East Coast Trail & Ultra Podcast | Episode 88: Running your first 100 Miler | With Karl Meltzer
We talk about running your first 100 miler with the greatest 100 mile trail runner of all time Karl Meltzer, and a rising star on the 100 mile scene, Cruel Jewel winner Lee Connor. We cover training, nutrition and the dos and don't of running 100 miles. Support this podcast by making a monthly pledge to our Patreon Page www.patreon.com/eastcoasttrailandultrapodcast You can also now buy ECTAU | Gear! www.opportunity-center.com/store/new-designs/ | published on 2018-05-29T09:39:06Z
This world is so small and cozy that they can invite the best 100 miler of all times: Karl Meltzer, three times!
After first time, Karl says I'm never doing this again. Then goes on for over a quarter century. 1996-2018 and on. The statement sounds pretty much like getting drunk and not wanting to repeat, but hey, running a 100 mile race is not so long! rather the training is a big amount of time. This contrast is explained and contemplated through out the sport. However, always be careful with overload. KM does not go much over 70 miles a week. After each run: nap. Karl says to be a laid back person. Cool.
The mental aspect in 100 miles is key, don't just train some months like prior to a marathon, be consistent over time.The hard part of dealing with your head in 100 miles can be the part in the middle, from mile 30 to 70 perhaps.
Instead of only long runs, it is best to run short runs along the week if that increases total mileage overall. Some 50 miles a week for a year should be a good basis to enter a 100 miler. If you join a group for the beer and that works: fine! Cheap beer is not a bad thing if running is in it.
Biggest mistakes? Lack of consistency. Just long runs and nothing else is not a good thing. Recover after runs. Don't come back in a hurry. Listen to your body.
Amazing in this interview is the reactions of the interviewers! Laughs and unbelievable moments for them. Karl says that since highschool he hasn't done speed training, in the sense of doing sets of 400 meters on a track, he trains by feel. He does put effort, and has the nickname of Karl the speedgoat Meltzer, but he does his speed on hills and in the way that he sees the progress go as he is doing trails and resting in between.
In spirit it seems that Karl is quite anti-pacer, not because there's anything wrong with that, simply because it is a different experience. Once you have completed a certain distance with one, he suggests it's a good idea trying to do the same distance without. Also, perhaps pacers are exclusive from the US? Europeans don't seem to have the habit, the sport was born in a different way so it's not a given thing. The party speaking in podcast asks: what do we think when running so long hours? I don't know, just random thoughts, says interviewer. Karl also comments that these crazy ideas can just become a single theme repeated in your head, such as singing a Toto song, or getting into the purpose of doing X thing after the race, and then the idea can as well just go away.
Karl mainly uses gels for races. 2 per hour normally, but well into the race it can be up to 3/4. This is a way to get the calorie intake and avoiding foods as much as possible to avoid indigestion. It's the mixture of it all what he thinks that makes other people puke, when they start trying to eat after a while of ingesting gels. If he eats anything in race it would be some fruits, pineapples and water mostly, which is the only thing that they offered to him in Costa Rica, maybe he asked for some ice. Strawberries are a good option too. But on training none of this applies.
Lets add a lady to the sausage fest. Watermelon is actually a stressful thing, not good idea. Makes me remember of the vegan strongman that says that fruit occupies too much space.
Surprising declaration. She has carried a preparation of maple syrup and bourbon for end of race. And Karl says that he sometime has freeloaded on something alike found on the trails. Not the regular nutrition plan here.
Lee Connor's training does not normally exceed a single run of over 20 miles. Sometimes she can do some speed and strength training one day, and on the next, even if tired, goes for a slow long distance in which she adds speed at the end, some more at the last 5 miles, and then even more the last 2. At races there's a lot of people used to do long runs after rest, so they're not prepared for the sudden beating of a race.
KM: people last in average, 2 to 3 years in the sport. They burn out, too long too fast. Have fun, adapt he says. My cup of tee is 30K. I like to do 5 minute miles. Ultra I do for the adventure.
LC: It's not all muscles and will power. Bones, ligaments and tendons need time to adapt, perhaps a year or two. Some people have that already built in. Most don't.
Top 3 Tips for Doing a 100 miler
- Him: Small Crew, no more than 2
- Her: Tired or Hurt? Put sugar inside