2012
Can Lake 50
Updates for Registered Runners
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Upcoming Deadlines
September 5 - last day rooms are held at the race hotels. If you
need a room at one of the race hotels, make your reservation today.
September 15 - last day to defer your Can Lake entry until next year.
October 1 - last day to switch races (50K to 50 mile or vice versa).
October 1 - last day to request an early start in the 50 mile.
Race Day Check-in - last chance to turn in signed Pacer Release form.
50-mile Early Starters
Thirty people are currently planning to take the 6am early start
(versus 82 starting at 7am). Early starters must carry enough fluid and snacks
for at least the first 10 miles. The Onanda Park aid station will have minimal
services starting at 7:30am. If you expect to run the first 10 miles at 9
minutes per mile, you are either starting way too fast or you belong with the
regular start.
It will be dark at 6am. A race official on a bicycle will lead the early
starters for the first 3 miles through Canandaigua to West Lake Road. The pace
will be slow so the group can stay together until safely on West Lake Road.
Seats on the 50K Bus
There are currently over 42 runners signed up for the 42-seat
school bus to the start. Car pooling will be organized to be sure every runner
gets to the start without hassle or anxiety. If you are in the 50K and can
provide a ride for another runner, please plan to help.
Volunteers Needed
It will take a record number of volunteers to safely get a record
number of runners around beautiful Canandaigua Lake. If you have family or
friends who would be willing to help at the race, please let me know. Send a
note to
tperry01@rochester.rr.com with contact information for the potential
volunteer.
Planning to have a Pacer?
Pacers MUST sign a release. You will find a link to a printable
release on the Registration page. Please get it signed and mail it to me
(address is on the form) or bring it to the pre-race dinner or race day
check-in. The rule is simple: No signed release, no pacer.
Drop Bags
In general you will not need to bother with using drop bags. If
the weather cooperates (e.g., a cool day with no rain), you won't need to change
clothes. The aid stations will be stocked with just about everything you could
want (see last page of the draft 2012 Race Handbook
[http://www.canlake50.org/2012%20Race%20handbook-draft-09-01-12.pdf] for list of
what we plan to have at each of the 11 aid stations).
On the other hand, these are typical uses for a drop bag at one or more
locations:
If a cold rain is forecast, you could include a rain resistant jacket or goretex
jacket.
If a cold wind is forecast, you could include a wind jacket or a long sleeve
shirt. The final stretch along Middle Road has very little shelter from wind.
If you have special nutritional needs, you could have your special food or drink
mix in your drop bags.
If you have special medical needs, carry the meds in your pack so you have them
with you at all times.
Note: Your drop bags will be transported back to the finish after the last
runner has cleared the aid station. You will be able to pick up your bags at the
finish. If you run fast, you may beat some of your drop bags back to the finish.
Personal Handlers
In general you will not need to bother with having a personal
handler. The aid stations will have everything you are likely to need.
If you are going to have a personal handler or family/friends meeting you along
the race route, please review the 2012 Race Handbook. Print it out and bring it
with you to the race. There are critical rules that must be followed for the
safety of both the runners and drivers. The Handbook also has driving directions
for each leg of the course and GPS locations for each aid station.
Note: Continuing to allow personal handlers depends on the cooperation with the
rules and especially with parking restrictions on busy roads (i.e., routes 21,
245, 364 and Middle Road).
Final Training Tips
Our first time ultrarunners have had a remarkable success rate
over the last four years. 90 of 96 successfully finished the 50 mile as their
first ultra. A key factors in this has been having a single minded focus on
training for the race and running with patience and intelligence on race day.
- Read. Be sure to read the "Can Lake 50 Specifics" on the Training Info page
and read the Ultra Details page on the race website. If you have questions or
concerns, please feel free to contact me directly by e-mail or phone.
- No long races between now and the Can Lake race day. You don’t
compromise your Can Lake preparation (by having to take weeks off to recover
from another long race) and you need to be fresh on race day.
- Speed work. Keep doing your speed work. Some fast running is very beneficial
for your running efficiency (being able to run a bit faster for the same energy
expenditure). It will be OK to do one or two short races (5k up to 10k) between
now and October 1st. Short races are good speed work, will let you assess the
progress of your training and they are fun.
- Your last long run. You should be doing your last really long run at least
three weeks before race day. Practice your run/walk strategy and try out the kit
you plan to use on race day.
- Aid station drink & food. We will be serving Hammer HEED and Hammer Gels in
addition to the usual fare: water, cola, cookies, bananas, pretzels, peanut
butter sandwiches, etc. Try the Hammer products before race day.
