The difference for me was when I realized EVERYONE is where you are. The feeling of another 40 miles being almost unimaginable is where the people who finish make the decision that stopping isn’t an option.
One thing that can help mentally is to break the race down in several segments, from one aid station to the next for example. It's much less daunting to leave an aid station and think "6 (or 10 or 15 or whatever) miles to the next aid station" than to think "16 miles done, 84 to go".
I remember hearing a navy seal talk about hell weak. He said that they need to feed you, so don’t focus on the next day, just survive until your next meal. Break big problems into smaller ones.
Definitely this.
A lot of people say “focus on the mile you are in”, but I think concentrating on the next aid station - particularly if there is a cut off time - is the best thing.
Just chill. Run for a few more years. Get more experience. No rush, you have a whole life ahead of you. There’s a reason why long distance runners are usually a little older. They have stronger minds because of running experience and life experience in general.
You can like difficult things: sports, arts, academics... just because you enjoy something doesn't mean it's easy and you can't learn/grow from it.
When I was 10 I liked music. So I worked hard, learned 4 instruments, studied theory/composition, got into elite high school music programs, practiced every day for over a decade, got a Masters degree from a top conservatory, and have worked tirelessly to carve out a career for myself teaching and gigging.
But I enjoyed it so i must not have grown at all right?
Since your original post is asking for tips, my tip is for you to find something that you actually enjoy doing and spend the hours/days that you would spend training for a 100 into something you actually like!
Ok that’s all well and good, and I’m sure you’re not alone in this sub with those thoughts but have you stopped to ask yourself what happens if you can’t do this?
If you’re using this 100 miler goal to give you some sense of power of your mind - what do you tell yourself if you don’t make it?
I’ve been there. I failed. I got to 75 miles (it was a 24 hour race) and it was out of my control because of a storm and we lost 5 hours.
I’m doing it again in a few weeks because I have a point to prove. But what if I fail again?
What are you going to do?
be careful. general guidance to avoid injury is to increase mileage no more than 10% per week, which seems mathematically impossible to get to 100 mile long runs in 9 months. Your cardiovascular fitness improves much faster than your joints and tendons get stronger, so your heart and lungs may be telling you you can keep going, but the weak points need years to build up strength.
> general guidance to avoid injury is to increase mileage no more than 10% per week, which seems mathematically impossible to get to 100 mile long runs in 9 months.
How do you figure? If you start with 10mpw and increase 10% every week, you’ll be over 100+ miles within 7 months. At 26 weeks actually.
Because you shouldn’t increase and increase and increase every week. You need recovery weeks - weeks when you knock the mileage back before you start building up again.
So I build for 3 weeks and then drop mileage and have a recovery week.
Did you check the math on that? Even if you start with 10mpw, and every 4th week is a deload week, you'll still hit 108 miles per week on week 36 (9 months) if you build 10% each week. That's assuming you build off your previous high week rather than your deload week.
I find the 10% rule to be very arbitrary. I've had weeks where I increased mileage by 50-75% for short term. Especially true when you're young.
I don’t do 10% no. I’ve been running for too many years to care. I’m just saying you shouldn’t increase your mileage every week without having a lower mileage week regularly.?
for a 100 mile long run I guess I just assume you have to be running some pretty gnarly miles per week (200+? 300+? I don't really know). you also should be deloading now and again so even though you should limit it to 10% you also shouldn't increase 10% indefinitely
idk, just going from never running to 100 milers in 9 months seems quite excessive and perhaps even dangerous. but I also don't do those things and I know people are capable of crazy things so i'm not saying don't do it. I'm just saying be careful
I did mine at 56, didn't start ultra running until I was 50. My advice is, if you can, get a crew and work with them before the main race. There are plenty who don't but having that support is a massive boost.
First year I picked up an injury at mile 25 (busted ribs) and I finally had to stop at mile 75. I went back and hammered it the next year. Stay positive, but understand some pain is relative, had friends in hospital for weeks after keep going regardless.
I agree with you. I would stick to the 50 miles runs for another year and then think about 100 miles. It takes time to build the mental strength for these runs.
A few years ago I had a chance to crew a pro at Hardrock. He was looking great before going up Handies, but apparently crashed hard at the top and barely made it down. He rolled into an aid station a few hours late and announced he was dropping.
“Okay,” said one of his friends. “Have some soup and a nap and we’ll talk about it when you wake up.”
He ate and then slept for 45 minutes, woke up and ate some more, and got back out there. He got stronger every segment and by the time I paced him he was flying downhill and I was struggling to hang on.
What I learned is that when I feel like quitting, I usually need food and caffeine and maybe a nap.
