{"id":10155,"date":"2010-07-12T14:00:46","date_gmt":"2010-07-12T18:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nomeatathlete.com\/?p=10155"},"modified":"2020-04-13T15:49:11","modified_gmt":"2020-04-13T19:49:11","slug":"why-running-ultramarathons-has-actually-made-me-a-worse-runner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nomeatathlete.com\/why-running-ultramarathons-has-actually-made-me-a-worse-runner\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Running Ultramarathons Has Actually Made Me a WORSE Runner"},"content":{"rendered":"

Back when I had never run more than 26.2 miles, I would try to picture myself as an ultramarathoner.\u00a0 And when I did, I pictured a stronger, fitter, faster athlete.\u00a0 A tough, ripped, running machine.<\/p>\n

I figured that I’d run a 50-miler<\/a> and develop my ability to burn fat for fuel and improve my endurance, and then I’d go ahead and break three hours in a marathon this fall.<\/p>\n

After all, once you’ve trained your body to handle 50 miles, a marathon is child’s play.\u00a0 Or so I thought.<\/p>\n

Today I’m actually a weaker runner than I was nine months ago, when I qualified for Boston<\/a> and decided to do what I considered impossible, to run a 50-miler.<\/p>\n

I’ve lost muscle.\u00a0 I’ve lost aerobic capacity.\u00a0 Most importantly, I’ve lost the competitive drive to get out there and pound the track\/trail\/pavement until I feel like crying, puking, or both.<\/p>\n

What Happened?<\/h3>\n

I know exactly what went “wrong.”<\/p>\n

Ready?\u00a0 Running trails and hanging out with ultramarathoners is really fun.<\/p>\n

When I trained to qualify for Boston, I drank customized, homemade sports drinks<\/a> before and after every workout.\u00a0 With my ultra friends, I drank beer after runs.<\/p>\n

Before I started running ultras, I hated drinking caffeine before races—I just didn’t like how it made me feel.\u00a0 With my ultra friends, long runs became fun (not work), and a cup of coffee and a bagel beforehand were only fitting.<\/p>\n

And the worst part of all: I realized that I could succeed at ultrarunning without working hard.<\/p>\n

The problem was in how I defined success.\u00a0 In a 50K or 50-miler, all I had to do was finish and I’d be happy.\u00a0 Not so with marathons, where anything short of a PR would have been a disappointment.<\/p>\n

And once simply finishing became the goal, the mindset changed.\u00a0 Completely.<\/p>\n

Why suffer through a track workout<\/a> when I can log 10 easy miles instead? <\/em><\/p>\n

Why run hills when I’m allowed to walk them? <\/em><\/p>\n

Why bother with strength training<\/a>, foam rolling<\/a>, and proper workout nutrition<\/a>, when the intensity of my training and even racing would never be high (just long)?<\/em><\/p>\n

What to Do About It<\/h3>\n

I don’t mean to downplay the difficulty of the sport of ultrarunning, and especially not the people who do it.\u00a0 It’s a tough sport, and they’re the most hardcore bunch of runners I know, while at the same time being a blast to hang around with.\u00a0 The problem is in my own approach to it.<\/p>\n

The answer is not to stop running ultras—and good thing, since I’ve got another 50-miler in Vermont<\/a> in about 10 weeks.\u00a0 No, the answer is to try harder.\u00a0 To train with the intensity that I’d train if I had a time goal. (Perhaps, to set a time goal at all.)\u00a0 And to understand that even though I might be able to relax and let the ultras come to me, what I need to do is go get them.<\/p>\n

\"Matt<\/p>\n

I am lucky that at right around the same time I was thinking about this, and pondering whether I had it in me to commit to training hard again after 9 months of really fun, relaxing running, I had the opportunity yesterday to see Brendan Brazier<\/a> speak.\u00a0 And then I got to meet him, which was really cool since he’s a constant source of inspiration for me.<\/p>\n

I also bought a few of his sports nutrition products: Vega Sport Performance Optimizer<\/a> and Vega Sport Performance Protein<\/a> (affiliate links, by the way).\u00a0 Both are products I’ve reviewed on this blog, and I truly believe they’re the best plant-based supplements you can buy, but they’re expensive enough that I’ve had trouble justifying the purchases in the past.<\/p>\n

The way I’m looking at it now is this: If my spending a few more bucks than I usually do puts some pressure on me to actually get my butt out there and work hard enough that supplements make a difference, then that’s a plus.\u00a0 This type of thinking has worked for me before, and it’s going to work for me again.<\/p>\n

Today I plan my training for the next 10 weeks.\u00a0 Tomorrow I start.\u00a0 With a new attitude.\u00a0 Who’s with me?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Back when I had never run more than 26.2 miles, I would try to picture myself as an ultramarathoner.\u00a0 And when I did, I pictured a stronger, fitter, faster athlete.\u00a0 A tough, ripped, running machine. I figured that I’d run a 50-miler and develop my ability to burn fat for fuel and improve my endurance, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":10154,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[75],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-10155","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"entry"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nUltramarathons Can Make Your Slower<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Training for ultramarathons is hardcore, badass, whatever you like. 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