- Carry a bottle & food and cell phone. The aid stations are much farther apart
than in a big city marathon. You will want to carry during the race at least one
water bottle and perhaps some gels or other food (and don't forget some toilet
paper just in case). You also should carry your cell phone. In case of
emergencies, call 911. For non-emergency situation, call the Race Director
(phone number will be on your bib).
Pre-race Course Checkout
If you can get to the Canandaigua area before the race, it will
be a big help to preview some of the course. Assuming your time is limited, the
best part of the course to preview would be the last 15 miles from Vine Valley
to the finish. That's not the hardest part of the course but knowing what to
expect in the final two to three hours of the race will be a big boost to your
confidence. There are driving directions and maps in the Race Handbook available
on the race website Route Details page.
Training
The majority of those already registered will be running their first ultra or
first 50 miler at the Can Lake 50. Be sure to read the Training Info page on the
race website. If you want a printed copy, there is a link for a 15-page
printable PDF near the top of the Training Info page. If you have questions or
concerns, please feel free to contact me directly by e-mail or phone.
With the race less than two months away, now is a good time to start testing the
things you plan to use during the race:
- Run/Walk
If you plan to use a run/walk strategy, try it out on some of your long training
runs.
- Carrying drink & food
Since the aid stations in an ultra are much farther apart than you would find in
a big city marathon, during the race you will want to carry at least one water
bottle and perhaps some gels or other food (and don't forget some toilet paper
in a ziplock bag just in case). Try out the equipment you plan to use during the
race. On your longer runs, make it a habit to drink some at least every mile or
so.
- Downhill Running
If you haven't already, now is a good time to start including some hills in your
training runs. Start with including hills once per week if you aren't already
running hills. After a couple weeks, increase the hills to twice a week. The big
reason for running hills is to prepare for surviving a couple of big downhills
on the Can Lake 50 course without trashing your quads. The course has big
uphills but you will probably walk them. You'll run the downhills and that's why
you need to train some on hills before the race.
- Acceleration Gliders
Hopefully your training plan already has you doing some faster running (e.g.,
long repeats, tempo runs or the local 5k race). If so, keep doing some speedwork
until your final taper for the big race.
If you haven't been doing any fast running this summer, the place to start is
with "acceleration gliders." After a few easy miles to warm up your muscles,
slow to a walk for perhaps 20-30 yards. Then resume easy running and gradually
accelerate, increasing your pace until after about 50-60 yards you are running
faster than your usual pace. Then relax and glide along gradually slowing to a
walk over the next 50-60 years. Strive for a smooth acceleration and a glide
that maintains most of your pace at a lower effort. Once you slow to a walk,
repeat the process. Start with a set of 3 or 4 and over the weeks build up to
doing 8 to 10 acceleration gliders.
Acceleration gliders help to open up your stride and get your ready for faster
running. And, a short easy mile or so combined with some acceleration gliders is
a great warmup routine for short races and for more taxing speedwork like a set
of repeat miles.
- Repeat Miles
If you don't already have a favorite speed workout for marathon and ultra
training, you would not go wrong to do a set of repeat miles once a week (unless
you running a short race like a 5k that week).
Here's how I recommend you do repeat miles when training for an ultra:
1. Do a thorough warmup (e.g., 2 miles of easy running followed by a set of
acceleration gliders).
2. Run four laps of a track or a measured mile at a moderate pace (slower than
your 5k race pace, perhaps 1 minute per mile faster than your easy run pace).
You should be able to run all four laps / the whole mile at the same pace. If
not, you started too fast.
3. After finishing the mile, walk a lap or about 4 minutes for a fairly complete
recovery.
4. Run another mile at the same pace.
Start with 3 to 4 repeat miles and add another mile each week. Build up to doing
8 to 10 repeats.
- Your last really long run
Long runs, even long runs done with a run/walk strategy are actually hard runs.
You need to allow adequate time for recovery in order to run your best on race
day. Your last really long run (e.g., over 3 hours or 20 miles) should be no
closer than 3 weeks before race day.
Pre-race Course Checkout
If you can get to the Canandaigua area before the race, it will be a big help to
preview some of the course. Just driving over it will be helpful. Assuming your
time is limited, the best part of the course to preview would be the last 15
miles from Vine Valley to the finish. That's not the hardest part of the course
but knowing what to expect in the final two to three hours of the race will be a
big boost to your confidence. There are driving directions and maps in the Race
Handbook available on the race website Route Details page.
Make Your Hotel Reservations Now
Hotels will only hold blocked rooms until September 5th. Three hotels that have
blocked rooms for Friday October 5th and Saturday October 6th for the race. See
the Race Hotels page on the race web site for hotel information and instructions
on how to register at any of the hotels. The blocked rooms will only be held
open until 30 days before the race.
