Training for Lakeland 50

[paulo]

This will be my first ultra so any and all advice welcome. I'm not up to where I had hoped to be at this stage and my plan is to concentrate on a big slow day out on big hills most weekends from now on and not to worry too much about miles overall or aiming for many sessions a week. Does that sound reasonable? How long should the longest training run be and when to tail off / taper? Miles / feet of ascent per week? I've recce'd the route in halves so know what's coming :w00t:

thanks, P

[L.F.F.]

Hi,

Just spotted this.

When I was training for it last year, my longest run was 18 miles and I did that for seven weeks before the event. I did less the week before the event, though. I didn’t have a plan for ascent, but I did try to make my runs hilly in a Leicestershire way I didn’t ever do more than about 42 miles in a week, although they were all done at a reasonable pace I suppose.

And like you have, I reccied the route as well. I found that really helped, knowing where you were and what you had to come.

Hope that helps a bit. Happy to answer other questions as I’ve done it twice so can hopefully help!

(Just thought of two other things. One is that I did about three 10 mile runs with my backpack on, with the weight it was going to be for the event, and the other is that one thing I think would've helped looking back is one or two long days out in the weeks leading up to it, 8 hours or so, to get used to the feeling of being out for a long time.)

[paulo]

Thanks for the reply and sorry for not noticing it until now! It's reassuring to know that you were ok without having clocked up megamiles. I still feel I'm not really there volume wise but I am at least getting some decent long days out and have done all the route except Dalemain - PB. I've not got going on the real food yet - have managed some on MMs and LDWA things in the past - so my next plan is some gut training as I'm sure 12+ hours on my usual gels, sweets etc would be unbearable. The other main concern is how/whether to pace myself to try to do a bit better than just get round and I'm guessing cock ups in this dept are the best way to DNF. Thanks for any thoughts

Paul

[L.F.F.]

Glad it helped a bit.

I didn't recce Dalemain-PB thinking about it, but there's really no need. It's only 4 miles or so and there's no chance of not being within sight of people.

Regarding pace, I think walking the ups and trotting the flats and downs would see you round ok. That's a bit general, but I don't think running the ups will do you that much good really. And try not to be tempted to sprint off at the start like some seem to!

Regarding food, I just carried about six gels and about four electrolyte drinks. There's half decent food at most checkpoints and really good food at Kentmere - smoothies, rice pudding, pasta etc. The main thing I was unprepared for was being out for so long and the way your body seems to lose its appetite so good idea to experiment.

Also, I only carried a half litre bottle of water last time. That wasn't enough! I'd carry a litre to see you between checkpoints.

[paulo]

this is something I wrote in a separate PM - but would be interested in any comments

cheers P

I think it's the getting the early pace right that's worrying me really with no splits/targets/schedule/cutoffs to work from. I realise most people who blow it go too fast too early and that must be avoided at all costs but there must also be a personal cutoff for what is too slow and conservative even in the early stages and I'm not sure how to judge that....

[Drunkeneuphoria]

this is something I wrote in a separate PM - but would be interested in any comments

cheers P

I think it's the getting the early pace right that's worrying me really with no splits/targets/schedule/cutoffs to work from. I realise most people who blow it go too fast too early and that must be avoided at all costs but there must also be a personal cutoff for what is too slow and conservative even in the early stages and I'm not sure how to judge that....

Hi Paulo, my experiance from doing the full 50 over two recce days and the 100 is that it's ok to go at a steady/slow run over the early miles as these are pretty flat, almost totally flat until PB. I'll only be walking up the small hill after PB. And the rest is undulating at best so will run a fair bit of. Just aiming to run without pushing pace - as from the start of leg 2 you'll be forced to walk on a climb straight up to the highest Col on route. leg 1 will likely be the fastest of the day as its one of two easy legs, you'll know the other from.

Regards your earlier question on food, LFF summed up the food offering at kentmere well, so ideally try and incorporate something like that into a long run. Easier said than done to have hot food available mid run though - and I never do unless its available at an event. You probably won't struggle with any kind of proper food on the run if you get used to sonmething less sugary midway through your longer runs (over 20m). I tend to make sandwiches, or buy a pot of pasta from shop or a pasty/steak slice. I tend to vary it a bit to prepare the stomach for all eventualities. However, I've been doing LDWA challenges for years so I reckon i could just about stomach anything on-route

Other CP provide decent offerings too, mix of sweet and savoury, but worth carrying at least gels, snack bars, etc and energy drinks for between CP as some of those stages take a long time!

[paulo]

thanks for that - funnily enough that first gentle hill you mention from PB to the cockpit was exactly the one which really got me pondering - on (longish, 20+ mile) recce it was fine to run up but I couldn't wok out what race strategy would be. Anything steeper than that is clearly a walk for me at this distance. So from what you and others have said I reckon it's walk absolutely everything more than 2 degrees above horizontal and pretty much jog rather than run the flats and downs until at least Kentmere and maybe Ambleside. Have already armed myself with sausage rolls and mini pork pies (M&S, natch, being from Didsbury :wink to munch my way round back to back long runs this weekend - gulp. I nearly died trying to eat a jam doughnut on the way up Robinson on an LDWA thing and definitely need some practice at getting big bits down on the move. Have done banana and honey butties successfully for MMs in the past but having to deal with whatever's laid on is a bit different...

will see how I get on

ta P

[Matt-pt]

Hi Paulo,

I know this might be out of the Blue and you don't know me, but I would really a chat with you, I have just been diagnosed with AF (not seen a cardiologist yet) just GP at hospital and I work as a Personal Trainer, I have been told to do know exercise and been put on asprin and beta blockers, I am finding it hard to deal with a I need to speak to a specialist but don't want to wait 6-8 week I think it would send me mad!:wink:

I did see you are doing the Lakeland 50 this year and wanted some advice well I did it last year, so we could swap advice!

(Would off PM you this but your inbox is full)

Many Thanks

Matthew Haworth
MOB-07791215192

[that_fjell_guy]

The one thing I might add to this thread is that when I did the Bullock Smithy last year I had pace notes typed out on a sheet. Basically my target time and a couple of others say 12hr, 13hr and 14 hr if aiming for 12. Then I simply divided this, in the first instance by the amount of miles to give a) a rough speed required and b) rough times for checkpoint/mile markers etc. You can get clever and adjust for terrain, but I found this adequate as a guide and it saved tricky maths when tired. You could do it in reverse and decide what speed you think you can cover the distance i.e. 12 min mile then obviously multiply that by 50.

[paulo]

Hi

just off and rushing to get away for the weekend but will gladly chat when back - have emptied inbox

cheers, Paul