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24-hour races are superbly, brutally easy. One circuit. In the future. As many laps as potential.
There’s something heroic and universally interesting about pushing your physique by way of a full cycle of the earth’s rotation. In contrast to most races over a set distance, this ultra-marathon occasion is a race over time. 24-hour races allow members to run alongside one another for your complete race, as a substitute of struggling alone, hours behind the chief. Contributors usually workforce as much as race relay type, however the gold commonplace stays the solo self-discipline.
Finishing a 24-hour race requires a mix of bodily conditioning, technical preparation, and psychological toughness. Getting lapped and lapping others is par for the course, relaxation is a relative time period, and in the case of energy, it’s cheat day. However that is all a part of the fun.
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
For many of historical past, working was a survival tactic. Moreover the occasional burst of youthful vitality, excessive exertion was typically averted. In Victorian England nevertheless, a number of pain-loving pioneers sparked a newfound ardour for feats of endurance. The English Channel was swam, aggressive strolling drew document crowds, and cyclists raced round a velodrome for six days straight.
Quick ahead to the current day and excessive endurance occasions are plat du jour. This yr, the world document for distance run in 24 hours was damaged at a knee-shattering 309.4km (192.3mi). As of July, the biking document stands at an epic 1026.2km (637.7mi). That’s London to Luxembourg – and again once more.
24-hour occasions are now not the protect of the elite. Seasoned athletes race alongside grizzled journeymen. Technophiles obsess over biometric information, whereas enjoyable runners in shiny pink sustain morale. Ultrarunning participation has grown by 345% within the final decade with an estimated 10,000 occasions hosted every year. [1] There’s in all probability one close to you.
AM I BUILT FOR ENDURANCE?
If the trim figures of the extremely elite go away you feeling heavy, don’t fret. Analysis into the components affecting ultrarunning efficiency present that dimension and physique fats share usually are not the primary predictors of success.[2][3] These research concluded that earlier race instances and coaching historical past had been most intently related to ultramarathon efficiency.
And when you thought you had been too previous for 24-hour occasions, take into account this. Extremely-endurance occasions are constantly dominated by runners of their forties[4][5][6][7] with most runners getting into their first occasion of their mid-thirties.[8]
Girls are effectively represented within the sport of ultrarunning.[9] Look no additional than Courtney Dauwalter for inspiration. She set the Extremely-Path du Mont-Blanc course document in 2021, and completed the Moab 240 (sure, it’s 243 miles lengthy) 10 hours forward of each different competitor – males included.
The take residence message is that age, dimension, and gender usually are not an important variables on this self-discipline. Far and away, the very best predictor of efficiency over 24 hours is the working finished earlier than the race.
HOW LONG SHOULD I TRAIN FOR A 24-HOUR RACE?
Most marathon coaching plans are underneath 6 months. For twenty-four-hour races nevertheless, that is an absolute minimal. Race preparation time is dependent upon your coaching standing. There isn’t any shortcut to race readiness. For these newer to working, 12 months coaching is advisable. If you’re accustomed to half-marathon distance, or working 40 to 50km (25 -30mi) per week, you’ll be able to progress to ultramarathoning extra shortly. Do not forget that coaching for a 24-hour occasion requires acclimatization to new pacing, new technique, new gear, night-time working, and sleep deprivation – don’t rush.
TRAINING INTENSITY
The common runner takes lower than 10 hours to finish a 100km ultramarathon. In a 24-hour occasion, that’s not even the midway level. In coaching for a 24-hour race, the emphasis is on constructing cardio capability at low depth. A method to do that is to run for time, not distance. When your purpose is 3 hours as a substitute of 30km, the main target shifts from masking distance quicker to passing time with much less effort.
Ultramarathon runners depend on quantity slightly than depth throughout coaching.[10] Nevertheless, you need to nonetheless embody excessive depth exercises to lift cardio threshold and enhance your capability for clearing lactic acid.
Tempo runs (70-80% of max coronary heart charge) of accelerating period are a good way to attain this. Brief intervals above 80% of max coronary heart charge are advisable to extend maximal cardio capability and strengthen the center and respiration muscle mass. Respiratory muscle fatigue is a limiting consider ultramarathon efficiency.[11][12]
THE LONGEST RUN
A query usually requested is, “how lengthy ought to my longest coaching run be?”. In contrast to shorter endurance disciplines, working 70% of the race distance in coaching just isn’t advisable for 24-hour occasions. Recovering from such a run will possible disrupt your coaching schedule and be counterproductive total. Intention for a run of ~6 hours earlier than your 24-hour race.[13]
You will need to progress at a manageable charge. Enhance your coaching load progressively (5-10% every week) till you’re coaching a number of hours per week, with a minimum of one future of some hours.
Simulate the occasion with back-to-back runs on drained legs and embody particular coaching to your occasion. The terrain, elevation profile, and local weather of your race decide how you need to put together. Are you coaching for a mountain path in Canada or a observe occasion in Australia? Lastly, taper your coaching a month prematurely of the occasion to permit for full restoration.
PACING
Pacing in a 24-hour occasion is a novel problem. The end line is a day away, irrespective of how briskly you’re. Terrain, elevation, and climate are sometimes changeable. Runners of all talents are on the identical circuit, which interferes additional with particular person pacing technique.
