So, you want to run 100 miles!
Having recently entered our first 100-Mile ultra (San Diego 100), we asked a few respected veteran runners for any advice that would increase our odds of avoiding the dreaded DNF. We were expecting some “good luck” and “have fun” ata boys but not with this crowd. The responses were so real we’re considering a 24-hour dart tournament instead. But, since many of our readers may be considering their first 100-Miler or maybe trying to improve upon their last one, we’re sharing the honest advice from some very straight forward people.
Bill Ramsey
Since 1995, over the course of having run twenty-three 100 milers, including eleven sub-24s, I’ve developed a personal approach to preparing for and running 100-Milers. Along the way, I’ve been blessed to have run a best of 18:34:15 at the 1997 Rocky Raccoon 100, finish ten consecutive Angeles Crest 100s, and complete my first four attempts at the Western States 100 in under 24 hours. In June 2007, I arrived at Squaw Valley with more intensive training than any of my prior four WSER runs. I was over trained and ran 26:23 after arriving at Foresthill just under 24 hour pace, but walking most of the final 30 miles.
I’ve found that preparation and strategy are key elements to running successful 100 milers. Success at 100 miles doesn’t just happen, it’s the result of good planning. Before going further, I want to acknowledge Earl Towner, a great ultrarunner with top 10 finishes at both Western States and Leadville for his advice, wisdom, and encouragement. It has been invaluable in helping me to get the most out of my ability. Following the tips outlined below, I’ve continued to get good results and have satisfying race experiences. In July 2006, I covered 100 miles in 20:54 and 110 miles in 24 hours during the 24-hour Relay for Life in hot, humid conditions, and raised almost $8,000 for the American Cancer Society. At 54 years old and with over 25 years of running and racing, training is an important part of the equation. However, pacing, nutrition, hydration, electrolytes, foot care, and other factors are all critical to success at the 100 mile distance. I hope these tips will help you develop a successful race strategy and finish your 100 miler with a smile on your face and the deep sense of satisfaction that only a 100 mile finish can give you
Training: Generally, it’s necessary to get your weekly running mileage up to a minimum of 65-75 miles about five or six weeks before the 100 and hold that mileage for three weekends, and then take a three week taper. In terms of long runs, 50 milers can be good but can take a lot out of you if you don't run them very easy and provide adequate recovery in between 50s. I'll typically do three 50 milers in three months in preparation for WS100. It’s not necessary to run more than 30 miles on any given day within eight weeks of WS100. If your body and legs can handle the training load, then pushing your weekly mileage up to 80-90 miles will pay big dividends. But don’t risk injury or over-training for high mileage. Some folks run the Miwok 100k in early May as a “tune-up” for WSER. I think it’s too many miles to close to the race.
A three week taper (90 to 60 to 30 miles, or 75 to 50 to 25) generally seems ideal. You can adjust the taper based on your own total mileage I’ve had excellent success with my longest training runs being 22-28 miles, and typically rest on Monday with an occasional rest day on Friday. The Monday/Friday rest has always worked well to rest up for and recover from especially long mileage over the weekend. Occasionally, you can throw in an easy Friday before the big weekend. On the 5th weekend before a 100 miler, I like to do 16-20 on Friday, 24-30 on Saturday, and 18-20 on Sunday for 58-70 miles in 3 days to simulate race conditions. The Sunday run is done on relatively dead legs and teaches your body and head how to make those legs turnover just when you thought they had nothing left in them. During training runs, I often visualize myself running the upcoming race. Visualization can be a great confidence builder.
