thinking about running a 50k?

It's easy to catch the ultrarunning bug. The trails sound fun. The journey seems intense. Race reports make them sound, well, mystical.  And once you've got a couple of marathons under your belt, a new challenge can reinvigorate your training. Especially if qualifying for Boston doesn't ring your bell.

But you might be wondering if you are ready for the challenge.

I'll let you in on a little secret.

If you've run a marathon or two, you probably already are.

Now if you are like me, you might not believe it.  I ran three marathons and managed 50 mile weeks pretty easily. I had people tell me that I was had more than enough training to get through one. No way, I thought. That's five more miles than a marathon, and I felt like my legs were going to fall off with just 26.2.

But then I ran the Portland Marathon with Debbie.  She was running 36 miles that day to celebrate her birthday. I paced the first half of the marathon, helped out at the water station at mile 24 for a couple of hours, then ran her in to the finish and on for 10 miles more. I had 27 miles on the day, and I felt good. Ready to keep on going. That is what convinced me that I could take on this challenge.

The key to ultras is that you slow down.  You walk the hills.  You might even Galloway - a prescribed run/walk combo that has you run five minutes / walk 1 minute - or whatever ratio works best for you. (This method can even help you get faster.)  And it is this slowing down that helps you go farther. The majority "running" 100 miles are putting down 13 - 16 minute miles - and that is plenty fast enough when you are going that far.

Training runs don't have to be super long. I did two 20 milers and one 31 miler (but that was because it was my birthday) in the run up to the Gorge Waterfalls. One of the 20 milers had a 10 miler the next day, and a I did a 16 mi / 12 mi combo one day as well. You want to get used to running tired. Running on the same kind of trail is also a big help.  I didn't train well for rocks or steep downhill, and I paid the price - but I still got through the race.

Your weekly mileage doesn't have to be crazy. I actually cut my mileage in training for the Gorge from 50 miles to about 35 miles a week. I made sure I put in my long run, and then I took extra rest to make sure I was recovering properly. I think it has helped me stay away from injuries and burnout. The key is to find what works best for you. Sure, you won't be winning any ultras on 35 miles a week, but if your goal is to keep on running, that you can do.

What you do need to be is patient and enduring. Ultras hurt, but not in a lung bursting way. Your legs, hips, back, ankles...those will ache. Get used to it. And be patient with yourself. It might take awhile, and you might not be the speediest out there. That's okay.

Start by believing you can do it. You can go further than you think.