If not faster, then further: I had never ran so much!

I have to admit, despite 18 years of ultra trail running, I have still no all the clues about what I am doing! As the saying goes, ultra running is a barely scientific experiment of n = 1 (even when the UTMB marketing machine makes it seem like n = 8,000). When my hamstring tendon fissured after training so hard to break the M50-54 100K record, and failing, after 8 years of averaging 100K a week, I figured out that the 62-mile weeks had become too much for my body.

Then I put my hat in the Spartathlon lottery because I felt there wasn't much time left to run that mythical race before I'm getting too old (this year, there are 20 entrants older than me, the older being 71 and 14 between 60 and 64). And I got in on the first try, although I still don't feel like I totally rebuilt after the 4-year injury.

Our team coordinator who already finished Spartathlon 9 times (!) gave us an training regimen that I had never heard of before. August had to include 2 weeks at 200 miles, we had been warned in March! I was torn between the fear of breaking something again, which happened to a few other entrants from our Team USA unfortunately, and this opportunity to explore unchartered territories again and set new limits, both physically and mentally.

With such a regimen, I went into Skyline 50K with only one day of tapering and absolutely no hill training, even after a stay in Chamonix in July where I mostly ran on roads, flat trails and hundreds of laps at the track. 2 weeks later, I took 4 days off before an even hillier trail 50K, Tamalpa Headlands. Definitely not on fresh legs but a great effort and reasonable result given the circumstances. Overall 11 ultra runs in August, including one 50-miler and 7 50Ks, phew. And a record monthly total of 537 miles for August (865 km) after another record month in July of 462 miles (744 km). With a 180-mile week then a record 205-mile one.

What did I learn? First and foremost, slowing down, finally! Thanks (!) to a constant muscle fatigue, and having to adapt to the heat and running at night, 

Second, I feel I indeed gained some mental strength in the process. Finding the motivation to run through the hottest part of the day during the weekends, or later at night after busy work days was a bigger deal at the beginning of the month.

And a few logistical tune up around chaffing prevention or running through a few blisters with some taping.

One thing I didn't do from the recommended training plan is the sleep deprivation part which consisted in alternating 2-hour sleep breaks with 2-hour runs/walks, for 48 hours. I'm already sleeping less than 6 hours most often, I believe sleep deprivation won't be the biggest obstacle on race day. Hard to do while working another full time job anyway.

Overall, I peaked at 82 miles/week for the first 8 months of 2023, a new threshold which I didn't know I could sustain.

Tapering now? Not quite yet according to the boss! He unveiled the September program which still includes 100-mile weeks until we travel to Greece. Yikes, I was eager to ease up after August... Well, 100-mile weeks after 180 to 200-mile ones, maybe that's easing up! ;-)

Most important now is not to break, not to get injured. While racing the Stevens Creek Reservoir half today for instance!