Obviously UTMB calls for some serious training. My
approach may be a little unconventional. I start with the broad view that
I need to get used to what I will encounter during the race. The elements
include-
1.
Endurance (duh).
2.
Steep grades - average grade = 18km/168km = 11%
3.
Technical terrain - rocky, slippery
4.
Loaded running pack – required gear for
self-sufficiency and safety
5.
Thinner air - 1000-2500m altitude
6.
No pacing (and no crew for many of us)
7.
Different food – aid stations have bread,
cheese, salami, and fruit but not the GU’s and stuff we Americans are used to
8.
Lots of night running. Race starts at
5:30pm!
9.
Mountain weather. Anything could happen.
10.
English is not the main language.
As I type this, I’m getting worried again! So let’s
break it down.
For the couple of previous hundreds I've done, a
gradual ramp up in training over 5-6 months, peaking about 60-65 miles per week
worked well. I felt burnout was not too far off, partly because of hard
efforts in races along the way. UTMB called for tougher training, so I took a careful approach trying to find the
fine line between under- and over-training.
Winter - Foundation:. Stay in running shape, minimal stress. I
lay low until early spring, usually just running ~30 miles/week. My body needs a bit of easy time to recover from a good season.
Spring - Ramping up. Around April, I started increasing the
effort. The mileage increased to ~40 mpw, and weekly I sought steeper
terrain than usual. This included less popular steep routes in Forest
Park, and driving to the Gorge when possible. There’s no
motivator like making training itself fun and adventurous. I’m lucky to
live near hundreds of miles of fantastic technical and steep trails. I avoided long races, but I entered a few short events to throw in a bit of speed work.
Summer - Peak: I’ve worked up to 75 mpw. My longest run was the
60 mile Trans-Gorge adventure on Solstice. On a family trip to Colorado,
I got some sweet high-altitude runs in (up to 3800m!). I added a couple of 40m runs around Mt Hood (one each direction), terrain which is (I’m hoping) similar to
that on Mt. Blanc. I’ve been getting got some good power-hiking practice
and familiarity with my new running poles.
Along the way, I've worked on downhill efficiency, a "forever" jog, and relaxation. In short, I'm happy with the training I've done; should take care of items 1-6.
Along the way, I’ve made a point of eating more “slow food”
than GU’s and such. My favorites have been turkey avocado sandwiches,
Amy’s frozen burritos, Trail Butter <link>, cheese, and crackers.
This is not quite the bread/cheese/salami that I’ll find in Europe, but it’s
getting there. I’ve come to realize that I need to take in a few more
calories on the run, based on recovery issues. I think 250 kcal/hour is
about right for me. With luck, that takes care of 7.
I haven’t worried too much about conditioning myself to
running in the dark, but I've snuck in a few night runs. I’m going to
approach the race by having a good light (and a good spare). I’ve
experimented with wearing my MYO RXP light at the waist, which works better in fog and
shows the rocks and roots better. #8 done.
Weather. Unfortunately, the weather this summer in
Oregon has been sunny and warm, so no cold/wet conditioning for me. I’m
counting on the extensive compulsory gear list to save me when the mountains
turn mean (and I assume they will). Hopefully a good mindset will get me
through #9.
I took French in high school. I was not a good
student. Later, I took German, which overwrote most of the few brain
cells I had capable of foreign language. When I try to say
something in French, it sometimes comes out in German. If anything comes
out at all. So I expect communication to often be reduced to grunting and
hand gestures, in the grand tradition of adventurous travelers
everywhere. It would have been nice to brush up on my French, but I spent
all my spare time running, and besides what if I need to go to Germany next?
With 6 days to go, I'm in the middle of the Taper. My first taper run was a 27 mile Gorge loop
last week with Phil (Eagle-Tanner) that intimidated me just a few years ago. Now with just a
week to go, I’m down to shorter runs and some power hiking on my hilly
neighborhood trails. When I get to Chamonix 5 days before the race, I
will do a 3-day hut hike along a part of the course that will be dark on race
day. That way I can familiarize, see those sights, and try to keep loose
without taxing my body. I might even jog a few spots! I’m really
looking forward to this part, which will be the best opportunity to soak in the
landscape. The final 2 days prior will be hanging out near Chamonix in a
B&B, checking in, looking for friends old and new (mostly new).
Chamonix becomes a non-stop party this week, with other races happening and
thousands of runners and associates packing the place. It will be hard to
avoid getting amped!
Allez, allez!
