Wicklow Way Ultra

n-dawg

Hey

This race is going to be my first "Ultra" race and preparation is going well enough for me but I'd be interested to hear about other peoples training plans. I'd also love to hear what people plan to do during the race with regards to eating, choice of footwear, pacing etc etc.

My training has consisted of 2 long (20mile+) runs per week, normally one in the mountains and one on roads. One fast mountain run of about 10 miles and a few recovery runs each week. As well as a bit of swimming and cycling.

On the other questions, I'll prob have 2 gels, a banana and 2 granola bars during the race. This is what I did during the training runs. I'll prob eat at Curtlestown, crossing the Dargle, and at the turn around (same spots on the way back). I'll bring about 1lt of water with me and hopefully fill it at the turnaround.

On footwear, I'm waring just my nice ascis road running shoes. No way my feet would survive the road and fire-road sections in my trail shoes.

For pacing I'm going to play it by how I feel on the day, I'll take it very handy till at least crone on the way out and then maybe increase the pace if I feel good. Because of the hills its tough for me to get into consistent pace and for me heart rate isn't ideal because it will always go way up going up a hill and way down coming back down.

Hopefully we'll get a nice day for it and hopefully see a few of you there.

Enduro

That all sounds pretty good there.

Mostly what to bring with you to eat/drink is a personal choice... I usually get away with nothing but grabbing a jelly sweet or something at one or two of the aid stations, but have a gel in my pocket, just in case (but I'm used to all this, as I say, its a personal thing). Weather on the day has a big impact on liquid requirements. If my skin starts to leak I'll take in more at the aid stations.

Pacing wise... remember, its consistant effort rather than speed that you're looking for. I never use a HRM... just "feel". I take it nice and easy to at least half way, if not further.

I'll see you there. Enjoy the race... its a cracker.

911sc

I am running the old course tomorrow morning as training for Connemara Ultra.
Starting From Johnny Foxes at 8am if somebody fancies a bit of training as well
44kms is still a challenge for me, but 44kms in the hills is even a greater one. I have never covered such distance before.
Planning anything between 5h and 5h:30min.
Outcome will decide if I will be at the starting line of the Connemara Ultra!

I'll bring 3 gels but will only probably use only 2 + 1 powerbar + water in camelbak. I'll leave my brain at the car and pick it up when i am back, as it still seems mad to me to do something like this :-)

mithril

911sc wrote: »

I am running the old course tomorrow morning as training for Connemara Ultra.
Starting From Johnny Foxes at 8am if somebody fancies a bit of training as well
44kms is still a challenge for me, but 44kms in the hills is even a greater one. I have never covered such distance before.
Planning anything between 5h and 5h:30min.
Outcome will decide if I will be at the starting line of the Connemara Ultra!

911sc, is this a bit tough as a training run for the Connemara Ultra particularly since you have not completed the distance before? Remember the elevation gain on the Wicklow route is much greater than you will face in Connemara. Even your planned time is pretty fast since most runners will be doing planned walks at the steepest sections of the route.

GoHardOrGoHome

mithril wrote: »

911sc, is this a bit tough as a training run for the Connemara Ultra particularly since you have not completed the distance before? Remember the elevation gain on the Wicklow route is much greater than you will face in Connemara. Even your planned time is pretty fast since most runners will be doing planned walks at the steepest sections of the route.

Hey 911, I'd agree with Mithril. That's quite a tough run and it seems way too fast as well. 5h20 would have got you 10th place last year. If you are going to do that distance as a training run it might be better to allow yourself 6h30 to finish it. The 44k ultra is probably only slightly less than 63k Connemara in terms of time on your feet. What time are you targetting for Connemara? Sub 6 hours?

Johnnie Fox's to Crone is 13k (so 26k return) or you could set yourself a time limit of 2h30 before you turn back?

911sc

Thanks for your feedback. You are both right, but this is my last change for a proper long hard run before the 11th April as I am off cruising in the caribbean for on the 19th March:). It is a make or break run, i agree.
I did not realised 5h20min would have been 10th place. 5h-5h30 is the estimated time from a friend who is running with me tomorrow. I better ask him to slow down, as i can tell you, 10th is not in my league, I am just an average 4h marathon runner. I just have 6 marathons, few Olympics Tri and 1 HIM. He has completed a good few long events, including Wicklow Round and MdS amongst others

Ascend from Johnny Fox's to Lough Tay is 693m, descent is -455m.

