Here is a little background info on me. I'm linking to this blog at a great forum, beginnertriathlete.com, so this is for the people who do not know me.
7 years ago I weighed 230 pounds, back during my freshmen year of high school. I changed my diet and started working out, dropped down to 160, and then spent a few years lifting heavy and bulked up to 185. Halfway through my freshmen year of college my knees started hurting pretty bad from the heavy lifting, so I stopped that and bought a bike. I joined a new cycling team and lost about 20-30 pounds the summer after my freshmen year from cycling 5800 miles and dropping down to my current weight, 150lbs. After the season I got the idea to try triathlons (pun not intended) so I officially began training 15 months ago, adding in swimming and running. Last year I swam something like 80 miles and I ran exactly 1,000. Which is just about as much as I've done in each sport, in my entire life. Last summer, my first year ever swimming and running, and my second year cycling, I did something like 7 sprint triathlons, 1 olympic distance triathlon, 1 Half Ironman, and 1 Marathon.
Now this year I'm training for one goal, an ultra marathon taking place August 22nd out on the Mickelson Trail, in the Black Hills of South Dakota. I'm still cycling twice a week, and trying to swim once or twice a week, but I'm totally focused on the run right now.
Well nutrition is obviously key for a long run, and I need to determine nutritional needs now so I know what works and what does not work for my ultramarathon. Thursday I did not have any class or work so on Monday I decided to take this opportunity and test some nutrition. I've read about ultra runners drinking Pediasure, Ensure, or SlimFast during races. I decided to go with Pediasure since it's not milk based and I believed (hoped) it would work best in my stomach and digestive system, not causing any problems. I also consumed Gatorade Endurance Formula, which I used during my marathon and HIM last year.
I awoke at 5am and hoped to be running at 6. I had no idea how far I was going to run today, but hoped for at least a marathon distance. I also wanted to do it all on a treadmill, since I thought it would be cool to say I've done a marathon on a treadmill. Anyway I ate a few pancakes and a cup of coffee for breakfast, I arrived at the Wellness Center in time to begin at 6am.
Here's the next 9:59:02 of my life:
Hour 1:
6.1 miles
200mg Caffeine
20oz H2O
Hour 2:
6.1 miles
Pediasure
Apple
24oz H2O
I duct taped my feet at the end of this block. Simply wrapped once around the sole of my foot, and around a few toes that tend to blister. This was successful in preventing any blister formation. I do wish I would have shaved the top of my foot however, that was quite painful ripping the tape off.
Hour 3:
6.2 miles
24oz H2O
Pediasure
2 scoops Gatorade
The sweating pretty much stopped during the third hour of running.
Hour 4:
5.71 miles
200mg Caffeine
48oz H2O
2 scoops Gatorade
Pediasure
I also switched to a dry pair of socks during this block of time.
Hour 5:
5.7 miles
Pediasure
1 PB&J
36oz H2O
2 scoops Gatorade
Hour 6:
5.5 miles
Pediasure
24oz Water
2 Scoops Gatorade
1 PB&J
Hour 7:
5 miles
1 PB&J
Pediasure
24oz Water
2 scoops Gatorade
At the beginning of the 7th hour was the first time where I actually started to feel tired. I began to lose my running form a bit. Also my left hamstring group of muscles did start to tighten up. I squeezed in 5 during the 7th hour.
Hour 8:
4.5 miles
24oz H2O
Apple
2 Scoops Gatorade
I lost the ability to run for an extended period of time during this hour. I realized I had something like 10 miles left, and I could not run for longer then 10 minutes. I was on the defensive from this point on. Mentally I was great, physically I was fine aside from the hamstrings. I did squeeze in 4.5 miles. This was the first time I really felt dread, dreading the next two hours of mostly walking.
Hour 9:
3.7 miles
24oz H2O
Hour 10:
3.7 miles
24oz H2O
I was barely holding a 3mph walking pace during these two hours. I would run at 6mph for 5 minutes and walk for at least 10. It was slow going, but I got through it.
Overall my total time was nine hours, fifty nine minutes, and two seconds for a total distance of 52.4 miles with an average heart rate of 140 beats per minute, and 7609 calories burnt in the ten hours of running at a pace of 11:26 minute miles.
Just throwing this in here, my weekly / yearly miles
Swim: .5 / 8
Bike: 15 / 106
Run: 61 / 371
The goal of the run was to test nutrition. I consumed six Pediasures and 12 servings of Gatorade Endurance. Each pediasure is 240 calories, which comes out to 1400 calories . I also consumed two Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches, totaling about 600 calories, and two apples, for another 140 calories. I also drank 2 gallons of water during the run. I did not weigh myself before hand, I thought about it about three hours into it the run but by then I was for the most part, done sweating and it was too late to weigh in. The run was a success in this department. I consumed an average of 280 calories per hour, which is just about right now. I'm not sure if I would change anything about my nutrition for this run.
So what do you do during a ten hour run on a treadmill? Honestly I don't remember. Courtney Pickel gave me a book to read, Chuck Palhanuik's Haunted, however I did not even touch it. I printed off 60 or so pages from http://www.ultrunr.com/ and have them in a binder, and I did go through some of those pages. I listened to a bit of music, did some chatting, but I really don't remember most of it, the time passed in a blur.
The only low point was during hour 7 I believe. It was the moment I realized I had something like 10 miles left, and I could not run for more then about 5 minutes at a time. The temptation to quit is strongest when one is just about to succeed. For the last two hours I ran for about 5 minutes at a time and then I'd walk for 10-15 minutes. The only reason for this was my left hammies were pretty tight. Just about like clock work, with about 5 minutes of "running" they would get really tight so I'd turn the speed down and walk.
What really blows my mind is that not once during these 10 hours was I even remotely bored. People came and went as I ran, and I chatted with as many as I could. I'd like to thank both of the Zimmermans for keeping me company, Jenny, Kelly, and Hannah for running with me for the few miles they were on a dreadmill by my side. Barb visited for a little, Shari came over, Heidi was worried about me and I appreciate her checking on me :) Oh and Carmen for sitting with me (or I guess letting me lay on the ground next to her) and chatting for a half hour after I was done.
I can't remember who it was. Someone asked me how long I've been running, it was somewhere around the 22 mile mark. Whoever it was (maybe Shari?) and the girl that was running next to me were both shocked. They said I looked great and neither of them would have ever guessed that I was nearly done with a marathon at that point. It's comforting that I can run for hours on end and still look fresh. It takes a lot of effort to make something look effortless though :p
I also have not mentioned how I felt the day after this 52.4 mile run. I was slightly (extremely) worried that I would not be able to walk the next morning. Right after the run I consumed 24oz of chocolate milk, a Milky Way, and a Naked fruit juice. I also went over to the HPER and had the athletic trainers put me in the ice bath. A couple hours later I went over to Barb's and we did cod, eggs, and corn. It was excellent :) When I got home I put my De Soto calf sleeves. Contrary to how I thought I would feel the next morning, I felt great. The walking was a little slow but I'm mobile. I actually did run two miles on Friday. Got kind of bored during the two though :p
The success of this double marathon does make me nervous for one reason. I'm probably going to attempt the 100 mile run in the hills, not the 50 that I was previously training for. Since I decided on Monday to run for a long time on Thur, and pumped out two marathons with minimal training, amazed me. The fact that it appears I could go out and do a marathon on a whim shows me just how strong I am. The idea of a 50 miler did intimidate me a little bit, but I just ran 52.4 fricken miles. Now, granted, doing it on a treadmill is much different then out on the road, but I still ran non stop for 10 hours, which is what matters most, that I can run for 10 hours straight.