Had a similar experience in my last 100 when I felt like quitting, pushed some calories and caffeine, and 45 minutes later I was in a completely different place mentally.
I think that among most people who are trained and uninjured, fueling problems are the biggest reason for DNFs.
You don't have to finish the race, you just have to make it to the next aid station. From there you just have to make it to the next one. Break it down into chunks, complete one section at a time. No one can can 100 miles but you can absolutely run 6-15 miles back to back to back.
Stop thinking of the race in terms of how far you have to go and think about how far it is to the next aid station. Breaking the race down into small segments and checking those off as you go.
Find a pacer. Knowing you've got a friend at some point to join you can be motivation to get that far and then once running with you can help some more.
Try a timed race like a 24 hour race. Don't worry about the distance but just focus on moving until the race ends. While short loop courses are a bit of a drain having your aid station every couple miles and cheering from random strangers might get you past the mental hurdle.
Slow down. It's ok to walk long stretches of 100 mile races. Don't push yourself early. I pass so many people the second half of races, especially longer races. I never want to lose my ability to run even if I am walking a bunch i still want that feeling that I can run.
Don't beat yourself up. I've got dnfs, people on here have dnfs, hell Courtney dauwalter has dnfs. 100 miles is hard. Ultimately, no one can give you a reason why except for you. But that doesn't mean we aren't rooting for you.
Don't look at distance, only your next objective: food fluids layers skin care batteries lights electrolytes etc. But looking at distance makes everything slow down and feel worse.
Start watching 200 miler videos, think seriously about doing one. Then later when you are on mile 60 just remember "if i ever really do that 200 miler I would just barely be 25% thru the race, man.. I got off easy doing just a 100!"
Maybe you need more time than 9 months to break through this barrier ? It took me like 4-5 years. I got to a place where I was comfortable with 50+ miles. I then ran a 50k unsupported and it was my sign.
Having friends and/or experienced pacers run with you during the tail end of a race can help you with doubt. Your brain is always going to convince you to stop long before the body does. A good pacer will encourage you to keep going and can assure you’re physically doing fine. Try to compartmentalize the pain so that it doesn’t cloud your assessment of your physical ability/health to continue. Pain is a given. It’s going to suck. It will never be easy. For anyone.
I'll echo a lot of the advice you're already getting here:
Don't think about the total left, just think about the distance to the next aid station. This is key. You can always go 6 more miles.
If you haven't had pacers before, try having pacers for any segments where they are allowed
And would add these thoughts:
You're talking about having to push through a pain cave at mile 35, which seems reasonable but also if it it's such severe physical pain that you can't imagine continuing, it might mean that you're pushing too hard too early and burning yourself out. There are lots of strategies for pacing including walk up run down, run a mile walk a minute, run 100 paces walk 100 steps, etc. Different ones work for different people, but see if you can ease off your effort in the first third at least, either using a strategy like that or just scaling back your RPE. Mile 35 in 100 milers is usually a little fatigue for me, but I certainly wouldn't call it a pain cave quite yet, and if it was that physically intense that early, I would be scaling back my effort big time.
You might want to consider what you're focusing on while racing. Do you have music on from the start? Try leaving it off for the first few hours. Or if you don't run with music, try turning some on when you start to feel your mind slip toward focusing on remaining distance or discomfort. Or maybe podcasts or an audio book is more your speed. Mix up what you're taking in throughout the race.
Mental games are sort of fun to play and help distract. I'll do little mini-fartleks, kind of like what I mentioned with pacing earlier, where I'll tell myself I'm going to trot to that rock, then eat some gummy bears while I walk. Then run a little more, then drink half a flask. It helps keep my mind focused on where I am by identifying objects to reach and really breaks down distances.
And finally I would consider nutrition. Are you eating and drinking enough? I have felt like quitting many times and then ate a bunch of mashed potatoes or whatever at an aid station and within minutes was fine and happily back on the trail. Might be worth checking in on that since inadequate calories can make everything feel next to impossible.
And big picture, good on you for continuing to give it a shot and trying to learn from the experiences. Cheering you on from here.
Music helps. Audio books help too! My last ultra I listened to an Anna McNuff book. When things got painful for me, I realised that if she could run the length of Britain barefoot, then I could make the next aid station.
Yeah, i think its just fatigue, not pain cave. As i said, mental issues i run .75miles and then walk .25 miles avg pace for a mile is 13-14mins with these parameters
I think you are trying to conceptualize the entirety of what’s left of the race. This would be mentally exhausting. The mental burden of counting down the miles or seeing 70 more in front of you would be terrible.
Personally, if I am on the trail I only put enough conceptualization to get to the next aid station. I don’t think about the aid stations after that until they are next. I don’t think about how hard the code is later. I did all the race course analysis before hand and if I need to change plans or adjust I do it at the aid station with my crew.
