Ultra Running Insights BlogGet the latest information, recommendations and advice on Ultra Running Insights' Blog. Explore these interesting articles providing you with tips on how to opt your training, finding the right equipment, discovering time-saving and creative recipes and answering all your questions on race preparation, injury prevention as well as talking about how to sustain the important balance as an ultra runner. I will regularly keep you updated on what's going on in the fascinating world of ultrarunning. Subscribe now and be the first to find out. Jul 29, 2010, Photoshoot for Inov-8 in the French Alps
The last few days have been one of the most intense and enjoyable ones this year. I was invited to model for Inov-8 and had the honour to be photographed by one of the most reknown photographers, Alex Telfer and his crew. I arrived in Geneva Monday afternoon where the first shot took place. The theme throughout the entire shoot was to add that extra punch, vibrance and energy to each picture.
Inov-8 shoes are designed to let your feet work naturally when you run and not vice versa when too much high-tech material would only spoil the foot working away from the natural positioning. A dream came true for me when I was running on the trails of the UTMB race course surrounded by the stunning beauty of the Mont-Blanc area. Alex shot about 1100 pictures in only three days and the best ones are going to be printed in catalogues and brochures for Inov-8's fall/winter 2011 collection. First impressions and more detailed reports of the photoshooting will follow soon. Jul 19, 2010, Training Review 49Last week's training was a little different compared to what I've been doing these last few months. As I felt tremendous amounts of energy in my legs build up I decided to take a break from running meaning that I only ran twice and do a really purposeful brick session. I also wanted to test my nutrition and furthermore my gear that I'll wear during the Transalpine Race coming up in September. So I headed out on my road bike early Sunday morning to get to the bottom of the Pilatus mountain once again. As usual, the guys working at the cable car station were helpful to put my bike in a safe place while I went running up the mountain. Anyway, compared to last week, the strength in my legs was amazing. I took off 25 minutes the bike time, pretty much effortlessly, and about ten minutes off my total running time it took me to run to the hut where I turned around last week. All the sections I walked last week I consistently ran up. I found my rhythm straight away, felt I was finally in the zone where I need to be at this moment in time. I could have run for hours but had planned to cycle back home the same way. Nutritionally, I'm trying Udo's Oil for six weeks and see how that'll improve recovery , help with the healing process of my foot and improve my sleeping pattern. I have one tablespoon with my muesli for breakfast and another spoonful of this delicious oil as a topping over steamed veggies and/or a salad in the evening. During the brick training session I had 4 bananas, one gel flask filled with chia seed gel, 750ml coconut water, plain water, 8 dates, one vegan nut/crunchy energy bar and as a caffeine kick after the run I had one soy latte. I thought I knew what my body needs and felt confident that my energy would last but on the bike back home I bonked – very badly and never got out of it, even after trying to convince my mind that everything was fine. This is when it gets challenging and I remember this feeling from last year at a 50K race. You tend to get tunnel vision, get into a survival mode and focus on the moment. Another lesson learnt for me: take more foods with you than you think you need and start ingesting adequate amounts of calories early on. Here is what I did last week: Monday: Run 60 mins. undulating Tuesday: Bike 1hr. 45 mins. hilly at good pace Wednesday: full rest day Thursday: Bike 1hr. 55 mins. hilly Friday & Saturday: full rest day Sunday: Bike 75K 2hrs. 35 mins. @30.5 km/h av., run 1hr. 50 mins. up Pilatus, Bike 2hrs. 45mins. back Jul 16, 2010, What It Takes To Step Up To The DistanceI have recently been receiving many emails from you - athletes from all over the world – telling me about training routines, goals to achieve and asking the specific question how to train for an ultramarathon. I was exactly at that point in my life three years ago. I had long been fascinated by ultra marathon races I would read and hear about and was always wondering what people do differently in order to achieve their ultra running goals. I signed up for the Marathon des Sables and had to make some decisions that would lead me to tap on my potential and finish that particular race. Over the course of six months, I did all I could to prepare myself and feel confident enough to deal with all eventualities during the race. I stood at the start line with anticipation while the odd doubt crossed my mind. I was seriously wondering what I had let myself in for. There are only two ways to handle such situations, regardless of it being a race. Pick any situation of an area in your life and the answer is always going to be the same: In moments of surrender, doubt and insecurity it always boils down to courage. Let me tell you a story about my youngest daughter and draw an analogy that explains why it takes courage to overcome those obstacles. A few days ago, I went swimming with my two daughters. My youngest one, aged 5 ˝, would repeatedly jump off the one-metre board while watching her older sister jump off the three-metre diving board. I could tell that she was keen to be able to do what her sister can. About four weeks ago, she had had her first attempt off the three-metre board but landed on her shins which hurt her quite badly. Anyway, she suddenly told me 'Now I'm jumping off the taller board', climbed up the ladder and within the blink of an eye, dived into the water. When her face turned up above the water she was absolutely overwhelmed about what she'd just done, a perfect straight jump off that three-metre board. She cried tears of joy and my eyes quickly filled up, too, while I hugged her tightly. I felt so happy that she had shown the courage but not before she wasn't ready! It is in such moments that I reflect on why I feel so passionate about running ultra marathons and putting in all those long hours of training. Courage is needed in every race and before you even start training. Then you hit those moments of doubt during a race, often questioning everything but the sense of achievement when that finish line is crossed is worth every effort. If you are at a point now where you've ran marathons and running an ultra has sparked your interest don't think too hard – do what you can to feel prepared enough and the rest is all down to showing courage. Jul 13, 2010, Training Review 48I enjoyed every second of every training session last week, specially two key sessions. I've had enough of making constant compromises and wanted to use all the energy that seems to have been stored in my muscles for so long and do some decent training. I found myself riding my bike again three times and consider it to be useful training while keeping the running volume fairly low. I tend to go fast and hard on most bike rides and decided to do a brick session last Saturday. The weather forecast looked all too promising and I had to hit some trails in the mountains. First I cycled out to the bottom of Pilatus and ran straight up for 80 minutes and returned back down where I had my bike stored. The plan was to cycle back home again but my front tyre burst and I had to take the train home from Lucerne. Never mind, I'm optimistic to train purposefully in these next few weeks. In terms of equipment I have put my new Inov-8 Roclite 268 to the test as well as the Race Pro Pack 12. The bladder which sits in the pack horizontally proves to be very comfortable whilst creating a good overall balance during running. Most hydration packs have bladders that sit right on the back. In comparison I do prefer Inov-8's system. The Roclite 268 is very popular amongst female ultra trail runners as it's light in weight and doesn't feel stiff at