Jwolf wrote:I also have a question about ultra training in general... with marathon training, the idea is usually to do long training runs at a slower pace than the race. How does it work for ultra training? Since the total distance of the race is so much longer than the training runs sometimes, my guess is that you'd have to stick to the same long run pace... and the conditions are so variable (terrain, etc.) that there would be so many other factors involved. And I guess the strategy would be quite different for a 50K vs. 80K or ::gulp:: 100 miles!!
Jennifer, you're not getting the ultra bug are you??
The long run pacing is a tough question, for many of the reasons you mentioned. For me, it was slower than my marathon long run pacing, and my race pace (overall average) ended up being slower than my training pace. Here's some data on that (all in min/mile):
Marathon race pace: 7:50
Long run training pace: 8:40 - 9:10
ultra long run pace: 9:15 - 10:00
ultra race pace (100k): 11:05 (ranges from 9:10 - 14:00 over the course of the race)
The hardest part of the training is to find a pace you can hold for a long time. At the peak of my training I did a 6 hour run at 9:25 miles, then a 4 hour run the next day at 9:35. Finding that magic pace that I could hold without killing myself took some time to figure out. The hardest part for me was to try and simulate the hilly terrain of the course here in flatland Winnipeg.
The other variable in overall race pace is the time spent in aid stations. They are typically not like in a marathon where you grab your water cup and keep going. At the Blackfoot, there were small buffets in the middle of the woods where I would spend a minute or two, drinking, eating, re-filling my camelback, etc. At the half way point I changed from a long sleeve to a short sleeve shirt and put on fresh socks as well, that was a 6 minute stop.
Hope you're thinking of coming over to the other 'dark side'
Dwayne
I run distance because I want to be in good shape when I die.
--
Friends don't let friends do anything stupid.
Alone.
Blackfoot 2007.
because I'd hate to dissapoint you....
and we all know what a nasty runner I can be 