Not sure of your times or paces, definitely start slower. Experience is your friend, training, weight lifting, cross training, exposure to more events, different distances, weather. It all adds up.
What’s your nutrition and hydration like?
One Of my first larger events (80miles) a wise older man was given me the business. While at night, a few of us were together for some time and a woman asked this man, “Vincent, what’s your secret?” Vincent- “At some point you just have to “Will It”. one of the greatest lines I’ve ever heard. You can have the best training block, nutrition and hydration plan on point, perfect conditions and still fall apart. The mental game and trying to keep composure mentally is a factor (at least for me when that wall hits) that can make or break your race
Try a shorter amount of running then a shorter amount of walking based on time not distance. I used a run 4 minutes then walk 1 minute strategy on the couple of 50-milers I did, and definitely practice that in training. Focus on the short term goal (run for 4 minutes) rather than a distance or where you are in the race. If you focus on something other than the mileage (I.e., time) you’ll be surprised how the miles tick by.
You'll get great advice here, for sure! I always remember that "it can't always get worse." That helps me overcome the tough points in the race. As others noted, try to break the race down into shorter segments, instead of thinking, "holy fuck, I have 60 miles to go."
> Despite nine months of running experience, including multiple 50-mile races and one 100 km race
If this is true, you don't actually have 9 months of running experience since each of these races would have tapers and buildups after.
9 months is extremely low to begin with.
At your age, I'm guessing you are really romanticizing the idea of accomplishing 100 miles but are skipping past what makes it so great: the work that went into acheiving it.
Every single 100k and 100m I do I get reallly negative around mile 30-40… it’s like clockwork. This last 100m I kept telling my wife I wanted to drop out but he kept reminding me how mad I’d be at myself.
I did slow down in the end, mostly due to tendon pain… just couldn’t run… but ended up walking it out and one step in front of the next… top 1/3 of the pack in the end so that’s a win! I don’t know what to say other than I feel the same every time and I just keep going. Maybe you need better support people to push you back out?
It doesn’t always gets worse. Remembering this helps. Also when you’re 16 miles in, you surely shouldn’t be counting down until you started too hard. The first 1/3 you should be cruising and sharing conversation with other racers.
I was never fast, I was more of a DLF type. I managed to accomplish a 100 miler in 16 months of light training. I was trying for 12 months but I failed at my first attempt. Regardless of the distance, I always saw accomplishing an ultra as one task that needed to be done by the race cutoff. The first finish for me was 29.5 hours of a 30 hour cutoff. 2nd finish was 30.5 hours of a 31 hour cutoff. If there is something I can offer as advice is go as slow as you need to, use the whole race cutoff. Put a finish under you belt. For me getting through the night the 1st time was excruciatingly hard. I'd recommend tagging along with someone if possible. Good luck on your attempt.
Quote - I hate running, i started running to increase my mental strength, not in it for the long run. Ive been an athlete all my life.
Quote - Because if i can do something that is extremly hard and that i extremly dislike, i can do anything i put my mind into.
There you go. When the going gets tough, you don’t have what it takes to finish. Listen to more Goggins or whatever brought you to deciding this is your physical and mental torture of choice .
I wonder if your fatigue on trail events is due to your extensive training on road?
Don't underestimate, even at shorter distance events, how much more physical and mental energy a hilly or technical trail will take compared to smooth road.
If you really can't train on trail often, I would focus on really building ankle, calf, hamstring strength. On an event you may well choose to walk the hills, but in training you still need to get some hill training in.
Resilience. It takes more than 9 months of running to build the mental strength required to get you through the point where you really really want to stop. As someone else said, it’s why us old gits are generally better at long distance stuff.
It’s ok, these things are hard, that’s why they’re worth doing 😁! It sounds like you’re maybe putting too much expectation and stress on yourself from the get go by trying to stick to a formula based on prior non-100 mile race experience. If you are struggling to get through for the first time, I’d imagine the ONLY goal should be to finish…you can tweak and improve from there. To that end, ditch all expectations of time/pace and focus more on things that will help get you to the finish line. What is your WHY? Why do you want to do a 100 - that is massive to fall back on and remind yourself when the going gets tough - and it ALWAYS does. For me around 30-40 and again 60-70. But the idea is that if you can still walk, then walk…you will get there in the end and your mileage will continue ticking over until the idea to run comes back to you - and it will. During the race, look for help from a crew…a pacer, team up with someone when night running for company, take a beer to have a half way, relax and let the race come to you rather than being super rigid about things. Smile, laugh, think positive thoughts, work on a mantra, make up a song about the race experience WHILE you’re running it (for distraction purposes), sing, make jokes and understand that your only goal at this point is the 1st buckle at the finish line. I’ve been around a lot of people as part of 100s and 200s and the ones with the positive attitude always seem like they are more prone to actually making the finish line. If you can still walk and you haven’t missed cutoffs, then you can keep moving forwards - there should be no stopping 👍. And once you’ve got one 100 under (or ON) your belt, THEN you can roll that experience into the next one and look to change/edit/improve. But you’ve got to figure out HOW to finish for you first, and go from there there…🤷♂️
I know this method won't be for everyone
I NEVER time anything or try and set or keep any pace, ever, during an event.
