Training for my first 100 Miles Ultra-trail Race
I know it’s a crazy idea to even think about running 100 Miles (161 km), and just a couple of years ago I wouldn’t even have imagined that this could be within reach for me.
But limitations move quite quickly, and once you realize that year after year you are reaching new higher goals, which you did not before taught where possible, then the whole idea of what is normal will change.
Many people have asked me why I do this, and it is not so easy to explain to someone who has not experienced the feeling of reaching a peak after many hours of climbing, the feeling of running downhill at full speed with a big smile on your face, feeling light and strong, and the feeling of happiness reaching the finish line of a super tough Skyrace, after many hours of running, and all your friends are there waiting for you and cheering you on.
That kind of “King of the world” feeling, and the feeling that anything is possible, cannot be bought with money, and it needs to be earned.
And of course. Behind these moments of happiness are also many hours of hard training, continuity, and dedication, for many years.
This blog post is the first of blog posts in a series of posts where I will blog about my training journey 2023, which will end up in November 2023, running my first 100 Miles at Kullamannen by UTMB, in the south of Sweden.
Blog by Katinka Nyberg, Arduua Founder…
My Training Journey 2023 Part 1.
Before you start to read this, I just like to tell you that this is my training journey, and my individual training plan, and it is not possible to copy any other person’s training plan. Instead, I like to highlight the process. How we do it!
Building my Yearly Individual Adaptive Training Plan
To be able to succeed with something like this, building a sustainable Yearly Training Plan it is a good idea to take some help from a professional Coach, who has the experience in this type of training, and personally I have taken help from David Garcia, Arduua Coach.
In order to build an induvidual training plan we need to know:
- Where do I start?
- Where do I want to go? My major goals and objectives for the season.
- Training possibilities?
Where do I start?
Yearly Summary
At Arduua we are summarizing the season in the beginning of December, and start to plan for the next season of races and trainings.
I’m very happy about the season as a whole, running many beautiful and challenging races such as Madeira Skyrace, Fjällmaraton, Trail Valle de Tena and Kullamannen. Although my training journey has not been problem free, and I’ve been struggling with everything from scapula, glutes and hips to feet and achilles inflammation.
In spite of that it feels like I’ve got better control of the problems the last 3 months, and that I’m moving in the right direction.
Right now, I’m very positive about my training and motivation is on top! The last race at Kullamannen 20k also went quite well.
For next season I have some very high goals. This is about my personal development, setting some motivational goals, heading for new adventures.
I’m mostly interested in performing in the Skyrunner Worldseries, and if I perform top 20 in Madeira Skyrace (25 last season), and Tromsö Skyrace (only 18 made it the finish line 2022), then I will get points, and I have the chance to make it to the Skymasters (the final in Gorbeia Spain).
I’m also very excited about running my first 100 Miles race at Kullamannen, because it is one of the greatest and most notorious trail-races in Sweden, and many of my trailrunning friends will also run the race. Next season this race will be a lot better for me, because the race starts in a hilly terrain and includes more vertical meters (The first 60k includes 3000 D+).
Achievements 2022
Moncayo Trail 45K
45km, 2450D+, time: 7:20,
The race went quite well. 2:nd position in my classification
Madeira Skyrace 55K
55,6 km 4100 D+, Time: 11:12
This was my best race performance for the season! 9 position in F40, 24 position all Females.
Kia Fjällmarathon 45K
45km, Time: 6:59
The race did not go that well, because achilles problems in previous trainings.
Trail Valle de Tena 2K
20km, 1250 D+.
The race went ok.
Kullamannen 20K
20,2 km, 649D+, 659D-, Time: 2:39
The race went quite well, and I’m happy about my race performance.
Injury history & weaknesses
For many years I have had problems with my scapula and a leaning forward shoulder, and also with some hips/glutes problems, and certain glutes muscles tend to loose activation if I don’t work on that, and the hips gets out of position. My right foot is also weaker than the left one and have some lack of mobility.
These problems have eventually resulted in a long term achilles inflammation because I’ve been pushing it too hard. So, after Madeira Skyrace in June, I started a long Rehab Journey, working on the details (and that is also why the results in KIA Marathon was not that good). But, for me short term result is not that important, and June – December 2022 has been focusing on rehab and strength training getting rid of all the small problems also.
