Training for a 30 mile trail run!

I had a girlfriend ask me to do a 30 mile trail run with her in late July! I've never run a marathon before, just a half! But I'm getting into my training, and I'm feeling optimistic so far! Ready to take on the beast! Let's do this!!!
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Replies

  • bendyourkneekatie
    bendyourkneekatie Posts: 696 Member
    Wow, that's 48 km, that's amazing! Good luck!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    What's your current weekly mileage?
  • CollieFit
    CollieFit Posts: 1,683 Member
    When did you start building mileage for this?
  • ktfranke
    ktfranke Posts: 217 Member
    I just started training a week ago! Downloaded the "run trainer," app by the makers of MFP! They have me running intervals and cross training to build a good base. By next weekend I'll be running 6 miles for my long run!
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    ktfranke wrote: »
    I just started training a week ago! Downloaded the "run trainer," app by the makers of MFP! They have me running intervals and cross training to build a good base. By next weekend I'll be running 6 miles for my long run!

    There's an app that takes totally new runners from couch to six miles in two weeks???

    That seems...ambitious.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    ktfranke wrote: »
    I just started training a week ago! Downloaded the "run trainer," app by the makers of MFP! They have me running intervals and cross training to build a good base. By next weekend I'll be running 6 miles for my long run!

    By the makers of MFP, you say.

    I don't see what could possibly go wrong.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    ktfranke wrote: »
    I just started training a week ago! Downloaded the "run trainer," app by the makers of MFP! They have me running intervals and cross training to build a good base. By next weekend I'll be running 6 miles for my long run!

    You're not currently running?
  • ElizabethOakes2
    ElizabethOakes2 Posts: 1,038 Member
    WOW! That sounds awesome! I doubt I'd ever try it, but what a neat challenge!
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    ktfranke wrote: »
    I just started training a week ago! Downloaded the "run trainer," app by the makers of MFP! They have me running intervals and cross training to build a good base. By next weekend I'll be running 6 miles for my long run!

    You're not currently running?

    (There's a whole lot of us in here with the same likely conclusion but we just need some more data. We're all ready to pounce as soon as she provides it.)
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    Wow! That sounds like the ultimate run to me! I'm kind of jealous but at the same time glad it's not me. You're gonna be so sore. I LOVE trail runs and I love marathons. Put them together and ADD even more mileage and it's way over the top for me. I guess I'm getting too old. I would have totally suffered through this 10 years ago. Have fun but don't kill yourself in training!
  • RUN_LIFT_EAT
    RUN_LIFT_EAT Posts: 537 Member
    Those kind of races have A LOT of walking strategically planned throughout the course. The elite racers will tell you that there's a ratio of walk:run that you'll want to focus on so you can make it to the finish. Good luck!
  • johnnygizmo
    johnnygizmo Posts: 59 Member
    Check out smartcoach.runnersworld.com they will let you build a plan for free (up to marathon length) but that will at least give you an idea. I've used it twice before and it was great!
  • snikkins
    snikkins Posts: 1,282 Member
    I did my first trail 50k after having run 4 marathons and quite a few half marathons.

    It was the hardest thing I have ever done in my entire life.
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
    jenilla1 wrote: »
    Wow! That sounds like the ultimate run to me! I'm kind of jealous but at the same time glad it's not me. You're gonna be so sore. I LOVE trail runs and I love marathons. Put them together and ADD even more mileage and it's way over the top for me. I guess I'm getting too old. I would have totally suffered through this 10 years ago. Have fun but don't kill yourself in training!

    I've actually found that trail ultras are a lot easier on my body than road marathons. I could maybe run 1-2 "A" marathons a year, but can easily race a 50k every month or every other if my mileage is consistent.

    Good luck OP, sounds like you might need it.
  • ktfranke
    ktfranke Posts: 217 Member
    Those kind of races have A LOT of walking strategically planned throughout the course. The elite racers will tell you that there's a ratio of walk:run that you'll want to focus on so you can make it to the finish. Good luck!

