So, I’m day 2 post my first ultra writing this and I simply wanted to download my thoughts about getting started, what I did and how it went.
The first ultra I did was from Saturn Running and I took part in their “To Infinity & Beyond Event.” I entered this race in September 2019 without too much thought about how it impacted on my marathon block of training but as it approached I decided that I could use the event strategically (more of that in a mo),
The GREAT thing about the Saturn Running events is that it felt like a safe introduction to ultra running. The concept is that it’s about running laps (Saturn = rings) and that you can run as much or as little as you’d like in the time allocated. The event that I was doing was a 7 hour event.
The event was taking place on 16th February (running into my marathon on 5th April). The run up to the event had seen a storm hit the UK the week before and another being forecast for the weekend itself.
The storm did in fact hit and all credit to Saturn Running the 48 hours leading up to the race saw a number of course changes as the river had breached it’s banks and the course was flooded in places. It was fab that they were so dynamic in their planning. From a mindset perspective, despite the fact that I didn’t have a huge amount of knowledge of the course, the course changes did make me a feel a little uneasy.
I know that when you run longer there are SO many variables. There’s variables that you CAN control and there’s variables you CAN’T control and simply need to accept and settle with being unknowns. You can control your fitness levels going into the event (to some extend), the can control your nutrition and hydration leading into the event, you can control the plan (but not the outcome), you can control the nervous energy that you inject into the race before you get going and you normally have a settled knowledge in what the course looks like. You CAN’T control the weather, the conditions, how your body reacts on any given day or the outcome.
The Plan
As I entered the lead into the event the plan was as follows;
- This race involved no real taper as it’s training
- The race is predominantly to be used as a training run
- The first section of the race is my long run
- Bag 26.2 miles (marathon distance) as a confidence builder.
- 8 laps running, 2 laps walking is the aim (and then NO MORE, however I feel)
- Test in-run nutrition strategies
- Test build up carb loading strategies
- I’d love to get the “ultra” badge to attach to my medal
- Leave injury free
- Recover back into training quickly
Nutrition
As with any distance race, the nutrition is ridiculously important. I have learned, through having the bonk on a long run, that you absolutely need to make sure you’re setting your body up for success if you are going to ask it excercise for pre-longed periods of time.
I essentially started to look at increasing my nutrition from the Wednesday, prior to the race on Sunday.
Now I’m not talking about eating ALL THE THINGS here and going mad. I’m talking about adding a few hundred calories per day and making sure that these calories were coming predominantly from carbohydrate rich foods.
I was looking at;
- Porridge/oats
- Rice
- Pasta
- Bread
- Wraps
- Bagels
- Potatoes
As being the basis of adding a couple of hundred extra calories per day. I’d have my usual oats/porridge based breakfast and then add a bagel with jam in as a second breakfast post school run/exercise session.
I was making sure my main meals were carbohydrate rich and snacks being more carb based than protein based (that’s not to say that I didn’t maintain my protein intake because that’s important too ~ but I did prioritise the carbs during this period).
I also worked on hydration and made sure my intake was hitting around 3 litres per day on the run up.
The Day
Yup, the storm had kept me awake the night before. The wind was rattling off the windows and the rain was coming down like a good un. Would we be on? Would it be managable?
I know that for me a biggie is keeping warm. This winter I’ve found heat regulation ridiculously difficult. I was pre-warming my kit on the radiator so that it would go on toasty warm. I had coats and hoodies available too (I’ll do a whole post on the kit and gear I took with me)
I was up at 6am.
Looked like we were going ahead.
Breakfast in.
Dog walked.
Set off in plenty of time.
After we left home there was a further message that whilst we were on the start would be delayed by 30 minutes. A food window had just appeared! We had the opportunity to stop at the services, grab a brew and I got a second breakfast of a porridge pot too.
Parked up! We didn’t know it at the time but it was in a perfect crewing location for hubby to support me during the laps. He’d see me twice per lap of the course.
When I get to an event I just wanna get going.
Registration done ✅
Wait.
Decide on layer levels. The great thing about this race was that the decision I made didn’t need to be final decision. I would be passing my hubby at the car regularly to take things on and off.
Race briefing gave us deets of the course and other instructions.
AND then we were off!
A perfect, safe, introduction to Ultra Running allowed me to be in control of each individual loop. The laps naturally broken down the race so that you didn’t feel the enormity of the task in hand. I’m a huge advocate of breaking things down into manageable chunks and being in a position to focus on each step individually. It kinda allows you to start afresh within each section of the project in hand and focus purely on the completion of that project.
I did think that it might be boring to run loops but they were long enough to maintain your interest.
The loops also made nutrition really easy. It meant that every 3 miles or so you were able to grab more sustenance.
I learned that I do prefer to ingest food rather than gels and that I probably started feeding a little later than optimum.
I learned that I have the tenacity to see through my plans.
I was incredibly tired towards the end and my running gait was compromised.
BUT I DID IT!!!!
