Last week, we started talking about fueling. We have not touched on glycogen, timing, or the fuel quality yet, that will come later. Before we get into that, this week, we will tackle how to organize the list that hopefully you started to gather and add items since last week. This work we are doing here is part of the non-running details we need to keep working on to keep increasing the chances of a great event.

This is part of a series of posts regarding how we prepare, plan, and train to complete the 100 miles Ultramarathon Umstead 100: Relentless to 100. For all the ultrarunning series, here is In the Relentless to 100, last week’s post, and for additional ideas, follow the link. Training for a 100.

Now, this work of dividing and categorizing the list is not necessary to use right now or for the immediate training runs. This exercise is for the later part of the training as well as for the main event preparations, like getting your crew ready, for example; more on that later in our training and a different post.

Assessment:

The idea is that as you start adding a few new things in each run, you start categorizing them into four groups: A, B, C & N groups, with group A at the center of your running plan.

A List: These are the go-to items. Perhaps you have been using these fuel items at every training run and every event. You know how it tastes, how it settles, and how quickly it gets in your bloodstream to provide you with the energy you need. You have used these items multiple times in the early and later parts of events. Examples of A list items for me are Clementines, GU Cake flavor, Tailwind, Baby Food pouches, and Maurten gels, to name a few.

B List: These items are not necessarily your favorite, but you can, in a pinch, use them from time to time. These items will also settle well or ok during runs. They are not necessarily your every mid- long run use items, but they work ok. Creamy potato soup, chicken broth, shortbread cookies, E-gels, GU Triple berry, and Maurten Solid are examples of the items on the B list for me.

C List: These items you might have tried once or twice in your life on a special occasion. Or perhaps there are items that you heard from fellow runners or friends that could be good items to try, but you did not put them in rotation or tried them during the run. Examples for me are burgers, quesadillas, bacon, pizza, chicken sandwiches, UCAN, and others in the same family.

Planning:

Easy homework this week. On paper, a notebook, or used pages in your journal, divide it into four different pages or list and jot down what you know today/already from previous training runs and events. As we start training with longer runs in the upcoming few weeks, re-test those assumptions, test new items multiple times, and add, cross out, and move items from one list to another.

Week 21	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat	Sun	Total
Plan	Stretches & Rolling	3	5	6	Rest	15	16	44
Actual	Stretches	13	5	5	Stretches	15	15	53

Next Week Plan: Richmond Marathon

Week 20	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat	Sun	Total
Plan	Stretches & Rolling	5	5	6	Rest	26	Rest	42