Ultramarathon question

Mac Cormaic

I came down with an ankle injury about a month ago, but have been back running for the past two weeks and I'm hoping to do the Wicklow Way Ultra (32 miles) in two and a half weeks time.

I was just wondering from other runners who have done ultra-marathons how necessary would it be for me to do a long run ahead of the ultra. I'm only planning the event as a training run, so not worried about times.

Would three 12 miles runs each a day apart this week, and a 20 mile run about 10 days before the event be enough? I'm planning to run the event about 9.5/10 minute miles. I have done two 4 hour works-outs in the gym in the past two weeks, so I feel I'm definitely marathon fit.

Just wondering how much the extra six miles takes will be in terms of energy exertion.

donothoponpop

Mac Cormaic wrote: »

I came down with an ankle injury about a month ago, but have been back running for the past two weeks and I'm hoping to do the Wicklow Way Ultra (32 miles) in two and a half weeks time.

I was just wondering from other runners who have done ultra-marathons how necessary would it be for me to do a long run ahead of the ultra. I'm only planning the event as a training run, so not worried about times.

Would three 12 miles runs each a day apart this week, and a 20 mile run about 10 days before the event be enough? I'm planning to run the event about 9.5/10 minute miles. I have done two 4 hour works-outs in the gym in the past two weeks, so I feel I'm definitely marathon fit.

Just wondering how much the extra six miles takes will be in terms of energy exertion.

Your plan to run 9.5 min miles would have you finishing in sixth place last year, ahead of some of the most experienced mountain runners in Ireland. 10 min miles would have brought you home in 9th or 10th, ahead of sub-3 marathon guys.

Don't do it, you're not prepared enough. It's a much tougher event than a regular marathon+6miles, if your legs aren't used to all the uphills/downhills, you'll suffer before very long. Why not consider the trail instead?

Mac Cormaic

donothoponpop wrote: »

Your plan to run 9.5 min miles would have you finishing in sixth place last year, ahead of some of the most experienced mountain runners in Ireland. 10 min miles would have brought you home in 9th or 10th, ahead of sub-3 marathon guys.

Don't do it, you're not prepared enough. It's a much tougher event than a regular marathon+6miles, if your legs aren't used to all the uphills/downhills, you'll suffer before very long. Why not consider the trail instead?

Maybe my times were a little optomistic so lol

My usual training run circuit (5 miles) includes a fairly steep hill of a 2.5 mile climb up and back down again, and I had been running that about 4 times a week at the start of the year.

If I feel I'm not up to it on the day, I'll run the trail, but at the moment I still plan to prepare to try to get fit enough to run the whole thing. As I said I plan it as a training run, so it wouldn't bother me too much if I jogged for 30 minutes and walked for 5, to work my way through it.

hunnymonster

I'm probably going to be supporting at the turnaround point, so if you want to start the ultra but only do the first half, I can offer you a lift back.

As Do.....pop says, it isn't comparable to a road marathon+6 but that is more to do with pace than anything else. Keep it steady and you can give anything a lash.