Relentless Forward Progress_ A Guide to Running Ultramarathons - Bryon Powell [18]
Sleep seven to eight hours each night. This might seem impossible, but make sleeping a priority and shoot for this target by cutting unnecessary activities, such as watching TV or browsing the Internet.
Nap! Naps help accelerate the recovery process. While most of us can’t fit in a nap during the week, what’s stopping you from taking a 90-minute siesta following your long run?
Wear compression clothing after strenuous runs. Admittedly, the research surrounding the athletic recovery effects of compression clothing isn’t airtight, but there’s enough evidence to make compression tights and/or calf sleeves worth a try.
Elite runners have long taken post-workout waist-deep (or nearly so) ice baths of around 10 minutes in water that’s 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Recent research on ice baths and recovery has shown mixed results. That said, my own personal experience as well as that of many ultrarunners I know will still have me jumping in a cold stream after my summer long runs. I recommend wearing socks at least over your toes during an ice bath, as that seems to take the edge off. Also, if you’ve never before taken an ice bath, fight through the first two minutes. Your acute discomfort decreases soon thereafter.
Runners enjoy a recovery soak after a stage of the GORE-TEX® TransRockies Run. (Photo by author)
Tapering
If you’ve raced much, chances are you’re familiar with the concept of a taper. A taper is a recovery period when overall training volume is reduced in preparation for a focus race. That taper ranges from a few days for a short race to a few weeks for a marathon. As with a marathon, taper for at least two weeks before an ultra and optimally for three weeks. During your taper, maintain the pace of all your training runs, including that of any speed work you might doing. Instead, modify your training by sequentially cutting back on training volume week-to-week by first reducing the length of your long run, longer weekday runs, and any speed work. For instance, in week 1 of a three-week taper you might run 70 percent of your peak weekly mileage before stepping down to 50 percent of your peak mileage the following week. The final week of your taper should be limited to a few shake-out runs of 2 to 5 miles on easy terrain. If you’re not antsy and itching to run by the last week of your taper, then you’re not tapering enough.
It’s great to get one or more key long runs in three weekends before race day. After that, avoid any marathon or longer runs during the final two weekends of your taper. While ultra training often calls for long runs on steep or technical terrain, avoid thoroughly trashing yourself in the two weeks before race day. In general, err on the side of tapering too much rather than not enough. Believe in your training!
--------------------------------------
Ultra Cross Training
Adam W. Chase
Ultrarunners, regardless of their surface of choice, are often of the belief that “more is better,” even if the more is a discipline other than running. When you want to condition your body to go and go and go, cross training can be your ultimate savior. One of my favorite practices is to run for two or three hours and immediately jump on my bike or bike trainer and keep the engine running for another hour-plus but without the pounding of continued running. This trains your body’s internal systems for the distance without taxing your external systems.
The skills and strengths gained from cross training easily translate to ultrarunning. Hopefully this contribution will make you a better ultrarunner; whether by the strong core you get from circuit training, the limbering and strengthening of muscles from rock climbing, the increased lung capacity gained from Nordic skiing, the high-altitude endurance from mountaineering, the descending skills of mountain biking or mogul skiing, the leg strength gained from snowshoeing, or the muscular balance gained from swimming.