As mentioned in a previous blog post I am running the Savage 100 mile race in October. As I prepare to take on this challenge, I will be providing monthly updates on my progress. This is as much to hold me accountable to my training as it is for anything else, but I’m hoping others find this interesting and maybe inspirational as well.
For this update, I want to provide a brief recap of the Fargo marathon that I ran on May 18th. And I also want to provide some thoughts on how I’m planning to train specifically for the 100 mile run, which goes beyond just putting in a ton of miles.
Fargo marathon resulted in a personal best time! (just barely)
I finished the Fargo marathon in 3 hour 27 minutes and 32 seconds. This time just beat my previous marathon best time of 3 hours 28 minutes and 12 seconds last fall. I was happy with the result but it certainly wasn’t easy!
The weather was less than ideal. The temperature was in the lows 40s, it was raining, and it was windy. I dubbed this the “trifecta” of bad weather. Luckily, the race started and ended in the FargoDome so we didn’t have to wait around in the cold and rain before and after the race. Running in cold and rain isn’t horrible, just not ideal.
I cruised through the first half in 1 hour 42 minutes and I felt pretty good. But around mile 15 or so I began to tire. This was similar to my experience at the Napa Valley marathon which I chalked up to a lack of long runs throughout the winter. But since I completed more long runs since Napa, I was able to push through more effectively. Even still, I had to complete the last two miles at less than a 8 minute mile pace to beat my previous personal best (I had been running around 8:15 pace over the previous 8 or so miles). A combination of a tailwind (finally) at mile 26 and extreme motivation to reach my time goal gave my a third (or forth) wind in order to push a bit harder over those final 2 miles.
Now the “real” training begins
There are around 22 weeks until the 100 mile race. My main goal over the winter and spring was to stay in the best running shape I could. I defined this as being in solid marathon running shape. But the 100 mile training will take a different approach.
It’s funny, after you run a handful of marathons, they don’t seem as intimidating (although still quite long). On my first few marathon attempts, I was extremely dedicated to training and rarely missed any scheduled runs. This was partially because I didn’t even know if I could finish at all. But as that motivation wore off, I began to push the limits of how much I could “slack off” and still run decent times. I also became more complacent with my diet.
I got an additional boost of motivation when I start triathlon training in 2015. Once again, I found myself unsure if I could even complete the distances (especially the swim) so my dedication returned. I rarely missed workouts, my diet improved, and I dropped some additional weight. I had a similar experience when I completed my first 50K ultramarathon in fall 2016.
Running 100 miles is a whole new ballgame. I am once again unsure if it’s even possible for me to finish. To give myself the best chance of success, I need to have discipline in several areas, not just putting in the miles.
In order to maximize my success for the 100 mile run, I need to take a holistic approach to my training.
My goal is so maximize my training and dedication in three key areas in order to prepare for the race most effectively: 1) fitness, 2) nutrition, and 3) sleep.
- Fitness – this one is probably the most obvious. In order to run 100 miles, you have to train A LOT. My plan calls for 6 days of running per week with roughly one hour per day during weekdays with Saturday consisting of a long run, and Sunday consisting of a longish run (thankfully, Monday is a scheduled off day). Saturday long runs start at around 17 miles and increase to 30 or more and Sunday is roughly half the distance of Saturday. Total miles per week starts at around 45 and increases to over 70.
- Nutrition – this could be the key to finishing in general. Fueling during the race is very important and something that I need to train myself to do. I’m planning to eat solid food (PB sandwiches, pretzels, etc.) on many of my long runs. I’m also going to work on shoring up my daily nutrition in order to lose a few additional pounds and so I feel good on a daily basis to train. This will include more clean eating and calorie counting.
- Sleep – I need to get more sleep! I tend to stay up very late and am often getting up early with the kids. This habit needs to change if I have any hope of sticking to my training. I want to do more running in the morning and work on waking up earlier since the race starts at 1 am. My goal is to get around 8 hours of sleep per night and wake up early enough on Saturday to complete all of my long runs before noon each week.
This will be my life over the next 5 months. If I stay dedicated, I should be able to reach my goals. The real training starts now!
