Track & Field

Running

Can you give some insight into the strategic side of ultramarathons?

Strategic Insights: Unveiling the Intricacies of Ultramarathons

Hey Sam. Yeah, of course. So I think for old to running, it's so it's an individual thing, and it doesn't really matter what anyone else is doing. So, I guess there are two different types of strategies. Either, you play your cards straight at the beginning, or you keep your cards close to your chest. And what I like to do is I keep my cards pretty close to my chest and I try. Yeah, I tried to avoid showing what For my men and exactly what my raise tactics are gonna be. But having said that, I'm training for UTMB at the moment. So I hope you take about 20 hours. It's very difficult to have a strategy against other people. So for me, it's just more of an internal strategy, making sure that I nail my pacing and I do everything off, heart rate my nutrition, my hydration and just looking after myself in the big mountains, but yeah. I think that's sort of the most strategic. You can be in these ultra distance Trail Races.

For ultra trail races, the most strategic approach is to focus on internal strategies like pacing, nutrition, and hydration. Keeping your cards close to your chest is also a good strategy.

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Sure, let me provide some insight into the strategic side of ultramarathons. When it comes to ultramarathons, it's primarily an individual endeavor, and what others are doing may not have a significant impact on your own strategy. There are generally two types of strategies to consider.

One approach is to play your cards straight from the beginning, being open about your race tactics and intentions. The other approach is to keep your strategy close to your chest, not revealing your plans to others. Personally, I prefer to keep my strategy undisclosed, maintaining a level of mystery.

However, in races like the UTMB (Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc), which I am currently training for, it can be challenging to have a specific strategy against other competitors. Therefore, my focus is more on internal factors. I aim to execute my pacing, monitor my heart rate, ensure proper nutrition and hydration, and take care of myself in the demanding mountainous terrain.

In essence, the strategic aspect of ultramarathons often revolves around personal factors and optimizing your own performance rather than directly strategizing against other runners.

I am a 13x marathoner ready to make the move to ultramarathoning. How do you suggest I increase my mileage for a 50 miler this fall? 

Ramp Up Your Training: Expert Tips for Transitioning to Ultramarathons!

Hey Jay. Thanks your question. So yes, I think for this all you need to do is just make your trading a little bit more specific. You have already know how your body works and how it responds the training after doing 13 marathons, so, yeah, you probably need to do a little bit more volume, so I'd suggest building that by approximately 10 percent, volume each week and standard with Marathon doing three or four weeks. Higher volume and then a deload week if you've got any more questions reach out. I also do some coaching serve. Yeah send me a message on anything and yeah I'll get back to you and best of luck with your first Ultra

To become an ultra marathon runner, you should increase your training volume by 10% each week and stick to a 3-4 week schedule with a deload week. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact me about my coaching services.

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Hey Jay, thanks for your question. Congratulations on your marathon achievements! To increase your mileage for a 50-miler this fall, I suggest making your training more specific to ultramarathoning.

Since you already have experience with 13 marathons, you have a good understanding of how your body works and responds to training. I recommend gradually increasing your volume by about 10% each week. Start with three or four weeks of higher volume training, and then incorporate a deload week to allow for recovery.

If you have any more questions or need further guidance, feel free to reach out. I also offer coaching services, so if you're interested, send me a message and I'll be happy to assist you. Best of luck with your first ultra, and enjoy the journey!

What tips can you give for a good long-distance transition from road running to trail running?

Mastery of Trails: Transitioning from Road to Trail Running

So I think the key here is specificity, if you've already done long-distance Road running the new obviously done to higher volume training and you're prepared for the distances that you're going to be doing. So I think yeah, specificity training on the trails. So making sure that you're able to read the trail, to be able to adapt your body to the demands of the trail. So yeah, how would my some top tips for that is one spending time on the trail. To importing most importantly is doing those really specific strength and conditioning exercises, that have mainly if your ankles because we are running on the trail, you're far more like could go over on your ankle and if you can make your ankles stronger, then yeah, that will really help. It's the best way to do that is just by using a little sarabande, attaching it to a fixed point and you had to doing internal and external rotators of the ankle. And yeah, that will really help to build up strength so you can transition As well as possible from Ultra Road running into Ultra trail running.

To transition from long-distance road running to ultra trail running, the best way to do this is through specificity training on the trails. Spend time on the trails and do specific strength and conditioning exercises to build ankle strength. Use a sarabande attached to a fixed point to do internal and external rotators of the ankle in order to build ankle strength for better transition.

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For a smooth transition from road running to trail running, specificity is key. Since you already have experience with long-distance road running and higher volume training, focus on training specifically for the trails.

First, spend time on the trails to familiarize yourself with the terrain and adapt your body to the demands of trail running. This will help you become more comfortable and efficient on the trails.

Secondly, prioritize strength and conditioning exercises, particularly for your ankles. Trail running increases the risk of ankle sprains, so strengthening your ankles is crucial. One effective exercise is using a resistance band attached to a fixed point and performing internal and external rotations of the ankle. This exercise will help build ankle strength and stability.

By incorporating these tips into your training, you can successfully transition from long-distance road running to trail running, ensuring a smoother and more enjoyable experience in ultra trail running.