all, especially when you're running for more than three hours. A more precise review of these products will follow. Now here is what I did last week: Monday: full rest day Tuesday: Bike 1hr. 50 mins. hilly Wednesday: Run 60 mins. easy Thursday: Bike 3hrs. 10 mins. 85K very hilly Friday: Run 40 mins. easy Saturday: Bike 3 hrs. slightly undulating followed by a 2-hour-run up towards the Pilatus mountain top, bike easy 15 mins. Sunday: full rest day Jul 5, 2010, Training Review 47Two steps forward and one step back! Finally, the benefits of the acupuncture treatments are paying off. I've had eight appointments so far and will have two more. If I compare the level of pain (on a scale from 1-10) I was at eight weeks ago I have probably moved up the scale from 2-3 originally to 8 now. Of course, this is an entirely subjective evaluation of the level of pain I felt right before every treatment taking into account the training I'd done prior to the appointment which was obviuosly never the same. Fact is that I can highly recommend acupuncture to anyone with chronic injuries. Never mind the patience it takes instead of waiting for overnight miracles to happen. Those won't happen unless you decide to have shots and numb the symptoms. Whenever there is a problem occuring and this is true for every area of my life, I really focus on getting to the root of it. Now I feel I reached the end of that mission to cure the injury and am even debating to make do without my insoles for a while. Temperatures this week are supposed to stay in the high 80's. The children are finally on their summer break so we spend the days out swimming while I try to fit my training in early in the morning. Now here is a summary of last week's training: Monday & Tuesday: full rest days Wednesday: Run 60 mins. undulating Thursday: Bike 2 hrs. followed by a 40-minute-run, easy pace Friday: Bike 2 hrs. hilly at steady pace Saturday: Run 60 mins. Sunday: Run 68 mins. flat and steady This week the idea is to get in some longer runs again in addition to keeping up the volume on the bike. As the Transalpine Race is not far off now, I will allow myself three full weeks of focused and structured training in July and August, mainly running on trails in combination with long hikes, riding my bike and little to no compromises to training on undulating and hilly terrain. The ultrarunning season is in full swing and I wish everybody good luck at the races this summer. Pin your ears back and go! Jun 28, 2010, Training Review 46I'm on the right track again and being able to get in some quality hours of training. I'm still diverting to cycling allowing my heel to recover furthermore. I'm very tempted to just go out there and run on the trails during the hours I have available in the mornings but I'm still a little hesitant. Mind and body are seriously ready and craving long training sessions and the only way for me to do this is to spend many hours on my road bike. Here is last week's training in detail: Monday: Run 60 mins. flat at easy pace, stair interval Tuesday: full rest day Wednesday: Bike 2hrs.20 hilly followed by an easy 20-minute-run Thursday: Run 60 mins. easy, flat Friday: Bike 3hrs. followed by a 25-minute-run Saturday: Bike 2hrs.20 hilly, steady pace Sunday: Run 60 mins. flat Jun 21, 2010, Training Review 45I've finally exceeded the 10-hour-mark again, a magic number that seemed so out of reach for me for so many months whilst curing the injury and going through otherwise challenging times. I couldn't quite remember what it feels like to be training over ten hours again. And it feels just great. My recovery is fast as I've made some changes to my post-training nutrition, too. Normally, I'd have a snack straightaway and then snack on foods throughout the afternoon. For dinner, I'd have a cooked meal with salad. After the long bike ride last week I used the 40-minute time window to benefit the recovery process and had a big vegan meal. I did the same on Saturday and the difference is just amazing. I realise that I'm also fairly rested and haven't tired out my body like I normally would in preparation for a big race but making the most of post-training nutrition adds to the bigger picture after all. Before taking a look at my training in detail, I'd like to add a few words on stretching first: I don't see a lot of point in stretching extensively before and/or after training. The muscle is fatigued enough and adding more stress onto it just doesn't make a lot of sense. In the 16 years I've been a distance runner I have never, ever stretched over long periods of time. I've tried what was written in magazines and books but couldn't notice any ground-braking effects that would really help. Then I stumbled across the Egoscue Method and that's the only type of stretching I do when I feel little niggles and pains. Take a look here and find out for yourself. Last but not least, here's an insight into my training: Monday: Run 80 mins. flat, tempo Tuesday: full rest day Wednesday: Run 60 mins. easy, 25 mins. bike Thursday: Bike 4 hrs. hard and hilly Friday: Run 70 mins. flat, steady pace Saturday: Bike 2hrs. 50 mins. hilly, steady pace Sunday: Run 65 mins. flat Jun 19, 2010, Nutrition for Ultra Runners Made Easy: Take These Foods on Your Next Training Run and FlyI was burning with ambition and passion on Thursday to go for a long, intense bike ride. I had set my mind to this session on Tuesday as I feel I'm approaching a different zone where every training session has a point and purpose to it. This requires me to plan my nutrition more wisely again. I started the day with a wholesome breakfast and set off a couple of hours later. The lap I'm usually riding is 32 miles long with a difference in altitude of 1070 metres. There are nine inclines which average out at 11 minutes to get up. The whole course is undulating so it always turns out to be a cruise interval: pedal up the hills hard, push over the top and ride down fast. Due to high humidity I had filled a bottle with 500 ml of Dr.Martin's Coconut Water and 300 ml of water. Coconut water is my top tip for electrolyte replenishment. It's very low in fat, contains 18.5 grams of carbohydrates and 3.6 grams of protein. The juice is isotonic meaning that it has the same concentration of minerals found in the body. On top of the fourth climb I had two dates, half a banana and one home-made chocolate-berry energy bar. One hour later, after a total riding time of three hours I had another date and one banana. For the last remaining hour I only had water to drink and I felt full of energy being able to put even more effort in on the second lap ending up with a total of 100K and an elevation gain of 2000 metres. This keep-it-simple-strategy works well on the bike and during a run even more so, because the digestive system tends to be a lot more sensitive and a simple nutrition during hours of training is even more beneficial. Many ultra runners have trouble getting any liquid or solid foods down during long training units. I'm stating my nutritional strategy that I use on the bike to demonstrate that simplicity is key. Another important factor is the post-training nutrition. Make sure to have a nutrient-dense snack within ten minutes of finishing the workout and allow a maximum of 40 minutes to have a proper meal. This is the ideal time window to start the recovery process. Forget the myth of the two-hour time window and prepare a meal much sooner. Initially, I had another date and small spoonful of coconut oil and 30 minutes later I ate a big portion of wholegrain pasta topped with mango chutney and miso paste and a sprinkle of celtic sea salt. Try a green smoothie alternatively. And how did I feel the next day? There was absolutely no stiffness in my legs which motivated me to head out for a run first thing in the morning the next day. Try this strategy in training and don't confuse yourself with complicated meals and processed foods. Jun 16, 2010, Product Testing: Inov-8's Race Pro 12When it comes to knowing which hydration pack to take on a long run on the trails or during a multi-day race, it's certainly tricky business. I am always open to trying out new running equipment and feel blessed to have met Florian