The Road to 100 Miles: A Follow-Up on My Training and Progress
Adapting my plan, and preparing for the ultimate endurance challenge
This is the second article in my 100-mile race series, you can find the first article here.
Overall update
We’re currently pretty much halfway into the training. We’re starting to get into those uncomfortable distances.
But so far, everything has gone well.
Adjusting the training plan
In my initial plan, I had the long run on Fridays. Due to some personal- and work-related changes, I moved that to Saturdays. Just moving all workouts one day, so my rest day is on Monday instead of Sunday.
I mentioned in the previous article that I was thinking of switching the Tuesday easy run with the Wednesday intervals + leg strength training, which I did. I think running on tired legs the day after the intervals and leg strength is beneficial, I also think it is better for recovery.
My current weekly schedule looks like this:
- Monday: Rest day (gym)
- Tuesday: Training run + gym
- Wednesday: Interval run + leg strength (gym)
- Thursday: Training run
- Friday: Active recovery (gym/swim/walk/easy run)
- Saturday: Long run
- Sunday: Recovery run
On Mondays, my recovery days, I go to the gym for about an hour. I mainly stretch and do some mobility exercises. I might do some core exercises as well.
On the two other gym days (not the leg strength day), I do 1–2 exercises per muscle group, just because I like it. However, I do focus more on exercises that I think will benefit me in the run. A lot more emphasis on the core.
Long runs
Last year, when running the 50-mile race, I learned that I need to focus a lot more on the vertical distance. That’s difficult to do “naturally” at the moment, as I live in Southern Finland where the terrain is pretty flat. Besides that, the trails are covered in snow, which isn’t ideal. So the majority of my runs at the moment are non-trail runs.
What I’ve done now for some of the long runs is doing the workouts in the gym. What I’ve done is run on the treadmill for 40 minutes followed by 20 minutes of walking on the Stairmaster, as many rounds as needed to complete the workout length I’ve set.
This gives me some “vertical training”, as well as offers some variation to my training.
Nutrition
No major updates when it comes to nutrition. I’m mainly trying to re-introduce the things I’ve used in the past to my body.
One of my go-to's that I usually have before long runs is bread with peanut butter, banana, and honey. That fuels me well.
I’ve also tried a new kind of energy bar, and so far it has been good. Good energy and doesn’t give me any stomach issues.
The goal is to have a good variety of nutrition options that I know my stomach can handle.
Roughly 3 more months of hard work.
