In my post earlier today I described the various different paced runs you can start to add after the distance foundation stage. I forgot to mention the ‘ultra marathon’ pace. This is a recovery like run albeit a very long one but the bonus is because it’s a race you get to basically eat and drink what you want, within reason, on the pretence it is required fuel and hydration.

When I prepare for a marathon I’ll maybe hand-carry a couple of Gu’s, as extra nutrition, as the 42k distance without these bad boys can be a challenge. You add the word ‘ultra’ to a race and you have hydration packs filled to the gunnels with about 6 litres of some super-drink full of electrolytes, sugar, carbohydrates and more protein than a field of chickens. Then you add a fuel belt with more confectionary than a corner store. This could be for a race an extra 4-5k longer than a marathon. What happens in that extra 4-5k that justifies this food and drink smorgasbord ? Worse still is a supported ultra because every 10k or so  these runners get to feast on all sorts of weird and wonderful delicacies.

I’ve always said an Ultra is an eating and drinking conception with running between meals. The person who finishes first and normally eats the least normally wins. My mate Jon in his first ultra ( http://australiadayultra.com ) actually put weight on in the 100k race and still finished second. If he spent more time running and less time eating he could have won !

All joking aside Ultra pace is obviously slower than normal and is dictated by distance and terrain. Common sense dictates the longer the race the slower the pace and if the terrain is mountainous add a few seconds per pace, in between snacks of course.

I’ve ran 16 ultra’s in my career ranging from 46k up to three Comrade campaigns in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Comrades varied between 86-89k depending on how sadistic the race director felt I assumed. ( http://www.comrades.com ) My lasting memory of Comrades was the constant deluge of food offered from organised race tables or just the general public. This consisted of barbecues serving all sorts of meat in all sorts of  disguises. and of course beer, and lots of it.  Unfortunately this is not the norm for ultras, normally you have too work vary hard between aid stations , which is another excuse to spend serious time at the aid stations eating and drinking, apparently.

So if you like your ‘tucka’ then maybe the ultra world is the answer to your dreams., I know Jon can’t wait to get stuck into the 100k in January next year.

This post could be a big one. So much information out there on pace in all its different forms. I’ve just made myself a cup of tea as I prepare to dive into this subject. (A runners treat,  a cup of tea while blogging. Funny thing is I actually believe that to be true. I’m really am a sad runner, I suppose, or on the other side of a coin a finely tuned running machine fueled by sweet tea and the odd chocolate digestive..anyway I digress back to the post…)

So after the foundation has been laid with some quality ‘time on legs’ distance it’s time to put that fitness to good use and start to sprinkle in some speed. Nothing too strenuous to start with, the old ‘walk before you can run adage’ comes into play because we need to avoid injury (I hate even typing that word!) .

So what are the options when it comes to adding pace.

1. Steady runs. These are slightly faster than normal but not quite as fast as say, marathon pace, or tempos. A steady run will get the heart rate up (you have a Garmin or GPS watch with a heart monitor right?) but not been too much effort that it is unsustainable for the period of the run. If you find you’re struggling towards the end it ain’t steady. On the other hand it needs to be a test of sorts, so some effort will be required to keep the desired pace.
2. Next in the pace scale is a tempo run. This should be pretty close to your marathon pace or even a tad quicker. A long tempo run will be an effort and needs to be a test. Ideally tempo runs are perfect for gaining confidence in your training as you move towards your goal race.  Concentrate on your technique as well as maintaining the pace.
3. Thresholds are next. This is the fastest pace at which you can remain fully in control of your breathing. At your threshold pace you’re breathing deeply, but not straining to get enough oxygen. For highly trained runners, threshold pace can be sustained for about one hour in race conditions. For beginners, it’s closer to a 30-minute maximum pace. With Thresholds you are in the ‘pain box’ but the benefits are worth the effort.
4. Vo2 max. / Intervals. A high VO2 max figure can be the target of many a runner and also I believe the downfall. My Garmin 235 gives me V02 figures ranging from 58-65 depending on how the heart monitor is behaving itself. I don’t get hung up as this figure bounces between the average high and low figure. A proper VO2 score can only be achieved in a laboroty and is not something I desire.  Pace wise interval paced is the fastest you can do over a short distance, normally 800m to 1600m, repeated a number of times. The goal is to complete the intervals in a similar pace for the first and the last interval. Fading on the last few repeats indicates you went out too quick for the first few and finishing too strong means you were a tad lazy at the start.
5. Marathon pace. As the name suggest holding your predicted marathon pace for a good distance. If you want to add some spice to this workout add a 10km warm up and then 20-30k at marathon pace. Ideally this is a last long run confidence booster before the big day. Anyhow marathon pace long runs are ideal if you can achieve them and still feel fresh enough for the training in the week ahead.
6. Fartlek. This is my favourite pace as it is normally unstructured, if you are being true to the original idea. Swedish for “speed play,” and that is exactly what it’s all about. Unlike tempo and interval work, fartlek is unstructured and alternates moderate-to-hard efforts with easy throughout. After a warmup, you play with speed by running at faster efforts for short periods of time (to that tree, to the sign) followed by easy-effort running to recover. It’s fun in a group setting as you can alternate the leader and mix up the pace and time. And in doing so, you reap the mental benefits of being pushed by your buddies through an unpredictable workout. The goal is to keep it free-flowing so you’re untethered to the watch or a plan, and to run at harder efforts but not a specific pace. If you want some structure try my favourite session the ‘mona fartlek’ . I’ve already written a post on this so search the site and you’ll find it.

So there you have it, a few different kinds of pace you can now add to your training runs. As you know I’m a 80% slow and easy and 20% speed work, this seems to have the double benefit of increasing your general running fitness without the risk of injury .(there’s that word again!) As always this is a Matt Fitzgerald split and in Matt we trust. ( http://mattfitzgerald.org )

Assuming you have just added distance I would recommend adding 2 steady runs a week initially. The following week substitute a tempo for one of your steady runs and then add a threshold in week 3, as well as the steady and tempo. Moving forward  I’d also try to work in the odd Interval or fartlek (check the internet for various options, there are a few to play around with) . The most important thing is you enjoy the change in pace these sessions offer you.

One final word of warning. I would avoid two hard sessions in a row as this can lead to injury (I am not typing that word again in this post!) and also listen to your body. If you are fatigued swap out a pace session for a recovery run, in the long run it’ll be better for you and you avoid the ‘I’ word.

Right, I’ve earned my cup of tea…..