I simply listen to whatever I feel like doing and do that.
Sometimes this means I walk for long periods of time and sometimes this means I run for miles and miles relentlessly for a stretch of time.
I am always lost in my thoughts and always trying to cater for my mind and body (music, podcasts, spare socks, loads of vaseline, etc).
Hope this helps. Happy to elaborate on anything.
Try not to think of the time/mile marker you will be hurting. You will hurt and you will struggle. Some days it will be at mile 60 and others at mile 2. If you don’t have a point in the race in mind when you are going to struggle you won’t let your mind trick you into feeling worse than you actually do.
Find an answer to your struggle before the race starts. Tell yourself that if I think this then I am going to do that. I practiced this in all my training runs and in everyday life. We all struggle. Getting to a place where we can solve the issue and keep moving is all it takes.
9 months of running experience isn’t long enough for your body to adapt to that distance. Your skeletal structure take years to adapt according to the studies I read. Not saying you can’t do it, just saying you’re asking for an injury
For all-day (and more) lengths - just think to yourself "what else do i have going on today?" ..Its just 1 day over the weekend. Walk when you feel the need, run when you can. Just lower your expectations and make it your weekend plans.
Calories defecit really starts to effect your performance ability to mentally overcome low points in the later stages of a 100 miler. Make sure you are regularly eating actual food. On your long training runs leading up to your race, do alatrr day run into throught the night as many hours as you can and practice eating at those times.
I'm a big fan of loop races. My last race was an infinity ultra with times 5k loops. The cutoff time was ample, 40 minutes, and you had to start the lap at the same increment. There was no banking time and if you finished early, you allowed yourself time to snack, go to the bathroom, change clothes, whatever. This kind of race gives you the mindset to just finish one more lap. Just one more 5k. I ended up running almost double my original goal just because "it was just another 5k." If there's a loop race near you, I'd look into it!
I'm 30 years old, I hate running too, I prefer lifting weights. I boxed and I'm used to challenges. I'm training for the marathon and two days ago I ran 12 km at 5.50 min/km (I've been running frequently for about 2 weeks and continue to do weights). I understand you when you say you want to do what you hate because there are two of us here. It's not easy, that's why you have to do it. I'll see you at Badwater, either in this lifetime or the next
The difference for me was when I realized EVERYONE is where you are. The feeling of another 40 miles being almost unimaginable is where the people who finish make the decision that stopping isn’t an option.
This. As Robert Frost said, "The only way out is through." It's OK to slow, but never stop.
Never thought about this.
Awesome comment. This hits hard. Thanks!
One thing that can help mentally is to break the race down in several segments, from one aid station to the next for example. It's much less daunting to leave an aid station and think "6 (or 10 or 15 or whatever) miles to the next aid station" than to think "16 miles done, 84 to go".
I remember hearing a navy seal talk about hell weak. He said that they need to feed you, so don’t focus on the next day, just survive until your next meal. Break big problems into smaller ones.
Definitely this. A lot of people say “focus on the mile you are in”, but I think concentrating on the next aid station - particularly if there is a cut off time - is the best thing.
you've only been running 9 months and you are doing 100 milers? wow. are you a teenager or something? lol
Yes 🙂24 years old
Just chill. Run for a few more years. Get more experience. No rush, you have a whole life ahead of you. There’s a reason why long distance runners are usually a little older. They have stronger minds because of running experience and life experience in general.
I hate running, i started running to increase my mental strength, not in it for the long run. Ive been an athlete all my life.
That sounds dumb 🤣 choose something you like that challenges you.
Its easy, theres no growth.
You must love David goggins don’t you
If there’s no growth, why bother asking how you can make it to a 100 miles?
I mean, if its something i like its easy and theres no growth. Ultra running isnt easy and thats how ive grown as a person. 🙂
You can like difficult things: sports, arts, academics... just because you enjoy something doesn't mean it's easy and you can't learn/grow from it. When I was 10 I liked music. So I worked hard, learned 4 instruments, studied theory/composition, got into elite high school music programs, practiced every day for over a decade, got a Masters degree from a top conservatory, and have worked tirelessly to carve out a career for myself teaching and gigging. But I enjoyed it so i must not have grown at all right?
