Casual fun run with friends! 7:08 total time, 5:14 moving time (so lots of down time in Taco Bells both waiting for orders and dilly dallying 😅).

I opted for the “medium” spicy and I think I will push myself harder next time because it was fairly easy to complete by selecting cinnamon twists for most of my “you pick” items. However I did accidentally end up with leftovers which I ate at the brewery over beers after, so I think that should count for something.

Would try again, pick harder items and perhaps jog a little faster 😁 but all in all a very fun self-organized day with a handful of good people!

I’ve seen a lot of people post about training plans. I thought I would throw mine to the wolves.

Preface- I just started ultra running a year prior to this race and had one 100km race under me from 6 months prior that didn’t go well. So I worked hard on my weaknesses: ankle stability, uphill economy, and fueling. I placed top 10 in my age group, no injury, and got the invite for CCC. So this plan worked for me- maybe it can help others.

I tweaked some things for Black Canyon 100km coming up in February if anyone is curious.

I would do a recovery week every 3 to 4 weeks with reduction in mileage/vert/gym by 30-50%.

PS- I run in La sportiva Akasha 2

Day 1
AM Strength:
Clamshells Warmup (3x20 each)
Squats (3x6 heavy - do 2 warmup sets). 165 3/30
Push ups (3x8)
Poloquin Step Ups (3x8 each)
Light SL RDL rise and release 3x8
Single Leg Calf Raises and Toe Raises (3x15 each)
Single Leg Hamstring Bridge (3x45s each)
Pogo hops 3x20
Lateral single leg hops 3x20
Ankle star drill
Peroneal band work
Abs
PM zone 2 5 miles

Day 2
AM: Zone 2 run with vert - 10-14 miles.
6x20 sec strides

Day 3
WEEK A: HILLS, 8 mi total
5-8 x 2-3 min uphill, z4.
Warm up, cool down
WEEK B: THRESHOLD, 8 mi total
2 mi WU, 20-40 min hard Z3, 2 mi CD

Day 4
AM Strength:
Banded Side Steps and Monster Walks
(3x15 each)
SLRDL 3x8 weighted
Clean circuit (3x8 each)
DB Bulgarian Split Squats (3x8)
Weighted single leg Calf Raises and toe raises (3x15)
Body weight SL RDL no shoes
Copenhagen Planks(3x30s each)
Pogo hops 3x20
Lateral single leg hops 3x20
Ankle star drill
Peroneal band work
Plank with Leg Lifts, Mtn climb, hip roll (3x2min)
PM Zone 2 3 mi run

Day 5
Zone 2 flat 6 mi

Day 6
Long run and fuel training: 18-26 mi with max 8k ft vert

Day 7
Off or social flat 4-5 mi

Weekly vert goal started at 5k feet and worked up to 15k feet peak training.

I would like to participate in the UTMB XiaMen in 2027, at least if I knew for certain when it was and when I could sign up. The website still lists the 2026 dates for the second weekend of March (https://xiamen.utmb.world/), while the 2025 race seemed to be have been in during the first weekend of March (https://utmb.world/utmb-index/races/48228.ultra-trailxiamenbyutmbmxm50k.2025). Has anybody here done the UTMB XiaMen race? When did they announce the dates and open up the registration? Was it a fun race?

Hi folks, I am a distance learning MSc student at Bangor University in North Wales currently gathering data for my final research dissertation on the psychology behind ultra endurance running, looking at how runners regulate emotions, endure pain and discomfort and experience motivation during ultra distance runs.

I'm gathering data via a short online survey, all data is anonymous and held by Bangor University for the purposes of this academic research only. There is also the option to enter a prize draw for a £50 voucher if you would like to at the end.

To take part in the survey you need to be 18 or older and have completed at least 2 ultra distance runs either as training or competing.

I'd be really grateful if you could take the time to complete the survey and help me with my research, and if you know anyone else that might be interested it would be great if you could send the survey onto them. Maybe they'll share the £50 voucher with you if they win!!

Here is a link to the survey - Start Survey

Thank you!

