Week 16 (68.6) - 25 days to go

It's funny how quickly the running mind set changes. I averaged more than 73 miles per week in August, finished with 327 total and felt disappointed; disappointed because I felt sluggish and bored on Sunday. Before I started training for Tahoe, I'd have called anyone crazy who did 300 in the August heat. Especially me. I hate long runs.

So, with less than four weeks to go, I just need to hold on. I wrote some Ultra Marathon expert named "Mad Dog Mike" for advice. He wrote back, but since he didn't confirm what I think I know, I'm not putting much stock in his words. Here's the transcript (Mad Mike is in Parenthesis) -

(Dear Scott: Thanks for writing. How did you hear about The Mad Dog? Did you read my recent article in "Marathon and Beyond" magazine?)

Me: I've had a hard time finding forum threads on running the Triple, (No loss: message boards are generally fonts of misinformation), so I've been training without a net for the September races. (Ha, ha! That shows you are brave...important for being an ultra-runner. It is also important to be a little crazy.)

I'm not sure that I have a specific question so much as looking for advice. (Oh-que-doke.)

I'm a 46-year old, 2:50 - 2:55 marathoner. (Nice and fast. Congratulations. Have you done some 2:50 marathons recently?)

I've worked my way up from 120 mile months in the spring to 250, 270 and 325 the past three. (That's pretty high mileage in my opinion.)

No pain at all. (That's a relief!!!!)''

Actually feeling strong. (Very important. Now the trick is to not leave it all on the training trail, and still feel strong and pain-free at the start of the race.)

I haven't run at altitude, (Only running at altitude will prepare you for running at altitude. There are no tricks, other than using an altitude simulator, that will help prepare you), but I've been training in heat and 95% humidity. (That's nice, providing you plan to race under those sorts of conditions. However, if you believe training in heat and humidity will help, then continue to do so...the mind can be magical.)

I'd thought I run the day 1 marathon around 3:25, (Yes, you must run the first day very easy.)soak in the lake for half an hour (Immediately following the race, get in the COLD lake with a two litre bottle of full-sugar coke and food. Stay in the water until you have finished the coke and the food and or your legs have turned blue. Take at least one more soak later in the day. Do the same after days two and three as well.) and try to get enough carbs down (Other than your carb intake immediately following the run, your meals should be high in protein and reasonably high in fat. Do not take in excessive amounts of carbohydrates.) so that I don't hit the wall at the halfway point. (Hitting the wall is the result of poor pacing.If you pace correctly, you will have plenty of stored glycogen to burn intramuscular fat: and intramuscular fat is what will power your muscles.From now until a couple of days before the race, do all your runs before eating, and eat nothing during the runs. Nothing! You may sip a diluted sports drink, but that's it! This will help training your body to quickly switch to fat metabolism. Stay completely away from concentrated carbs, like gooz and jells. Eat and drink immediately following your workouts...no delay.)

My best guess is that I should be able to ratchet down several minutes each successive day. (Play it as you go along, and save your major effort for the final 13.1 miles on day three.)

I don't take food well on the day of the race, but have no problem with sports drinks (Take a diluted sports drink.Several members of The Mad Dog Training Team have had good luck with the drinks "Accelerade" and "Succeed, which each contain a little protein.) and gels. (Stay completely away from concentrated carbs like gooz, jells and candy bars.They can cause GI upsets, nausea, diarrhea, cramps and sometimes vomiting. They prevent or delay the switch to fat metabolism, impede the body's ability to absorb water, and provide no benefits.Any thoughts? (The Mad Dog always has something to say.)

I know this is vague, (No, your questions were good, and went right to the essentials. I am sending you, as attachments, some back issues of the run-newsletter that I hope you enjoy and find useful. After you read them, please write me again.Dr. (Mad Dog Mike) Schreiber, Online Marathon/Ultra/Trail Coach and Fitness Guru http://us.mc317.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=training2run@yahoo.com

Kind regards,
Scott McIntyre

I plan on running one more set of back-to-back long runs Saturday (Sept 6) and Sunday and then do one more 18 to 21 miler on Sept 13. Unlike training for a normal marathon, I plan on doing a big taper, maybe 50, 35 and 10 (short week) the last three weeks. That means that the upcoming week is the last serious one. Yahoo!!