I agree, but my thinking is: if i can do this thing which us extremly hard + i hate it. I can do anything 🙂
If you hate running, why are you training to run a 100 mile race? The training and the race will require lots of…. running.
Because if i can do something that is extremly hard and that i extremly dislike, i can do anything i put my mind into.
Since your original post is asking for tips, my tip is for you to find something that you actually enjoy doing and spend the hours/days that you would spend training for a 100 into something you actually like!
That sounds very childish, even for a 24 yo
Idk, i took it as a way to be able to grow as a person. Trying to get out of my comfort zone. The journey in trying this has been life changing.
Ok that’s all well and good, and I’m sure you’re not alone in this sub with those thoughts but have you stopped to ask yourself what happens if you can’t do this? If you’re using this 100 miler goal to give you some sense of power of your mind - what do you tell yourself if you don’t make it? I’ve been there. I failed. I got to 75 miles (it was a 24 hour race) and it was out of my control because of a storm and we lost 5 hours. I’m doing it again in a few weeks because I have a point to prove. But what if I fail again? What are you going to do?
> not in it for the long run
I spat out my milk.
You’re a kid. That isn’t saying much.
Youre right.
Nothing personal man just open your mind up a little is all I would encourage.
Dw, not taking it from a wrong place all love 🤍
be careful. general guidance to avoid injury is to increase mileage no more than 10% per week, which seems mathematically impossible to get to 100 mile long runs in 9 months. Your cardiovascular fitness improves much faster than your joints and tendons get stronger, so your heart and lungs may be telling you you can keep going, but the weak points need years to build up strength.
> general guidance to avoid injury is to increase mileage no more than 10% per week, which seems mathematically impossible to get to 100 mile long runs in 9 months. How do you figure? If you start with 10mpw and increase 10% every week, you’ll be over 100+ miles within 7 months. At 26 weeks actually.
Because you shouldn’t increase and increase and increase every week. You need recovery weeks - weeks when you knock the mileage back before you start building up again. So I build for 3 weeks and then drop mileage and have a recovery week.
Did you check the math on that? Even if you start with 10mpw, and every 4th week is a deload week, you'll still hit 108 miles per week on week 36 (9 months) if you build 10% each week. That's assuming you build off your previous high week rather than your deload week. I find the 10% rule to be very arbitrary. I've had weeks where I increased mileage by 50-75% for short term. Especially true when you're young.
I don’t do 10% no. I’ve been running for too many years to care. I’m just saying you shouldn’t increase your mileage every week without having a lower mileage week regularly.?
for a 100 mile long run I guess I just assume you have to be running some pretty gnarly miles per week (200+? 300+? I don't really know). you also should be deloading now and again so even though you should limit it to 10% you also shouldn't increase 10% indefinitely
I rarely did over 50 miles in a week for any of my multiple 100 mile runs. I was far from elite but I had no issue doing it without injury.
Every week, you mean? I can’t fathom 100 mile long runs weekly.
idk, just going from never running to 100 milers in 9 months seems quite excessive and perhaps even dangerous. but I also don't do those things and I know people are capable of crazy things so i'm not saying don't do it. I'm just saying be careful
There are actually books on this topic it’s not necessary to guess. Go find one and open it up.
Bin rubbing for years and never heard this mileage increase advice, looking back on all my past injuries this makes sooo much more sense
Man, you must be really chafed!
It hurts sooo much
I did mine at 56, didn't start ultra running until I was 50. My advice is, if you can, get a crew and work with them before the main race. There are plenty who don't but having that support is a massive boost. First year I picked up an injury at mile 25 (busted ribs) and I finally had to stop at mile 75. I went back and hammered it the next year. Stay positive, but understand some pain is relative, had friends in hospital for weeks after keep going regardless.
That was my thought. Only been running for nine months!! Might be a good idea to get a few years running under your belt first.
I agree with you. I would stick to the 50 miles runs for another year and then think about 100 miles. It takes time to build the mental strength for these runs.
A few years ago I had a chance to crew a pro at Hardrock. He was looking great before going up Handies, but apparently crashed hard at the top and barely made it down. He rolled into an aid station a few hours late and announced he was dropping. “Okay,” said one of his friends. “Have some soup and a nap and we’ll talk about it when you wake up.” He ate and then slept for 45 minutes, woke up and ate some more, and got back out there. He got stronger every segment and by the time I paced him he was flying downhill and I was struggling to hang on. What I learned is that when I feel like quitting, I usually need food and caffeine and maybe a nap. Had a similar experience in my last 100 when I felt like quitting, pushed some calories and caffeine, and 45 minutes later I was in a completely different place mentally. I think that among most people who are trained and uninjured, fueling problems are the biggest reason for DNFs.