    Haha! I didn't go from couch to 6 miles! Don't worry everyone, I'm going about this smart, and I won't stress my body out too much ;) The app has you put in what level of runner you are before you get started with the plan! And I've already been a runner, ("I've run a half before,") for years. And like runlifteat says, most people run/walk when it comes to intense trail races, which is my plan.

  • furmickc
    furmickc Posts: 43 Member
    Good luck! I just did my first 50K and it was awesome! I have been bit by the ultra bug.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    ktfranke wrote: »
    Those kind of races have A LOT of walking strategically planned throughout the course. The elite racers will tell you that there's a ratio of walk:run that you'll want to focus on so you can make it to the finish. Good luck!

    Haha! I didn't go from couch to 6 miles! Don't worry everyone, I'm going about this smart, and I won't stress my body out too much ;) The app has you put in what level of runner you are before you get started with the plan! And I've already been a runner, ("I've run a half before,") for years. And like runlifteat says, most people run/walk when it comes to intense trail races, which is my plan.

    To be fair you gave no indication of how much running you are actually doing and several people asked what your average mileage is right now with no answer. "I've run a half before" is pretty vague. I could mean you ran one last week, or 10 years ago.
  • ktfranke
    ktfranke Posts: 217 Member

    To be fair you gave no indication of how much running you are actually doing and several people asked what your average mileage is right now with no answer. "I've run a half before" is pretty vague. I could mean you ran one last week, or 10 years ago. [/quote]

    That's true, I should try to be more specific! When I started training I was already able to run 3-4 miles on a given day. So when I started the app, it had me start out with that as my base.
  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
    ktfranke wrote: »
    Those kind of races have A LOT of walking strategically planned throughout the course. The elite racers will tell you that there's a ratio of walk:run that you'll want to focus on so you can make it to the finish. Good luck!

    Haha! I didn't go from couch to 6 miles! Don't worry everyone, I'm going about this smart, and I won't stress my body out too much ;) The app has you put in what level of runner you are before you get started with the plan! And I've already been a runner, ("I've run a half before,") for years. And like runlifteat says, most people run/walk when it comes to intense trail races, which is my plan.

    Also keep not answering what your current weekly mileage is. I mean if you ran a half two years ago but are currently running 10 miles or less a week it could be a problem...

    ...but if you are interested in injury from overtraining or completely bonking and feeling like crap on your trail race...well...

    I think running is a lot like a calorie deficit. Some people go from eating 3k calories a day to some <1200 VLCD and they feel like crap and can't sustain it and quit two weeks later. So can someone go from not enough miles to training for a 30k? Sure. Will that be a habit they maintain consistently and keep up long term? Hmm.

  • ktfranke
    ktfranke Posts: 217 Member
    I see what you're saying! I'll definitely be listening to my body, and make sure I increase my long runs with the proper ratio. I certainly don't want to blaze ahead without being prepared!
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    ktfranke wrote: »
    I had a girlfriend ask me to do a 30 mile trail run with her in late July! I've never run a marathon before, just a half! But I'm getting into my training, and I'm feeling optimistic so far! Ready to take on the beast! Let's do this!!!

    You've got this!
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    What type of training program are you doing? Are you following 80/20 training? If you are going to up your millage so much in just a little bit you probalby should be doing a lot in the low intensity area to avoid injury. I'm sure you can finish the race but it's the training injury risk that would have me concerned.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    What type of training program are you doing? Are you following 80/20 training? If you are going to up your millage so much in just a little bit you probalby should be doing a lot in the low intensity area to avoid injury. I'm sure you can finish the race but it's the training injury risk that would have me concerned.

    I don't even know that I would do 80/20 in this instance. If she's only running 3-6 miles at a time right now and has 5 months to get up to 50K I'd recommend everything be low intensity miles. Time on feet and having a good high volume base is much more important than pace/speed.

    Of course we still have no idea when she ran that half marathon that one time or what her current mpw is.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    edited February 2016
    sjohnny wrote: »
    What type of training program are you doing? Are you following 80/20 training? If you are going to up your millage so much in just a little bit you probalby should be doing a lot in the low intensity area to avoid injury. I'm sure you can finish the race but it's the training injury risk that would have me concerned.