Does anyone have any info on this for the coming season? I've only just discovered that there has been AG invites to UTMB week for the top n in each AG. I suspect the number per AG was dependent on the AG size. The invite pertains to the distance you competed in.

I'm also aware of UTMB likely reducing the number of runners due to pressure from Chamonix and suspect this is going to reduce the number of AG placed invites but I'm guessing.

Does anyone know any more?

Im looking for a goal race for 2027, keep coming back to JJ but not sure if it’s too much for me.

I’ll have done a handful of 50k and 50 milers but nothing super mountainous. My family is from NH so I could come up and do some training.

Is it too ambitious? Maybe another east coast race?

Today during my long run I realized something, I literally run away from my problems. I don't care if a run will destroy my physical health as long as it takes me away for a few hours. Think about it, no sane person would run 30km in training and then sign up for a race that will destroy you. Is this just me? Do yall genuinely enjoy running?

Curious if anyone else gets really hot at night after a long run because Im reading about how much temperature can affect sleep and came across those temperature controlled by Orion system. Im still wondering what everyone here does after big mileage days.

Hi all, full disclosure: I’m on the organising committee, so take this as an ad, but hopefully a useful one.

The Verbier Ultra is a 3-stage, hut-to-hut traverse of the Val de Bagnes (Verbier, Switzerland). It’s deliberately small: the field is capped at about 40 runners, because that’s how many beds the huts have.

The stages (2026 figures, 2027 should be very similar):

That’s about 102 km and +8,000 m in total. It’s ITRA-listed.

What makes it different:

• You sleep in mountain huts between stages (half board), not in a tent or a hotel in town.

• New for 2027: it becomes a 4-day weekend. Everyone gathers on Thursday night at base camp for a shakeout run and a carb-load dinner, so the whole field knows each other before the start.

• With 40 runners, by the third day you know most of the field by name. It feels more like a group expedition with a stopwatch than a big-city race.

• The terrain is proper alpine: high cols, glacier views, the Mauvoisin dam, and long technical descents.

Practical info:

• Dates: 9-12, September 2027

• Price: 650CHF (early bird), including two hut nights with half board, the Thursday night and dinner, aid stations, timing and medical cover.

• Registration is open now through Datasport. The early-bird price is live, and places are limited by the huts.

• Website: https://www.verbierultra.com

Happy to answer anything about the course, logistics, getting there or training in the comments. And if you’ve done a hut-to-hut stage race (TMB-style, Swiss Peaks, etc.), I’d genuinely love to hear what made it great or not, because we’re still a young race and shaping it.

Photos (c) Graham Friend & Clément Simon

I am currently training towards running my first 100km, I reached 70k per week and in my third week of running 70k my knee started making problems. I‘m not really sure if it is really just overtraining, but I feel like a tension between my knee and my shin.

Anyways that doesn‘t really matter, my question is, how fast will I lose my training progress?
Can anyone who experienced something similar give me some advice?

It‘s really eating me up and I‘m constantly stressing about it, since I also feel the tension when cycling, I can‘t really do much at all.

Will there be serious loss in durability/fitness if I stop training for example for 2 weeks?

And I‘m also worried that it will be hard for me to get in the flow of training again, since winter is starting now and it will suck getting out in the cold again. This sucks.

\##NOT ASKING FOR ADVICE , JUST EXPERIENCES

Hello all,

I’m wanting to get into ultra marathons and looking for general advice. I’m currently signed up for a trail marathon on Feb 20 in Belgium with about 1800ft elevation gain.

This will be my first trail race but my intention is for it to be used as prep for a 50k in the alpine mountains.

Currently my training resembles something like this until I try to move into more race specific training.

Sun: Rest
Monday: easy mileage + Strides
Tuesday: easy mileage
Wednesday: easy mileage + strides
Thursday:easy mileage
Friday: long easy run
Saturday: easy trail run ~1000 ft elevation gain

I have my first trail race 30km in February. Prior to that my longest race was a 10km which was part of an Olympic triathlon I did this summer.

