Slackers Guide to a 100km

Slackers Guide to a 100km

As many of us gear up for the running season ahead, and training is in full swing for our ultra's, the question :
" how far should I run in training?" is on the tip of everyone's tongues.

After  DNF'ng the Plague in 2015, I was determined to complete it in 2016. It was my mission,  a year in the planning. But in December 2015 I began to get a recurrence of a foot injury and couldn't run for several months.

Bugger. Bugger. Bugger. Bugger.

Towards the end of March 2016, I began to run again. Between April - July (four whole months) I only managed 364.9miles running. When training for an Ultra, that's not a lot, especially when it is 100km of the Cornish Coast Path.

For the sake of fairness, I should add I had a reasonable fitness base (having completed several 50km runs the previous year in 2015) and was also cycling and walking, as well as doing 1 session a week of circuits and 1 session of yoga per week; I also ran some specific step sessions and recceed some of the route on the coast path; but running wise I was averaging around 100miles per month.

  And if you want to do well in a running race- you need to run. A lot. Especially when that is an Ultra.

And I wasn't.

But that's the way it was. Family. Dogs. Time. Commitments. Work. Couldn't be arsed days.
They all conspired against me.

But I started the Plague; and I finished the Plague.
100km of Cornish Coast Path.
It wasn't fast, and wasn't pretty, but I enjoyed it; and I finished.

And here is how I did it:

MARCH:
Sunday 27th March -- First run for nearly 12 wks --2.78 miles

Total distance covered: 146 miles  (run /bike /walk) of which only 7 miles total run

APRIL

In April  71.9miles of running
Longest single run 10 miles

Total distance covered: 202 miles  (run /bike /walk)

MAY
May 107 miles running

Longest single run 19 miles

Total distance covered: 158 miles  (run /bike /walk)

JUNE

June 104 miles running ,
Including a 15 miler followed next w/end by Giants Head Marathon (27.2 miles)

Total distance covered: 117 miles  (run /bike /walk)

JULY

July 89.miles running
Longest run being Ham-Lyme 50km

Total distance covered: 178 miles  (run /bike /walk)

AUGUST

August 12miles week before Plague in 3 runs,
Followed by The Plague 100km (64miles)
Finishing time 19hrs 5mns.
Not fast
But I felt comfortable all the way around and finishing was never in any doubt



So there you have it boys and girls.
How to run a tough 100km Ultra on an average of 100 miles a month.
Now, although I finished, and I enjoyed my race, and it was never in any doubt I would finish;
 I knew my limitations.
The winner that year was Dan Lawson in 10hrs 55mns.
Over 8hrs quicker than me.

But here's the thing.
If you're not injured
If you've got the time
If you're more dedicated than I was
If you have no other commitments
If you have the talent
And if you run more miles
You can run faster than I did.
Obviously.

But if you don't
And you can't
You still can run 100 km
All on less than 30 miles per week.
You just need to know when not to stop.
And you don't stop until the end.

Happy Running,