Matt's Questionaire...

A fellow runner, Matt, has published a questionaire on his blog. I read it and realized I don't think about a lot of his questions very often, so I thought I'd give it a shot and try to answer them. My answers, opinions, and straight up questionable advice is below. But first, let me warn, I am not an old veteran of the sport. I've run a few ultras now, and I see a lot more in my future, but I'm still learning everyday. The only thing I'll say is that my running is very Zen like. If you are into numbers, metrics, and performance, then you'll find my opinions frustrating and perhaps facetious.

Your First Ultra
First off, I consider my 50 miler run at Sunmart as my first ultramarathon. I ran a couple of shorter races before this (50K, 44M), but I always considered Sunmart as the real goal. So my answers will be for Sunmart.

· How long did you train for your first ultra?
I never considered it training… But if I had to bound it, I’d say it was about 4 months from the time I decided to run my first ultra, to the time I actually ran it. I had already run a couple of marathons, though, so it wasn’t as large of a jump as some people.

· How many weekly miles did you run (peak, tapering)?
About 60 miles peak, 45 of those on back to back weekend runs. It’s all about the back to back runs. Those miles are far more important for the beginner ultra runner compared to the weekly miles. And if you work hours like I do, this is your only choice anyways.

· Did you train with anyone else?
I ran my Sunday runs with a group most of the time. It was the Rogue Sunmart group. My Saturday runs were usually alone, although sometimes I would run the first half by myself, then meet up with my friend Jim who was doing Freescale Marathon training.

· What distance did you run in your first race?
50 miles

· Was it trail/road/track ultra?
Trail. Soft, rolling terrain, about as easy as it gets for an ultra.

· How much did you walk during the race?
Not much. The first half I ran the entire time except for very brief stops at the aid station. The second half I used walking for uphills only. The hills were small, but after 6 hours or so, they seemed a lot bigger. I had not planned to walk at all, which was a serious miscalculation.

· Did you include walking as part of your training?
No, but I should have.

· Did you use a pacer during the race?
Nope. But I did run the entire last loop with a friend of mine who happened to be at the same pace. He wasn’t a pacer, but he helped me a lot. You can see my very first post on this blog to see how much I appreciated it.

· Were you satisfied with your experience at the end of the race?
More than I can describe.

· What would you have done differently during your training?
A little more walking, now that I know it’s importance. Not much else, though. I had a great time.

· What would you have done differently during your race?
Nothing. I enjoyed every second.

· What kind of advice can you give for dealing with emotional/mental hurdles during the race?
CFM and PMA. Constant Forward Motion and Positive Mental Attitude. It’s going to hurt, so accept it. Embrace it. But more important than the hurdles during the race, it’s the challenges leading up to it that make it hard. Once you’ve made it to the starting line, its time just to enjoy yourself. I’ve said it before, and I know its cliché, but trail running is about the journey, not the destination. Once you realize this, the joy of running takes over, runs are no longer training runs . Rather, they become cleansing experiences no different than yoga or meditation.

· How many ultras have you run since your first race?

None. I've run many runs over 26.2, but no races.

General Questions about Training/Racing
· During your training runs, do you concentrate mostly on your pace or total time on your feet running?

Neither. I think about how I feel and run until I am finished. The exception to this is when I have things I need to do, which cuts me short. Generally, when I run alone, I focus only on how I feel. With a group, its different. Most people run for a given time/distance, and I’ll just run until they say we are finished. Then again, sometimes I’ll add a little distance if I’m up for it. If you run for enjoyment and health, then why mix metrics like time and distance into the equation? I can't speak for those people out there fast enough to compete for awards, they have other goals, and nothing I would look down on. I admire them. But for me, I run for the sake of running.

· What kind of cross training do you do, if any?
I mountain bike. I’d like to swim also, but never have the time.

· How do you prepare for river/creek crossings? Extra/Special shoes? Extra socks?
I jump in and splash as many people as possible.

· Do you have a favorite piece of gear/clothing that you would recommend to someone new?
Nope. I keep it simple, but others like fancy gear and technical clothing. To each his own.

· What kind of hydration system do you use?
Hand held water bottles from Ultimate Direction

· How much fluid do you take in during an hour/race?
I have no idea. In a race I usually try to empty my bottle before the next aid station, but most runs I just sip at it until its finished. It’s not very scientific for me. I’d probably be better off if I paid attention to it, but that wouldn’t be as fun.

· How many calories do you take in during an hour/race?
Again, I have no clue. I mostly just eat gummy bears. On my 50 miler, I drank a couple of SlimFasts also. My belly just won't take in real food during runs, which is something I'm working on for 50+ mile runs.

· What kind of food works best for you?
Gummy bears, slimfast, and oreo’s. All of the basic food groups.

· What do you typically put in your drop bag?
I usually have a spare pair of shoes and socks, but I never end up changing them. I did change them once on a trail marathon because they had so much mud in them that it was caking up under my toes. And beer, of course, it really can calm your stomach when its upset. J

· Do you carry any first aid items? If so, what do you carry?
Nothing

· Do you typically use a pacer during your events?
No, but my longest is a 50 miler. I could see using a pacer for 100 miles, maybe.

· Is it better to use a friend versus a family member as a pacer?
I don’t know. I would think a friend because you aren’t always coherent and sometimes you might not be yourself after a long day of running. Better to take it out on a friend who will more easily forgive you. Better yet, use someone who has done this before, so that they can empathize with you and offer advice. I paced my wife, sort of, in her first marathon. I think that worked out well because she respected me as a runner and took my advice, when her head wasn't really screwed on right those last few miles.