This was a Q&A around Peloton Marathon Schedule, Fueling for Ultras, and more! The questions are from listeners and I’d love you to submit one for the next Q&A show!
1. Peloton marathon program
Want the bottom line up front? It is a good schedule.
Here are the high points:
- 18 weeks
- In app, the full Peloton Marathon program is split into three different six week blocks
- Your weekly runs will be in a queue on your Peloton app under “programs”
- You cannot do the runs within each week “flexible training style”; when you complete day 1, day 2 is then unlocked, and so on
- Minutes versus miles focus
- Volume depends on speed; maxes at 40-55 miles at week 15
I love that this Peloton marathon program focuses on minutes over miles, meaning two different runners with varying abilities can complete the same schedule.
The beginner runner will, by way of pace and miles, do less overall miles while the faster runner will have more.
As one size fits all programming goes, Peloton marathon is great!
2. How should I fuel for an ultra?
Unlike most shorter distance races, ultramarathons allow you to check a supply bag they will leave for you on designated parts of the course.
Fuel? Extra shoes or headlamps? Toothbrush and toothpaste? Tylenol? Laters of clothes? Extra phone or headphones if allowed (real talk: usually they aren’t!)?
There’s a comfort in knowing you will have these things and you don’t need to “mule” them yourself.
This also means you can fuel strategically because you can bring your own!
Digestion is a delicate piece when your effort extends past the 8-10 hour mark.
You need to seek quick burning carbohydrates, as protein and fat are harder to digest and can be culprits for tummy distress.
I love Mark Sission but most of us are not fat adapted athletes, so just think carbs early and often to sustain your efforts calorically in the later miles when you may not be able to digest.
I’ve got my Red H favorites (Go Juice, Formula H) and believe you should use your long effort “dress rehearsals” to find which supplements work for you.
Then, use those supplements at minimum effective dose and aim for real foods to sustain you otherwise. These are always in my drop bag:
- Bananas
- Baby food
- Sweet potatoes
- Anything with real ginger
- Pickle juice
- Salted boiled potatoes
3. How can I approach pacing?
If the wheels are falling off for you in the second half of a rate, there is a chance you could be going too fast!
How do you know? Do a backward check on a tool like the McMillian Running Calculator.
Input an existing time you have, such as 5K, and ensure the suggested marathon or half marathon time is parallel to the pace you’re aiming for.
You can also use this calculator in reverse if you’ve got shorter Summer distances on your calendar and have a current longer race distance, such as marathon, as a starting point.
Assuming your pace is in line, you can:
- Use a pacer during the race. This is s human being that will run an even per mile pace to correspond with the designated time they’re assigned to (they’ll be wearing a shirt or holding a sign with the final time they represent).
- Pacers are standard at larger races and are provided by a sponsor or on a volunteer basis. This is something you are going to want to research beforehand to make sure the race you are participating in offers the service.
- If it’s a smaller race and/or the service is not provided, print out a pace band that equates with your desired time. Laminate it (cause sweat!) and then check in with your watch and wrist to be sure you are on track!
race or print out a piece band to put on your wrist so you can check in with your target time during the race. Your preference or do you feel the kids on
4. What strength training should I do as a runner?
Real talk: I need to reroute you to the entire episode with Brodie Sharpe on this one.
Australian Physio and founder Run Smarter Online, Brodie walks through why runners should lift, supported research around rep ranges and performance, as well as which movements to perform regularly.
Listen to the episode or read the blog post associated!
5. Which workouts build grit?
In psychology, “grit” is a positive, non-cognitive trait based on an individual’s perseverance combined with passion for a particular long-term goal or end state (source: Wikipedia).
I have discussed grit previously with Murph and the Goggins Challenge purely for the sake of doing hard things.
Here are two other ideas for grit building workouts:
The Kettlebell mile– this one is really tough! Make sure you go heavy enough (prescribed weight is 16 kg for women, 24 kg for men) and rest early to save your grip.
A running streak– the official definition of a running streak, as adopted by the Streak Runners International, Inc., and United States Running Streak Association, Inc., is to run at least one mile, anywhere you choose, each day.
Both of these things require persistence and passion! As an added bonus, experience with any of the above will provide you with great stories, learning opportunities, and personal satisfaction.
Thank you, partners!
Check out the partners that support the time and financial resources needed to publish Run Lift Mom each week:
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