Schoepf, owner of trentventure during the Trail Days. He swears by Inov-8's range of running gear including various hydration packs and advised me to test and try their Inov-8's Race Pro 12. This pack is also well-recommended to wear during multi-day ultra races. I wore this pack last weekend, only on a short run, but I was initally impressed with how comfortable it felt on the back. The length (18 in., 45.7cm) proves to be just right and the bladder attaches to a separate compartment and is then strapped around the hips. The bladder holds up to two litres of water or sports drink. I will report on its wearibility and comfort furthermore as I hit the trails for long runs and keep you updated. Jun 16, 2010, Training Review 44After five acupuncture treatments so far, I can honestly say that the healing in my heel has begun. Exactly a week ago I took my youngest daughter along to the doctor's practice since she was so curious to find out and see what this 'needle thing' was all about. The therapist puts about eight needles on different spots of the foot and lower leg. I then have to rest and lie there for twenty minutes and after ten minutes I suddenly dropped off into a deep state of relaxation. I let go completely only sensing the calming noise of the fast-flowing water streaming past the open window. It wasn't until my daughter asked me a question that I woke up. Something had definitely happenend during those minutes and the runs I've done since have been great. I do feel a tension still but the discomfort doesn't hinder me as much from stepping up the intensity again as it has in the past weeks and months. I keep delaying my plans to set up a thorough training plan for myself again to help me get focused for the upcoming race in September. All I know is that I am doing one or two key sessions a week, one of those on the bike, that push the body out of the comfort zone a little bit. Just enough to move up the ladder in tiny steps. I have also realised that I've had a lot of consistency in my training in the past 2 1/2 years which helps to maintain a certain level of fitness. I'm gradually putting the final touches to my speed and base endurance. Strangely enough I feel very strong and powerful in my legs and that's a good feeling to be had. Now here is a recap of my training: Monday: Run 80 mins. flat at steady pace Tuesday: Run 60 mins. flat Wednesday: Bike 2 hrs.10 hilly Thursday: Run 60 mins. hilly Friday: full rest day Saturday: Bike 2 hrs. in the morning, 4hrs. rest then Run 70 mins. undulating at good pace Sunday: Run 1hr. 30, on trails including hundreds of stairs getting up to the top of a hill Despite cooler temperatures again this week I'm intending to put some miles in on the bike, preferably on a hilly route and enjoy the current power. Jun 7, 2010, Training Review 43I finally found myself back in the right frame of mind again to put some point and purpose to my training sessions. Temperatures up to 90°F allowed for two harder bike rides and my foot is getting better step by step. I do think that the acupuncture treatments I've had so far have supported the healing process. In reflection, I've waited too long to get the foot thoroughly checked. I noticed the first signs of a chronic injury developing at the end of last year and was a little naive to think that the pain will eventually go. I also ran quite hard on the treadmill which, in retrospect again, put additional stress on the foot. Another lesson learnt, I guess: Ignorance only worsens a niggle before it then suddenly becomes a chronic (overuse) injury. I do however continue to stay positive and look into my ultrarunning season optimistically. There is a trail shoe I can recommend to those with narrow feet. I've been running in a pair of La Sportiva Skylite for two weeks now. It's a slightly more aggressive shoe than the crosslite and has a good grip when running on trails. And here are the details of my training last week: Monday: full rest day Tuesday: Run 60 mins. flat Wednesday: Run 60 mins. hilly Thursday: Bike 2hrs. 08mins. 50K, very hilly Friday: full rest day Saturday: Bike 1h 40mins. 50K, hard and mostly flat, Run 65 mins. undulating at steady pace Sunday: full rest day Jun 2, 2010, Training Review 42I have finally signed up for the Transalpine Run in September and already look forward to be racing again. A total of 300 kilometres and 17,000 meters difference in altitude will be covered in eight stages. Even though the whole idea seems a little crazy at the moment with regards to my heel injury I'm still curing, I feel very motivated to participate in this multi-stage event. The mountain racing season has already started and there are a couple of hilly half-marathons I'd consider this month as these serve as excellent hard training runs. Last weekend, I relit my fire for cycling and went for a fast flat ride. Usually, I'm only taking my bike out if the weather is good. I was surprised how strong I felt in my legs. It's like I've had to save and store all that energy in a bottleneck and finally it needs to be released. Only time will tell whether handling an injury over so many months, staying patient and never really doing any training out-of-the-zone will pay off with reaching the level of peak performance in September. Here is a short review of my training last week: Monday: Run 60 mins. hilly Tuesday: full rest day Wednesday: early morning run 70 mins. hilly Thursday: Run 60 mins. Friday: full rest day Saturday: Bike 1hr. 45 mostly flat, 54K Sunday: Run on the treadmill 40 mins. including 3x 1km @14.5 km/h May 25, 2010, Training Review 41What a great event! Thanks to Robert Pollhammer the Trail Days turned out to be a great opportunity to meet like-minded ultra trail runners, test the latest shoes, headlamps, clothes and attend all kinds of different workshops. I was very delighted to speak in front of two groups of fellow trail runners who were keen and interested to find out how vegan nutrition can boost your performance and why the Marathon des Sables is such a special race. Another highlight was a night trail run where we were provided with top-of-the-range headlamps. I wore Petzl's Ultra Lamp and was highly impressed with the illumination and how comfortable the lamp felt on the head. Even the extra battery pack didn't have a negative effect on the running performance. I'm also excited to be running in a pair of Inov-8 trail shoes soon as their concept convinces me in that the shoes are all geared to support the foot's natural movement. Ideal for my heel issue, too. Now here is what I did last week: Monday: Run 55 mins. easy Tuesday: Run 50 mins. hilly and evening run 40 mins. flat and steady Wednesday: Run 55 mins. flat Thursday: Run 55 mins. flat at faster pace Friday: Night Trail Run 90 mins. Saturday: Full rest day Sunday: Bike 1hr. 50 hilly at steady pace May 17, 2010, Training Review 40Even though my running training wasn't that intense last week, I still had one quality run on Sunday. Due to moving house I was busy carrying moving boxes and getting organised in the new place. I certainly didn't need to do any additional weight training! My first acupuncture treatment felt promising in that I did feel an initial pain relief and was able to run freely afterwards. From what the doctor said the success rate is around 70%. I do feel right about my decision to give this kind of therapy a go and wait and see what happens. And as my favorite saying goes: Patience is the key! Here is what I did last week: Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday: full rest days Thursday: Run 60 mins. undulating Friday: rest day Saturday: Run 60 mins. hilly Sunday: Run 1hr 30 May 10, 2010, Training Review 39It's been an eventful week and I decided to take the intensity out of my training and consciuosly rest more. I'm busy getting organised and prepared for the upcoming Trail Day event. With a sudden drop in temperatures down to 4 Celsius and mostly rain all week I didn't see the need to run in the mountains.
On Saturday, I had the honour to meet Swiss world class marathon runner Patricia Morceli who is currently preparing for the European Championships at the end of July. She is a sub 2:40(!) performer and mother of two children.
