The Art of Peaking

 With less than two weeks to go before the DuPont Hickory Mountain 50k and our last long run recorded in our journal, the fine art of balancing rest and recovery with just enough running at the right intensity becomes the primary focus.  We want to step to the starting line rested, healthy and ready to go.  This state of body and mind is in reality located somewhere between feeling lethargic by doing too little, on one end of the scale and exhausted by doing to much, on the other.  How do we achieve this balance?...

A friend of ours Ian Torrence, wrote an excellent article “Your Ultra-Training Bag of Tricks: The Difficult Art of Peaking” that appeared earlier this month on Bryon Powell’s blog iRunFar.com.  Like ourselves, Ian is a former Las Vegas, Nevada resident who lived in the desert valley while employed by the US Park Service.  He was quite an icon in the local running community while in the process of establishing himself as one of the best ultra trail runners in the country.  While still living in Las Vegas, I recall one of his quotes from an interview that appeared in the local newspaper that stuck with me.  When asked how he was able to cover these amazing distances while winning 50 and 100 mile events, he answered, “Because I like to run.”  (“When you follow your bliss, doors will open…”  - Joseph Campbell)

Ian’s article gives credit to his mentor Greg McMillan in establishing a set of rules to live by leading up to race day, which consists, for most of us, of four basic rules of things to do and things to avoid.  Ian confirms our experience that the two week “taper” is superior to the traditional three week peaking phase.

1)      Avoid a drastic reduction in running volume

Gradually reduce your running volume.  A 10 -20 minute reduction of each run or a weekly volume reduction of 30-50 percent* is a good guideline for the first week followed by a further 20 – 30 minute reduction of each run or another 20 percent* of weekly volume the second week.  The last long run one week before your event should be about 90 minutes.  The goal is keep moving with emphasis on recovery and feeling stronger and more confident as you progress through the two week “build-up”.

(*Clarified by Ian for this post.)

2)      Maintain your normal routine

Consistency in your normal routine is extremely important in order achieve the best ‘loading’ of muscles and nervous system.  As Ian points out this “is not the time to experiment with new workouts, forms of exercise, foods and social events.”  The time previously dedicated to running should be used for relaxing, sleeping or reading a good book.

3)      Maintain running intensity and build confidence

Keep some intensity in your running but during this period limit it to one run about 10 days before your race.  This maybe in the form of fartlek (our favorite) or a Tabata run, but make sure it is a type of workout you are familiar with so you can properly gauge your effort. This should be stimulating not exhausting.

4)      Stick with the original race plan and have fun

One rule Ian is adamant about, “no one starts a race without a goal.”  No matter where you plan to finish in the field you must have a goal in mind. Whether it’s finishing your first ultra or winning the event outright, “don’t lose sight of why you’re out there.  Be deliberate in your actions and calculate each move you make on the race course.  Run your own race and enjoy the time you’re having on the trail or road.  We are simply enjoying the challenge of doing our best….and you should remember…have fun. ”

We encourage you to read Ian’s entire article at: http://www.irunfar.com/2012/09/your-ultra-training-bag-of-tricks-the-difficult-art-of-peaking.html

 Who is Ian Torrence?

Since running his first ultra in 1994 Ian racked up a total of 51 wins of his 167 ultra finishes, which include winning the Massanutten Mountain 100 Mile Run and the Superior Trail 100 Mile Run.  Probably his greatest accomplishment is winning the 2002 Grand Slam of Ultra Running by recording the fastest combined time for four major 100 mile races in one season (Western States, Vermont, Leadville Trail and Wasatch Front).  Ian is now head of the ultramarathon coaching division for McMillanRunning.com.