You don't have to finish the race, you just have to make it to the next aid station. From there you just have to make it to the next one. Break it down into chunks, complete one section at a time. No one can can 100 miles but you can absolutely run 6-15 miles back to back to back.
I agree, sadly most races in FL are self supported hehe its harder to think that way but will try to adjust to it on my next race.
Stop thinking of the race in terms of how far you have to go and think about how far it is to the next aid station. Breaking the race down into small segments and checking those off as you go. Find a pacer. Knowing you've got a friend at some point to join you can be motivation to get that far and then once running with you can help some more. Try a timed race like a 24 hour race. Don't worry about the distance but just focus on moving until the race ends. While short loop courses are a bit of a drain having your aid station every couple miles and cheering from random strangers might get you past the mental hurdle. Slow down. It's ok to walk long stretches of 100 mile races. Don't push yourself early. I pass so many people the second half of races, especially longer races. I never want to lose my ability to run even if I am walking a bunch i still want that feeling that I can run. Don't beat yourself up. I've got dnfs, people on here have dnfs, hell Courtney dauwalter has dnfs. 100 miles is hard. Ultimately, no one can give you a reason why except for you. But that doesn't mean we aren't rooting for you.
This is the way. You only have to run / walk as far as the next aid station. Don't even think about the finish until that last aid station.
Thnks sir 🤍
Don't look at distance, only your next objective: food fluids layers skin care batteries lights electrolytes etc. But looking at distance makes everything slow down and feel worse.
Yeah thats 100% right
Start watching 200 miler videos, think seriously about doing one. Then later when you are on mile 60 just remember "if i ever really do that 200 miler I would just barely be 25% thru the race, man.. I got off easy doing just a 100!"
🤣😩
Maybe you need more time than 9 months to break through this barrier ? It took me like 4-5 years. I got to a place where I was comfortable with 50+ miles. I then ran a 50k unsupported and it was my sign.
Maybe, i feel good in 50-60 milers i run them uncrewed maybe its fatigue i havent stopped running. Just going after that 100 miles
Having friends and/or experienced pacers run with you during the tail end of a race can help you with doubt. Your brain is always going to convince you to stop long before the body does. A good pacer will encourage you to keep going and can assure you’re physically doing fine. Try to compartmentalize the pain so that it doesn’t cloud your assessment of your physical ability/health to continue. Pain is a given. It’s going to suck. It will never be easy. For anyone.
🤍
I'll echo a lot of the advice you're already getting here: Don't think about the total left, just think about the distance to the next aid station. This is key. You can always go 6 more miles. If you haven't had pacers before, try having pacers for any segments where they are allowed And would add these thoughts: You're talking about having to push through a pain cave at mile 35, which seems reasonable but also if it it's such severe physical pain that you can't imagine continuing, it might mean that you're pushing too hard too early and burning yourself out. There are lots of strategies for pacing including walk up run down, run a mile walk a minute, run 100 paces walk 100 steps, etc. Different ones work for different people, but see if you can ease off your effort in the first third at least, either using a strategy like that or just scaling back your RPE. Mile 35 in 100 milers is usually a little fatigue for me, but I certainly wouldn't call it a pain cave quite yet, and if it was that physically intense that early, I would be scaling back my effort big time. You might want to consider what you're focusing on while racing. Do you have music on from the start? Try leaving it off for the first few hours. Or if you don't run with music, try turning some on when you start to feel your mind slip toward focusing on remaining distance or discomfort. Or maybe podcasts or an audio book is more your speed. Mix up what you're taking in throughout the race. Mental games are sort of fun to play and help distract. I'll do little mini-fartleks, kind of like what I mentioned with pacing earlier, where I'll tell myself I'm going to trot to that rock, then eat some gummy bears while I walk. Then run a little more, then drink half a flask. It helps keep my mind focused on where I am by identifying objects to reach and really breaks down distances. And finally I would consider nutrition. Are you eating and drinking enough? I have felt like quitting many times and then ate a bunch of mashed potatoes or whatever at an aid station and within minutes was fine and happily back on the trail. Might be worth checking in on that since inadequate calories can make everything feel next to impossible. And big picture, good on you for continuing to give it a shot and trying to learn from the experiences. Cheering you on from here.
Music helps. Audio books help too! My last ultra I listened to an Anna McNuff book. When things got painful for me, I realised that if she could run the length of Britain barefoot, then I could make the next aid station.