From Drunken Bet to Ultra-Running Passion: An Unlikely Journey

Yeah, good question. So I signed up to my first ultra marathon which is marthanda SOB, which is a 250 km multistage self-supported Race Across the Sahara Desert. I signed up to it as part of a drunken bet with some friends. At the end of 2016, they did it in 2016 and I bet them that I could finish higher than they did. And yeah, I didn't have a coach, didn't have a training program. I've ever had an hour I'd run for an hour. I'm big into my sports science and always have been In the military at the time, and full time in the military. So fitting in training was pretty difficult. But I did lots of reading I prepared as well as anyone could while working full-time without a coach. But, yeah, that was, that was my journey into it. I had a good race. I finished third. And yeah, it from then, I'm a bit of a, yes, man. And I was invited some races and I said yeah why not? I'll go do this. I'll try them out and just completely fell in love with the sport and yeah, here I am now. Airing for ultra-trail Du Monde, blow 170 km race with 10,000 meters of vertical ascent and descent which is in. Yeah, just over two weeks. So yeah, super excited. And I asked myself, 10 years ago. If I'd be doing this, I'd say absolutely not. But yeah, I think any opportunity, you've just got to grab with both hands and yeah, roll with the punches and see what happens.

I signed up for an ultra marathon as part of a drunken bet with some friends. I had no coach or training program, but did lots of reading and prepared as best I could. I ended up loving the sport and will soon be competing in a 170 km race with 10,000 meters of vertical ascent and descent.

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I got into ultra-running through a drunken bet with some friends. They had participated in a 250 km multistage self-supported race across the Sahara Desert called Marathanda SOB in 2016. I bet them that I could finish higher than they did. Without a coach or a training program, I prepared as best as I could while working full-time in the military. I did a lot of reading and trained whenever I had an hour available. Surprisingly, I finished third in the race and that's when my journey into ultra-running began.

After that, I started saying yes to invitations for other races and fell in love with the sport. Currently, I'm preparing for the Ultra-Trail du Monde, a 170 km race with 10,000 meters of vertical ascent and descent in just over two weeks. If you had asked me 10 years ago if I would be doing this, I would have said absolutely not. But I believe in seizing every opportunity that comes my way and embracing the challenges that come with it.

Is it better to have fewer longer strides or many shorter strides?

Find Your Stride: Balancing Length and Frequency for Optimal Running

Said to be really annoying, I'm gonna put a say somewhere in the middle. I think people who tend to overstride and up putting more force on their body and tend to have the knee and the hip problems. But then those who take the shorter strides become more coffee and tend to get problems in their cars and their hamstrings. So you want to find a nice happy medium but it all depends so much on your body shape and your body type and yeah. How you been running forever? But yeah, I'd say. Say a shorter stride aiming for 175 to 180 steps per minute is going to be around about, right? And yeah, you should feel pretty comfortable there. And it might take a little bit of time to get used to in a top tip for me to get used to. That is to run a couple of times a week on a treadmill using a metronome, or find some music that has got a bid to 175 to 180 beats per minute and use that to help you keep. Yep.

To avoid annoying issues with your body, it's best to find a stride length that works for you and aim for 175 to 180 steps per minute. A helpful tip is to run on a treadmill with a metronome or music with 175-180 beats per minute.

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When it comes to stride length, it's best to find a balance between longer and shorter strides. Overstriding, or taking longer strides, can put excessive force on the body and lead to knee and hip problems. On the other hand, taking shorter strides can make you more prone to calf and hamstring issues.

Finding a happy medium is important, but it depends on factors such as your body shape, body type, and running experience. As a general guideline, aiming for around 175 to 180 steps per minute is a good starting point. This should feel comfortable for most runners.

To help adjust to a shorter stride, you can try running on a treadmill with a metronome or find music with a beat that matches the desired step rate. This can assist in maintaining a consistent stride length.

Ultimately, it may take some time to find the stride length that works best for you, so be patient and listen to your body as you make adjustments.

What makes the du Mont-Blanc ultratrail unique?

UTMB: The World Championships for Elite Ultra Trail Athletes

MB, I think is unique because the caliber of athletes that go to it. There's no. Yes, there is a trail running World Championships but it's for me. And in my eyes I'll just roll them on below. UTMB 100 Miler is the World Championships, it attracts the best Ultra Trail athletes in the world, both male and female. It's also just the most incredible beautiful part of the world. I love racing, the Alps and to be able to travel in three different countries over One, race starting at 6 p.m. and finishing. Yeah, just after lunchtime if you're lucky is yeah, just it's just incredible and the crowds the atmosphere is just completely different to any other race that I've ever done very different big races in the US or other races in Europe. And yeah I think it's makes that race incredibly Special.

UTMB is unique because it attracts the best ultra-trail athletes in the world, and it takes place in a beautiful part of the world. The atmosphere of the race is also different to any other race, making it special.

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What makes the du Mont-Blanc ultratrail unique is the caliber of athletes it attracts. While there is a trail running World Championships, in my eyes, the UTMB 100 Miler is the true World Championships. It draws the best Ultra Trail athletes from around the world, both male and female.

Additionally, the race takes place in the breathtakingly beautiful region of the Alps, spanning three different countries. Starting in the evening and finishing around lunchtime, it offers a unique experience of traveling through stunning landscapes. The atmosphere and crowds during the race are unlike any other I've experienced in big races in the US or other races in Europe.

Overall, the combination of top athletes, stunning scenery, and a one-of-a-kind atmosphere makes the du Mont-Blanc ultratrail an incredibly special race.

Tom Evans answers your Running questions. See all the advice Tom Evans has and get answers to your own Running questions.

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Tom Evans made his mark on the ultrarunning world in 2017, coming 3rd in the 251km Marathon des Sables. He won the Beacons Ultra in 2016 and the CCC race at UTMB in 2018, plus the Ultra-Trail World Tour in NZ in 2020 and the Madeira Island Ultra Trail in Portugal in 2021. He also finished 3rd in UTMB 2022.