Pace: I always run the first half of a 100 miler with a "training" frame-of-mind. I don’t worry about where I am at place-wise and who’s in front of me or passing me. At WSER, it’s been common for me to have 28 and 29 hour folks in front of me early in the race. You want to run with purpose and keep moving, and not hang out at aid stations any longer than you have to. Try not to spend more than 1-2 minutes in any aid station except those where you may be doing a sock/shoe change or taking care of other business. If you’re merely filling water bottles, make sure they’re empty as you approach the aid station with the caps off. I typically pull my gel and salt out of my waist pack as I approach. Be careful who handles your bottles and don’t hesitate to tell them to take their time. You don’t need to make a NASCAR pit-stop. You want them to be careful. The “training pace” mindset will keep you from over-extending yourself. You want to get to the mid-point of the race feeling pretty fresh. At the 50 or 55 mile aid station, you want to put on your race-face and begin to push the pace. You’ll be amazed at how many folks pushed too hard too early and are struggling. You’ll likely begin passing folks which will naturally build your confidence. I always have three goals for any race. At WSER, those goals are sub-24, sub-26, and sub-30. If you find your first goal slipping out of hand, you’ll have to establish a new goal to keep you motivated and moving.
Nutrition: Stay with liquids (gels and/or drink powders) during the day, and only some light solids at night (chicken soup), unless you know your system can easily handle solid food. You’re body can only do one thing well at a time. If you put solid food in your stomach, it will divert more blood away from other major organs and muscles to help digestion. Do not introduce anything new on race day! If you haven't consumed it during training, don't consume it on race day. There are folks who have been in great shape to go sub-24 and dropped at WS100 from serious stomach distress from violating this rule. At the major aid stations (Duncan, Michigan Bluff, and Rucky Chucky), while I’m changing socks and re-lubing my feet, I’ll drink a can of Ensure or Boost in a bottle poured over ice. They’re a good, digestible source of calories.
I use E-gel (Crank Sports) and although it's designed to be eaten like all gels, I put it in my water bottles and mix it with water. This cuts the sweetness and makes it much more palatable, which means I'll drink it continuously without reservation. At night, I’ll pour warm Mountain Dew over ice in my bottles. The ice melts and results in cold 50-50% blend of Dew and water which is more digestible than straight Dew. The combination of sugar and caffeine is outstanding. Remember to try this during your training runs to see how well your stomach will handle the fructose and caffeine.
Hydration: Staying well hydrated is critical at 100 miles. Set your repeat timer function on your watch so that it "beeps" every 10 minutes and drink when it beeps, a little if it’s cool (2-4 oz.) and a lot if its hot (6-10 oz.). No one is capable of remembering to drink on a regular basis during a 100. The watch will provide a continuous reminder. If you're losing weight, you're dehydrating, and if you're gaining weight, you’re probably taking too much electrolyte and retaining fluids. If your fingers are feeling puffy and its difficult to close your fist without felling tightness in your hand, you’ve got to much electrolyte in you and you need to cut back.
Electrolytes: There are all kinds of slick pills out there (tablets and caplets), but I don't use them because it’s difficult to determine when and how much to take. It’s too easy to consume too little or much. Because E-gel has electrolyte, I don't worry about having to take supplemental electrolyte unless it's very warm (over 80 F). Then I supplement with a little table salt that I always carry in a 35mm plastic film can. About a ¼ teaspoon in every 2nd or 3rd 24 oz. water bottle with E-gel when air temps are over 80 degrees and you’re sweating profusely works great. If your using plain gel (Hammer, GU, etc.), add the ¼ tsp of salt to each 24 oz. Water bottle. More importantly, by putting the salt in your water bottle, you’re continuously "metering-in" fluids, electrolytes, and calories, just what your body needs.
