How do I train to run for 24 hours straight?

If distance doesn't matter, just run slowly. That should be about all it takes. Get your friends to bring you food and drinks.

How to train for a 24 hour run...based off 90-100 miles per week, I would seriously doubt you'd be able to run the entire thing. 24 hours of continuous running is a lot tougher than it sounds. Honestly, I would practice throwing some small, quick walk breaks into your training.

Your plan to run some at night is great, but I'd also plan to do a couple of runs where you don't go to sleep and run at like midnight or even 3 am just so you can get your body used to running tired. It pays dividends. Crazy stuff happens when you have that headlamp on for like 10 hours..lol

MeHereYouWhere?! wrote:

How to train for a 24 hour run...based off 90-100 miles per week, I would seriously doubt you'd be able to run the entire thing. 24 hours of continuous running is a lot tougher than it sounds. Honestly, I would practice throwing some small, quick walk breaks into your training.

Your plan to run some at night is great, but I'd also plan to do a couple of runs where you don't go to sleep and run at like midnight or even 3 am just so you can get your body used to running tired. It pays dividends. Crazy stuff happens when you have that headlamp on for like 10 hours..lol

By run, I meant move forward at some pace. I was planning on needing walk breaks to get through it. Is a minute per mile reasonable? Or can you not even tell until you are in the middle of it?

You'll most certainly need some walking breaks. I've done six 100-milers (go ahead and laugh) with peak training of about 90-115mpw or so. I did all of them, except one, well under 24 hours. I definitely needed to do some walking in all of them, too (most people do). I never bother with running at night in training, however.

there is very little good advice you can receive since you have a time deadline. the good advice would be do it in 2 or 3 years when you have conquered 50 miles, 100k's and maybe a 100 miler or two.

Doing doubles does not help you in the long run.

Instead do 7 weekly runs, each a minimum of 3 hours, once those are comfortable (10 to 11 min. miles), try a 4 hour run, maybe even a 5 hour run.

On the day of the event plan to run a 5 hour marathon (11:26 per mile pace), take a 30 minute to one hour break and go and do another 5 hour marathon, lather, rinse, repeat.

Towards the end you may be doing a 6 hour marathon (13:43 per mile pace).

el raton wrote:

I'm going to be running for 24 hours in a row at the end of the summer as part of a fundraiser. What's the best way to prepare for this? Details...

-I currently run between 90-100 miles a week off of 10-12 runs.

-I will have six weeks before to do basically nothing but train.

I was thinking four days of run 8 at 8 p.m., go to bed, wake up at 3 a.m., run 8, then go back to bed and then run a third 8 at 10 a.m. or so. Then a day of two runs of 15-16. And one long day of 35 or so. But I have no idea. Ideas?

One of your biggest problems is going to be blisters and/or chafing. Polyester socks (or something other than cotton socks), bandaids over the nipples, Vaseline or some other like product anywhere the clothes touch you from the waist down.

I'd advise you to set a brisk early pace and just tough it out.

Ultra runners do not run ultra miles per week. They typically run 70-90 mpw. The difference is that they run one very long run each week. Like 3 or 4 hours.

Flagpole wrote:

One of your biggest problems is going to be blisters and/or chafing. Polyester socks (or something other than cotton socks), bandaids over the nipples, Vaseline or some other like product anywhere the clothes touch you from the waist down.

Actually 5-6 pairs of socks, and lots of chaffing product, maybe an extra pair of shoes if you're a sweater. If your feet get wet and you start sliding in your shoes you'll blister up something fierce. Depending on the surface you're running on you'll want to make sure you clean up periodically. Get any dirt, sand, whatever out of your shoes, clean your feet, put on fresh socks, and hit it. I didn't and had blisters the size of silver dollars on the inside of each heel where the dirt went after about 50 miles.

The other thing to train for is eating. You're going to need to eat, and you want to know in advance what you can stomach and make sure it's available. Once the tank runs out you're done, and you'll pretty much drop in your tracks. So if you want to make the whole 24 hours practice eating things that have some carbs and protein and make sure it stays down.

If you're doing 90-100 miles a week your legs will do fine if you practice a couple 4-6 hour runs. Training won't be your problem. If you don't get the logistics down with eating and keeping your body free of blisters/chaffing you'll have a hard time making it past 8 hours.

dean moriarty wrote:

I'd advise you to set a brisk early pace and just tough it out.

Practicing your homicidal streak today? ;-)

Excellent advice. Thank you. I have the option of starting the evening before. If I could get the night out of the way first, does that make sense? I'm running a short loop (1.5 miles) around a pond with a lot of support.

Good advice here but be sure to size up a 1/2 size in the shoes and have an extra pair on hand for the 2nd half maybe in a drop bag along the way or with your crew. Your feet will swell, so you need a bigger shoe. Nutrition- get this figured out in training first. In ultras, it's as important as the training itself. You have to know what works for you and what doesn't.

1st priority: nutritoin. Learn as much about as you can stomach! ;)

2nd: foot care. Get this:

http://www.amazon.com/Fixing-Your-Feet-Prevention-Treatments/dp/0965738604

3rd: pacing. First time ultra runners should not refrain from a 5:1min run:walk ratio.

4rd: training. Practise nutrition, pacing and foot care!

Excellent point about several pairs of socks an even an extra pair of shoes (sweating or a bit of rain might make that a good idea).Your advice was superior.

Weekly milage isn't the key. Back to back weekend long runs are huge however. 20,25,30 on sat. Followed by another 20-25 on sun.

Nutrition/hydration are also huge.

An important question: I can start at 6 p.m. or so and do the nighttime first. Would it be better to get it out of the way first?

My experience from 100-milers is that the night time is a nice diversion and can be very refreshing, often because it's cooler. So, I would rather do the night portion later in the race, when you're more apt to need a physical and mental pick-me-up.

I never done a 100 mile race before and not sure I ever want to(I don't think Bekele would be interested). I do think about it literally sometimes though, about how I'd go about it. My easy pace runs are about 7:20/mile and I do them for about 10 miles. I think for 100 miles, I'd get a pair of zoom vaporfly's. Them would make me be able to do at least 10 miles of the 100 miles at that pace. I would probably first do 10 miles at 8min/mile. 10% complete and pretty easy pace.

I would increase to 7:45 pace for next 10 miles. Nice and easy, already 20% finished.

I would be conservative and do 10 at 8:15 pace then. Slow and easy, now 30% done.

I would do another 10 at 8. 40% done.

I would then do next 10 at 8. half done.

I would then do the next half slightly faster, and evan try a 10 mile split at 7:15(hard to predict how you will feel later on, and what pace you will want to run at). I have good endurance and am strong so a sub 13 will be on the cards, if I eventually done it in a few years. I'm far from elite, but no elite ever run 100 miles anyway. Bekele never done it before. He would be under 10 hours if he was interested.

Since it a fundraiser, and not a race, this make a huge difference.

Cruise at slightly slower than your training pace, and then, BEFORE you get tired, walk for 1/4 to 1/2 mile.

Practice eating while you walk.

If there is a partner to run with it will make it MUCH easier.