During a training run a small group of women had the opportunity to talk to her about nutrition, training and racing. First we ran to the track and did 12 full-out sprints, some stretches and core exercises. My body just isn't used to such speed work anymore but I definitely got the flavour again for track workouts. I also asked Patricia about her daily routine as an athlete and mother. We agreed that it is impossible to get enough recovery and therefore every workout needs to have quality over quantity. She does one long run per week (30K), at least one interval session on the track and her minimum mileage is around 120K per week. Top marathon runners like her focus on one, if possible two, key races per year unlike ultrarunners, who will often race a few times during a season. The pacing and often the variation in terrain could be reasons for that. Patricia mentioned that she needs at least eight weeks to fully recover from a road marathon run at such speed. At the age of 36 now, she is dedicating all of her time to marathon training and racing and even quit her job as a physiotherapist until 2014. Good luck in Barcelona, Patricia! This week I'm having my first acupuncture treatment as an additonal therapy to cure my heel injury that has got better through wearing orthotics and doing stretches. But I still feel a tension after running and really want to get pain-free. I will see and decide after the fourth treatment whether I can feel an improvement. Here is my training in detail: Monday: Run 60 mins. hilly Tuesday: full rest Wednesday: Run 60 mins. flat Thursday: full rest Friday: Run 55 mins. hilly Saturday: Run 60 mins. undulating Sunday: full rest May 8, 2010, Special Announcement for Ultra Trail Runners in Germany, Austria and SwitzerlandI'm excited to announce that I will be speaking at the Trail Days in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a well-known town located in the Southern part of Germany.
Robert Pollhammer, proud owner of the best online adventure racing shop Racelite in Europe and founder of Trail Days, is welcoming ultra trail runners from all over Europe.
I feel very honored and happy to speak at this venue and invite you to meet me in person. The first speech discusses training and race nutrition and is taking place on May 21 from 6-7:30 pm. On Saturday, May 22 I will talk about the Marathon des Sables from 10:30-12 pm and share my insights on this multi-stage race through the Sahara Desert. There will also be time to ask individual questions regarding training, racing and nutrition. Don't miss this event and sign up here. May 5, 2010, Most Frequently Asked QuestionsAre you intrigued about the most frequently asked questions regarding nutrition, training and other aspects of ultrarunning? Then find out the answers to all those burning questions. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Most Frequently Asked Questions" May 2, 2010, Training Review 38Once again, I felt inclined to travel to the mountains and enjoy the beautiful weather. I incorporated the mountain run into an intense 3-day-block, basically overload training.
Mountain trail running to me is so pure and simple. Take a good pair of trail running shoes, a small backpack, some snacks and plenty of water, maybe some music and...explore nature. The route up to the top of Pilatus is ideal. There is a tarmaced road winding up until you hit the rocky mountain trail. From the first cable car station, the trail continues up through forests, along small streams until you reach a plateau out in the open at altitude (4430 ft.). That's when I usually start feeling light on my feet and no distracting thoughts cross my mind. Like I mentioned before, running by yourself, going with the flow and forgetting about time is great mental training. When you then look down from the top of the mountain the experience of having run up all the way is very rewarding. Now is still a good time to keep investing into core exercises, even if it's just three times a week for 10-20 minutes. It's vital to keep the body aligned and balanced. Here is what I did last week: Monday: Bike 2 hrs. hilly Tuesday: full rest day Wednesday: 1 hr. bike undulating followed by 1 hr. run including 30 mins. uphill Thursday: Run 2 hrs.15 up Pilatus at steady pace (3300 ft.) with focus on the downhill section going hard and fast Friday: Run 60 mins. undulating Saturday: full rest day Sunday: Run 60 mins. undulating; short hill reps More good news is that I got the confirmation from Armin that we'll be racing the Transalpine for the Craft Team in September. I'm excited to have a serious goal this year and am looking forward to some training runs together. May 1, 2010, How To Make a Delicious Paté In Only 5 MinutesAre you looking for a side dish to top up your meal with? And something you can prepare in the twinkling of an eye? On a day-to-day basis I simply don't have time to spend hours in the kitchen preparing different meals. I want to spend as little time as possible preparing a meal or a snack and be able to come up with healthy, mainly raw vegan foods that are of high nutritional value. In the interview with Mary Nathan, I asked her to pass on her favorite raw vegan recipe. Take a look now at this super-easy-to-make Sunflower Seed Spread.
Grind the sunflower seeds to a powder in a food processor or VitaMix. Set aside in a large bowl. Grind carrot chunks until they are pureed. Add to the food processor with the ground sunflowers and add the remaining ingredients to the mixture. Blend everything for approximately one minute in the food processor or VitaMix. Be sure the pate is well blended. Put the paté in the bowl with the ground sunflower seeds. Mix well by hand. This keeps well in the refrigerator for several days. The paté can be eaten as a nutritious snack in between meals. Simply take 1-2 tablespoons and enjoy or serve over a salad , rolled up in a green leaf or if you share a meal with friends and family just spread on crackers. Apr 25, 2010, Training Review 37What a great week. I lived off my runs in the mountains all week and seem to take home so much energy from running up and down those rocky trails that life seems to be one big flow - and it is, full of surprises and continuously moving forward. I feel so lucky to be able to put intensity back into my training, even though my heel still causes me to have discomforts at times, all on a tolerable level. I keep on doing the Egoscue stretches and the ones I was given after the running analysis. I have also made some steps forward with my nutrition, precisely my nutrition during training. Usually, I'd make a real science out of the foods I would take, mix special drinks and basically, spend a lot of time preparing everything. It was an important learning curve for me as I gained a lot of confidence that, with all those home-made gels, bars and drinks, I would get the desired results. I relied on those foods completely. Now, I have decided to stop worrying too much about the foods I take with me on a run. I start the day with a good breakfast, often muesli with soy milk and wholegrain bread with honey. I also love coffee for the taste of it and drink 1-2 cups. This carbo-loaded breakfast lasts me for hours and all I need is a banana during running. However, I make sure to always have plenty of water with me. The point here is that nutrition plays a big part when you race ultramarathons and it is important to test certain foods well in advance. But I found that by taking a step back from turning nutrition into a real science and keeping it all easy and simple you are able to re-evaluate what the body really needs - and it can survive perfectly well on fruit and water. On Wednesday, I took another spontaneous trip to my favorite (so far)destination, the Pilatus mountain near Lucerne. I couldn't get all the way to the top due to risk of avalanches but felt my strength - uphill running -come back. It is often during moments in solitude, alone with your thoughts and without any distractions that shifts can happen. This was true for me and I'm very passionate about discovering remote areas on foot, with my running shoes, of course. Here is last week's training in detail: Monday: full rest day Tuesday: Run 55 mins. undulating Wednesday: Run 2 hrs. up towards the top of Pilatus and back down again Thursday: full rest day Friday: Run 60 mins. undulating Saturday: Run 75 mins. hilly Sunday: Run 60 mins. flat at steady pace Apr 19, 2010, Training Review 36Make hay while the sun shines. That was my slogan last weekend. The weather was absolutely beautiful so I decided to travel to the mountains. For months I had been visualising running on secluded trails enjoying the solitude.