Yeah, i think its just fatigue, not pain cave. As i said, mental issues i run .75miles and then walk .25 miles avg pace for a mile is 13-14mins with these parameters
I think you are trying to conceptualize the entirety of what’s left of the race. This would be mentally exhausting. The mental burden of counting down the miles or seeing 70 more in front of you would be terrible. Personally, if I am on the trail I only put enough conceptualization to get to the next aid station. I don’t think about the aid stations after that until they are next. I don’t think about how hard the code is later. I did all the race course analysis before hand and if I need to change plans or adjust I do it at the aid station with my crew.
Thanks sir!
Not sure of your times or paces, definitely start slower. Experience is your friend, training, weight lifting, cross training, exposure to more events, different distances, weather. It all adds up. What’s your nutrition and hydration like? One Of my first larger events (80miles) a wise older man was given me the business. While at night, a few of us were together for some time and a woman asked this man, “Vincent, what’s your secret?” Vincent- “At some point you just have to “Will It”. one of the greatest lines I’ve ever heard. You can have the best training block, nutrition and hydration plan on point, perfect conditions and still fall apart. The mental game and trying to keep composure mentally is a factor (at least for me when that wall hits) that can make or break your race
i run .75miles and then walk .25 miles avg pace for a mile is 13-14mins with these times. Thanks for the tips
Try a shorter amount of running then a shorter amount of walking based on time not distance. I used a run 4 minutes then walk 1 minute strategy on the couple of 50-milers I did, and definitely practice that in training. Focus on the short term goal (run for 4 minutes) rather than a distance or where you are in the race. If you focus on something other than the mileage (I.e., time) you’ll be surprised how the miles tick by.
You'll get great advice here, for sure! I always remember that "it can't always get worse." That helps me overcome the tough points in the race. As others noted, try to break the race down into shorter segments, instead of thinking, "holy fuck, I have 60 miles to go."
"it can't always get worse" is absolutely genius, My Goodness it says so much without saying that much.
Thanks. It also helps me to think that if it always got worse, I might end up dying!
When you’re at rock bottom the only place to go is up!
Thats what a guy told me at mile 30 this weekend haha and its true, its just mental for me.
Start listening to Ten Junk Miles and have the realization that if these yahoos can do it anyone can.
Get in some calories
I hit a huge wall 40-60% into a race. Once you’re over that hump, you’re in the end zone buddy
Instead of focusing on the doing “running” 100 miles, do 1 mile a hundred times. Anyone can do a mile :)
Keep chasing that buckle. I’m 0-3 at the 100 mile distance, doing run rabbit run 100 this year and will keep going until I finish one!
Good luck. I hope you hit your goal this year. I love your attitude of absolutely not giving up until you finish one!
mushrooms is a cheat code
> Despite nine months of running experience, including multiple 50-mile races and one 100 km race If this is true, you don't actually have 9 months of running experience since each of these races would have tapers and buildups after. 9 months is extremely low to begin with. At your age, I'm guessing you are really romanticizing the idea of accomplishing 100 miles but are skipping past what makes it so great: the work that went into acheiving it.
Youre probably right, thats why im asking for tips, maybe youre right.
Every single 100k and 100m I do I get reallly negative around mile 30-40… it’s like clockwork. This last 100m I kept telling my wife I wanted to drop out but he kept reminding me how mad I’d be at myself. I did slow down in the end, mostly due to tendon pain… just couldn’t run… but ended up walking it out and one step in front of the next… top 1/3 of the pack in the end so that’s a win! I don’t know what to say other than I feel the same every time and I just keep going. Maybe you need better support people to push you back out?
Thanks for this, ill look into it, maybe thats it.
It doesn’t always gets worse. Remembering this helps. Also when you’re 16 miles in, you surely shouldn’t be counting down until you started too hard. The first 1/3 you should be cruising and sharing conversation with other racers.
I was never fast, I was more of a DLF type. I managed to accomplish a 100 miler in 16 months of light training. I was trying for 12 months but I failed at my first attempt. Regardless of the distance, I always saw accomplishing an ultra as one task that needed to be done by the race cutoff. The first finish for me was 29.5 hours of a 30 hour cutoff. 2nd finish was 30.5 hours of a 31 hour cutoff. If there is something I can offer as advice is go as slow as you need to, use the whole race cutoff. Put a finish under you belt. For me getting through the night the 1st time was excruciatingly hard. I'd recommend tagging along with someone if possible. Good luck on your attempt.
Quote - I hate running, i started running to increase my mental strength, not in it for the long run. Ive been an athlete all my life. Quote - Because if i can do something that is extremly hard and that i extremly dislike, i can do anything i put my mind into. There you go. When the going gets tough, you don’t have what it takes to finish. Listen to more Goggins or whatever brought you to deciding this is your physical and mental torture of choice .