No shock that beginner runners have a tendency to begin too quick and alter tempo too usually. Analysis into 24-hour pacing technique reveals that the very best runners begin at a decrease relative depth and keep a steadier tempo all through.[14]
Through the race, keep dialog tempo (sluggish sufficient to speak). Count on to stroll. Strolling early and infrequently permits you to relaxation and eat whereas nonetheless rising mileage. Scout the course prematurely to match your tempo to the course profile. Steep, tough or technical sections are sometimes higher walked, particularly when drained.
In coaching, run for time not distance. The longest coaching run earlier than a race was discovered to be the very best predictor of 24-hour efficiency in leisure runners. The researchers advisable a 60km run earlier than the competitors – that’s a 6-hour run at 6-minute tempo.[13]
NIGHT RACING AND SLEEP DEPRIVATION
Evening racing and sleep deprivation are key options of the 24-hour occasion. With the intention to keep momentum and mileage, sleep is saved to an absolute minimal. Except you compete within the Arctic Circle, there’s no avoiding midnights.
This requires you to beat the circadian drowsiness that hits after midnight, along with the problem of low-light situations and basic fatigue. To make issues worse, sleep is commonly poor within the lead as much as the race because of final minute logistics and journey to occasions. Excessive tiredness could cause confusion, hallucination and delayed response time. With most racers choosing only a few minutes’ sleep each few hours, the risks are actual.
To fight the results of sleep deprivation, take into account ‘banking’ sleep prematurely of the race. Extending sleep time forward of competitors and daytime napping are standard methods amongst ultramarathoners and have been proven to enhance alertness and muscular endurance in laboratory situations.[15][16][17]
Lengthen your sleep by 1 to 2 hours within the weeks earlier than your occasion and add a daytime nap. Enhance your sleep by avoiding display time and stimulants earlier than mattress, in addition to sleeping on the similar time every day.
NUTRITION
In a typical 24-hour ultramarathon, a 70kg racer burns roughly 10,000 cal – 4 instances the conventional each day consumption.[18][19][20] It’s inconceivable to eat this many energy throughout a race, so to reduce the deficit and optimize vitality provide, racers should refuel effectively.
In contrast with shorter endurance occasions, the tempo of 24-hour races permits for loads of consuming on the go. Most energy for the race will come from carbohydrates, usually within the type of gels, bars, and drinks.[21] Nevertheless, for longer ultra-endurance occasions, fats is more and more vital as an vitality supply.[18][6] Have quite a lot of meals obtainable, savoury and candy to fulfill cravings as they come up.
Carbohydrate consumption ought to be within the vary of 30-50g per hour, for fats, round 4g per hour and protein between 5-10g per hour.[18][22] Pretzels, bagels, biscuits, bananas – even pizza are ideally suited vitality sources. Take a look at your meals in coaching. It’s important that your energy are effectively tolerated. Peanut butter sandwiches can work simply in addition to costly vitality bars.
Caffeine and taurine-based drinks may also help you keep alert, and enhance efficiency however abstain from stimulants 7 days earlier than the occasion to reinforce the impact on race day.[23] Caffeine ought to be reserved for later within the race or within the night time when stimulation is most wanted, and solely in line with particular person tolerance. The newest suggestions are for reasonable doses of 50mg per hour. Power gels containing caffeine are a simple strategy to handle consumption.[21][18]
In preparation for the race, a carb-rich weight loss program is crucial to stop a unfavorable vitality steadiness and gas coaching. Consuming 10 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of physique weight per day, within the days earlier than the race is advisable to “carbo-load”, although many athletes battle to eat this quantity.[18][24]
HYDRATION
Correct hydration aids digestion, muscular contraction, and cognitive operate, which in flip improves efficiency. In principle, the intention is to interchange what you’ve misplaced because of respiration, sweating, and urinating.
It’s usually acknowledged that weight lack of simply 2% by way of dehydration can have an effect on well being and efficiency. Nevertheless, high ultra-endurance athletes regularly lose greater than 3% physique mass over the course of a race, regardless of ingesting as a lot as 19 liters[25].
In follow, skilled athletes commerce off a level of dehydration in opposition to hyperhydration (extreme water consumption), to stop bloating and hyponatremia (low blood salt). Race finishers present higher sensitivity to their hydration wants, tending to drink much less the day earlier than a race, and extra in the course of the race than non-finishers.[26][27][28]
The newest advice for hydration is subsequently to “drink to thirst”. This ought to be within the vary of 150-250ml each 20 minutes relying in your choice and environmental situations.[18] Sizzling climate considerably will increase fluid necessities, whereas chilly climate blunts sensitivity to dehydration.
Remember that many “sports activities” drinks don’t present sodium in excessive sufficient focus (suggestions are 500-700mg per liter). Salted snacks and sodium dietary supplements can improve your consumption while hypertonic options present a dependable provide of electrolytes and carbohydrates.[18]
Style and tolerance are vital components, so take a look at your hydration technique in coaching to keep away from GI upset on race day.
A DAY LIKE NO OTHER
A 24-hour race is a day like no different. The ache and struggling are to not be underestimated however the adrenaline and accomplishment are greater than rewarding. With the suitable method, you’ll be able to conquer this distinctive ultramarathon – and luxuriate in it too.
There are vital dangers related to 24-hour endurance races. Seek the advice of an train skilled for particular person steerage, and steadiness your coaching with enough restoration.
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