Training for an Ultra

Where are our runners at?! Watch this video to hear Kelly explain how much training is needed for an ultra.

Here are the general minimum guidelines for training for an ultra depending on the distance:

50k/50M: 6 hours per week for 3 weeks starting 6 weeks from your race (usually the 3 weeks prior to a 3 week taper)

100k/100M: 9 hours per week for 6 weeks starting 9 weeks from your race (usually the 6 weeks prior to a 3 week taper)

There will be individual variance (as always), as you could get by with less or you may need more, but this is a great place to start if you’re wondering how much time you’ll need to dedicate to ultra training.

By Kelly Lutz

#running #training #runner #kelly lutz #ultra

Are you ready to sign up for an ultra?

Many have asked me how to know if they’re ready to sign up for an ultra.

In my opinion, it boils down to 2 things: desire and time.

Do you want to run an ultra? If the answer is no….. then I’m not really sure why you’re asking the question. So then it becomes do you have the time (both weekly and overall) to dedicate to training for an ultra?

If the answer to both of these questions is YES, then (generally speaking) there’s no reason you aren’t ready to sign up for an ultra.

By Kelly Lutz

#running #training #runner #kelly lutz #ultra

Training for an Ultra

I recently saw a post about how to know if you're ready to train for specific distances and got FIRED UP. This post insinuated that you had to be able to run a certain distance in order to train for another distance. Specifically, this post said you should "definitely run a marathon first" before running an ultra.

Let's talk about the issues with this advice and how to actually know if you're ready to train for a 50k.

By Kelly Lutz

#running #training #runner #kelly lutz

Ultra-Independence: A Trauma Response

Most everyone looks at independence as a strength. And, while it is important on some level, when it becomes a part of your survival mechanism, it may actually be a problem.

Extreme independence could be a trauma response. Were you the caretaker of your household growing up? Or grow up in a home with distant, abusive, or narcissistic family members? Were you abused in an intimate relationship? Friendship? Bullied? Grieving the death of someone?

For so many reasons, we can become so used to doing everything ourselves, that asking for help becomes terrifying. We become so hard on ourselves. We expect to be superheroes at all times. We beat ourselves up when we cannot fix a situation or do everything ourselves.

The inability to trust is one of the cornerstones of trauma. And, that extends to other people, but also ourselves. We create walls to protect ourselves. We don't let people in because we fear being hurt and disappointed and, for some, like myself, we don't feel worthy of help. So, we set boundaries to limit how close others get to us. To protect ourselves from heartbreak and pain. To keep ourselves safe.

But learning to accept help from others is not something to be ashamed of. You're not keeping yourself safe - you're hiding. You're afraid. It's not about being independent or proving to ourselves that we have everything under control. It's about living knowing heartbreak will happen, but living anyway. It's about having the courage to face your wounds and caring for them until they're just scars.

Be you bravely,
Jennifer Knutson

#mental health #jennifer knutson