How I’m Training for my 50K

In April I’m running a 50K trail race, so right now my life revolves around training.  But if you read my Weekly Rundown posts, you may have noticed that I’m not doing the high mileage weeks like you might expect for ultra training.  I really believe I can complete this race… if I don’t get injured.  Over the past several years injury has been the limiting factor for me, so all my training is done with that in mind. The Running Part Right now I’m doing two weekday runs of 4 miles each, and a day of cross-training on the stair climber. My real training for this race comes from my long runs. My long runs have been slowly increasing in distance, and yesterday I completed an 18 mile run. I’ve been switching back and forth between doing my long runs on Sundays and doing them on Wednesdays.  Part of this was to fit in with a crazy schedule over the holidays, but it’s also partly to give my body a periodic rest.  I’ll do two or three weeks of Sunday long runs, and then switch it over to Wednesdays, so instead of seven days in between long runs, I’ll have ten days.  Then I’ll do that for two or three weeks, and switch it back to Sundays, again to have a longer recovery time in between. Now that my long runs will be in the 20+ mile range, I won’t do a LONG long run every week.  I’ll alternate between a long long run one week, and the next week a shorter long run, in the 10-12 mile range.  I’ll probably top out around 24 miles for my longest run. Strength Training I’ve been going to the gym twice a week, one day for lower body and one day for upper body.  I also try to do one shorter session at home during the week- something that’s hard for me like Bulgarian split squats, that don’t require a gym.  Sometimes I question whether I’m doing enough strength training, but it’s hard to fit more in around the long runs. The Mental Part I’ve been listening to podcasts about ultra running ALL THE TIME.  I listen during my runs, in the car, at the gym… my two current favorites are Florida Trail Runners (which is how I found out about the race I’m doing) and Trail to 100. On Trail to 100, the hosts interview regular people who have completed 100 mile races.  I listen to this so much that now running a 100 mile race seems like a completely normal thing to do.  If running 100 miles is normal, then running a 50K shouldn’t be too hard- right? The Other Stuff Nutrition- in this post I talked about increasing my protein intake.  That’s been going well and I feel good about what I’m eating.  Lots of chickpeas, tofu, peanut butter, beans… all the good stuff. Sleep- SIGH.  I’m trying, I really am.  I cut out caffeine later in the day and have been getting in bed earlier.  I’m sleeping more but I’m still struggling with the temperature in the bedroom.  I’m always too warm and my husband is too cold.  I got a “cooling blanket” which… kind of works.  Sleep is still a work in progress. Massage, foam rolling, stretching- yes, yes, and yes.  I can get a free massage once a month at work, but sometimes it’s hard to schedule it.  For the last several months I’ve been diligent about doing it.  I foam roll regularly and stretch every night- especially my calves.  I’m following a specific protocol of self-massage and stretching my calves to (supposedly) get rid of my plantar fasciitis.  The PF is still there, but it’s not affecting my running.  I would still like to get rid of it, obviously. A wise runner- I can’t remember who- said “enjoy your training, because nothing else is guaranteed.”  I certainly hope I’ll make it to the starting line of this race healthy, but there’s no guarantee.  In the meantime I’m definitely enjoying the training. I’m joining My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida for their “Fit Five Friday” linkup. Are you training for a big race right now? Would you ever run an ultra, or do you think ultra runners are crazy?