Note: Columbus Day weekend is very popular for weddings and family reunions.
Canandaigua area hotels fill up quickly so don't delay in making your
reservations.
Switching Races
Perhaps you registered for the 50 mile and for whatever reason, your training
isn't going as well as you planned. You can switch to the 50k anytime before
October 1st. The only caveat is that the bus to the 50k start will only seat 42
skinny runners. If you wait til the last minute to switch, you may need to
provide your own transportation to the start.
Maybe you signed for the 50k and now realize you will be in shape to run the
whole big lap around the lake. Whatever the reason, you can switch your
registration to the 50 mile anytime before October 1st.
Deferring Your Entry to 2013
Perhaps you registered for either race and, for whatever reason, you definitely
won't be able to be at the start on October 8th. You can defer your entry to
2013 by notifying me before September 15th (before the final entry fee increase
and before race shirts are ordered).
Handlers, Pacers and Pre-Race Dinner Guests
We understand that plans can change between early registeration for a popular
race and race weekend. Every registered runner will have an opportunity in early
September to confirm or change his/her plans with regard to 1) having a handler
(support crew), 2) a pacer, and 3) pre-race dinner plans, including the option
to add addititional guests.
Early Start Option for 50-mile
One rule of thumb for estimating the time need to finish a flat 50 mile is to
take your recent marathon time, double it and add one hour. For example, if you
recently ran a big city marathon in 4:00, that would be 2 times 4:00 plus 1:00
equals 9:00 for a flat, fast 50 mile. But the Can Lake course is not flat and
fast. Better add another hour for the four big hills, so a 4:00 marathon
predicts 2 x 4:00 plus 2:00 equals a predicted 10:00 at Can Lake. That time is
two hours under the time limit so no problem. But what if you recent marathons
are closer to 5 hours?
A 5:00 marathon predicts 2 x 5:00 plus 2:00 equals a predicted 12:00 at Can
Lake. That's too close to comfort. If you have your heart set on doing 50 miles,
I strongly recommend you take an early start if your recent marathon times or
fitness predicts a 4:30 or slower marathon (and 11+ hours for 50 miles at Can
Lake). With a 6am start, you will have 13 hours to complete the 50 miles for an
official finish. I will poll all registered runners before September 15th to see
who wants to arrange an early start.
Race Rosters
If you haven't already done so, verify that you are correctly listed in the
entrants list at the Ultra Signup website (http://ultrasignup.com/entrants_event.aspx?did=15198).
Let me know if you see any errors. And, please consider adding a photo to your
Ultra Signup profile.
Start/Finish Changes at Finger Lakes Community College
Race day check-in will be in spacious entry way of new Student Center… plenty of
room for runners to gather out of the weather and plenty of bathrooms. 50-mile
runners will assemble on bus loop and move onto Marvin Sands Drive for 50 mile
start. Bus to 50K start will load on the bus loop directly in front of the
Student Center. Finish for both distances will be on lightly used connector road
adjacent to Lot A and the Student Center. Post-race feast will be in Student
Center Café… on second floor with picture window view of finish line activities.
Training Tips
You now have approximately 4 months until the race. Keep working on consistently
following your training plan, both in doing your scheduled workouts and, equally
important, allowing enough time for recovery after your harder workouts (long
runs, speed work, any races you include in your training).
With the arrival of the long, sunny days of summer, you are going to be doing at
least some of your long runs on hot days in the sun. Following are my
suggestions from almost 40 years of long runs and bike rides:
1. Carry or pack a water bottle on all runs exceeding an hour. Carry or pack two
bottles on runs longer than 90 minutes. With two bottles, carry a sports drink
in one and plain water in the other.
2. Drink to thirst from the start of your runs. You don’t have to push fluids
beyond what your thirst dictates BUT it is critical to always have fluids at
hand and keep drinking to continually quench your thirst. Don’t get behind on
fluids.
3. Dress to stay cool. You will be cooler wearing a light-weight technical shirt
and cap than going topless.
4. Pay close attention to how warm you are getting. Apply fluids externally as
soon as you start sweating or begin to feel warm (this why you carry a second
bottle with plain water). Start with wetting your head. If that's not enough to
keep you feeling comfortable, wet your technical shirt and arms.
5. For long runs on hot days, plan your route so you can refill your bottles
after 90 minutes or so. Carry money so you can buy cold drinks. If ice is
available, put some under your hat or in an ice bandana around your neck.
6. If you start to overheat, do something to cool down. Slow down. Walk in the
shade and run in the sun. Walk the hills. Apply water externally. Find an air
conditioned spot and hang out until you cool off.