Never mind, it`s only the eccentric musculature that isn`t used to much downhill running any more. I hope to be able to train on a sustainable level from now on and build mileage and intensity again. Here is last week`s training in detail: Monday: Run 60 mins. hilly Tuesday & Wednesday: full rest days Thursday: Run 55 mins. undulating at steady pace Friday: Run 3 hrs. hilly Saturday: Run 3.5 hrs. hilly Sunday: Run 65 mins. easy and flat I feel recovered today and look forward to maybe another trip to the mountains checking out areas I`ve never been to. Apr 12, 2010, Training Review 35It was an easy week once again feeling happy to run regularly.
Mine are from Assos and many other brands offer arm warmers specially for runners. I'll continue to improvise this week and make up a training session as I go. Whenever I run on familiar loops I notice that my fitness isn't too bad overall. I'm happy to maintain this level at the moment and eventually run light and free again. Here are the details: Monday: Run 55 mins. morning run, Run 50 mins. evening run Tuesday: full rest Wednesday: Run 60 mins. Thursday: Run 45 mins. easy Friday: Bike 65 mins. hilly followed by a 20-minute-run Saturday: full rest Sunday: Run 35 mins. early morning run, Run 60 mins. undulating, easy pace Apr 5, 2010, Training Review 34I guess I'm back on the right track. I was able to run every day last week never exceeding 60 minutes. That's the amount of time I felt comfortable with. If think back to how I felt just four weeks ago when my heel really hurt even after running on the treadmill for five minutes during the analysis I can see and feel tremendous improvements. That is, running pain-free for an hour and I won't push my luck at the moment! Today, I'm doubling up as I went for a hilly run first thing this morning and will soon get ready for another run out in the beautiful sunshine. So here is my training in detail: Monday - Sunday: Run 60 mins. alternating between hilly and flat terrain.
For about ten days, I've been running in a new pair of running shoes I was recommended after the analysis: Mizuno Wave Creation. The shoes feel great and has cushioning elements where I need them. They also allow enough flexibility and in combination with the orthotics, I'm positive that I can build mileage and intensity in a couple of weeks again! Yesterday, my eldest daughter joined me on a run on her mountain bike for the first time. It was a real laugh and relief not to be stuck in a regimented training program and enjoy chatting to her. From June onwards, I can hopefully start preparing for the Transalpine Run that's taking place in September. Mar 30, 2010, The Benefits of an Early Morning RunFinally, the sun rises in the early morning hours and I recently discovered how energising a short run between six and seven o'clock in the morning can be. With it being lighter now the body produces cortisol much sooner and earlier than during the winter months.Therefore we tend to be able to get up much easier and earlier. I tend to rise between 6 and 6.15 during the week. First, I start the day with a few minutes of core exercises and a couple of good stretches. There is no point doing heavy weights this early in the morning. Simply give your body about quarter of an hour to wake up. Next, I drink a big glass of water, put on my running gear and head out into the fresh air. I focus on high cadence and slow pace trying to avoid shuffling at the same time. After two miles I am in full swing absorbing the atmosphere around me. Birds are tweeting and occasionally foxes get in my way. The aim of an early morning run is to get used to being on your feet at that time of the day. Often, not only multi-stage ultramarathons start between six and eight o'clock so the muscle memory can additonally be conditioned by running at the crack of dawn. Depending on my current training I integrate two to five of these runs into my routine. Without even thinking about it this adds up to an extra nine to fifteen miles a week! Ok, it might not be the ideal quality training but here the focus lies on quantity - simply collecting those extra miles. Add those miles up over four weeks, eventually over three or four months! It is such an easy way to add mileage. Another positve effect is that you feel refreshed and good about yourself afterwards. Often, a short run before breakfast and/or going to work can also serve as recovery training from a harder and longer run the previous day. Loosening up tired legs and muscles works wonders! Regarding nutrition there is no need necessarily to have breakfast beforehand and making a science out of eating a carbohydrate snack. Half a banana will ease the appetite for half an hour. Choose a route of three to five miles and run freely, even without a watch. This might also be an ideal time to keep an eye either on your leg stride, cadence, upper body position, arms or anything that comes into mind. Keep it simple and enjoy the invigorating effect of running early in the morning. You will benefit from it! Mar 30, 2010, Training Review 33The foot, in particular, the left heel is healing slowly but gradually. I'm still hoping to be back into full swing in 4-6 weeks to be able to run in the mountains. These visions keep me motivated to keep my training at a consistent level of holding the balance without overstepping the line. On the bike, I can actually put in serious effort, for example cycling uphill or I choose to go hard on the flatter sections of my loop. Here is last week's training in detail: Monday: Run 45 mins. easy and flat; Bike 1hr 45 hilly and steady Tuesday: full rest Wednesday: Run 30 mins. early morning run and 30 mins. easy in the evening Thursday: Bike 1hr 55 + 20 mins. easy run Friday: Run 30 mins. easy Saturday: Run 55 mins. steady, undulating Sunday: full rest Temperatures are slowly rising here in Switzerland. Usually, I suffer from hay fever around this time every year but haven't had to sneeze once so far. I've come to the conclusion that it's no longer just a coincidence but an effect of mainly living a vegan diet. Mar 25, 2010, The Ideal Ultra Marathon NutritionFinding the ideal ultra marathon nutrition that lets you thrive can be so simple.This easy-to-follow guide shows ultra runners how to nourish mind and body for best performance Permalink -- click for full blog post "The Ideal Ultra Marathon Nutrition" Mar 25, 2010, Ultrarunning Insights,a Guide to Achieving Your Goals Beyond a MarathonDiscover the adventurous world of ultrarunning following effective training methods to succeed in ultramarathon races.Learn how to access your mental strength to fulfil your goals. Mar 25, 2010, Endurance RunningThis Interview With an Ironwoman Gives You an Insight How Endurance Running Has Changed Her Life Permalink -- click for full blog post "Endurance Running" Mar 22, 2010, Training Review 32Finally spring has arrived and the decent temperatures motivated me to head out for a few early morning runs. It's so refreshing and energising to start the day like this as this adds extra miles to the weekly routine, too. Not that I should worry too much about speed and intensity yet. Last spring, I benefited from early morning runs because it taught my body to get in gear at that time of the day simulating the early starting times at the Swiss Jura marathon. Never mind, my foot is getting better and I had my first run wearing orthotics last Wednesday. It was heaven running with a soft padding underneath my heel. The stretches work a treat after every workout and I hope to be running on trails by the end of April. Patience is the key once more! So here's last week's training in detail: Monday: Aquajogging 85 mins. main set 8x 25m effort with one length recovery; 400 m crawl Tuesday: 30 mins. easy early morning trot Wednesday: 30 mins. easy early morning trot; late morning run 60 mins. undulating Thursday: 35 mins. easy early morning trot Friday: full rest Saturday: Run 60 mins. hilly; bike 70 mins. hilly Sunday: Run 40 mins. on treadmill at steady pace I had an easy run this morning and did 35 miles on the road bike mid-morning enjoying the warmth of the sun. It's all about maintaining the current balance this week and divert to longer bike rides if necessary. Mar 17, 2010, Extra Running AdviceWhy this running advice can really help you Permalink -- click for full blog post "Extra Running Advice" Mar 15, 2010, Training Review 31It's been a good week with little intensity. I was able to run three times in the early morning hours enjoying the fresh air. Since Wednesday I noticed that the heel is getting better due to the stretching and strengthening program I'm strictly following. I try to run in the pool at least once a week to supplement an interval I'd normally do outside. The orthotics should arrive this week in strong hopes of being able to increase my mileage soon again. While training itself helps me to maintain my balance I can focus on projects and ideas I have for the website a little more. Never mind, spring is finally arriving and temperatures are expected to be around 16 C by Friday. I plan on doing a couple of longer bike rides enjoying the sunshine and warmth. Here is last week's training in detail: Monday: full rest Tuesday: CompuTrainer 40mins. interval 7x1'@ 150W + 30 secs. @100W; 5'easy then 7x30secs.@150W + 1'@100W Wednesday: Aqua-running 70 mins.; warm-up then 16x30secs. fast sub AT + 400m crawl Thursday: Run 35mins. flat and easy Friday: Run 35mins. flat and easy Saturday: Run 35mins. flat and easy + 45mins. easy spinning on the CompuTrainer Sunday: full rest Mar 8, 2010, Training Review 30Improvisation sums up what my training is all about at the moment. I'm happy to go with the flow and take care of my foot. After the analysis on Saturday, I was given a specific program of strengthening exercises for the core, legs and feet as well as seven stretches. All in all, it takes me about 40 minutes to complete this routine and I think that after 1-2 weeks I should feel its beneficial effects. Since I am not a great proponent of static stretching, I'll have to be open for now and be disciplined in following the program. Here is a short video of the running analysis. More videos will follow.
