Ultra Essentials Part 3 of 3: Training Plans, Injury Prevention/Management, Choosing the Right Events, The Ultra Community

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Discover raw. Inspiring stories from runners who've been right where you are. This is the Choose to Endure Ultra Running Podcast With your host he's English, not Australian Richard Gleave.

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Hello, hello, welcome back to Ultra Essentials. This is the three-part series where we've been reminding you of the basics of Ultra Running in bite-size, consumable format, without trying to overwhelm you with science or information, hopefully giving you just what you need to consider. This is part three of three. My name's Richard Gleave. I'm being your pacer for this last leg of the journey, and we're starting the victory loop with chapter seven Training Techniques and Plans focusing on how to prepare your body and mind for the exciting challenge of ultramarathons. So embarking on any ultra journey is thrilling, but it can also be pretty daunting, especially if this is your first race or you're going up in distance for the first time. So the key to success lies in a well-structured training plan. It's not just about loggy miles. It's about building endurance, strength and mental resilience while avoiding injury. Your training plan should be a balanced mix of mileage, speed work and recovery. Start by gradually increasing your weekly mileage. The 10% rule, where you increase your distance by no more than 10% each week, is a pretty good guideline to prevent overtraining. So long run work isn't just for short distance runners. Either. Incorporating intervals or tempo runs can improve your cardiovascular efficiency and make your long runs feel easier, which is great, but remember ultra running is ultimately an endurance sport, so long slow runs should be the backbone of your training. A good rule of thumb here might be to shoot for 80% slower runs to build base and then fill in the other 20% with speed or hill work to add some variation and get that cardio going. Think about doing your speed work training earlier in the training block too, and then gradually switching the training composition to increase long and slow runs as you approach to race day. Consider making your training more specific to the race you closer you get, mimicking the clothing, gear, the fueling, hydration, terrain and weather more and more as you approach the date itself. This is going to make sure that you're prepared when you actually get to the race. Cross training and strength training are also pretty vital. Activities like cycling, swimming or yoga can enhance your running by building overall fitness and reducing the risk of injury. Strength training, especially core and leg exercises, will help you power through those tough trail or hill sections. And don't underestimate the importance of rest and sleep. They are as crucial as your other training sessions. Rest days allow your body to recover and grow stronger, while adequate sleep helps with muscle repair and mental sharpness. If you aren't great at building plans or holding yourself accountable, especially on those dark, cold mornings or really hot scalding afternoons, then maybe looking for a coach to help guide you might be a great option. When selecting a coach, make sure they have the appropriate qualifications and the relevant experience to assist you, as well as being, personality wise, a good match. Your training plan should be personalized, gradual and holistic. Next time we're going to explore injury prevention and management. Until then, train smart, listen to your body, enjoy the journey to your ultra race. My name is Richard Gleeb. This was Ultra Essentials Happy running. Welcome to chapter eight of our Ultra Essentials series. Again, my name is Richard Gleeb, and on this one we're tackling an essential topic for every runner injury prevention and management. Let's learn how to stay safe and healthy on our ultra running journey. Just a quick disclaimer clearly, I'm not a doctor in these areas, but these are thoughts and, I think, more best practice suggestions based on reading and my own experience. Running, especially ultra distances, puts a lot of strain on the body. Common injuries include runners knee IT band stuff, shin splints, plantifasciitis and definitely Achilles tendonitis too. The good news, though many of these injuries can be avoided with the right approach. Prevention starts with a proper warm-up and cool-down. Warming up with dynamic stretches prepares your muscles and joints for the run. It activates the glutes and the quads and the hamstrings. That's going to increase blood flow and reduce the risk of injury when you do get going, and then cool down with those static stretches, that's going to help in muscle recovery and maintain some flexibility. Understanding when to rest versus when to push through is pretty critical too. Listen to your body. General fatigue and soreness is pretty normal when you're training or racing, but if you've got any sharp, persistent pain, that might be a warning sign. Evaluate whether to continue if you're in a race or if you're out there training, based on where you are in your schedule or where you're at in the event itself. Rest is often the best medicine. Pushing through serious pain can turn a minor issue into a major injury. So just make an informed decision based on where you are at the time and what it is you're doing. Incorporate strength training and cross-training into your routine too. Strengthening muscles around key joints like knees, ankles and hips can provide better support and reduce the likelihood of injuries. Also, low impact activities like swimming or cycling can keep you fit without additional strain on your running muscles, so those are really good as recovery or fill-in activities. If you do encounter persistent pain or discomfort, it's time to seek professional help Physiotherapists, sports chiropractic people and sports medicine doctors they all specialize in treating and advising on sports injuries. A running coach, if you have one, can also help adjust your training plan to accommodate either current injury, help you reset goals and they can help prevent future injuries with an adjusted plan. Remember, taking care of your body is as important as pushing it to its limits. You're going to need it in good shape to enable you to get