7. Adaptation to hot weather running takes two to three weeks of regular runs in
warm weather. Don't be discouraged at how much your first runs in hot weather
take out of you. What seems hard on a first hot day in May will be no big deal
in July after you are heat trained.
Got Training Questions?
Be sure to read the Training Info page on the race website. If you have
questions, concerns or just want to be sure you're on the right track, please
feel free to contact me directly by e-mail (tperry01@rochester.rr.com)
or phone (585-410-0584).
Want me to follow your training? Sign up for Daily Mile (http://www.dailymile.com).
Use this free online training log to record your workouts. If you "friend" me, I
can follow your training and better answer your questions. You can find me here
on Daily Mile:
http://www.dailymile.com/people/tperry#ref=tophd
Sponsors
Fleet Feet Sports Rochester (http://www.fleetfeetrochester.com/)
is back for their 8th year sponsoring the race. Whenever you're in the area,
stop by either of their two Rochester area stores:
2522 Ridgeway Avenue (Corner of Long Pond & Ridgeway in Greece)
2210 Monroe Avenue (near 12 Corners in Brighton)
Hammer Nutrition (http://www.hammernutrition.com/)
is back for their 10th year. Hammer HEED electrolyte drink and Hammer Gels are
served exclusively at our aid stations.
Wegmans (http://www.wegmans.com/)
is again the sponsor for our fabulous Post-Race Feast. The Canandaigua store is
conveniently located within a mile of the race start/finish.
The Finger Lakes Visitors Connection (https://visitfingerlakes.com/)
is back for a second year. Check out the Visitors Connection website for what to
do, where to stay, where to eat and fun stuff to do in the Finger Lakes Region.
Kala Stein Ceramics (http://fingerlakestiles.com/)
is supplying our first place awards this year. You can see more of her work at
Coach Street Clay (http://www.coachstreetclay.com/)
in downtown Canandaigua.
doRochester.com (http://dorochester.com/),
your guide for things to do in Rochester is back for a fifth year.
Other Resources
Ultra Signup Entrants List. You can check out who has already entered the race
at the Ultra Signup website (http://ultrasignup.com/entrants_event.aspx?did=15198).
Please consider adding a photo to your Ultra Signup profile.
Can Lake 50 on Facebook. This is a new venture. You can join and help build the
Can Lake 50 community on Facebook. Here's the link:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Can-Lake-50/173670076028734
Can Lake 50 Trailer on UTube. The trailer has been cut from the video shot at
the 2011 race. It's a bit over 2 minutes long and will give you a pretty good
feel for the beauty and challenge of the race. Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzFnWYZLrYs&context=C48a9204ADvjVQa1PpcFNDJbOvr7_fSs4R7g4m7XTS_2CniZpDrw0=
Free Ultrarunning Matters Yahoo Group. Ultrarunning Matters (the Club that puts
on the Can Lake 50) has a free discussion group on Yahoo. Over 200 ultrarunners
of widely varying experience and interest currently belong to the group. The
group carries on friendly and supportive e-mail discussions and is a great
source of information about all things ultrarunning. And, did I mention, it's
FREE. You should consider joining the free Ultrarunning Matters Yahoo Group. If
you don't already have a free Yahoo account, you will first need to create a
Yahoo account. Then you will be able to join the Ultrarunning Matters group.
Here's the link:
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/ultrarunningmatters/
Ultrarunning Matters Club. Ultrarunning Matters (UM) is an ultrarunning club and
RRCA member club that provides supportive camaraderie to the ultrarunning
community. UM serves an international membership of runners at all levels of
ability who are interested in ultramarathons; road, track, and trail foot races
beyond the official marathon distance of 42.195 km or 26.2 miles. UM currently
presents three races to the ultrarunning community: Mind the Ducks 12 Hour,
Green Lakes Endurance Runs (50K & 100K) and Can Lake 50 Ultras (50 mile & 50K).
For for info on the club, check out the club website:
http://ultrarunningmatters.org/default.aspx
Race Director's Running History. I'm in my tenth year of writing a column/blog
for the Greater Rochester Track Club. The general link for the blog is here:
http://www.grtconline.org/content/blogsection/8/9/
The postings that will be of most interest are the history of my 38 years of
running marathons and ultras:
1974-1994 -
http://www.grtconline.org/content/view/859/863/
1995-2005 -
http://www.grtconline.org/content/view/860/864/
2006-Present -
http://www.grtconline.org/content/view/861/866/
***********************************
Make Your Hotel Reservations Soon
This year we have three hotels that have blocked rooms for Friday October 5th
and Saturday October 6th for the race. See the Race Hotels page on the race web
site for hotel information and instructions on how to register at any of the
hotels. The blocked rooms will only be held open until 30 days before the race.
