Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 60, July 2014 | Page 32

Ma training The main ultra-marathon season is now behind us, but you may be plotting an ultra PB in the coming months, or even next year. Here’s what you need to know now in order to go after that new PB. – BY RAY ORCHISON I n SA, the huge ultra-running community revolves around two main events: The Comrades Marathon and The Two Oceans Marathon, with the latter often used as a long training run for Comrades. Of course, there are many other ultras, with distances going up to several hundred kilometres: We also have 24-hour races, multi-day or multi-stage events, and informal races limited only by the imagination, with runners taking on challenges like 50 marathons in 50 days, running across the country, or the Sahara, and recently 10 Comrades in 10 days. It’s clear that ultras are not limited, but there is no doubt that Comrades is a truly unique race, which leaves individuals in a number of categories: First-timers, seasoned vets aiming for green or double-green numbers, and those looking to improve on their time. I don’t know any runner who lines up at the start of Comrades, or any ultra, who, if presented with an opportunity to run a PB, wouldn’t grab it with both hands. The question is, would you like to? HOW TO DO IT The ultra is there to challenge us, both mentally and physically – anyone who thinks that an ultra is simply going to roll over and hand out PB’s is horribly mistaken! So here are some essential tips to follow when chasing that new best beyond the 42km mark. 1. GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME: This doesn’t require hours on the couch talking to your shrink. Start by committing 100% to your goal. Make sure it’s realistic but challenging, and start believing that you can achieve it. 2. PLANNING IS CRUCIAL: The difficulty with an ultra is that because of the toll it places on the body and the amount of recovery required post-race, you only have one bite at the cherry. If you build up and train to run a fast 10km and things don’t work out on race day, picking another race the following week is not a problem, but if things don’t quite go according to plan in an ultra, you can’t simply choose to run another one soon thereafter. THIS MAKES PLANNING A CRUCIAL PART OF SUCCESS, 32 4. ADAPT: Training is all about adapting the body physically, metabolically and biomechanically in order to achieve your goals. Make sure that you’re training for your goal race and nothing else. If you’re training for an ultra, then you need to be running at paces that will best prepare you for it, and not training at paces that are preparing you for a marathon. Ray Orchison is a Joburg-based USA Track & Field and NAASFP certified coach. For more info, check out www.runetics.com or e-mail [email protected]. AND YOU’LL NEED TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS WHEN DOING YOUR PLANNING: • What do I need to do to achieve my goal? • Do I have enough time to build up injury-free? • Which races am I going to do between now and then that will help me reach my goal? • What do I need to do differently this year? 3. GET GOING: One of the biggest mistakes runners make is to go into hibernation for four or five months (and sometimes longer) after Comrades, and by the time you get back onto the road you have to rebuild from scratch. The better approach is to give yourself enough rest – anything from two to six weeks – and then get going again. The benefit is that you’re able to use that base that you’ve built as a stepping stone to become a stronger and faster ultra-runner, and that stronger base will push you to that PB. ISSUE 60 JULY 2014 / www.modernathlete.co.za Images: Lauren van Der Vyver Plot PB! that