How to Maintain Speed and Efficiency During Ultra-Trail Races

Overview:

In ultra-trail running, especially during extreme events like the 330 km Tor des Géants, your body faces challenges from both altitude and fatigue. A recent study looked at how your running speed and gait change during long climbs. It found that as the race goes on, it’s not altitude but muscle fatigue that slows you down the most. Specifically, the strength in your legs, especially your knees, has a huge impact on how fast you can climb.

Key Findings:

• Speed Drops as You Get Tired: Altitude affects your speed early in the race, but fatigue takes over as the main factor later on.

• Leg Strength Matters Most: The height of your stride (how high you lift your feet) drops as your leg muscles tire out, which reduces your uphill speed.

• Focus on Fatigue Management: The longer you go, the more important it becomes to manage how tired your legs feel, rather than just worrying about altitude.

What This Means for You as a Runner

If you're aiming to perform better in ultra-trail races, it’s all about keeping your legs strong and learning how to handle fatigue. Here’s what you can do to improve your endurance and maintain your speed during those tough climbs.

Key Takeaways:

Managing fatigue and keeping your legs strong is the key to maintaining speed during long climbs. The more you can keep your stride height up (not just your cadence), the less speed you’ll lose.

Training Tips:

1. Strengthen Your Legs, Especially the Knees:

- Why? The study shows that tired knee muscles are what slow you down the most in the climbs.

- How to Train: Add exercises like squats, lunges, and step-ups to your routine. Do them in higher reps to simulate the endurance your muscles need during a long race.

2. Get Used to High Altitude Early:

- Why? Altitude affects your speed more in the early part of a race. Getting used to the thinner air will help you keep your pace up.

- How to Train: If possible, train at altitude or use a hypoxia mask to simulate those conditions in your workouts.

3. Practice Uphill Efficiency:

- Why? Uphill climbing in races isn’t just about quick steps—keeping your stride height up is key.

- How to Train: Work on maintaining your stride height during climbs. Use poles to help with balance and reduce the strain on your legs.

4. Work on Fatigue Resistance:

- Why? The study shows that fatigue becomes your biggest enemy in the second half of the race, so training your body to resist fatigue will keep you faster for longer.

- How to Train: Do long, slow runs that mimic the effort of an ultra-trail race. Follow up with proper recovery (sleep, nutrition) so your body can bounce back for the next session.

Final Thoughts:

As an ultra-trail runner, keeping your legs strong and managing fatigue is critical to staying fast on the trails. Focus on strength, efficiency, and smart training to stay ahead of the fatigue that will slow you down during those long climbs.

Stay strong, train smart, and see you on the trails!