there right, so try to tune into what is telling you and react accordingly. Stay with us for our next chapter, where we'll discuss understanding and choosing the right events. Until then, train smart, stay healthy and keep running. I've been Richard Glee and this was Ultra Essentials. Welcome back. This is chapter 9 of the Ultra Essentials series Understanding and Choosing Events. In this chapter, we're going to navigate the exciting world of ultra marathon events themselves and how to pick the one that suits you best. Not all events are made for all people, but that's a great excuse to try them all and find out which ones you prefer. So ultra marathons they come in many flavors. There's the classic trail ultra, which can range from 50k to 100 miles and a lot further, often through a pretty beautiful and challenging natural terrain. Then there are the mountain ultras with significant elevation gain, timed races, where you run as far as you can within a specific time range, often on a loop course. There are races on running tracks and races on flat, crushed granite surfaces. There are races at sea level and there are races at huge elevation just all sorts to pick from Choosing. The right event is key to your ultra experience, right. So consider your strengths and preferences. Do you enjoy scenic trails or are you looking for a flat and fast course? How does your body handle elevation changes? How far are you willing to travel for an experience? These are the sorts of things you should be reflecting on as you browse through the events on ultra sign up or wherever else you're looking. Once you've chosen an event, it's time to register and prepare. So make sure to read up on all the race details, the course, the aid station locations. Definitely read up on the cutoff times to make sure you've accounted for or bought in advance for the required gear. This information, obviously, is going to be pretty crucial for your training and race day strategy. So let's talk about pacing and checkpoints too. Pacing is pretty critical in an ultra. Start slower than you think you need to. It's a really long race and conserving energy is pretty key. If you can run the whole thing, that's pretty fantastic, well done. If not, consider how you're going to walk the hills and try to run the flats and down hills. Perfectly, okay to hike. Even the elite do this on occasion. As necessary For your checkpoints, make sure you have a strategy right. Know where they are, know what each one offers, know whether or not there are sleepcotts available and how far and what you need to carry to get from one aid station to the next. But and this is really important don't hang around too long. Aid stations are really cozy places to be in the middle of the night or out of the weather, and you can lose time really quickly and that may ultimately impact your ability to finish or to reach your goals. So just be cautious when you're in an aid station. Know what you need when you go in, do what you need to do and get out. Remember every Ultra is a journey. Choosing the right event and preparing adequately for it will not only enhance your experience, but it also increases your chances of success and your enjoyment. That's all for this chapter. Next time we'll wrap up the series with a dive into the Ultra community, which is really the heart and soul of Ultra running. Until then, happy event hunting. And just remember, the journey is definitely as important as the destination. Right, hello, runners, welcome to the final chapter of Ultra Essentials. I've been Rich in Gleeve and in chapter 10. Here, the Ultra community, support and inspiration. We celebrate the heart and soul of Ultra running. It's an incredible community. Ultra running it isn't just a sport, it's a family of positive and supportive individuals. That's what makes it different. The bond shared among Ultra runners is really unique. We cheer for each other, we support each other in tough times and we celebrate every finish. Whether it's your first or 50th Ultra marathon, or whether you're in first place in the race or you are last over the line, we are cheering for everyone. Finding your place in this community can start locally, so look around for running clubs or groups in your area. These groups are fantastic for training support. They are a goldmine of advice and friendship. Facebook is often a great beginning option for a search. Don't forget online forums and other social media groups too. They can be real, great sources for information and encouragement. Volunteering and crewing at Ultra events is another way to immerse yourself in the community. You learn the ropes of Ultra races, you're gonna gain insights from experienced runners and you're gonna contribute to the success of fellow athletes. It's a brilliant gateway into the sport. And let's talk, inspiration to Ultra running is filled with incredible stories. That's the point of this Choose to Endure podcast. From overcoming adversity to astonishing feats of endurance these tales, they motivate and remind us why we run. We've heard on this podcast from individuals like Casey Sanders, who's just a regular runner he finished Moab 240, 240 miles twice and Lisa Decker, who is running for 55 hours to drive donations and awareness for pediatric cancer Regular people getting out there, giving it a try and getting it done and then telling their story. It's fantastic and it's powerful and you can do it too. Stories like these show us the power of perseverance and the strength of humans through it. They are what makes this community so special, whether you're elite, whether you're a mid-pack or you're back-of-the-pack like me. So as we close this chapter and the third part of the three-part series, remember that Ultra running is more than a sport. It's a journey of self-discovery and community. So, whether you're on the trail or supporting from the sidelines, once you start you're part of something pretty incredible. I'm Richard Glee. This has been the Ultra Essentials series. Keep running, keep dreaming and I will see you out on the trail.

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Thanks for running with us at the Choose to Endure podcast. We hope you enjoyed the show. We had a blast. If you did, make sure to like, rate and review, and we'll be back soon. Keep racking up the miles and the stories and we'll catch you at the next Trailhead. Until then, remember to run long, run strong.