How stupid an idea is this? 5k to 50 miles in 10 months..
Options
mikes99mail
Posts: 318 Member
I'm 45, 6'2", 250lbs, ex competitive in rowing and swimming. I can happily run / walk for 10k in about 1.05 and could probably run a 5k non-stop if I absolutely had to.. In the past, when I try and build my distance up, I get injured. I think this is because I try and do it as continuous running instead of run / walk.
I spotted a 50 mile trail 'adventure' that goes through a beautiful area of mountains in November, they say the best way to approach is is 'run the flats, run / walk the downhills and walk the uphills (about 8000ft of up in total). I could do that, right? If I stick to run / walk in training, shed some weight through diet and get a sensible training plan together.... I've done 24 hour bike races before, so am used to pushing myself at a set level for a long time.
someone tell me if I'm being deluded?
I spotted a 50 mile trail 'adventure' that goes through a beautiful area of mountains in November, they say the best way to approach is is 'run the flats, run / walk the downhills and walk the uphills (about 8000ft of up in total). I could do that, right? If I stick to run / walk in training, shed some weight through diet and get a sensible training plan together.... I've done 24 hour bike races before, so am used to pushing myself at a set level for a long time.
someone tell me if I'm being deluded?
0
Replies
-
check there isn't a time cut off point for if you're walking more than you run, and get a decent training plan!1
-
Intriguing. Can you do it? Sure. If you've raced before, you know 1/2 of it is mental. All you need to do now is find the right training plan.
0 -
I'm still trying to wrap my little mind around "run / walk for 10k in about 1.05 ." Isn't that <11 minute miles for 6 miles? To me, that is more than a run/walk. That's a 10K goal.
Since, you've "done 24 hour bike races before..." you should be able to cover the distance. A 4 mile and hour pace (15 minute miles, a brisk walk) will cover the distance in 12.5 hours. As long as any cut off being longer than 12.5, it seems doable.
Be sure to enjoy the scenery.1 -
mikes99mail wrote: »I'm 45, 6'2", 250lbs, ex competitive in rowing and swimming. I can happily run / walk for 10k in about 1.05 and could probably run a 5k non-stop if I absolutely had to.. In the past, when I try and build my distance up, I get injured. I think this is because I try and do it as continuous running instead of run / walk.
I spotted a 50 mile trail 'adventure' that goes through a beautiful area of mountains in November, they say the best way to approach is is 'run the flats, run / walk the downhills and walk the uphills (about 8000ft of up in total). I could do that, right? If I stick to run / walk in training, shed some weight through diet and get a sensible training plan together.... I've done 24 hour bike races before, so am used to pushing myself at a set level for a long time.
someone tell me if I'm being deluded?
That sounds pretty ambitious to me. Let me think . . . call it 3 months to train and get through a half marathon, another 3 months to recover, train, and get through a marathon, and you have 4 months left to train for 50 miles. Yeah, it could work, if everything goes right.
Here's where I see red flags: "could probably run a 5k non-stop if I absolutely had to.. In the past, when I try and build my distance up, I get injured." That shows a lot of learning curve is ahead of you to become a distance runner. I'd guess that you didn't get injured from trying to run continually, you got injured from trying to run too fast continually. Walk/run intervals are a way to address that, but I don't know that they'll stretch to 50 miles without also having the discipline to run easy, i.e. at a pace that you could keep up for a couple hours if you needed to.
The elevation also troubles me. 8000 ft of gain is one thing, but is there also 8000 ft of decline? As a local race director and former professional distance athlete says, "The uphills may break the spirits of some newbies, but it's the downhills that turn your body into ground beef." That's not to say the 50 miler is impossible; there's simply an awful lot of conditioning and technical learning that needs to happen to get there, and it may be more than you can cram into 10 months.
My advice: Start smaller. Get to where you can complete a half marathon. Assuming that goes well, complete a marathon. If that goes well, then start looking at ultras. Going from "could probably run a 5K non-stop if I had to" to completing a 50 mile trail event with 8000 ft of elevation gain is an awfully big leap to take all at once.
5K to 50 miles? Yeah, you can do that. 5K to 50 miles in 10 months? I have my doubts.6 -
I'm with @MobyCarp on all the above. When I first started running, I ran all of my training runs too fast thinking I need to run fast to get faster. As a beginner runner, your biggest gains come from building cardio capacity and more easy mile. Biking builds up your cardiovascular conditioning as well and those benefits translate to running, so you probably have decent cardiovascular capacity to begin with. There is more than just building aerobic conditioning though. You need to condition your legs to running and associated stresses. This is done through a slow build up in mileage. I myself was in a similar situation as a beginner: decent aerobic base but no conditioning to running. I injured myself running 9 MPW. Now I average 40-45 MPW, with peaks of 60 MPW, without injury.
Could you do it? Yeah sure. But you are at increased risk of injury in doing so. And you will have a better time and results building up slower and tackling shorter races.1 -
I'm still trying to wrap my little mind around "run / walk for 10k in about 1.05 ." Isn't that <11 minute miles for 6 miles? To me, that is more than a run/walk. That's a 10K goal.
Since, you've "done 24 hour bike races before..." you should be able to cover the distance. A 4 mile and hour pace (15 minute miles, a brisk walk) will cover the distance in 12.5 hours. As long as any cut off being longer than 12.5, it seems doable.
