tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1610194828184106097.post6414765734903514077..comments2022-03-27T02:46:20.208-04:00Comments on Adventures in New England: Race Report: 2009 Vermont 100 Mile Endurance RunAdam Wilcoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13987969125268981297noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1610194828184106097.post-21307539330675955332009-08-06T21:57:34.961-04:002009-08-06T21:57:34.961-04:00Thanks, Jes.
1. Brooks has a section on their web...Thanks, Jes.<br /><br />1. Brooks has a section on their website where you can literally just fill out a form to apply for sponsorship. You enter your personal best times for a range of standard length races from 5K to 100 miles and write a little blurb about why you want to be sponsored by Brooks, and they get back to you. In my case, I was already wearing their shoes with great success, so I kind of applied on a whim, not really expecting to get anywhere. My only standard length race was a 50 miler, but I was lucky to have one really strong finishing time, which is what got me in. I think ultrarunning is a lot less competitive than road running, so I stood a better chance of getting noticed.<br /><br />My sponsorship gives me 40% off Brooks products from the manufacturer, which I haven't even made use of yet. I'm kind of stocked up on shoes for a while.<br /><br />2. For training, I took the months of November and December off to rest and let some residual injuries heal. Around New Years I eased back into running, with 40 mile weeks until April, then a series of three 50 mile races in five weeks, topped off with two 80 mile weeks in a row about 3 weeks before the big race. Most of my runs are 10 to 20 miles at a 9 or 10 minute/mile pace, slower if on rough trails. Lots of long day hikes help a lot too. I don't really believe in a a rigid training schedule, I just keep track of my weekly mileage and run more or less as needed.<br /><br />Also important for training was to run in conditions similar to the race. As the Vermont 100 was mostly on dirt roads and trails, with big hills, I sought out places like that to train on. I also ran at night, in the rain and mud, in the cold, and in the heat, to be ready for any conditions.<br /><br />3. I stopped stretching about a year ago, as I didn't feel like it was making much of a difference. My approach to dealing with injuries has been to decrease mileage when I have a problem. Early on, when I started running, I had a lot of minor injuries. What worked for me was to run shorter distances more frequently, to let my body adapt itself to running on a regular basis. So, instead of running 1 hour 3 days a week, I'd run 30 minutes, 5 or 6 days a week at a moderate pace. Your body gradually adapts to the increased impact if you run on a regular basis for a long time. I can't promise this works for everyone, but it's what worked for me.<br /><br />When I first started running, like when running a mile without stopping was hard, I read somewhere that completing a marathon was achievable for any able bodied person with a commitment to training for it. That was something of an epiphany for me, and I took it to heart. I feel like running a trail ultra is similar, it just takes a desire. You don't have to be Lance Armstrong.Adam Wilcoxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13987969125268981297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1610194828184106097.post-19137928674534156342009-08-05T08:39:00.130-04:002009-08-05T08:39:00.130-04:00This is a pretty amazing first post. Good job. The...This is a pretty amazing first post. Good job. There are so many things I would love for you to elaborate on. <br /><br />1. How do you get a sponsor even a small time one?<br /><br />2. What does your training routine look like?<br /><br />3. I have issues with my IT band (left one). What kind of stretches/ exercises do you do to improve it?<br /><br />You always look so happy after your races, I'm glad to know you are just as exhausted and sore as the rest of us. I was beginning to think you were super human or something.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1610194828184106097.post-49582778966757750942009-07-31T14:00:25.017-04:002009-07-31T14:00:25.017-04:00Now thats a great race report! Thanks once again ...Now thats a great race report! Thanks once again for being my pacer last year and congratulations on your great finish.Nathan Sanelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12065432792246483354noreply@blogger.com