Advice sought on high mileage challenges

4 watchers

Buzzard Sis Jan 2017 9:31pm, 4 Jan 2017 3,110 posts	0 Buzzard Sis Happy New Year everyone, I've been running and back here since the summer but, as always, a lot has been going on so I've been a bit quiet. One of the things going on is that my family and I went on an amazing wish trip to Florida in December and now I have gone and done something crazy. I have committed to running from Gatwick to Florida by December 2018 (when I will hopefully return physically to Florida as a volunteer on the trip). This is 4350 miles in the almost two years. An average approx 50 miles a week if I run consistently but more if I have to break for illness and injuries. I plan to incorporate some marathons and ultras and the rest will be just running 5-6 days a week for the two years with a long run a week. My question is to all you high mileage Fetchies. What additional things should I be doing as well as the running? What should I be eating? Any advice would be really welcome. I will re-start blogging about it all too.
monsenb1 Jan 2017 11:54am, 5 Jan 2017 1,791 posts	0 monsenb1 wow 2 years of 2000+ miles, good luck!
Buzzard Sis Jan 2017 3:07pm, 7 Jan 2017 3,122 posts	0 Buzzard Sis Thank you. I am torn at the moment whether to bite the bullet and do it all in a year so it is something really special for the charity...
Velociraptor Jan 2017 3:11pm, 7 Jan 2017 35,247 posts	0 Velociraptor I'm not a particularly high mileage Fetchie, but my specific advice to you, BS, which wouldn't be relevant to everything, is to make sure that the control of your particular health-related challenges is, and remains, as good as it can be, and be meticulous about monitoring as you ramp up your mileage and as you add in huge individual runs and/or multiple runs in one day. Maybe discuss it with the specialists involved with your care, even though it may mean having the, "Yes, I KNOW it sounds nuts, but I really, really intend to do this and I want you to support me," conversation. Everything else is small print in comparison.
Buzzard Sis Jan 2017 4:20pm, 7 Jan 2017 3,124 posts	0 Buzzard Sis Yeah thanks Velociraptor. It's very easy for me to forget during good spells like this! I had a rough chest before Christmas and saw a really nice GP who is quite new to the practise. He commented on my Tom Tom and asked me what I thought of it. He didn't ask anything else about running but we had a brief watch discussion so he is clearly a runner. I could go and talk to him as he may not give me the 'don't be ridiculous' line. I was on 24 hour oxygen for 18 months after swine flu and that was a few years after running before when I could do a sub 4 marathon. I have worked really hard from pulmonary rehab with a lot older people and respiratory physio and then doing the C25K literally managing on 30 seconds of running at a time to get fitness back and I can tell them that. I know one really bad infection can set everything back and I'd have to start again. I struggle with the first 1.5 miles of any run and think this is crazy but I know as soon as I get to rhythm I can breathe better than when I'm walking. Diabetes is of course something else that needs careful nutrition on the run but I can feel sugars dropping long before they get too low thankfully. I don't have a heart rate monitor but need to get one when I can afford it. Thank you I will go and see the running doc
Velociraptor Jan 2017 4:23pm, 7 Jan 2017 35,249 posts	0 Velociraptor Best wishes with all of that
Fenland (Fenners) Runner Jan 2017 4:34pm, 7 Jan 2017 11,039 posts	0 Fenland (Fenners) Runner Perhaps because I'm old(er) I've found that cross-training and really helps my running.
Velociraptor Jan 2017 4:45pm, 7 Jan 2017 35,250 posts	0 Velociraptor Whereas if I was planning to do two or three thousand miles of running a year, I'd be binning all the cross training because there aren't enough hours in the day to do that much running and ride my bike, swim, climb and lift weights.
Buzzard Sis Jan 2017 5:04pm, 7 Jan 2017 3,125 posts	0 Buzzard Sis I won't have time for cross training but will do some stretching and core to prevent injury. Rest days will be full on rest days
Buzzard Sis Jan 2017 5:06pm, 7 Jan 2017 3,126 posts	0 Buzzard Sis 10 miles is comfortable for me so I could do 10 most days with maybe two long runs a week and step backs every 3-4 weeks. I would love to do one of the marathon every week challenges within it but these seem all sold out.