For Connemara, i don't really have a target time, a finish is simply what i am looking for. But my inner voice is saying 6h30 - 6h45. That's if I take the start, it all depends on tomorrow.

mithril

911sc wrote: »

For Connemara, i don't really have a target time, a finish is simply what i am looking for. But my inner voice is saying 6h30 - 6h45. That's if I take the start, it all depends on tomorrow.

Why does it all have to depend on a run tomorrow that is probably tougher than the Connemara Ultra? You don't normally do a 26 mile run in training for a full marathon and the same logic applies here.

What kind of mileage have you done?
Whats the longest back-up-back long run? (e.g. Saturday plus Sunday mileage combined) .

911sc

mithril wrote: »

Why does it all have to depend on a run tomorrow that is probably tougher than the Connemara Ultra?

Training was going well until i got achilles tendonitis. I only did 26kms this week and seems good now. But if it flared up again today, I'll take a rest from running and will not go to Connemara.

I was clocking approx 80kms per week. 2 days of back-to-back run to/from work morning (10kms) and evening (from 10kms to 25kms) + approx 3hours+ run over week-end. That's the best i could do around family life and work.
Motivation is a bit low at the moment, getting tired of running by myself in the dark at 6am or 8pm with temperature between -2 and +2 degrees celsius.

Today, i have company for that long run and the temperature is already 6 degrees at 6:15am:). Forecast is good until 12am, then overcast in the afternoon but dry.

Slogger Jogger

Sorry to hear that 911sc. Hope the injury eases out and you get back to full running as soon as possible.

911sc

The run along the old Wicklow Way Ultra route did not go according to plan. But not for a reason i had even anticipated.

7kms from Johnnie Fox's, on the way down to Curtlestown, i badly twisted my ankle as we were running onto some hardcore layed down for the heavy machinery to access the forestry.
Decided to push on a bit to see how bad is was. Managed to get pass the bridge at the top of the water fall and decided to cut it short at 17.6kms.
I stopped the GPS there at 2h05min. The 2 other guys pressed on further.
Now i was at 17.6kms from the car!! Ankle had badly swollen and i could not run on any downs, just about on small ups, and a bit on flat, which left me walk most of the way back.
The 2 friends passed me back 2 kms going up from Curtletown, took my car keys, pressed on and picked me 2 kms from Johnnies Fox as i managed to make my way back to the PineForest road.

I said above that i would be a make or break run...well, break due to injury, of which i am more dissapointting than break from lack of training.

So, running is over for few weeks, and i am definitely out of the Connemara Ultra for 2010.
But i will definitely run, or attempt to run, this Wicklow Way Ultra course.. It is a hard course, but better than city running. Just a pity that so many good old paths made of fine gravel have all been done up with hardcore for machinery.

911sc

911sc wrote: »

Ascend from Johnny Fox's to Lough Tay is 693m, descent is -455m. (www.MapMyRun.com)

My GPS recorded 809m ascent for the first 17.6kms (200m passed bridge at top of waterfall) and 698m descent. Though GPS elevation has to be considered carefully..

mithril

911sc wrote: »

The run along the old Wicklow Way Ultra route did not go according to plan. But not for a reason i had even anticipated.

7kms from Johnnie Fox's, on the way down to Curtlestown, i badly twisted my ankle as we were running onto some hardcore layed down for the heavy machinery to access the forestry.
So, running is over for few weeks, and i am definitely out of the Connemara Ultra for 2010.

Sorry to hear that. Hopefully we will see you back next year for another attempt once you are fit and well.

911sc

Verdit fell after visit to A&E this morning. Torn ligaments in right ankle, x-ray later on this week if swelling has not reduced.
But I will beat this ultra course once i am ready!!

pablo t

would i get away with using road runners as opposed to trail shoes on the ultra route(subject to the weather this week of course)?

Enduro

In dry conditions, yes. Indeed, if the ground is bone dry they're possibly the optimal footwear for that particular run. I've used them myself a few times (But then I'm an experienced hill runner, and I've trained myself to run in those conditions).

If the ground is wet though, then trail runners are definetly a safer bet, in every sense.

pablo t

thanks enduro, if its dry i probably will go with the runners. what chance of that in this country though but heres hoping. . cant wait to get out on the hills of wicklow again.

Krusty_Clown

Rain is forecast through the week, including Saturday, so looks like trail shoes for me (for the trail run).

Are you running this year Enduro, or still suffering?

n-dawg

I think no mater what the weather I'm going to stick with my road shoes. At a guess I'd say 35km of the route is fire roads, tar roads or board walk. My Trail shoes are well broken in but that distance on hard surfaces would destroy my feat.