Be sure to enjoy the scenery.
No, it sounds to me like he struggles with pacing. I've been running off and on recreationally for a couple years and just got serious about trying to train for an ultra a few months ago. When I started running, I literally thought that sprinting was the only kind of running. I would go way too fast, then wear out quickly and walk. My first 5K was at 30:00 (yes, exactly) and was running/walking. The 2nd 5K (less than 2 months later) was at 28:53 and was done with running/walking.
Over time, I've improved pacing ability and yet still have the issue (just to a lesser extent). Usually, I'll start out at a 6-7 min. mile, then have to slow down after around 0.3 miles, walk 0.1 miles, then run again... and so on. The fastest sprint (intentional fartlek, not unintentional pacing error) recently reached 12.9 mph (based on GPS, and the track matches precisely), but was only 2 blocks.
Yes, it is possible to have pacing issues and still come in at reasonable average speeds, such as 9 - 10 min. miles... I know this from personal experience2 -
I'm with @MobyCarp and think your current level to a 50M in 10 months is too aggressive. I'm not an expert, but an aspiring ultra-runner... my plan is to do an ultra in a few years. Maybe my plan is a bit on the slow side, but I think yours is way too fast. I'm also almost 100 lbs. lighter than you (but 5 in. shorter) and 14 years younger. Maybe put a plan together for 1.5 to 2 years.... twice as much time as you are thinking.1
-
I agree with @MobyCarp here. You could probably do it, but what's the point? I will continue to argue that it is really worthwhile to try to train for a fast 5K. Very fun, hard, and less likely to get you injured. I've done both long rides and long runs (up to 100 miles), the long runs are more unpleasant.0
-
really good input, thanks all (especially @MobyCarp).
I'm coming round to the idea too, so will take the next few months trying to build a base of steady runs so I can take on a 1/2M in the spring / summer, then continue to train to get to M, then see what happens. And I agree 100% that my pacing is awful, I'll be trying to find a speed I can sustain!1 -
This has been some interesting reading, and being a newer runner myself, here's my perspective. I started running about a year ago, in that time, I've run 2 HMs, a 10k and a handful of 5ks. I'm currently training for my first full marathon, which is in June.
There's a part of me that wants to run an ultra, or at least a trail marathon. So, that's on my potential 2018 calendar, so I can get through my Jun marathon, and a possible September Marathon, and reevaluate at that time, since the trail marathon or ultra I am looking are lottery only and the drawing would be next January.
So, I'll be on a pretty darn fast schedule, going from not running to POSSIBLY running an ultra, in just under 2 years.2 -
@mikes99mail I started similar to you. 48, 6'5", 260#. I hadn't done any running at all at the start, but had done enough power walking & hiking that my very first run was a 39 minute 5K (I was shocked I could do it). I did lose about 50 pounds in the first 7 months of running, which helped a lot.
I'm on what I think is pretty aggressive plan to a 50 mile ultra and it's still 3.6 times longer than your plan:
First half marathon in 6 months (done)
First marathon in 12 months (done)
First 50K in 24 months (planned for April '17)
First 50M in 36 months (planned for April '18)
I flirted with the idea of sneaking in a 50 mile race at 23 months (with 9000' of elevation gain, and loss) but decided the injury risk just isn't worth the reward.
It's going to take a lot of time and miles before your bones and tendons have adapted and strengthened well enough to handle the beating of a 50 mile race, even with a lot of walking.0 -
I come from it a bit differently - as a long distance hiker. (I'm also a runner but only up to marathon distance.) What is the farthest you have walked? When you aren't used to it, long miles put a lot of stress on the feet and knees. As others have said, 8000' is also a lot of climbing, though spread over 50 miles it's not as bad as it sounds. It will stress the knees and ankles. When I was doing my long hikes, I was able to backpack 20 miles a day fairly easily after I had been hiking a while. More than 25 was really painful. My feet and legs would throb and the last few miles I was in zombie mode. My longest days were 30 or so, and I could barely walk the next day. Of course, that was with a pack doing some serious mountains, but they were also after having hiked 100+ miles a week for the previous 2 months. I know people who have a lot less problem doing 25 - 30 miles a day, but they have also built up to that kind of mileage over time.
You might want to start with mostly just walking, doing 10 - 15 miles at a time. Strengthen your bones, muscles and tendons without the high impact of running, especially given your current weight. Maybe run 3-5 miles a day during the week and go for long hikes on the weekend. When you can comfortably walk 20 miles, then add in some running.0 -
I don't have much to add, other than you should make sure you get someone to check your running form. If you can get injured easily, then that usually is a form issue. It could also be you are not wearing properly fitting shoes either. Before you do anything, get this stuff checked out. Then find a good plan and work up to it. You can't get to your goals if you are injured, so you need to start out right. Good luck and always have fun!0
-
If you haven't run even 10 miles, you have no idea what 50 will feel like - yes, it may be doable, but none of us is going to be able to tell you'll be able to do It, or if it's a good idea. You'll have to find that out yourself, literally step by step.1
-
tomaattikastike wrote: »If you haven't run even 10 miles, you have no idea what 50 will feel like - yes, it may be doable, but none of us is going to be able to tell you'll be able to do It, or if it's a good idea. You'll have to find that out yourself, literally step by step.
I'm hoping @mikes99mail has done more than 10 miles by now, seeing as the race is in a few weeks!!!1