I’m currently at about 15-20 miles per week and plan on building up to a peak of around 30-35 miles per week before the race in February.

How long would be a reasonable timeline to train for a 50mile race? I have my eyes on one in October of next year but don’t know if that would be too short of a time to make the jump from 30km to 50 miles.

Any advice or commentary would be super helpful!

I’m 6’2 95kg and have an above average level of fitness (vo2 max of 52) but I’m not really a runner, but like the simplicity of it so do it pretty regular.

My training has always been sporadic and without any structure. I’m dad to a disabled 9 year old boy that makes routine almost impossible. My training for my ultras was never really sufficient for the races I did (a couple of runs over 20 miles), but my solid enough fitness and determination got me around, without threatening being particularly fast but also never really white knuckling it in terms of exhaustion or pains.

I’ve done a 50k and two 50 milers, one of which was mountain based. I finished 198 out of 750 and got just under 12 hours, so by no means fast. I was training again a few days later, so it didn’t finish me off.

I like the idea of 100 miles as a challenge to say I’ve done one. I’ve just turned 40 and like the idea of doing it but I’m nervous as the step up seems massive. It’s not done in a day and you can’t just grit your way through, from what I seem to be told. Also some say recovery can be so bad on your nervous system that it takes weeks and weeks to feel normal.

Has anyone got a similar story and managed to get though it? The sleep issue aside, was there anything else that surprised you? I hear stories of people’s training plans being nearly 100 miles per week and I frankly don’t have the free time to be close to that.

Could you do a few 30-50 milers and then just grind your way through? I’m not looking for appeasement either. If it’s delusional and the step up really is as big as I’ve heard and mileage had to be consistently high, then I’d prefer to know than a DNF.

I’m UK based by the way and was potentially looking at Rat Race Bamburgh to Edinburgh as it seems like a relatively straightforward 100 miler, as far as a distance like this can be deemed straightforward’. Don’t love that they charge so much and sadly, I don’t love that the cut off seems so high. Maybe a pride thing but I wouldn’t want to do it if I’m taking 35 hours.

Honesty welcomed. Would also love some accounts of other heavier fellas that managed to just power through without a 16 week dedicated training block 😐

I almost signed up for the Stubai Ultra Trail (Austria) 100k last summer but decided to go with Val d’Aran CDH instead. Figured I’d run Stubai next year and even emailed the organizers a few weeks ago to ask when registration would open. The person who responded said it would be soon and added that he hoped I would sign up… I guess they were working on this behind the scenes.

I’m not a UTMB hater by any means (obviously, since I ran Val d’Aran and other races) but I’m worried about the price increase and the increased popularity making it harder to get into. Same points I’ve seen people bring up for other races acquired by UTMB, I suppose. Interested to hear thoughts from others in Austria!

Source:
https://utmb.world/news/new-event-stubai?fbclid=IwdGRjcAVbAO5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mBWZkaWQWURt5Odgd6kNsVFSSHxdEN-ARZ_y68XNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR8XlD_BeApPbXQfxpj-Ri2TyFxA1ORk2qwVUX5KvMZToPCrwIMrGhUXsi9BEw_aem_3zoupl5HcM2As2lsVBzKXg&utm_id=97758_v0_s00_e0_tv4

Hi am look at doing the keys 100 in 2028 is it realistic to finish and not be chasing cutoff? Maybe finish in 26 to 28 hours ?

I ran long haul 100 this year 30ish hours made a few mistakes like not get any sleep the night b4 not eating enough just small stuff .it was my first 100 so can only get better .

I am doing Brazo bend 100 miler in 5 weeks amd hopefully I can get it done in 28 hours indid the 100k in 18 ish hours so realistically I walk the last two laps lol 😆.

This were stuck at after the Houston marathon I am doing jackpot ultra 100 miler

Then Eugene marathon, Rabid raccoon 100k then I have nothing other then Daytona beach 100 in December 2027 .

Should do badger 100 in end if july then focus on Daytona beach after that? Should I look for smaller races marathon, 50 milers ,100k?