Note: Columbus Day weekend is very popular for weddings and family reunions.
Canandaigua area hotels fill up quickly so don't delay in making your
reservations.
Sponsor News
Fleet Feet Sports Rochester (http://www.fleetfeetrochester.com/)
is back for their 8th year sponsoring the race. Whenever you're in the area,
stop by either of their two Rochester area stores:
2522 Ridgeway Avenue (Corner of Long Pond & Ridgeway in Greece)
2210 Monroe Avenue (near 12 Corners in Brighton)
Hammer Nutrition (http://www.hammernutrition.com/)
is back for their 10th year. Hammer HEED electrolyte drink and Hammer Gels are
served exclusively at our aid stations.
The Finger Lakes Visitors Connection (https://visitfingerlakes.com/)
is back for a second year. Check out the Visitors Connection website for what to
do, where to stay, where to eat and fun stuff to do in the Finger Lakes Region.
Training Tips
You now have approximately 5 months until race. Hopefully you are now committed
to your training plan and already beginning to see some improved fitness and
starting to do some longer runs. Now is a good time to start testing the
accessories, clothing, food and drink that you expect to use on race day. Tip:
Your race strategy and everything you plan to use on race day should be
thoroughly tested on multiple training runs.
1. What to Carry at Can Lake (and on your long runs)
You will be out on the road a long time and the aid stations are much
farther apart than you would have in a big city marathon. You should carry the
following items at a minimum:
- water bottle (a 16 or 20 ounce bottle should be enough to get you to the next
aid station)
- toilet paper (carry in a zip lock bag, have enough for a couple of uses)
- some of your favorite ultra snacks so you can eat while walking the hills
(gels or blocks work well but please don't litter)
- your mobile phone (turned on with gps Location feature enabled in case of an
emergency)
You may also want to have some of the following with you, especially if you've
needed them on prior long runs or races:
- Ibuprofen (some aid stations will also have this item)
- your favorite anti-chaffing cream (some aid stations will have Vaseline)
- electrolyte tablets (the aid stations will have Hammer Endurolytes)
- any medications you might need for allergies, bee stings, etc.
2. How to Carry Your Stuff
Here are my suggested criteria for your carrying solution:
- adequate carrying capacity for 20 ounces of drink, your favorite ultra snacks,
a zip-lock bag with some toilet paper, and a small amount of any other supplies
you need
- comfortable to carry even when fully loaded, e.g., doesn't bounce, doesn't
chaffe, doesn't alter your normal stride, etc.
- quick and easy access to drink and snacks on the go, i.e., should be able to
eat and drink without interrupting your relentless forward progress toward the
finish.
- quick and easy to refill the drink bottle or bladder and snack supply at aid
stations
- easy to clean bottle or blatter (don't want mold to grow in the container
between runs)
You have a lot of options for how to carry your stuff. Some runners use one or
two hand-held bottles and a small waist pack for the other supplies. Others use
a one or two bottle waist pack. And some use a race vest either with a water
bladder or with bottles.
My current favorite is a one-bottle waist pack, the CamelBak Delaney Plus. The
big reason I like this model is that it have a small zippered front pocket just
right for my gels or bloks and a mesh pocket that fits my old-school flip phone.
With a quick draw holder for my water bottle, the three things I'm most likely
to use during a run or race are easy to pull out and use. You can read more
about my quest for optimal carrying solutions here:
http://www.grtconline.org/content/view/894/9/ (scroll down to Two New Waist
Packs section).
3. Chaffing and Running Shorts
Run long enough, especially on a hot day or in the rain, and you will
eventually discover how much chaffed thighs can hurt. This year I took a good
look at the specialty shorts designed for triathletes, especially those who do
the sprint distances wearing the same shorts for all three disciplines. Tri
shorts have to be fast in the water, dry quickly on land, fit comfortably on the
bike and during the run and protect the nether regions from cycling saddle sores
and thigh chaffing during the run.
I have been running in the 2XU Active Tri Shorts for the last six months and
find they are great. They are a little pricey at about $60 but are well made and
will probably see me to the end of my running career. If interesting in giving
sprint triathlon shorts a go, I recommend you buy where you can try on the
shorts to ensure you like the fit. Your local running or bike shop should have
several types to try. Just be sure the tri shorts you buy are designed for both
cycling and running.
