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Hill repeats vs speed work (in the Ultra world)

Patrick LargePatrick Large
in General Training Discussions

As I see it now, the Ultra 50 mile plan is set up something like this:

Monday: rest

Tuesday: Speed work

Wed: Strides

Thursday: longer and steady with some speedier miles

Friday: Rest

Saturday: Long run

Sunday: Long run


Living in Holland my training is vertically challenged as any kind of hills are hard to come by. Issue is my 100k race in October has just under 10K feet of climbing. In terms of training, my long runs are as is and I have replaced my Monday "speed" work with hill repeats. I have a half mile loop with just about 200 stairs that I climb and then run down hill around the stairs and back to the bottom. Do it twice and it's a decently hard mile. Recover and repeat. I think that is an appropriate modification.

What do you suggest on Wed and/or Thursday? Something similar? Plan as is? Something off the wall.

Any suggestions on my long runs?

Thanks in advance

@tim cronk @Gabe Peterson @Clark Mitchell @Francis Picard @Tim Sullivan Interested in your thoughts as you just finished a world of hurt. How much did you modify to get the climbing in? What worked?

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Comments

  • tim cronktim cronk

    @Patrick Large it’s often said that hill work is speed work in disguise. If those stairs are what you have that is what you should use. I’d mix it up though, up stairs down hill, up hill down stairs, up and down stairs, up and down hill. Works all the muscles you can in as many ways possible, good footwork for technical, and some strength mixed in. A 2nd speed work session in the same week with high volume is risky and individual. If you can handle it then yes. If you are or have been injury prone then no.

  • Patrick LargePatrick Large

    Thanks @tim cronk I never thought of any other version of up stairs down hill as I think that gives me my best hiking bang for the buck. But mixing it up sounds good and yes coming down the steps will be good for footwork and technical stuff.

    I'm actually a pretty good hiker / power walker (better than a runner), so a second day probably wont hurt the body too much. That might be a game time decision based on the day.

    Congrats on your Leadville, very impressive.

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