[This post is copied directly from my Facebook wall]
Now that I've done 200 miles at both extremes - mountainous and pancake flat, I've learned a little something about what it takes to conquer the mental hurdles of such a distance. As I kept telling Tom Polen during ATY, I had to stop myself from thinking about the number 200. I didn't let myself dwell on that number until I was within striking distance, which for me is a 50k.
At Tahoe 200 it was easy to focus on the next aid station because they were so far apart. You didn't really have a choice. Just get there and take a break and don't leave until you feel up for the next 15-20 mile section.
At ATY there was an aid station every half mile. So I had to make smaller goals. For most of the race I broke in up into 3 hour windows. I would run a minimum of 1 lap (1.05 miles) every 15 minutes, making sure to get to 10 in 2.5 hours. Then I'd use the rest of the 3 hours to eat, stretch, roll, socialize, and rest my legs.
If I felt good the 10 miles and rest break would be shorter than 3 hours and I'd start again, but only once I felt I had another 10 miles in me. I would not eat during those 10 miles, except maybe a carb-based snack halfway through. This prevented me from overeating and having stomach issues.
So I was never thinking about 200. It was just 70, 80, 90, etc. As I got tired each day, I could no longer make it 10 miles between breaks, so I lowered it to 8. Then 5. Once I could only make it 5 miles, it was time for a longer rest in the rental SUV with my legs elevated. 3-4 hours off my feet would do the trick and I was back up to 10 miles between breaks. During those 3-4 hours I barely slept, but resting my legs did the trick.
I felt it was pretty easy to make it to 170 miles by using small intermediate goals. Unfortunately at mile 178 my right shin muscle started hurting badly and eventually something snapped when I stepped in a rut while getting something out of the back of the SUV. The EMT iced my shin and based on advice from veteran ultra-distance runner Vikena Yutz, we decided that I should try to jog 3 laps (walking was too painful but running worked), then come back to ice again.
For the first 178 miles, I had always walked 4 small sections of every single lap (everything paved plus a little more). I hated not getting those little breaks. I started to worry that running would strain it further and I wouldn't make it to 200. I switched over to limp-walking with my right leg out at a 45-degree angle. I cried for a lap, wallowing in self pity.
But then I remembered how I got that far - small goals. So I decided to walk until 5pm, which was a few hours away. Eventually I discovered I could arch up my toes and walk almost normally. I set goals of walking 5 miles between breaks. This did the trick. By 10pm I had made it to 190 miles. I decided to try running again, and by using the same arched-toe trick I was able to jog again.
I finally hit 200 miles at 1am, and was riding such a huge high that I cruised on to 206 miles by 3am. Normally 6 miles in 2 hours is pretty pathetic, but at this point it felt lightning fast.
Whatever distance you're running, whatever your goals are for the year, set some intermediate goals and you'll find yourself in striking distance of the big one before you know it.
Happy Trails,
Kent
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