4. No Recovery, No Gain
As you begin to notice real improvement in your running fitness, don't get
carried away and get ahead of your training plan. Pay attention to these words
of wisdom from Jeff Galloway: "Rest is as important a factor in your training as
is running. Without adequate rest you will injure your muscles, possibly beyond
repair in time for the race... Resting allows your muscles to rebuild stronger
than they were before."
5. Got Training Questions?
Be sure to read the Training Info page on the race website. If you have
questions, concerns or just want to be sure you're on the right track, please
feel free to contact me directly by e-mail (tperry01@rochester.rr.com)
or phone (585-410-0584).
Want me to follow your training? Sign up for Daily Mile (http://www.dailymile.com). Use this free online training log to record your workouts. If you "friend" me, I can follow your training and better answer your questions. You can find me here on Daily Mile: http://www.dailymile.com/people/tperry#ref=tophd
Other Resources
Ultra Signup Entrants List. You can check out who has already entered
the race at the Ultra Signup website (http://ultrasignup.com/entrants_event.aspx?did=15198).
Please consider adding a photo to your Ultra Signup profile.
Can Lake 50 on Facebook. This is a new venture. You can join and help build the Can Lake 50 community on Facebook. Here's the link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Can-Lake-50/173670076028734
Can Lake 50 Trailer on YouTube. The trailer has been cut from the video shot at the 2011 race. It's a bit over 2 minutes long and will give you a pretty good feel for the beauty and challenge of the race. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzFnWYZLrYs&context=C48a9204ADvjVQa1PpcFNDJbOvr7_fSs4R7g4m7XTS_2CniZpDrw0=
Free Ultrarunning Matters Yahoo Group. Ultrarunning
Matters (the Club that puts on the Can Lake 50) has a free discussion group on
Yahoo. Over 200 ultrarunners of widely varying experience and interest
currently belong to the group. The group carries on friendly and supportive
e-mail discussions and is a great source of information about all things
ultrarunning. And, did I mention, it's FREE. You should consider joining the
free Ultrarunning Matters Yahoo Group. If you don't already have a free Yahoo
account, you will first need to create a Yahoo account. Then you will be able
to join the Ultrarunning Matters group. Here's the link:
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/ultrarunningmatters/
Ultrarunning Matters Club. Ultrarunning Matters (UM) is an ultrarunning club and RRCA member club that provides supportive camaraderie to the ultrarunning community. UM serves an international membership of runners at all levels of ability who are interested in ultramarathons; road, track, and trail foot races beyond the official marathon distance of 42.195 km or 26.2 miles. UM currently presents three races to the ultrarunning community: Mind the Ducks 12 Hour, Green Lakes Endurance Runs (50K & 100K) and Can Lake 50 Ultras (50 mile & 50K). For for info on the club, check out the club website: http://ultrarunningmatters.org/default.aspx
Race Director's Running History. I'm in my tenth year of
writing a column/blog for the Greater Rochester Track Club. The general link
for the blog is here:
http://www.grtconline.org/content/blogsection/8/9/
The postings that will be of most interest are the history of my 38 years of
running marathons and ultras:
1974-1994 -
http://www.grtconline.org/content/view/859/863/
1995-2005 -
http://www.grtconline.org/content/view/860/864/
2006-Present -
http://www.grtconline.org/content/view/861/866/
***********************************
Make Your Hotel Reservations Soon
This year we have three hotels that have blocked rooms for Friday October 5th
and Saturday October 6th for the race. See the Race Hotels page on the race web
site for hotel information and instructions on how to register at any of the
hotels. The blocked rooms will only be held open until 30 days before the race.
Note: Columbus Day weekend is very popular for weddings and family reunions.
Canandaigua area hotels fill up quickly so don't delay in making your
reservations.
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Sponsor News
Wegmans will again present the post-race feast. All runners plus their handlers,
pacers, family, friends and race day volunteers are invited to enjoy the feast
presented by Wegmans.
The Inn on the Lake will again host the Friday evening pre-race dinner in their
ballroom. The dinner is free for all registered runners. Adult guests will be
$10 and children $6. Details of the dinner program will be announced later.
Training Tips
You now have approximately 6 months until race. Hopefully you have already
picked out a training plan to follow for the race (if not, see March tips
appended at bottom of this note). Following are some brief tips to help you with
your training:
1. Estimating Your Current Road Ultra Fitness
The best calculator for road ultras is the WMA (World Masters Athletics) Age
Grading Calculator posted by Howard Grubb (http://www.howardgrubb.co.uk/athletics/wmalookup06.html).
The tables are based on the men's and women's single age world records for all
standard track and road race distances. Grubb's version of the calculator goes
beyond the marathon distance to include all the standard road ultra distances up
to 200 kilometers.
