FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

For some, my lifestyle is hard to understand. People think I'm crazy for running all the time, for spending my weekends training, or for getting up at the crack of dawn to run, swim or bike. I've gotten a lot of questions & quizzical looks over the past several months when I tell people I am training for a 50-mile running race. I decided to compile a list of the 'most frequently asked questions' that I've received.

You ask, I tell.

1. (Most Commonly Asked) Why? (insert strange look from non-runners here) I’ve always been intrigued by the ultra marathons, but especially JFK being that it's a large race with a long tradition. I also think endurance events really play to my strength as a runner. I am not that fast, I just don’t slow down as much as other people do, which has made me a decent marathon runner. I also think I am pretty strong mentally as a runner, which will also play to my advantage in the longer races. Once I started running more and more marathons and kept improving my times, I decided that I should give the 50-mile distance a shot.
   
   
2. What do you think about when you run for that long? Don’t you get bored? I do some of my best thinking when I run. I think about everything and nothing. Sometimes the range of thoughts is all over the map, and sometimes I zone out so much, I don't remember the miles. A lot of the time, especially with the really long runs, I am envisioning race day, and practicing motivating myself for that stage in the race. 

3. How do you recover from all those long runs? I’ve always been lucky to recover from runs quickly. (I’m also not very prone to injuries thankfully. And knock on wood). I am pretty non-traditional with my recovery. I don’t take ice baths. I don’t wear compression socks. I don’t get massages. I use Icy Hot. Does that count? I also swim a lot which I think helps work out soreness. I guess I should thank my parents for whatever genes they passed along that made me this way.

4. What do you eat? Anything and everything. Well, not really, but I don’t place any dietary restrictions on myself – one of the reasons I run is to eat what I want! I try to eat pretty healthy – lots of salads, fruits and vegetables – but, I also eat my fair share of Mexican food, candy (Halloween candy is killing me right now) and other no-so-healthy foods. I also eat lot. Probably double what my husband eats. And, I eat often. My biggest pet peeve is when people (99.9% of the time non-runners and women) assume that just because I run a lot and am fit that 1) I don’t eat and 2) only eat super healthy foods. Not true.

5. What will you eat during the 50-miler? I am going to stick to liquid nutrition (gu, gels, etc) as long as possible. This has worked well in my training, and I used a very similar strategy during Ironman. I will add a few mini-Clif bars and/or a PBJ later in the race if necessary. I know many people will have different strategies than this, but I think I can get by on little solid food. Different things work for different people.

6. What’s the longest run you’ll do in training? The longest run I’ve done up to this point is 31 miles. I may go a mile or two further this weekend (I’m running a marathon Saturday, so will add on before/after) but that will be the extent of it. I don’t see a need to go any further than 35 miles in training.

7. How do you keep yourself motivated and going during long runs and/or long races when you are tired and want to stop? I tell myself: The faster you go, the sooner the suffering ends: Easy concept. Difficult to execute at times. After 2 1/2 years of pummeling my body with marathons, half ironmans and an ironman, I've learned that humans are resilient creatures, and it takes a LOT to kill a person. Case in point: I'm sitting here writing this. This is always a vital bit of knowledge when the going gets tough... I simply have to mentally remove myself from the current moment and current suffering and remind myself that this too, shall pass, that it won't kill me, and there is no reason to stop pushing.

8. Are you planning to train for a 100-miler next? No. I really don’t have a desire to do anything that will keep me on my feet for 24 hours. I like my sleep too much.

9. How does 50-mile training compare to Ironman training? Which is harder? The training is different. Which do I like more? 50-mile training. Mostly because I really do not like riding my bike for hours upon hours. Which is more time consuming? Ironman training.You’re on your bike for at least 5-6 hours at a time, then usually follow that with an hour or 2 run afterwards. There were weekends during Ironman training where I would start training before the sun was up and didn’t return home until almost dinner time. 50-mile training is time consuming, but much more manageable. Which is harder on my body? 50-mile training. Running for hours upon hour, usually on back to back days is hard on your body. Especially if you are doing most of that training on the road and still incorporating speed workouts into your training. With Ironman training, there is a variety and swimming (no impact) and biking (low impact) provide a nice change from the constant pounding on the road. Which will be a harder race for me to execute? We will see…
   
   
10.  Do you have a goal finish time for JFK? Or do you just want to finish? I will finish. I can say this now because I've been tested. My mentality: If someone held a gun to your head and made you run, you could run a lot farther than you think (though that would be a rather weird thing for a gunman to demand). So if you make quitting seem like getting shot in the head, you'll keep going. If it comes to that, I think I will. If this (finishing) is only thing I can accomplish out of my goals, then that's ok.
    
     But, yes, I do have a goal. Unfortunately, I am unable to do anything ‘just for fun’ without a goal in the back of my head. Endurance is definitely my strong point; I am hoping can do 50 miles without walking (or very limited walking) and finish right around the 8 hour mark. Like between 8:00 and 8:05. The challenging section of the race for me will be the 13 miles over the Appalachian Trial. But, I am hoping the more accommodating 26-mile section along the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal will allow me to regain some of the time lost on the AT.
    
    
11. Do you have a coach? Or follow a training plan? I do not have a coach, and I follow somewhat of a training plan (although fairly loosely).I’ve never really been one to follow a training plan – I like to do my own thing, that’s just me.
    
    Most of the training plans I looked at are the same in that they emphasize “sandwich run”—essentially back-to-back long, slowish runs on successive days (building up to runs of 4-5 hours each) that help practice the feeling of running on tired legs. Undoubtedly, you will find yourself running on tired legs during the course of a 50-mile race. The more you can replicate that feeling during training, the better you’ll feel during the race. So, that’s what I’ve been doing. Because JFK has so much flat running, I trained for the race more like it was a road race rather than a trail ultra. I also did not cut my speed works out of my training, even though ultra training emphasizes longer slower miles as opposed to short and fast running. I really enjoy the speed work I do with my run group, and although I’m focused on JFK, I still want to be able to go out and run well at the shorter race distances.
    
    
12. What’s next? That’s TBD. I definitely want to shoot for a sub-3:10 marathon either at Phoenix in January or Boston in April (my PR is currently 3:10:25). I’ve toyed with training for another Ironman, but I am not sure I want to make the time commitment again (or right now anyways). We’ll see.