Starting exactly at midnight on Saturday morning, I ran 4 miles every 4 hours for 42 hours.

This kind of training weekend has benefitted me the most for the looming 100-miler; in fact, I can’t imagine a better sort of weekend.

I practiced starting and starting and starting at all times of the day, in all states of sleep-deprivation.

Because of the nature of this adventure, because it was something new for me, because I knew that no one else was doing this…I actually had fun with it.

Through success and failure I’ve compiled a little list of tips for making this kind of endeavor manageable and–dare I say it!–enjoyable.

• Make each run a little different, but plan it ahead so you can do it reflexively:
  • I had 6 different routes on multiple terrains; hilly, trail, road, etc. I ran those 6 routes and then I ran them again.
  • I switched between audiobook (Return of Tarzan of the Apes), silence, music, silence, podcast, silence, (repeat). I knew what was going to happen next, I didn’t have to decide.
  • I wore the same running clothes each time, except I switched between shirts every four runs. I would have changed clothes more often if it had been warmer.
• Stretch after each run!
• Eat a little after each run (or a lot, really, I ate a lot of peanut butter this weekend)
  • Drink even more than you eat. Make sure you don’t miss this step when you go back to sleep during the night runs.
• When it comes to the night times, it’s tempting to go to sleep in the clothes you just ran in, when you have to run in a few hours again. But don’t! Give your body a chance to . . . air out (to put it cordially).
  • Two more minutes of undressing / dressing will save you from chaffing in the long run.
• Welcome the sleepiness. Know that it’s going to be hard to go straight to bed after you finish the midnight / 4am runs. Know that it’s going to make you stronger. 
• Write it all down
  • For the first 3 times, I began my run on the hour exactly. After that, it became a sort of challenge: I’ve got to start on the hour! Got to! That little boost of competitiveness gave me the push to just go run each time.
• Use the time in between running efficiently. You’ve segmented your day nicely; I used these segments to hyper-concentrate on 3 things I REALLY needed to get done for each day, and ended up being more productive than usual on Saturdays.
• Excuses don’t have to exist. I had 2 meetings in Emporia on Sunday; I ran before and after each meeting.
• Let yourself feel the swells of pride after each run. The hits of dopamine. Ride that. Be proud of yourself.

Data:

Total: 45.81 miles

Average pace: 9:04/mile

Hours: 42

Peace and Blessings,

Josie