Foot Care: Not taking care of your feet will bounce you out of a 100 faster than you can say “DNF!” After having my feet fall apart in my first 100, I've tried everything and have settled on sock changes every 25 miles or so which equates to 3 sock changes in a 100. It will take you about 10 to 12 minutes to change socks but it will be well worth it. I prefer thin Coolmax socks to remove the moisture from my feet to the shoe as quickly as possible. Heavy socks are cushiony and feel good, but will also hold more moisture against your skin raising the potential for blisters. Everybody blisters at different spots. Know where your hotspots are and take care of them. Let your crew or aid station folks fill your water bottles while you change. Remember, give them precise instructions on what you want in those bottles. I use Desitin diaper ointment (40% zinc oxide) and cover my toes and the ball of my foot which tend to be my problem areas. If your heels get hot, put it there to. If your experiencing chafing on the inside of your thighs or between your butt cheeks, put Desitin there too. Hell, that’s what it was originally designed for and this is not the time to be modest. If you have an emerging chafing problem, you have to take care of it. In a 100, especially if it’s humid, you will chafe and it will become a problem if not addressed. At Massanutten in 2000, the temps and humidity were both well into the 90s. Of 128 runners, only 61 finished. The chafing between my thighs and around my waist from my water bottle pack was awful. I have a buddy who had to drop at 74 miles at the AC100 in 1999 because his butt chafed so bad it was blistered (i.e. monkey-butt). Gaiters will keep a lot of dirt and crap out of your shoes and help immensely in blister avoidance (www.dirtygirlgaiters.com).
Splits: Don’t get stressed if you’ve developed goal time splits, and you’re not hitting them. It’s OK, the race won’t start until past 50 miles. Remember, it’s easy to lose a lot of time in aid stations, so get in and get out. “Beware the chair.” I refuse to sit in a chair at an aid station unless I’m tending my feet/changing socks. You want to stay in an aid station only as long as it takes to do what you have to do, no longer. At WSER, I’ll change socks and re-lube my feet at Duncan Canyon (24m), Michigan Bluff (55m), and the far side of Rucky Chucky (78m) which takes 10 to 12 minutes. Otherwise, I spend no more than 1-2 minutes in an aid station.
Nighttime: You’ll move more slowly at night than during the day. Don’t worry, be happy. However, if you’ve run the first 50 miles or so like a long training run, you’ll find yourself passing other runners. It will be a huge lift psychologically. Remember to continue to eat and drink. A headlamp and handheld LED flashlight work great, the headlamp for distance, and the handheld for close in. Let the arm holding your flashlight hang a little more loosely at your side and use your wrist to control the light’s trajectory. Try not to keep your bicep flexed continuously or it will ache the entire next day. I carry 8-10 Vivarin or No-Doz (200 mg caffeine) tablets and if I find myself losing my mental focus, I take a caffeine pill. Because I drink Mountain Dew over ice at night, I typically don’t need caffeine pills. However, aid stations don’t always have Dew available.
Weather/Clothing: Be prepared for all possible conditions. Unexpected storms have been known to roll in on race day at many events. Getting cold and wet will make life miserable. But if you have the right gear, you'll be comfortable and able to focus on running instead of trying your best not to be miserable. Typically, WSER has hot weather during the day, and warm or seasonal temps at night. Rarely will you need a light jacket. But every 10 or 15 years, you can experience a cool, wet race. You’ll want to have that lightweight, wind-resistant, water-resistant shell. It will be a life saver. If in doubt, fold it up, stick it in your waist belt, and take it with you. In 1999, a cool front moved through the Angeles National Forest during the day and by night time, it was drizzling. I left my jacket at Chantry Flat (74 miles) where the air temps felt warm. But as I climbed Mt. Wilson, and the climb out of Idlehour, wet branches dropped cold water on me leaving me shivering and hypothermic. Fortunately, a fellow runner had a spare jacket in his drop bag at the 90 mile aid station which totally saved my butt.
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The one big difference (besides the obvious doubling of the distance) is the night portion (e.g. figuring out lighting). After multiple hundred attempts (with a smattering of finishes thrown in) I'd say there are really two main things I worry about. One is obvious; food. How can I consume enough calories throughout the night (especially when nothing seems appetizing anymore)? I've tried a lot of strategies and still haven't nailed this one. The second big issue I have is getting cold at aid stations in the wee hours. At 2 a.m. muscles start to tighten as soon as you stop moving and the cold seems to creep in quickly. If you are going to have a crew, I suggest they have a blanket to throw on you as soon as you come into the aid station to retain your body warmth. If I don't do this, I have a very hard time starting to run again. The longer the pause, the harder it will be to restart. Having the blanket keeps the muscles warm and allows you to start running immediately upon leaving the aid station without all the discomfort. If you don't have a crew, then maybe toss on a jacket you are carrying with you and try to get out of the aid station as quickly as possible (maybe send your pacer ahead to get stuff ready for you at the aid station so you can hit and go).
