Running faster on trail courses is accomplished primarily by being stronger to the end of the race. Longer distance weekends and the appropriate speedwork can raise your fitness to a higher level. Pacing conservatively is the other major component. This will allow you to be stronger to the end of the race, avoiding the exhaustion “wall” with a dramatic slowdown during the last third of the race.
But there are many challenges on a trail that are beyond your control and can slow you down. Temperatures above 60 °F are the most significant. Be sure to read the segment in this book about heat issues and slow down as the temperature rises, even if you have a time goal. Failure to do so can result in heat stroke and even death. I’m against death.
Note: First timers in any event should not try for a time goal. After you have run one event at that distance, you can shift into a time goal schedule.
To run as fast as the weather and the course allow, there are a series of training elements that I recommend: speed training, longer long runs, form drills, race pace segments, hill training, and the right Run-Walk-Run strategy.
Strategy can make a huge difference in your performance. Just as you must raise your physiological limits by speed training and your endurance through long runs, a well-organized training plan can give you the confidence and a strategy to keep going when others back off.
Schedules for running faster are basically the same as the schedules for those who just want to finish. The time goal weekend workouts are listed on the schedule of the 5K, 10K, half, and marathon programs in the previous chapters. When you see, [TG = ], you are working out for a time goal. The long run distance needs to be longer by a few miles on each, and the additional miles are the listed TG. For the longer events, add one to two miles to each segment—walking this additional distance is fine.
For the ultra events (50K, 50 mile, 100K, 100 mile), I don’t include speedwork but recommend that you enter some half marathons and marathons during the first three months of your program as part of your long segment weekends. It helps to run one segment before the race and then run the race as a hard training run—but not all-out. During the second half of the program, a half marathon could be scheduled one or two weeks after each long weekend.
Course preview: Even if you hike the course in segments, going over each mile will give you the knowledge to structure training and to set your strategy for running the race. Make notes as to where you should back off, walk, and walk around a rough area. Your feet can start to adapt to the surface. Mind and spirit will know when you are getting closer to the end. Many trail racers have told me that hiking at least the last half of the course was crucial in their strategy, confidence, and success.
Race strategy: After a thorough preview, you can plan your training to prepare for the various portions of the course. Hill work can be done one day per week, using hills that are similar to the ones on the course. Spend significant time training on the type of terrain where you can do the best in the race. But also schedule a few workouts to help improve on weak areas.
Trial races: Run a few trail races on similar terrain as your race course but at shorter distances than your goal race. Run at the pace you want to run in your goal race, trying various strategies and Run-Walk-Run ratios until you feel confident in what you’ll use in the race itself.
Longer long runs: Going beyond goal race distance in a slow long run has been a proven way of sustaining muscle performance and mental confidence at the end of a race. This can result in a significant time improvement. See the training schedules for recommended distances.
Speedwork: This is listed on the marathon and half marathon schedule. This should be run on a stable surface and not on rough terrain. A track, road, or paved trail are the best venues.
Long runs: Run at least three minutes per mile slower than you are currently running in the marathon (or the Magic Mile predicts you can run in a fast marathon).
Marathon: The mile repeats for a faster marathon should be run 30-45 seconds per mile faster than goal race pace. Walk five minutes between each. Use a variety of Run-Walk-Run strategies to see which works best for you at that pace.
Half marathon: The half mile repetitions for a faster half marathon should be run 15-20 seconds faster than goal race pace per half mile. Walk three minutes between each. Try various Run-Walk-Run strategies to see which works best at that pace.
Terrain training: Run carefully on the various types of uneven terrain so you can develop better technique and strategies for the race itself. Read chapter 15 on terrain training.
Recovery: You should not run the day after uneven terrain workouts or complete only very stable and easy runs. It’s best to take a day or two off from exercise before the long workout days. After long runs and speed sessions, take a day off from any exercise that uses the calf muscles.
Tuesday 30-45 min: Run-walk-un easily for half a mile. Then do 4-8 cadence drills. Then do 4-8 acceleration-gliders. Then do terrain training as noted in chapter 15.
Thursday 30-45 min: Run-Walk-Run easily for half a mile. Then do 4-8 cadence drills. Then do 4-8 acceleration-gliders. Then do hill training as noted in chapter 16.
Weekend: Follow the weekend plan in this book based upon the distance of your goal race. Time goal workouts are listed as [TG = ].