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New to Ultra Running

Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 2:57 pm
by ewolcat
Well after running numerous half marathons and full marathons I have decided to make the jump to a 50K ultra marathon. I will be running the Lost Soul Ultra marathon in Lethbridge in September. Any advice for a new to ultra runner? Any advice from anyone who has run the Lost Souls.

Thanks for any help you can give (since all my non-runner friends just shake their heads and call me crazy)!

Re: New to Ultra Running

Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2015 12:40 pm
by daddy_runner
ewolcat wrote:Well after running numerous half marathons and full marathons I have decided to make the jump to a 50K ultra marathon. I will be running the Lost Soul Ultra marathon in Lethbridge in September. Any advice for a new to ultra runner? Any advice from anyone who has run the Lost Souls.

Thanks for any help you can give (since all my non-runner friends just shake their heads and call me crazy)!


Treat a 50k like a long marathon. That is, with respect. Remember that trails are softer than roads, so you will be running slower than on the road at a comparable effort level.

I've never run Lost Souls before, but have a few friends who have. They all say that it's hot in the coulees. Bring extra water, even if you don't end up using it.

Re: New to Ultra Running

Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2015 4:56 pm
by ultraslacker
I haven't run it either, but it is reported to be VERY HOT. Take not just extra water but also electrolytes (tablets and/or salt capsules).

Re: New to Ultra Running

Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2015 6:21 pm
by bruyere
ewolcat wrote:Well after running numerous half marathons and full marathons I have decided to make the jump to a 50K ultra marathon. I will be running the Lost Soul Ultra marathon in Lethbridge in September. Any advice for a new to ultra runner? Any advice from anyone who has run the Lost Souls.

Thanks for any help you can give (since all my non-runner friends just shake their heads and call me crazy)!

Fantastic! (You're crazy.)

:)

I have nothing to add about this race, specifically, but since you ask for "any advice to a new ultra runner", and it's apparently quite hot, I can tell you what helped me a lot during 60K in the Grand Canyon, where it reached 40C. I generally don't do well with heat, so I was concerned. But I came out totally fine, with no (noticeable) dehydration and a really great recovery. (I was up until midnight that night, and enjoyed Vegas until about 2am the next night! ;) )

What worked for me (granted, we weren't racing!):

Fuel & hyrdation: I was carrying 2L of water in my pack, with two 500ml soft flask bottles with Nuun in my chest pockets. I had salt pills and two packages of Honey Stingers in a single ziploc at easy access. I sipped water very frequently, and made sure I sipped the Nuun every 15 minutes or so. Every 30 minutes or so, I ate 2 or 3 chews. I'm sorry, but I can't recall how often I took the tablets. I ate about 1800 calories of food (chews, almond butter and jam wraps).Oh, and a lemonade.

Clothing: I think this was super important. I had a white hat and a light coloured long sleeved shirt (one of those Columbia ones that claim to keep you cool). Every chance I got, I wet the hat and my sleeves, as well as a buff that I kept on my neck. I didn't want to wet the rest of the shirt, as I feared chafing.

Another thing I did during a rather tough and hot ultra was to grab a block of ice at an aid station. I meant to put it in my pack, but it was too big, so I carried it in the buff I had for cooling off. I carried that piece of ice for nearly 10km, and it felt sooooo good on my neck!

Have fun!

Re: New to Ultra Running

Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 9:37 am
by daddy_runner
So I just finished my first race of the year last Saturday, and I was reminded of one thing: You need to eat more than you think you should, and you need to drink more than you think you should. Both should be done in small amounts and spread out at regular intervals (not necessarily at the same time). Your body can only absorb so many calories at a time when you're moving, so a slow (but constant) trickle of food-in works great.

Also, each step forward is another step closer to the finish line. If you feel awful and think you're going to DNF, don't. Your mood will change every 15 minutes. Usually, a depressed state means you're really low on calories. Start walking and eating. Relentless forward progress.

Re: New to Ultra Running

Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 9:44 am
by ultraslacker
daddy_runner wrote:So I just finished my first race of the year last Saturday, and I was reminded of one thing: You need to eat more than you think you should, and you need to drink more than you think you should. Both should be done in small amounts and spread out at regular intervals (not necessarily at the same time). Your body can only absorb so many calories at a time when you're moving, so a slow (but constant) trickle of food-in works great.

Also, each step forward is another step closer to the finish line. If you feel awful and think you're going to DNF, don't. Your mood will change every 15 minutes. Usually, a depressed state means you're really low on calories. Start walking and eating. Relentless forward progress.


I agree wholeheartedly with this advice!

I have my garmin set to beep every 30 minutes, to remind me to eat. It's been set that way since 2009 when I crashed and burned in an ultra because I didn't eat enough (and you reach a point where you don't *want* to eat and then you're really in trouble).

Re: New to Ultra Running

Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 10:12 am
by Robinandamelia
daddy_runner wrote:So I just finished my first race of the year last Saturday, and I was reminded of one thing: You need to eat more than you think you should, and you need to drink more than you think you should. Both should be done in small amounts and spread out at regular intervals (not necessarily at the same time). Your body can only absorb so many calories at a time when you're moving, so a slow (but constant) trickle of food-in works great.

Also, each step forward is another step closer to the finish line. If you feel awful and think you're going to DNF, don't. Your mood will change every 15 minutes. Usually, a depressed state means you're really low on calories. Start walking and eating. Relentless forward progress.


I'm gonna use this advice :) Thanks!