Easy of Use Tip: Once you have the Age Grading Calculator open in your browser,
you can save the page to a folder on your computer and then be able to run it
without being connected to the internet. All of the data and code needed for the
calculations will be embedded in the saved page. Hint: Put a shortcut to the
page on your desktop for quick access.
Scoring in the Calculator is done by comparing the time you run to the world
record for a runner of the same age. For a simple example, if at age 50 you run
a 5k in the time twice that of the world record for a 50 year old; your
age-performance score will be 50%. FYI, for a 50 year old male, a 5k run in
29:29 gets a Age Performance % of 50.02.
An interesting feature of the calculator at the link above is that, having
scored a recent run, you can change the distance to another race distance, click
the Result button and the calculator will return the time for the new race
distance that matches your age-performance score. In other words, the calculator
returns an equivalent race performance based on your current race time. For
example, using the example of the slow 50 year old male racing 5k in 29:29, the
Age Graded Scoring Calculator estimates the equivalent marathon performance
would be 4:38:49 and the equivalent 50 mile road race would be 9:58:11.
Two Critical Caveats - 1) Predicted race times only apply if you are trained for
race distance. A 5k time for a trained ultrarunner will be a pretty good
predictor of the best possible time for the ultra. Someone is only trained for a
5k will not be able to run the predicted ultra time due to lack of specific
training for the much longer distance. 2) The Age Graded Calculator tables
assume a flat, fast course and optimal weather conditions. Can Lake is not flat
and the weather is not always optimal. Assuming our slow 50 year old male is
adequately trained for the distance, the hills will add at least an hour to his
projected finish time, making an 11 hour finish a realistic goal.
2. Pace for Your Workouts
Your training plan should include different goal paces for each type of workout
in the schedule. If your plan is vague on workout paces (basically how fast to
do speed work and how slow to do easy runs and long runs), you can use an online
calculatior to get goal paces based on your current fitness level.
A very useful calculator is the VDOT Calculator (based on the work of Coach Jack
Daniels (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Daniels_(coach),
author of Daniels' Running Formula (http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=6200).
My favorite online version of a VDOT Calculator is here:
http://www.attackpoint.org/trainingpaces.jsp
For purposes of this introduction, we will continue with a runner who recently
ran a 5k in 29:29. Go to the VDOT Calculator link above. Enter 5000 meters in
the distance field. Enter 002929 in the time field and click the Calculate VDOT
button.
On the right side of the page you will see VDOT Equalivalent Race Times. Note
that the Equivalent Race Performance for the Marathon is 4:38:58 (only 9 seconds
off the value predicted by the Age Graded Calculator). On the left side of the
page you will find training paces for five types of training used by Coach
Daniels:
• Easy and Long Runs – use the Easy Pace. Note: There’s no benefit in exceeding
the Easy Pace on your Long Runs. If you are using a run/walk/run strategy, add
about a minute to the Easy Pace time. Long runs are mostly a matter of time
spent in relentless forward motion.
• Marathon Pace – use for Planned Marathon Pace runs, i.e., do a long warm-up,
run up to 90 minutes at PMP, finish with a long cool down.
• Threshold Pace – use for Long Repeats and Tempo Runs. Subjectively this is
comfortably hard running at about 30 seconds per mile slower than your 5k race
pace.
• Interval Pace – use for Short Repeats. Subjectively this is demanding but not
all out.
• Repetition Pace – rarely used in marathon or ultra training.
3. Getting Started on Your Plan
Success in training comes from consistency and patience. Be consistent in
following the daily and weekly routine of your training plan. Each workout in
the plan has a specific purpose. Do your best to do each workout at the
pace/effort and duration specified. It is OK to swap training days around within
the week. For example, if it’s raining buckets on the day of a running workout,
you could swap workouts with a day scheduled for cross training at the gym or
for a day off. Just be very careful that the swaps don’t have you doing several
hard days in a row.
At the beginning of the plan your workouts may seem ridiculously easy. Be
patient and follow the plan. Don’t jump into doing more than the plan calls for.
Training plans are designed to bring you gradually to full race fitness on the
date of your target race. You risk injury and excessive fatigue if you try to do
too much too soon. And the need to recover from injury or fatigue will set back
your improvement.
4. Adjusting Your Plan
When, as expected, your fitness improves and you run a significantly faster
race, you should enter the new race performance in the VDOT Calculator and
adjust the goal paces for your workouts.
5. Cycling Cross Training Tips
If you are using cycling as your primary mode of cross training, you will have
the best success if your rides are brisk and done with a high cadence. Put
simply, your rides should mimic the effort of an easy run, not a casual walk.
