Running Your First 50K Trail Race

1
Running Your First 50K Trail Race

• August 25th
• Andy Jones and Dave Corfman
• Sponsor The Running Spot

2
What Will We Be Covering Today?

• Training how does it need to be different from
  marathon training?
  
• Eating and drinking on the run essential in
  order to finish a 50K trail race
  
• Equipment considerations clothes, shoes, bottle
  carriers, drop bags
  
• How not to get lost a common problem for
  novices
  
• Dealing with the hills best strategies
• Recovery what should you do immediately after
  the race and in the weeks that follow

3
Training

• We will assume that you have some experience in
  training for a marathon
  
• Most important is to get in the miles, the same
  as a marathon
  
• Good general rule is that your weekly mileage
  should be at least twice the race distance, in
  this case about 60-65 miles per week should be
  the weekly average in the 12 weeks before the
  race
• Less than this and you can count on a
  considerable amount of walking being required

4
Training

• Supplement your marathon training with these
  types of workouts
  
• Trail runs of 2-3 hours
• Shorter harder trail runs 30-90 minutes
• Specific hill training

5
Longer Trail Runs

• If possible choose terrain similar to the race
• 2 -3 of these runs in your preparation period of
  12 weeks
  
• Instead of your road long runs, not in addition
  to these runs!
  
• These are easy runs at least 1 minute per mile
  slower than your planned race pace
  
• Very important to practice eating and drinking
  during these runs

6
Faster Trail Runs

• These runs should be 30-90 minutes
• On terrain similar to the race if possible
• At race pace
• Start with 30 minutes and lengthen
• Every two weeks during preparation period
• Instead of a tempo run/speed workout
• Get your legs used to moving at this pace on
  trails
  
• Stick with water/electrolyte only during these
  runs

7
Specific Hill Workouts

• These are shorter runs to help develop the
  ability to run up hills
  
• Find a hill that takes 2-3 minutes to climb with
  a good effort
  
• Work up to being able to run the hill 5-6 times
  with a long recovery of at least 3 minutes
  between
  
• Include walking up the hill if necessary
• Be careful running back down the hill, take it
  very easy
  
• Do a long cooldown (2-3 miles) on trails
  afterwards
  

8
Eating and Drinking on the Run

• You do not have enough stored energy to finish a
  50K trail race without eating some food or
  drinking lots of energy drinks
  
• It is important that you learn what food you can
  eat in your training
  
• Use your long runs to experiment
• Use a multi loop course with a drop location (or
  car) for your aid in your long runs
  
• Always a good idea to carry water or energy drink
  with you
  
• Find out what will be available at aid stations
• Most race directors are OK with special requests

9
Eating and Drinking on the Run

• What are good choices for food and drinks
• Cookies (avoid chocolate if you are not sure)
• Fruit (bananas are a good choice)
• Coke (I find this good near the end of the run)
• Peanut and jelly sandwiches
• Candies (careful with chocolate)
• Drink electrolyte/energy drinks rather than
  water
  
• Dilute the energy drinks to half strength on hot
  days

10
Equipment Considerations

• Good trail shoes are the most important piece of
  equipment
  
• They should be comfortable, but not too heavy
• Do at least 50 miles on them before your race
• Good idea to have a backup pair of shoes at the
  race in case you blister or your feet get sore
  

11
Equipment Considerations

• Decide how you are going to carry water/energy
  drinks
  
• Fanny pack or in your hands
• Easier to access in your hands, but takes more
  practice to get comfortable with this method
  
• Socks should be synthetic and blister-proof
  (double layers)
  
• What to include in a drop bag

12
How not to get lost

• Many novice runners get lost in trail races
• Even experience runners get lost
• Usually getting lost is due to not paying
  attention to where you are going
  
• In general you should see a course marker at
  least every 2-3 minutes on a trail at 800/pace
  
• Best technique is to alternate looking up for
  course markers and down to check your footing
  
• Change every few seconds
• Check footing more when the trail is rough
• Look for markers more if you have not seen one
  for a couple of minutes
  
• Often corners are marked on the ground as well,
  but dont count on these markings on a loop
  course as they can get worn off

13
How not to get lost

• Dont compound your problems by continuing to run
  the wrong way
  
• Cut your losses, if you have not seen a marker
  for 5 minutes of running then turn around and go
  back
  
• Pay careful attention at intersections
• Slow down if you are unsure
• The correct route should be marked very soon
  after the intersection
  
• If you dont see a marker within a couple of
  minutes, turn around and go back to the
  intersection

14
How not to get lost

• On multi-loop course dont get complacent and
  assume you know where you are going
  
• In our race runners often get lost on the second
  or third loop after going the correct way on an
  earlier loop
  
• This is usually because they were running with
  someone else on the earlier loop and let them do
  the navigating
  
• Do your own navigation or at least pay attention
  to where you are going

15
How not to get lost

• Study the route map and take it with you
• Not a guarantee or staying on course, but can
  help if you do get lost
  

16
Dealing With Hills

• Trail running involves running (or walking) up
  and down hills in almost every race
  
• Only the most competitive runners run moderate to
  steep hills
  
• When running up a hill be careful not to
  completely exhaust yourself to the point where
  you are reduced to a very slow walk
  
• Stop running when you can switch to a fast walk
• Once you recover (if you do..) then switch back
  to a slow run
  
• Continue to alternate as long as possible
• The more specific hill training you do the longer
  you should be able to run on any up hills

17
Dealing With Hills

• On multi-loop courses time the uphills on the
  first loop to allow you to judge your effort on
  subsequent loops
  
• Be careful not to run too fast on downhills
• High risk of injury
• Will also cause you to pound your legs, this will
  come back to haunt you later in the race
  
• Chose a comfortable in-control pace on downhills

18
Recovery Right After the Race

• Get into warm clothes as soon as possible if it
  is a cool or cold day
  
• Do some gentle walking right after you finish for
  5-10 minutes
  
• Drink fluids slowly until you have to pee
• Eat if you can, choosing high energy foods that
  are easy on your stomach
  
• Avoid hopping right in your car

19
Recovery The Next Few Days

• You probably will not be as sore as you are after
  a marathon
  
• I find a few ibuprofen help me to recover
• Reduce swelling and pain
• Run very easily the next day for 1-2 miles
• This helps to flush your muscles of lactic acid
• Then take a couple of days off
• This allows you to recover
• No racing for the next two weeks

20
Starting Line

• There you have it. You have all the tips you
  need to get to the starting line of your first
  50k trail ultramarathon.
  
• You will find the ultrarunning community very
  supportive and friendly. Races are also much
  smaller than marathons.
  
• The rest of up to you. Train well, and come to
  the race with determination and rested legs. We,
  as race directors, will do everything we can to
  support you to the finish line.