Ultramarathon training is basically learning that your body can do way more than your brain initially agreed to. Well, today my goal was to do a 13.1 mile training run at the High Bridge Trail.
That's the equivalent of a half marathon. But the day was so perfect for running that I changed it to 16.2 miles -- exactly half the distance of December's 32-mile ultramarathon in Farmville.
Becky and I built our house 26 years ago. I've noticed that a person's training program, much like the house they built, will ultimately be a reflection of them. There will always be aspects of training that must be present, but you get to decorate the rooms. How long it takes someone else to train doesn't mean anything to you. You must choose a training program that suits your taste.
Since endurance is at the heart of any successful long-distance training program, your workout will have to be both low-intensity and high-duration. Here's another way to put it. You are training your legs. All you want to do is repeat the muscle action a few hundred times per mile. You're not interested in putting strain on your heart or lungs. Remember: these are low-intensity, low-effort workouts. The longer the miles, the less pressure you want to put on the rest of your body. You can't -- no one can -- maintain a high a level of effort on a regular basis. Your heart is as unique to you as your fingerprints. You cannot exceed your maximum heart rate. In many cases, less is more and more is less.
Low-effort distance training goes a long way. The wrong program is worse than no program. When in doubt, be conservative.
Today's run on a picture perfect day in Southside.