in the two weeks before any race, and it has always served me well.

Good luck with the training and see you there!
Andy

www.ultramarathonrunning.com.au

[Dean]

Thanks Andy.  We are trying to mix up the training a bit by doing 'back-to-backs' of 25km a day, cross training with MTB, strength circuits and swimming. Getting all our 'clobber' together and wearing our packs on every trail/hill training session.  Also trying out hiking/trekking poles to see if they suit.  So it's all going along 'swimmingly', and I've got to say that we appreciate the advice that has come from these posts.  The encouragement is invaluable - Thanks!

Dean & Jaci

[ranga]

HI there fellow runner/walker.i did nth face last year longest run was 5hrs sat arvo at peak with a 3hr on the sunday morning.You don't want to bust your body b4 the event i agree that normal training can't prepare you 4 the blue mtns.I also did a 5pm start on a sat arvo and ran till 8pm,just to get used 2 night run as it can get lonely out there during the race.You also need to practice wearing you light ,even just reading a book at bedtime.

[Dean]

You are absolutely right Ranga; that light sure takes some getting used to.  We are in Hash House Harriers and non-daylight saving runs are usually dark (start at 6pm), so we are fairly well versed in head torch use.  Started a bush/fire trail run at 5am this morning with our dog Rosie  She didn't have any problems at all, and she didn't even have a torch.  Might take her as a guide dog on TNF.  She thinks she is a guard dog though!

Dean