I am now awaiting new tailor-made orthotics and was advised to re-build my mileage by running 30 minutes or so at first and steadily increasing the duration. Here is last week's training in detail: Monday: Run 45 mins. flat and easy Tuesday: full rest Wednesday: Run/Walk 70 mins. with trekking poles, undulating Thursday: Bike 2 hours hilly Friday: CompuTrainer 40 mins. easy spinning Saturday & Sunday: full rest There will be some videos and pictures of the analysis available soon which might help you to identify similar problems such as misalignments. Mar 7, 2010, About me - Anna HughesFind out about me on Ultra Running Insights Permalink -- click for full blog post "About me - Anna Hughes" Mar 4, 2010, Ability vs. Attitude Part 2This incident was a huge wake-up call for me. I realised that nature is too unforgiving. It doesn't listen to big-headed attitudes and people that want to prove to everybody else how great they are. They act upon objectives and reality then teaches them better. I surrendered to the power of the desert and felt part of it without ever losing respect for the undertaking the Marathon des Sables was. What's the essence of these stories? What can they teach you? Think about your credo when you follow a training program. Do you have the ability of an amateur with the attitude of a professional or do you train like a professional and retain the attitude of an amateur? What's the difference? Ever since I chose ultrarunning as the sport I feel most passionate about I adapted the attitude of a professional that has the ability of an amateur. I'm not a big talent and have always been an average runner. It's only when I discovered how important the attitude is as to whether you'll succeed or not I have been able to tap my full potential in running. Whenever I sign up for an ultramarathon, I get into a zone of total dedication, focus, discipline, balance while following a training plan. I have the attitude of a professional for every minute that I'm training. I don't waste time on jogs around the block or clutter my schedule with aerobics classes, for example. Only in the final stages will I train up to 30 hours a week which includes mental training, too. Ultrarunning training is all about diversion and improvisation. Combining long bike rides followed by long fast walks or runs afterwards and putting in about 22 hours split over four straight days was one of the key training sessions I did last year. I did three long blocks like this three times in total leaving three weeks between each long block. There is really no need to run 200+ miles per week. When I finish a training session, I return back to my routine with the children within a split-second and appreciate their presence as they keep me grounded. Would I be in the position of a full-time professional athlete, the balance in my daily routine would backfire on me. Extra pressure creates additonal stress and I want to continuously steer away from that even though I take it as compliment that people assume I'm a professional ultrarunner! Remember that ultrarunning is a fun sport and an exciting, fun-filled journey. Keep smiling! Mar 4, 2010, Ability vs. Attitude Part 1Today I was reminiscing about my ultrarunning ambitions in 2008 and 2009. At this time last year, I was in full swing preparing for the Swiss Jura Marathon. By January 2009, I had finally cured a foot injury and had to overcome a mental blockage first meaning that I didn't feel confident to build up to long runs in my training. I knew, though, that the foundations had to be laid early in the year. I ran on a loop near the house just in case I felt a problem. As it was, the challenge really wasn't to focus on an irritable foot but to let go of the belief that I couldn't run further than 90 minutes. And it worked. By the time, I went on a holiday to the Canary Islands, I was running 70 miles without any issues. I met a few professional triathletes that happened to stay in the same hotel and occasionally watched them taking off on their bikes or going for runs. While the amateurs in the group looked somewhat intimitated, the professional athletes seemed to take themselves far too seriously. They wouldn't just stroll past but walk around with such an attitude that I thought myself lucky not to be in their position. The whole scenery just didn't look authentic! The point here is that the sport itself is possibly very rewarding to these athletes and that they have to work very hard to progress and improve. It's definitely a full-time job, but why look unhappy if they're really meant to be ambassadors in their sport? Similar attitudes show in amateur athletes. During the long bus journey into the Sahara Desert two years ago, I was sat next to a guy in his early 40's who kept asking me about my training, backpack, food and other equipment. In reality, I wasn't interested in going too deep into my training because what does it mean to him anyway, two days before the start of the race? He was merely interested in hearing his own voice that he'd been training with a 18kg backpack and thought of the route being easy when we were handed out the roadbook. What's to do for a woman next to someone who wants to exhibit his manhood in such a way? Run a mile in the other direction or keep staring out of the window impassively? I saw this guy after the second stage hobbling around the campsite and approached him. Before I could ask how he'd been doing so far, he said that he'd been suffering from fever and sickness and decided to drop out. I could barely hear his words as he was talking so quietly. Later that day, he escaped the site and flew off home. One day later, he sent an email to his tentmates he had let down in deep regret over his outcome. There is always a second chance in life but it's too short to waste on short-lived fame. Mar 1, 2010, Training Review 29Saturday was a perfect day to head out for the first bike ride of the year. Temperatures were around 13 C and it was a bit of a shock realising that I was last out on my road bike at the end of September! Yet, it felt like yesterday while I was cruising along pedaling easy up the hills and pushing hard on the flat. I felt so strong and for the same effort I put in months ago my breathing seemed easier. It goes to show that my training, even though not by any means scientific, does work and I am continuously noticing improvements in my (speed) endurance. While I am fully engaged in my daily life as a full-time mother and increasing responsibilities, I'm aiming to maintain my current routine. I feel very energetic at the moment and somehow have to store all that energy.