And you should learn to spin the pedals instead of pushing a big gear. Spinning
is easier on the knees and once you learn to make nice circles with your feet,
you will be able to ride farther and faster by spinning. Equipment Suggestion:
Spinning the pedals is much easier and more efficient if your feet are properly
connected to the pedals. Cycling shoes that clip into the pedals are the best
solution. If your bike doesn't have the right pedals and you want to ride in
regular shoes, toe clips with strapes get you most of the benefits.
If you do your cycling on a stationary bike, pay attention to the cadence on the
display... strive to keep the cadence up in the 75 to 90 range... if you can't
keep the cadence up in that range, dial back the resistance. If you do your
cycling on a road or mountain bike, consider investing in a bike computer with
an accessory cadence sensor. The cadence displayed on the bike computer is a
great reminder of when to shift up or down. Hint: Try shifting up to a harder
gear when your cadence gets close to 90 rpm and shift down to an easier gear
when your cadence drops below 70 rpm.
6. Group Runs
Having friends along can make the miles go by much easier, keep you in touch
with your running friends and provide a significant safety factor in case the
unexpected occurs. Doing your long runs with a group works best when the others
in the group have similar goals for the run and expect to run no faster than
your goal. Hint: Don't start your long runs with a group that is going to run
faster than your goal pace for the run. It's better to start with a group that
is the same pace or slower than your goal pace. If no one in the group wants to
run your pace and/or do the same run/walk/run strategy, do part of the group run
as planned marathon pace or threshold training and do your long run by yourself
on another day.
7. Got Training Questions?
Be sure to read the Training Info page on the race website. If you have
questions, concerns or just want to be sure you're on the right track, please
feel free to contact me directly by e-mail (tperry01@rochester.rr.com)
or phone (585-410-0584).
Want me to follow your training? Sign up for Daily Mile (http://www.dailymile.com).
Use this free online training log to record your workouts. If you "friend" me, I
can follow your training and better answer your questions. You can find me here
on Daily Mile:
http://www.dailymile.com/people/tperry#ref=tophd
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March Update
Time to Select Your Training Plan
You now have approximately 7 months until race day. Most ultra and marathon
training plans call for a 24-week buildup so you have about a month left to
select your training plan. The Jeff Galloway Marathon Plan (with some
modifications described on the Training Info page) is an especially good choice
for mid-pack runners and lower mileage trainers. Faster runners and high
mileage trainers, especially folks with lots of sub-3:30 marathon experience,
might want to look at other plans, e.g., Jack Daniels, Hal Higdon, etc.
Cross Training and Days Off
An important factor in your training plan will be how many days per week to
train and the role of cross training in your plan. When I was young, foolish
and moderately fast, I tried to run every day. I now know that I would have
done even better if I had taken at least one day off each week instead of
slogging through another 5 or 6 junk miles to fill the calendar. The gains from
your hard training days come on your recovery days... and if there's no
recovery, there's no gain.
I also now realize that I would also have had fewer injuries and run just as well or better if I had substituted one or two days of cross training for easy run days. The Galloway Marathon Plan discussed on the Training Info page has one day off, two days of cross training and four running days each week. My personal favorite for cross training is road cycling. There are lots of other activities you could do so long as the activity is vigorous enough to elevate your heart rate and is lower impact than running. For the hilly Can Lake Ultras, walking, especially uphill walking, is excellent cross training (and race specific training for Bopple Hill).
Get into Your Training Routine Now
While you can wait until April to start a six month training program for Can
Lake, now is the right time to get into the daily and weekly routine of your
training plan. If your training plan calls for you to cross train on Monday,
run on Tuesday and Wednesday, cross train on Friday, take Saturday off and do a
long run on Sunday, start following that routine even if all you do is dress and
run a couple miles easy or take a long walk. The object is to get you, your
family and friends adjusted to the new schedule in your life.
Other Races During Your Can Lake Training
You can and should plan to run other races during the six months you are
training for Can Lake. Short races are a great way to get in some speed work
and a great way to measure the progress of your training. There are some
cautions. Any race requires some time after it for recovery before it will be
productive to resume hard training. One rule of thumb is to allow one day of
recovery for each mile raced... so you will need to go easy for three days after
a 5K or take an easy week after a 10K. You could even include a late Spring
marathon in your plan if you allow four weeks of easy recovery in your plan.
I recommend your plan to do a local 5K perhaps every 3 to 4 weeks while training for Can Lake. The 5K should be your speed work for the week and you will want to allow at least 3 days before your next hard workout. I strongly recommend that you avoid doing a marathon or similarly long race in the last three months before Can Lake.
Tom Perry, RD
tperry01@rochester.rr.com
585-410-0584