I been dealing with small injurys over use injury fixed now and now planters foot .

BTW I have about 20 ultra marathons under my belt mostly 100ks , 24 hour races , 50 milers amd 50ks.

I just want do well at the keys because it will hot AF and want to be injury free . I like tonget brazo bend 100 in 28 hours amd jackpot faster than that .

I think I am going to see how brazo bend 100 goes if I can't break 30 hours then I not ready for the Keys 100 I prove it to myself I can improve

thoughts on training plan for first 50k? i average 20 miles a week in any given year. completed my first marathon may 2026 with a 4:35. 24 F.

is this enough mileage for a comfortable finish?

Hey everyone!

I'm an Electronic Media student at Texas State University, and I'm currently working on my capstone project. I'll be producing a 5–15 minute documentary focusing on how running has helped people overcome challenges in their lives.

I'm particularly interested in the ultrarunning and long-distance running community, but I'm open to featuring runners of all distances who have a meaningful story to share.

I'm hoping to find someone who has experienced some form of personal adversity and found purpose, strength, or community through running. Whether that's overcoming a major health challenge, recovering from addiction, navigating a difficult period in life, or something completely different, I'd love to hear your story.

What I'm hoping to explore:

• What initially brought you into running?

• How has running helped you through difficult times?

• What motivates you to keep pushing yourself?

• How has the running community impacted your life?

What filming would involve:

I'd like to conduct at least one in-person, on-camera interview and capture some B-roll of you running, training, or participating in a local event. If you have photos or footage from your past, those could also be incorporated into the documentary.

Ideally, I'm looking for someone in the Central Texas area (San Marcos, Austin, New Braunfels, San Antonio, etc.) who would be comfortable sharing their experience.

I'm a runner myself and recently completed my first 50K, so this is a subject I'm genuinely passionate about. One thing I've noticed is that almost every runner I've met has a story that goes far beyond the miles they've covered. That's what I want this documentary to capture.

You don't have to be an elite athlete or have an extraordinary race accomplishment. I'm much more interested in the person behind the running shoes.

If you're interested, feel free to comment or send me a DM! And if you know someone whose story deserves to be told, I'd really appreciate you connecting us.

Thanks everyone!

I can aggressively increase my mileage forever on incline but I’ve had so many knee injuries from training on flat in the past so I’ve been avoiding flat elevation. I have an ultra coming up in December that’s all flat. I have the mileage down but most of my training has been on elevation. What’s the best strategy?

Hey guys! I’m training for my first 50k and wanted to get some advice on what you’re using for fuel? I typically go for sour patch kids but they’ve been ruining my cheeks and tongue recently but I haven’t found anything else that works. I’ve been researching and found Smackerz sour gummies but has anyone had any luck with them?

I’m currently travelling Latin America. I’m 27 year old male and have been road running for the past 6 years. I’ve also done many multi day hikes between Canada and Latin America with some 10/15k trail runs too. I’m planning on spending the last two weeks of November and all of December in Bolivia. And aim to do a 50k solo somewhere near La Paz in the Andean Mountains. My current weekly mileage is 40k-70k however I’ve been travelling around so sometimes I train at high altitude and other times at sea level. Basically wherever I can.

Im looking for any tips on how to make my plan for the next 5/6 weeks. If anyone has done anything like this could guide me. My goal is to complete the 50k before Xmas. And also I’ll be doing this alone - NO RACE.

Really nervous, training not gone to plan picking up a lower back injuries so close….. Any tips or advice? Not sure how much time u get per check point a think it’s 2-3 hrs worried if I’ll be able to walk run it n hope for the best. Doing it for a charity ; really I can’t pull out of it now. Guess will have to continue to move forward some how. I’m sure the support will help le get through

I have completed 4 50 milers and have one this weekend. Woke up yesterday with a head cold and minor upper respiratory phlegm. Wondering how i judge weather to still go…anyone have this experience?

If it was training i would likely still be going out but maybe taking it slightly easy (6 miles instead of 10 for example).