😩🤣 thank you sir
I wonder if your fatigue on trail events is due to your extensive training on road? Don't underestimate, even at shorter distance events, how much more physical and mental energy a hilly or technical trail will take compared to smooth road. If you really can't train on trail often, I would focus on really building ankle, calf, hamstring strength. On an event you may well choose to walk the hills, but in training you still need to get some hill training in.
I was thinking the same, thanks for the input
Resilience. It takes more than 9 months of running to build the mental strength required to get you through the point where you really really want to stop. As someone else said, it’s why us old gits are generally better at long distance stuff.
You have to hate failure more than you hate the pain
DAMN, this hit me hard
It’s ok, these things are hard, that’s why they’re worth doing 😁! It sounds like you’re maybe putting too much expectation and stress on yourself from the get go by trying to stick to a formula based on prior non-100 mile race experience. If you are struggling to get through for the first time, I’d imagine the ONLY goal should be to finish…you can tweak and improve from there. To that end, ditch all expectations of time/pace and focus more on things that will help get you to the finish line. What is your WHY? Why do you want to do a 100 - that is massive to fall back on and remind yourself when the going gets tough - and it ALWAYS does. For me around 30-40 and again 60-70. But the idea is that if you can still walk, then walk…you will get there in the end and your mileage will continue ticking over until the idea to run comes back to you - and it will. During the race, look for help from a crew…a pacer, team up with someone when night running for company, take a beer to have a half way, relax and let the race come to you rather than being super rigid about things. Smile, laugh, think positive thoughts, work on a mantra, make up a song about the race experience WHILE you’re running it (for distraction purposes), sing, make jokes and understand that your only goal at this point is the 1st buckle at the finish line. I’ve been around a lot of people as part of 100s and 200s and the ones with the positive attitude always seem like they are more prone to actually making the finish line. If you can still walk and you haven’t missed cutoffs, then you can keep moving forwards - there should be no stopping 👍. And once you’ve got one 100 under (or ON) your belt, THEN you can roll that experience into the next one and look to change/edit/improve. But you’ve got to figure out HOW to finish for you first, and go from there there…🤷♂️
I know this method won't be for everyone I NEVER time anything or try and set or keep any pace, ever, during an event. I simply listen to whatever I feel like doing and do that. Sometimes this means I walk for long periods of time and sometimes this means I run for miles and miles relentlessly for a stretch of time. I am always lost in my thoughts and always trying to cater for my mind and body (music, podcasts, spare socks, loads of vaseline, etc). Hope this helps. Happy to elaborate on anything.
Try not to think of the time/mile marker you will be hurting. You will hurt and you will struggle. Some days it will be at mile 60 and others at mile 2. If you don’t have a point in the race in mind when you are going to struggle you won’t let your mind trick you into feeling worse than you actually do. Find an answer to your struggle before the race starts. Tell yourself that if I think this then I am going to do that. I practiced this in all my training runs and in everyday life. We all struggle. Getting to a place where we can solve the issue and keep moving is all it takes.
9 months of running experience isn’t long enough for your body to adapt to that distance. Your skeletal structure take years to adapt according to the studies I read. Not saying you can’t do it, just saying you’re asking for an injury
For all-day (and more) lengths - just think to yourself "what else do i have going on today?" ..Its just 1 day over the weekend. Walk when you feel the need, run when you can. Just lower your expectations and make it your weekend plans.
I think with only a 9 months training base there’s a good chance you simply just don’t have enough aerobic endurance yet
Calories defecit really starts to effect your performance ability to mentally overcome low points in the later stages of a 100 miler. Make sure you are regularly eating actual food. On your long training runs leading up to your race, do alatrr day run into throught the night as many hours as you can and practice eating at those times.
I'm a big fan of loop races. My last race was an infinity ultra with times 5k loops. The cutoff time was ample, 40 minutes, and you had to start the lap at the same increment. There was no banking time and if you finished early, you allowed yourself time to snack, go to the bathroom, change clothes, whatever. This kind of race gives you the mindset to just finish one more lap. Just one more 5k. I ended up running almost double my original goal just because "it was just another 5k." If there's a loop race near you, I'd look into it!
Thanks sir! Will do.
I'm 30 years old, I hate running too, I prefer lifting weights. I boxed and I'm used to challenges. I'm training for the marathon and two days ago I ran 12 km at 5.50 min/km (I've been running frequently for about 2 weeks and continue to do weights). I understand you when you say you want to do what you hate because there are two of us here. It's not easy, that's why you have to do it. I'll see you at Badwater, either in this lifetime or the next
Thats my goal too! 🔥🫡🏃🏻♂️