    I don't even know that I would do 80/20 in this instance. If she's only running 3-6 miles at a time right now and has 5 months to get up to 50K I'd recommend everything be low intensity miles. Time on feet and having a good high volume base is much more important than pace/speed.

    Of course we still have no idea when she ran that half marathon that one time or what her current mpw is.

    I think her MPW right now is pretty low, probably under 15 by the sounds of it. Low intensity would probably be around 12 miles per minute? All speculation, of course. :)

    ETA: oops 12 minute mile not 12 miles per minute, that's damn fast!
  • SumnyUK
    SumnyUK Posts: 33 Member
    While the questions being asked are pertinent, some of the tone in this thread sounds like a lot of people are just wanting to find reasons to give a lecture, as opposed to friendly advice.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    edited February 2016
    sjohnny wrote: »
    What type of training program are you doing? Are you following 80/20 training? If you are going to up your millage so much in just a little bit you probalby should be doing a lot in the low intensity area to avoid injury. I'm sure you can finish the race but it's the training injury risk that would have me concerned.

    I don't even know that I would do 80/20 in this instance. If she's only running 3-6 miles at a time right now and has 5 months to get up to 50K I'd recommend everything be low intensity miles. Time on feet and having a good high volume base is much more important than pace/speed.

    Of course we still have no idea when she ran that half marathon that one time or what her current mpw is.

    I think her MPW right now is pretty low, probably under 15 by the sounds of it. Low intensity would probably be around 12 miles per minute? All speculation, of course. :)

    If she can run 12 miles per minute she'll have no problems completing this 50K.

    Low intensity is whatever she can run at a pace at which she could carry on a conversation. Could be a 12 minute mile could be an 8 minute mile. All we know is she ran a half one time and runs somewhere between 3 and 6 miles per run some unknown number of days per week.

    I just wouldn't be doing any intervals and probably not even much in the way of tempo runs if I was doing what we seem to think the OP is trying to do.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    SumnyUK wrote: »
    While the questions being asked are pertinent, some of the tone in this thread sounds like a lot of people are just wanting to find reasons to give a lecture, as opposed to friendly advice.

    Tone?
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    edited February 2016
    sjohnny wrote: »
    sjohnny wrote: »
    What type of training program are you doing? Are you following 80/20 training? If you are going to up your millage so much in just a little bit you probalby should be doing a lot in the low intensity area to avoid injury. I'm sure you can finish the race but it's the training injury risk that would have me concerned.

    I don't even know that I would do 80/20 in this instance. If she's only running 3-6 miles at a time right now and has 5 months to get up to 50K I'd recommend everything be low intensity miles. Time on feet and having a good high volume base is much more important than pace/speed.

    Of course we still have no idea when she ran that half marathon that one time or what her current mpw is.

    I think her MPW right now is pretty low, probably under 15 by the sounds of it. Low intensity would probably be around 12 miles per minute? All speculation, of course. :)

    If she can run 12 miles per minute she'll have no problems completing this 50K.

    Low intensity is whatever she can run at a pace at which she could carry on a conversation. Could be a 12 minute mile could be an 8 minute mile. All we know is she ran a half one time and runs somewhere between 3 and 6 miles per run some unknown number of days per week.

    I just wouldn't be doing any intervals and probably not even much in the way of tempo runs if I was doing what we seem to think the OP is trying to do.

    I agree with the "just run" idea here since that's what I'm doing right now to train for a Spartan Super with only 6 weeks of training after being off for nearly a year with an injury. I just think adding in speed training adds to the risk of injury.

    And yeah, was at work and typing too fast LOL 12 minutes per mile!
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    sjohnny wrote: »
    SumnyUK wrote: »
    While the questions being asked are pertinent, some of the tone in this thread sounds like a lot of people are just wanting to find reasons to give a lecture, as opposed to friendly advice.

    Tone?

    You're obviously typing with hard keystrokes.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    _Waffle_ wrote: »
    sjohnny wrote: »
    SumnyUK wrote: »
    While the questions being asked are pertinent, some of the tone in this thread sounds like a lot of people are just wanting to find reasons to give a lecture, as opposed to friendly advice.

    Tone?

    You're obviously typing with hard keystrokes.

    So that's what that clicking was!