Training Tips Archive

With the recent growth in popularity of ultra marathons, there is great information available about all aspects of our sport. As a running coach I have noticed a few areas that people tend to benefit most from having objective guidance. Here are some things that you might want to incorporate in your own training.

It is rainy and 38 degrees F here in New Hampshire.  Time to plan for the ice season.  We know what’s coming and we want to be mentally prepared and physically fit.  After over 30 years of this ice climbing nonsense, I have a few tips for all y'all to stay warm, safe and happy even on the coldest days during the New England ice season.

The mind is the most powerful weapon in our approach to a climbing objective and it must therefore be forged through every aspect of our training.  Focus, decisiveness, adaptability, analysis, intuition, creativity, introspection, commitment, tenacity and perseverance are all favorable traits that we exhibit when we are climbing at our best – every aspect of our training must be structured around cultivating these attributes. 

As soon as May rolls around in the southeast, the majority of climbers are hanging up their packs and hiking boots and hitting the gyms.  The hot weather and ridiculously humid conditions that any climber in the south knows all too well is a bit too much for some of us to bear.

Here I am again running up the Mesa Trail in the early morning light with my dog Pisco, training for another South American climbing trip.  I’m trying to do the right things that make me stronger and more successful in the mountains - whatever that means.  The training always changes. 

Confession:  Though I've finished over 90 trail ultras in the past seven years, I continue to forget learned lessons, and find myself repeating the same mistakes.  Must have something to do with being middle-aged.  Some of these perhaps don't apply to everyone.  If nothing else, I figure I might finally master some of these tips if I see it in a slick, multicolor brochure!

Earlier this summer, I was trying to red point a route in Rifle, CO. The route had a boulder problem at the beginning, followed by some moderate climbing in the middle, with a final red point crux at the top. I thought if I could get past the beginning boulder problem then the top "redpoint crux" would be no problem.

One of the major problems that confounds ultrarunners at all distances is the stomach. In my experience stomach problems are capricious and highly unpredictable. One race can go by with no problems at all while the next race things start going down early and the damage is done