I'm positive that I can follow my passion for running soon again. I feel that I have a couple of good races in me this season and take the rocky start as a positive sign. Listening to the Perfect Health paraliminal is aiding the healing process on top of Arnica C200 2-3 times per day. I'm also impressed and happy with the results from doing the Egoscue stretches as these continue to re-align imbalances. This Saturday I'm going to seek professional help and get my running style thoroughly analysed. Based on the analysis I'm expecting a pair of tailor-made orthotics and will keep you updated on how that'll improve my running. Here is the week in detail: Monday & Tuesday: full rest Wednesday: Run 60 mins. undulating Thursday: CompuTrainer 2x20 mins. + 2x10 mins.treadmill @9% grade Friday: Run 40 mins. on treadmill at easy pace Saturday: morning session: CompuTrainer 30 mins. 10x 30 secs.@200W + 10 mins. easy jog on treadmill; bouldering 20mins.; afternoon session: bike ride 1h 50 mins. hilly Sunday: Run 50 mins. easy and flat Feb 25, 2010, The Rice Treatment and How It Helps To Ease Your PainThe first step to react to an injury is to try and apply the rice treatment Permalink -- click for full blog post "The Rice Treatment and How It Helps To Ease Your Pain" Feb 25, 2010, The Egoscue MethodOne of the reasons why the Egoscue Method has a 95% success rate is that it addresses underlying musculoskeletal dysfunctions. You can easily avoid surgery that's not always the ideal solution. Permalink -- click for full blog post " The Egoscue Method " Feb 24, 2010, How to Prevent Running InjuriesHow to Prevent Running Injuries Permalink -- click for full blog post "How to Prevent Running Injuries" Feb 22, 2010, Training Review 28It's been a turbulent week for a change. Last Saturday, during a long run out in the snow I suddenly got a stabbing pain in my left heel. I immediately realised that the underlying problem was an overuse injury I developed during the Swiss Jura Marathon. Usually, I could run for hours and not feel anything but lately I felt that running on the treadmill somewhat aggravated the foot, precisely the heel. Maybe a heel spur? Or plantar fasciitis? In the 15 years I've been a runner I have never suffered any severe long-term injuries and feel blessed about that. Yet, I have to treat the heel problem in the right manner instead of resisting the pain. I saw my physio last week to get an idea of the bigger picture. The muscles in my legs are in a great state, not one single muscle is shortened, even though a shortage of muscle tissue is what a high percentage of distance runners suffer from. The physio put cross tape on the centre of inflammation after manipulating the area where I can feel pain. After a couple of days, the pain eased and additionally I'm taking a natural remedy called hekla lava. For years, I've been familiar with the Egoscue Method. It is a unique and very effective program designed to treat musculoskeletal pain without drugs, surgery, or manipulation. I keep listening to the 'Perfect Health' paraliminal and take my training light-heartedly. It's only February and I'm confident to step up my training again soon. For now, I will have to divert to aqua-jogging and make use of the CompuTrainer once more. Take a look at last week's training in detail: Monday: CompuTrainer 40 mins. followed by 10 mins. on the treadmill Tuesday & Wednesday: full rest Thursday: CompuTrainer 60 mins. morning session mini-intervals & 60 mins. afternoon session spinning up to 180W Friday: full rest Saturday: Run 60 mins. easy on flat terrain Sunday: Run 60 mins. easy & CompuTrainer 30 mins. spinning I'm aiming to do some cross training this week and keep a positive attitude! Feb 15, 2010, Training Review 27All in all, I enjoyed my training and had intended to do a back-to-back run at the weekend but had to cancel the second long run due to a cold I caught overnight. The resting pulse never lies and it was in the 60s which was a clear indicator that something wasn't right. I'm glad I took a rest day on Sunday and am feeling a lot better today. Here are the details of last week's training : Monday: Run 60 mins. on treadmill; 15' w-up then 2 x 14' @12.1 km/h 3-6% grade and 6'recovery @10.0 km/h Tuesday: Run 60 mins. undulating; fast downhill Wednesday & Thursday: full rest Friday: Run 45 mins. on treadmill; 15' w-up then 4 x 1km reps @13.3 km/h with 3% grade; 2' recovery @10.0 km/h after each rep Saturday: Run 90 mins. hilly Sunday: full rest I'm returning to my normal routine this week and intend to use the CompuTrainer in combination with the treadmill more regularly again. It's ideal to do some longer brick sessions while awaiting spring! Feb 8, 2010, Training Review 26I enjoyed last week's training having managed one long run and travelling to see my extended family with the kids. I was happy to run up to an hour from Thursday onwards to keep up the momentum. Here's the week in detail: Monday: Run 90 mins. flat and steady Tuesday & Wednesday: full rest Thursday: Run 60 mins. hilly, focus on high cadence in the uphill sections Friday: Run 55 mins. hilly Saturday: Run 60 mins. flat and fairly fast with negative split by 1 minute This week I go with the flow. The kids are on their holidays for another week which means dedicating more time to other activities. At one point during a run through the woods last week I thought that spring is in the air. I felt a warm breeze and instantly started visualising running on the beautiful trails around Grindelwald, Davos and Lucerne. Can't wait to hit those trails in April and May. Feb 1, 2010, Training Review 25Last week's weather conditions allowed for a couple of good runs in the snow. Now I don't fight the snow anymore and instead excel because I changed my attitude. I take a lot of mental strength out of every run out there on the trails and feel how I'm becoming stronger. My newly-found passion definitely is the key to my daily motivation and nutritionally, the chia seeds I consume before each long run help me to keep my energy levels up. What I also find important is to keep on doing back-to-back sessions. Each long run is followed by an easier shorter run the next day. If you can run twice a day, wait for a few hours and do your recovery run then. Just keep in mind to run at a pace that doesn't feel too slow. I always run by feeling and never track my heart rate in order to determine the pace I'm running at. That way, I've developed a great feeling for pace and listen to my body. And constant improvements in my (speed) endurance prove that this method works. So here is last week's training in detail:
Monday: Run 60 mins. on treadmill; w-up, 2x14'@11.6 km/h increasing grade by .5% every 2 minutes; recovery after each interval 5 mins. @10.0 km/h Tuesday: Full rest Wednesday: Run 2 hrs. hilly in the snow Thursday: Run 60 mins. slightly hilly Friday: full rest Saturday: Run 90 mins. on treadmill; 15 mins. w-up, 4x14' @11.5 km/h 3-6% grade with 4 mins. recovery @10.0 km/h Sunday: Run 60 mins. slightly hilly This week I'm focusing on two more long runs in the snow and purely enjoy my current fitness. Keep on running! Jan 25, 2010, Training Review 24My training week was fairly un-eventful. I enjoyed five runs in total and two rest days. Once again, I was amazed at how efficient a short and sharp run on the treadmill can be. I'm sure you're all familiar with occasionally lacking motivation to go out running. That's one reason why I soemtimes choose to run on the treadmill. I know that I will never come up with the same session twice! On Tuesday, I had a tiring day and decided to turn it around for the better. After a 15-minute warm-up I switched from easy-jogging mode to a fairly fast cruise interval and it was so much fun. Here is the week in detail: Monday: full rest Tuesday: Run 40 mins. on the treadmill; cruise interval 3x7 mins. divided into 5 mins.@14.1km/h and 2 mins.@14.7km/h run without recovery in between Wednesday: Run 60 mins. hilly Thursday: Run 45 mins. easy Friday: full rest Saturday: Run 57 mins. flat and negative splitting by 3mins. after turnaround point at 30 minutes Sunday: Run 60 mins. flat and steady Jan 21, 2010, Why Chia Seeds Are Beneficial To UltrarunnersDiscover 9 Reasons Why Chia Seeds Boost Your Ultrarunning Performances Permalink -- click for full blog post "Why Chia Seeds Are Beneficial To Ultrarunners" Jan 21, 2010, How Energy Gel Influences Performance In Training and RacingIs your body sensitive to solid sports food?Using energy gel in training and races could prove to be the right choice. Jan 18, 2010, Training Review 23The weather was ideal for running despite the snow. The motto for my snow runs was "two steps forward and one step back". I took it as excellent resistance training and kept a good attitude. Any training run where you're required to watch your step and keeping focused makes you stronger, mentally and physically. I remember that I got very frustrated after months of really cold weather and a lot of snow last year. All I wanted was to run freely. The long runs became very draining on my mind. Yet, I persevered and persevered, eventually coming out of the winter training very strongly gaining fitness, confidence and reassurance. I was then able to take that strenth into my race last July. Now here is the detailed training: Monday: 40 mins. spinning on the CompuTrainer followed by 15 mins. on the treadmill; recovery session Tuesday & Wednesday: full rest days Thursday: Run 90 mins. on the treadmill; hill interval 3x16 mins. @11.7,11.9,11.9 with 2.5-6% grade and 4 mins.recovery @10.0 km/h 3 hours later: 2nd run 55 mins. flat and steady Friday: Run 60 mins. slightly hilly Saturday: Run 1 hr.35mins. hilly in the snow Sunday: Run 60 mins. undulating and effort down the hill As you can see, I doubled up on Thursday. Running twice a day with only a few hours of recovery in between teaches the body to deal with tiredness during an ultra race. I don't do these sessions weekly at the moment but intend to integrate them every other week or so. It's also a great way to find out which foods best speed your recovery. Try a smoothie or big fruit salad with 1-2 TBSP of chia seeds and notice the amazing effects ready to go for your second run of the day. Just make sure to do the harder session first and keep a good pace during the second run. Jan 11, 2010, Training Review 22It's been a great week as I finally felt that it was time to increase volume and intensity again. Except for one easier run I integrated high quality sessions to my routine and loved running on the treadmill.
What seems to help in preventing muscle soreness is to eat a few fresh dates, almonds and a teaspoon of coconut oil straight after the run. I've practised this in the last couple of months and really feel the difference. Here is the week in detail: Monday: Run 55 mins. hilly Tuesday: full rest Wednesday: Run 90 mins. on treadmill: hill interval 3x 16 mins. from 1-5.5% grade every 2 mins. @11.5 km/h with recovery @10.0 km/h Thursday: Run 60 mins. flat and steady Friday: Run 45 mins. on treadmill; kilometre reps 4x4 mins. @14.7 km/h; recovery 120 seconds, 110, 100 Saturday: Run 60 mins. hilly and fairly fast Sunday: Run 2 hrs. hilly and steady I started the week with an easy spin on the Compu Trainer followed by a short run and will indulge in another long run outside this weekend. One tip for those who are still contemplating doing core exercises but can't motivate themselves: I know they can be tough to do as it takes a lot of discipline to do them regularly. Think of how strong you'll feel in your next ultra marathon. If you are already preparing for a race in March you can still reap the benefits. Start today and notice the effects within four weeks! Jan 4, 2010, Training Review 21It was great to take it easy again. I ran without the pressure of having to be fit for a race in March/April. My focus for 2010, precisely until the summer, is to keep on building this website, add new topics, even a forum for all fellow ultrarunners out there who want to share their experiences in the sport. I have a couple of other important projects I'm currently working on. My days are pretty much filled now with work that I enjoy a lot and feel passionate about, training and taking care of the kids. I'm also keen to keep on extending my social network and dedicate time to the people it concerns. Regarding my current fitness level I must admit that I feel very fit, fast and healthy at the moment. For the past two weeks I've had mainly short and sharp runs and also some easy recovery training. On Saturday I went out to do hill reps and then shifted into a cruise interval on the downhill.Yesterday I went up the hill at a moderate pace and really hammered down the other side of the hill. It felt as if I was flying along and I can feel my legs a little bit today! Here are the details: Monday: Run 55 mins. hilly and easy Tuesday: Run 45 mins. easy and flat Wednesday: Run 60 mins. on treadmill; one hill interval @12.5 km/h with an incline between 1-5.5% Thursday and Friday: full rest days Saturday: Run 55 mins. hilly and tempo Sunday: Run 50 mins. hilly, hard and free This week I intend on doing one or two longer runs again while hopefully the weather holds. It's been an unsual warm winter so far and maybe the weather holds for another week, i.e. no snow in sight but temperatures around -9 Celcius.
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This was actually the first time ever for me to model and I loved every second of it. Luckily the weather was steady for the time being and after we were all set and done in Geneva, Chamonix in the French Alps was going to be the next location. 
From May 20-23, there will be workshops, seminars, training runs and product testings.
During the recovery phase afterwards, the body is able to adapt and progress is being made. It is not enough to do just one long run per week, if you have an ultra race coming up soon. Invest time into such training blocks and reap improvements in your speed endurance.
My first destination was Rigi. I got off the cable car at the first station and hiked up for the first half hour and quickly started to run up steadily. Whenever I run in the mountains I feel as if I embark on a journey. You never know what to expect except for sudden weather changes. It`s exciting and fun. Average speed, mileages covered, monitoring the 
The next day I went to a place called Altdorf and followed the Via Alpina signposts, the path of the Alps all the way to the top. I actually wanted to continue up over the Surenenpass but have to wait until June or July because the trails are still covered in snow.
No, I haven't got a broken arm! I've come across these really practical arm warmers not long ago. Originally, I would wear them during bike rides in cool weather conditions. I found, though, that they are an ideal piece of equipment for ultrarunners to wear during any run when you can't quite trust the weather. When it's slightly too cold to wear a T-Shirt but too warm for a long-sleeved top then arm warmers are a top tip. 
I've been happy to focus solely on running and doing the stretches and strengthening exercises.
Last week, I committed to run the Transalpine Run - a multi-stage race - with 
Another highlight was an enjoyable long run in the snow yesterday. I felt so light on my feet and mentally free. Recovery appears to be speedy as I feel fresh in my legs today. 