The inaugural
St Albans Stampede - a 12 hour enduro race - will take place next month and if
you haven’t entered yet, there’s still time to do so via the Active Training World website
Completing such a long-distance event will be fun, rewarding... and a very tough challenge.
Careful
preparation is needed if you are going to perform at your best, so with that in mind, here co-race director Nick Bradley gives his top tips on how to succeed in a 12
hour ultra…
1. Train
specifically for the challenge
The Stampede
is a trail ultra marathon so you need to prepare your body for running off-road.
I’d suggest heading to Heartwood Forest and trying the route out in advance of
the race - you’ll get a feel for the terrain, there may be the chance to
practice running in mud (yes, mud!), and you’ll also test your fitness on the
undulating hills.
The other key
thing to think about is the distance. It’s likely that the winning solo
participant will cover more than 60 miles during the course of the day, so you
need to think about how far you want to go! This doesn’t necessarily mean doing
lots of 30-50 mile training runs, but you need to get used to being on your
feet for a couple of hours at a stretch.
Another crucial
thing is to remember to practice walking because you could end up doing a lot
of it - and that is absolutely fine - walking
isn’t cheating when it comes to ultra marathons!
2. Invest in
the right gear to get you through
Shoes: Get
fitted properly and invest in a pair that works well for you and your running
style. Remember to size correctly to take into account the time you will be on
your feet and how your feet may swell. I’d also suggest considering a pair of
comfortable trail shoes to protect your feet and provide extra grip on certain sections of the course.
Clothing: This
should be as comfortable as possible, lightweight, and moisture wicking. Also
consider multiple layers to accommodate for changeable weather. As the event is on a
circular route, you can always leave spare gear waiting for you at the
race HQ… and trust me, you want spare gear! A change of socks half way though can
be a life-saver, as can a waterproof jacket if it starts to rain.
Hydration: Water
will be available at the race HQ so you can stock up each lap. But I’d
certainly recommend carrying water, even if that is simply a hand-held bottle.
Some people go for hydration packs from brands like Salomon or Ultimate
Direction which have the dual benefit of helping carry other items like a phone,
camera or iPod (to help cure the potential boredom from running for 12 hours!),
or food. The choice is really yours and what you feel comfortable with. I tend
to favour a hydration vest which carries multiple gear and bottles.
Food: Again,
some nutrition and supplies will be available each lap at the race HQ. But it’s
always best to bring some of your own gear, focusing on the stuff that works
for you. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! Some people like gels, others need real food.
I always recommend having some electrolytes in tablet or drink format.
The key thing is that your body will burn a lot of energy and you have to
replace this energy, little and often, approximately every 20-30 minutes. Don’t
forget to eat!
Other essentials:
It’s often the little things that make a big difference. Don’t forget an
anti-chaffing product such as Body Glide to rub on feet, nipples etc to prevent
blisters and sores. A hat is useful to protect from the conditions - whether
that’s shielding your face from the sun, wind or rain. And I carry always
toilet paper in a backpack… just in case.
If you need
to buy anything visit, Ultramarathonrunningstore.com. They are our event
partners for the Stampede and will be giving all entrants a 15% discount code
for purchases up until the event.
3. Plan your
race strategy in advance
Ultra
marathons are as much about getting your head in the right place as your body. I find the best way to feel confident going in to an event is to
plan as much as I can in advance. What pace will I try and run at? Will I
start off slow and build up, or go hell for leather from the beginning? Will I
take breaks at the race HQ during the day? How often will I eat? What will I do
if that niggling calf injury flares up?!
It’s impossible
to predict everything and you simply won’t know how you’re going to feel on the
day. But one thing usually happens to everyone in all ultras – there will be a
point where you want to quit and you’ll question why you’re doing it in the
first place. Strange as it may seem, the fun comes from taking yourself beyond
this point and exceeding what you thought were your limits. If
this is your first time tackling an ultra, have a think about that feeling in
advance and it will certainly help on the day.
4. Don’t try
anything new on race day
This one is a
classic, and it still astounds me how many people ignore such sage advice…
especially when considering an ultra marathon. If you’re running a 10k, you
may get lucky throwing on those brand new running shoes and avoid suffering from blisters and sore feet. But new shoes worn for 12 hours is a
completely different story. Your feet swell the more time you spend in them,
the chance of getting blisters is greater, why take the risk? The same applies for
clothing, nutrition etc – stick to what you know works for you.
The golden
rule is – try everything during training first, not on race day.
5. 12 hours
simply too much? Take on the Stampede as a team!
The Stampede
is designed to be a challenging but fun event. If 12 hours solo running is not
your thing, get a team of 4, 6 or 8 together and make a day of it. Some people
dress up, others have a mini picnic set up with music, it’s common for
supporters and family members to come along throughout the day to be part of
the atmosphere.
Need some
more tips? Here’s what Striders who have run ultra races before recommend…
- Break the race up into small achievable chunks and focus on finishing that rather than the whole 12 hours, in the case of this event it’s easy to do so by breaking it up into laps.
- If you're in a team make sure you're all on the same page regarding goals – is the aim to have fun or to win?
- Teams should prepare an area in which to relax between runs as you might be hanging around a while. Take camping chairs, picnic blankets and warm waterproof clothing in case the weather turns bad.
- Power walk up hills and run effortlessly down hill to save energy.
- Scheduled walking breaks. Walking early and often can be hard when you feel good at the start of a race, but will likely increase the chances of a strong finish.
- Ask friends and family to come and support you by cheering you on, shouting motivational slogans and ensuring you’re eating enough.
- Don't stay too long at the food station. Grab what you need, put it in a sandwich bag and carry on going. Walk if necessary.
- Take on food early and often. Start with savoury foods and move onto sugary ones - boiled potatoes, peanut butter sandwiches, ham sandwiches, biscuits and dark chocolate make good on-the-move snacks.
- Bring as much spare kit as possible including shoes. Change your socks often… but don't look too closely at your feet!
- For a sugar hit, take a bottle of coke but de-gas it in the week of the event so it’s not fizzy.
- Pack paracetamol in the event of needing a painkiller. Do NOT take anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen as these can cause potentially fatal kidney problems when taken during endurance events.
- Don’t be afraid to talk to fellow competitors – ultra runs can get boring so having chat can help pass the time.
- After the event, don't sit down for too long. Keep moving to prevent yourself from stiffening up.
- You may not enjoy every minute but enjoy as much as possible!
This is our
first year running the event, and on behalf of the Striders, we hope that runners
and spectators have a brilliant time so it can become part of the annual running
calendar - providing a challenge to those taking part and inspiration to those
watching.
If you have
any questions, please get in touch via stampede@stalbansstriders.com or visit http://stalbansstampede.com.
See you on Saturday September 5!
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