Got some good feedback from my coach Chris Hauth today — seems I’m progressing nicely in prep for Ultraman, which is now just a little over 8 weeks away, leaving me about 5 weeks of real training before a 3 week taper.
I’m on the second week of a heavy training cycle (24 hours this week), then a rest week, then, ready for this…….a 40 mile run!
Suffice it so say that despite all of the heavy training I have done over the last 7 months, I have never run longer than 2 hours 30 minutes in one session — part of the Chris Hauth philosophy of building the majority of endurance on the bike and avoiding unnecessary injury. And although my training is becoming more “run focused” as I approach race day, I have never attempted anything like this. The run is definitely my blind spot and I am far from even considering myself a “runner” let alone an “ultra-runner”. In fact, the farthest I have ever run at one time is a marathon, and not a very fast one at that. But obviously, I need to get ready for a 52 mile run (or jog, run, walk), so this type of run is necessary and inevitable.
I need to start mentally preparing now…I am equal parts excited and terrified. But it will be an adventure. And I know if I can get through it intact, it will pay huge dividends on the mental front when I’m staring down a boiling hot highway after 2 days of racing trying to finish 52 miles. I’ll keep ya posted!