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Robert Baird
Good news: Since you guys have placed yourself on the ultrarunning fast track and really worked on your physical and mental conditioning over the past year or so, you will not have an extremely low point during your run in the San Diego 100.
Bad news: You will have (3) extremely low points. Everyone does. The trick is to tell yourself:
a. This is normal
b. I’m on schedule
c. Everyone feels the same thing
d. This is temporary
The 100-Mile finishers are the ones who fight through items a-d above.
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Carmela Layson
Have three goals in terms of your finishing times at SD100. Stay focused and don’t be disheartened. If Goal one slowly falls out of sight, focus on goal two. If goal two becomes impractical, re-focus on goal three. Expect to feel very bad at certain points in the race as you may experience some very difficult patches. Remember, they’re temporary and will pass. Don’t make a hasty decision on whether or not to continue when you’re feeling bad. Take a break at an aid station and work on getting your sh_t back together. Have a strategy for taking care of your feet, staying hydrated, getting calories, and maintaining electrolytes and execute it. And most importantly, never stop believing in yourself. You’re guys are solid, steady, talented ultrarunners and you’re capable of finishing strong at SD100.
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Doing a hundred is more about problem solving and mental strength. Race plans almost never go as you planned as something unexpected or a problem always pops up. When you face a problem, think positive and be creative to conquer it. When you think negative, you will most likely crash and burn. Just keep your legs fresh and think positive. Do some mental exercises. Imagine the worst that can happen and how you would be strong and overcome it.
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Lori Heinselman-Craig
When you want to quit -- and you will at some point during the night -- just picture yourself crossing the finish line and how psyched you're going to feel about your accomplishment.
Also, BEWARE the CHAIR! Lots of aid stations have chairs for runners to sit on at the later stages of the race. DON'T SIT DOWN!! Stay on your feet and keep moving thru the aid stations and down the course.
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Keira Henninger
BEWARE OF THE CHAIR. Whatever you do don't sit down and just keep pushing forward. Little by little, aid station to aid station. Do not look past that...one cheeseburger at a time baby!!! You are so fierce and strong! Think of all you've been through in life, all the struggles you've made it through. This thing is gravy compared to what a strong willed persistent person can do. Persistence, passion and will are far more needed in finishing a 100-Miler than talent. You're going to surprise yourself out there with the strength you have buried in you (and trust me it will find it's way out in the wee hours of the night). So, how's my concerned Sinead O'Connor look?
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Rob (Robo) Cowan
I would pack No Doz as a last resort - I had never used them before but at Coyote Two Moon they saved my butt when I started hallucinating and sleep-walking. I have a very strong stomach and had no side effects at all.
You are going to have so much fun on your first 100 - it is such a grand adventure and when you pass 50 miles (or whatever is your longest run to date) it’s just incredible to think with each new step you’re breaking your own personal distance record. All I can say is don't get too nervous or over think it, just go out there and enjoy it! You only get your first 100 once! Almost forgot, take 12 RECOVER-ease after the race so you can run on Monday.
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I luv 100 milers....I don't know why but I find them easier than 50-Milers. I think because your body just relaxes and gets into a groove and the time just flies by. Don't race it! Don't think of it as a race, just a long fun run.
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Tracy was moving with such ease it was embarrassing. When he passed us (going the opposite direction) we couldn’t spot sweat on his shirt or dirt around his socks, his hair looked groomed (sorry, Kirk) and his trail etiquette reminded us of 
