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LRP .... really

cgres123cgres123
in General Training Discussions
The Long Race Pace...LRP

 

So as it is written LRP is the go all day long pace. I was wondering what that really means. I have been running the specific race plan the marathon intermediate plan and that's all. A block of running without swimming or biking as I totally want to PR every race I have ever done , more than once, running.

 

SO... I'm doing my LRP intervals and it has gotten to the point I could go all day long maybe. As long as I keep fueling myself I figured what could be the problem with doing an Ultra running event using my LRP as my pace. Take into considerations hills, walking them running down them if on the flats maybe doing a walk run method.

 

None of which I would do untrained but I wonder if the plan I'm using would allow me/my body to accomplish this. Having done a few IM I've experienced .... challenges with some stick-to-itiveness as you could imagine. I am doing Philly Marathon next month and was thinking about an Ultra in December but that kind of commitment would crush SAU to death. The holidays family get together added work because of Christmas. So maybe winter toward the spring time frame.

 

So what is your take on the LRP ?

 

Is it really ... really what it means all day pace ?

 

Your thoughts please....

 

Thx..D

Comments

  • Coach PatrickCoach Patrick
    This is a great question...can't wait for the ultra crowd to chime in?
  • novaavantnovaavant
    I certainly don't have personal experience with this but the guy that works next door to me has done many ultras. He completed two 100 mile 24 hour runs over the summer. His last race was the pine creek challenge in PA. I'll bend his ear on Monday and relay back his thoughts.
  • novaavantnovaavant
    So I talked to my neighbor at lunch about your questions. He is a pure runner no multi-sport of any kind. He has done many marathons and a couple of years ago stepped up to Ultra's and now only occasionally does a road marathon. He said the road marathon beats him up twice as bad as a 50 mile trail race.
    He runs all of his ultras at LRP with a run/walk method. He said he usually does a 5/1 or uses the terrain as a guide like walking the hills as a break. His opinion is that if you can run about 30 miles then you can do an Ultra. The difference as you get longer is nutrition and the mental game. Not to diminish the fact that your body will hurt quite a bit but once you are past that and are injury free the rest is how well you are continuing to absorb the fuel and if your mind is still in it. He said he will ride the wave if you will of feeling good and then really bad and use his mental toughness to get through the bad spots and just keep putting one foot in front of the other.
  • cgres123cgres123
    Attila, thank you for taking the time and for writing this I appreciate it. That is a lot of good information. It is kind of funny he would rather do an ultra than a straight up marathon. But I can see his point. I would rather do a marathon run in an Ironman. You get to walk unless your at the pointy end off the stick and can run the whole thing.
  • novaavantnovaavant
    David, glad you found some of the information useful. He's a very laid back guy who's run all the majors outside of the LA marathon but he said he just loves the trail nature of the ultras. During the Pike Creek Challenge he saw tons of wildlife and at points he didn't see any people for hours on end. Here is the site if you want to read about it some more: http://www.pinecreekchallenge.com/
    The one he ran around Philly was this: http://www.20in24.com/the-back-on-my-feet-lone-ranger-ultra-marathon.html The crazy part of that race was the he ran 101 miles in 23:44 and the winner ran 154 miles in 24 hrs.
    All those guys are in a whole other world in my opinion but I love talking to him about his adventures.
    l
  • rtagherrtagher
    Was only a runner until last year when decided to do the tri thing. I've done lots of marathons and a couple 50 milers. Thinking about a 100 miler in the spring. Agree with the comments of Attila/friend above.

    For me the LRP is definitely a "go all day pace" as long as it is on flat pavement. But most ultras are on trails and very hilly. To me that is what makes them fun, but is also makes training and racing by pace alone much less reliable. Your pace can go all over the place - one minute you are doing 5:30/mile bombing down a hill and the next you are climbing a hill and you look at your watch and you are doing 11-12 min miles and it can be humbling.

    In any run longer than a marathon, I don't wear a heart rate monitor while training or racing. I look at my pace along with doing a body scan and making sure everything "feels easy." If I feel my heart beating faster or harder, I slow down. If I feel my quads/glutes/calves working hard or getting sore, I slow down or work on my form so that I can relax my legs. Hips and knees may hurt at the end of longer runs, but you can still move forward at a pretty good rate.

    If SAU allow, you could do a 50-miler in December if you have an opportunity to get in a couple of long runs per week. I usually only run 3x/week whether training for marathons or ultra and I cross train on the bike or in the pool for recovery. I usually do a couple of back to back long runs that peak in the 4-5 hour range (max mileage for me was 31 on a Friday and 26 on a Saturday) about 3 weeks before race day. I also like to continue some short speed work intervals one day per week so that I am still familiar with what fast feels like. I would definitely practice running downhills well, as well as fast walking breaks whether on the uphills or at prescribed intervals.

    Good luck if you decide to do the ultra thing. You'll love it.
  • cgres123cgres123
    @ Rob, Thx good stuff !!
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