Ultragirl's Race Prep

[ultragirl]

I'm a 28 year old female training for her first ultramarathon. I turned vegan overnight because I didn't know how to cook. When I taught myself, I simply taught myself how to cook vegan. No "slow process" for me, thank you.

 

But I could always use tips on keeping it cheap, simple, fast.

 

I love running to death. Two other things I love are powerlifting and swimming. I'm of Russian origin but would rather watch aikido on youtube than give Systema attention. I'm reading Scott Jurek's Eat & Run.

 

I adore my workouts and hate to miss even one. My weaknesses are not measuring my food and inventing cocktails. I'm looking to drop weight and bodyfat to be lighter on my feet. But excess is not the enemy. I have only one enemy and it's what I perceive to be mediocrity. I like to ask myself for more, and am happiest when I surprise myself. I am keeping this journal because I would like to be happy more often.

 

The race is in the first week of April, which gives me exactly 7 months.

[Mini Forklift]

Welcome to the forum !!

 

Will look forward to following this, what is your training looking like at the moment? What is your weekly mileage and how much are you expecting it to change over the upcoming 7 months?

[ultragirl]

It'll be very interesting to take the mileage up with a 50 miler in mind… since it's rather hard to fit into the mind in the first place. I don't see a need to map all the details this far out… I'm just really excited to get to work. Basically I'll run more, obviously, keep up the cross training, spend more time edging nearer to OBLA, focus on different efficiencies on different days… The very first thing I'm dealing with is a pulled calf... This puppy knocked me off the mill a few weeks ago, and I joined the forum while waiting for it to get strong. Before the big "pop" I was getting like 30 miles a week. It SEEMS fine now but I have to be smart about it. I also alternate DE and ME and upper and lower body days in the weight room (not consecutive, with enough rest,) and swim about 2000 meters once a week, always something interesting mixed in like PRs or efficiency drills or medleys.

[ultragirl]

Alright so the Umstead prep book is giving me some inspiration. I also have a coach - the best coach in the world, who's known me since I was 16 - and he has PLENTY of his own ideas. But I have to work it out for myself, too, for optimal success. I'm a stubborn brat and for my first 50 mile race you better believe I'll be training in a highly-personalized manner.

 

If I was running a 100 miler, 1-2 months prior to the race, training would look something like this:

Monday - 5-10 mi run

Tuesday - 5mi speed work

Wednesday - 5-10mi run

Thursday - 5mi speed walk

Fri - 5mi run or rest

Sat - 35-40 mi run

Sun - rest w/fam

 

And I'm 7 months out from a 50 miler. So I'm thinking… why not edge toward this anyway? Cut Saturday in half, take Friday off, and I'll be golden for the time being. We'll see what coach says. This does NOT take account of my bodybuilding. I have leg days for crying out loud.

 

I'll post training decisions I make, as I make them, in my training diary.