I’ve long believed that there are just a few small things that seperate elite ultrarunners from near-elite ones. I don’t have perfect definitions for “elite” or “near-elite” but, I’ll use some local Seattle ultra-runners as examples:
Elite = Scott Jurek, Uli Steidl
Near Elite = Brian Morrison, Greg Crowther, Adam Lint, etc.
I’m hopeful that my designations/classifications don’t create hard feelings. These are just my own subjective calls and anybody who reads this blog knows that I’m not the brightest bulb. The point I want to make is that there are often subtle differences that seperate these two classes of runners.
One great example of these differences if rest/down-time. My perception is that the elite runners are, in general, better at scheduling/taking down time than the near elites. Obviously, I’m making broad, sweeping categorizations here, which is never fair and never accurate. But, I do come across many near-elite runners who — in their effort to become elite — fail to realize the importance of rest/down-time. Instead, they race ultras several times/month…12 months a year….years in a row.
It should be noted that rest/down-time can mean different things for diferent people. Scott Jurek has a nice post up about his concept of “Hibernation” which he borrows from the Kenya distance runners. Scott has just takend 6 full weeks off of running.
Others, such as Uli, don’t seem to stop running for weeks on end, but are definitely either in the process of building up for a big race or recovering from a big race. Check out Uli’s training logs, and you’ll see what I mean. There are lots of 120+ mile weeks, but also a fair amount of 40-50 mile weeks.
Most of us who don’t fall into the elite OR the near-elite category (including myself) has the opposite problem…we likely take far too much rest in any given week, month, year.
What do you do for rest? Does my hypothesis that elite runners take more rest seem correct…or totally whacked? How much rest is enough? Too much?
Feel free to add comments below…
Rest is greatly underrated and seldom understood as a major part of endurance running at all levels.
rgot.
Hi Matt — I can certainly accept a “near-elite” classification…. I’d also agree that some ultramarathoners race way more often than seems sensible to me, and that Scott and Uli are good examples of people who train intelligently. Still, I don’t think my approach to rest is what has prevented me from becoming the next Uli. Aside from 2007, my schedule of racing and recovery has been fairly “Uli-like.” I’d argue that the key differences between myself and Uli are that (A) he has more natural footspeed and a higher VO2max, (B) he grew up doing a lot of mountain running and thus is a better technical trail runner, and (C) his body is better able than mine to survive punishing 100-mile weeks and so forth. Likewise, Brian spent a year training with Scott and absorbing his general approach, which he still follows, so I’d look elsewhere for reasons behind their different levels of success.
Crowther was the USATF 50K and 100K champion in 2007 and I believe has run sub-seven for 100K at least twice. I’m not sure how such a level of performance would be categorized as less than elite. Perhaps you are suggesting that he’s only “national class” and not “world class”? I’m not sure I understand…