Main goals and objectives for 2023 season
HIGH COAST WINTER TRAIL, 35k
SWEDEN, 18 FEB 2023
PERIMETRAIL ARGUIS, 30KM, 2000D+
SPAIN, 6-7 MAY 2023 ARDUUA OFFICIAL RACE TRIP >>
MADEIRA SKYRACE, 55KM, 4000 D+
PORTUGAL / 15-18 JUNE 2023 – ARDUUA OFFICIAL RACE TRIP >>
CAMP VALLE DE TENA – HIGH ALTITUDE
SPAIN / 29 JUN — 03 JUL 2023 ARDUUA OFFICIAL CAMP >>
TRAIL VALLE DE TENA, 43km, 3600D+
SPAIN / 31 AUG — 4 SEP 2023, ARDUUA OFFICIAL RACE TRIP >>
Kullamannen, UTMB World Series, 100 Miles, 3990D+
SWEDEN, 4-5 NOV 2023
I have never been even close to running 100 miles before, and this race will be a very interesting challenge for me.
Please check out this page to see the ARDUUA RACE AGENDA 2023>>
Training possibilities
As I don’t live close to the mountains we need to adapt accordingly. I live in the countryside outside Stockholm, Sweden. We have beatiful forests for trailrunning, but not that many desnivels. Therefor I do a lot of training in my local slalom slope, 86 meters high, doing hill-reps.
All my strength training I do outside in an outdoor gym, which are quite polular here in Sweden, and I use Arduua training equipment such as rubber bands, TRX etc.
Time avilable for trainings is round 10 hours per week at the moment.
Yearly Plan & Periodization
To ensure that I will be in my very best shape at race day, my Coach David has already started to create my yearly plan for me, including my racing agenda and different phases of training.
Races ABC
We factor the races that I like to run in in my training plan breaking them down into A races, B races and C races.
A Races: Main races where we will ensure I’m in peak condition and ready to outperform myself.
(Madeira Skyrace, Tromsö Skyrace, Trail Valle de Tena, Kullamannen)
B Races: Races similar to the A in terms of distance, height gain, terrain etc. where I will test strategies, kit, pace etc. to use in my A races.
( HIGH COAST WINTER TRAIL, PERIMETRAIL ARGUIS)
C Races: Races that will not modify my planning and we will integrate them into my ordinary training plan.
(Hammarby Half marathon )
My Yearly Training Plan 2023
General Training Phase, Base Period (1-3 months)
General improvement of physical condition:
At start, I will do lots of training in the local slalom slope, because that seems to work better with all my weaknesses (scapula, hips/glutes, achilles problems).
Work on Weaknesses (In mobility and strength):
I have a rehab training plan that I follow for improving scapula function/strength, glutes activation, hip mobility and achilles.
General base strength:
Full body basic strength training with weights, with basic exercises such as squats, death lifts etc…
Training of foot ankle structures
Eccentric up-on toes eccercises for achilles + special feet ankle programs.
Example of training week November 2022.)
Monday
Rehab working on weakness + Full body Functional strength training with TRX
Time: 1.5 hours
Tuesday
Trailrunning in hilly terrain
Time: 1 hours
Distance: 9 km, 200 D+
Wednesday
Full body stretch (also possible to split it up to 3*20 min in the week as a whole)
Time: 1h
Thursday
Hillwork, slalom slope, medium, Zone 2 – 4
Time: 2 hours
Distance: 12 km, 1000 D+
Friday
Rehab working on weakness + Full body basic strength training with weights.
Time: 1.5 hours
Saturday
Rest
Sunday:
Hillwork, slalom slope, hard, part of training intervals uphill in zone 4, easy downhill in zone 2.
Time: 1.5 hours
Distance: 8 km, 700 D+
Total training per week:
Total time: 8.5h
Total time strength: 3h
Total time stretch: 1h
Total time running: 4.5h
Total distance: 29km, 1900D+
Fitness points: 42
Long term training plan and training goals
In the first period of pre-season (1-3 months) we will work on general improvements of my physical condition, work on weaknesses (In function, mobility and strength), general base strength and training of foot ankle structures. In running this basically means working more tempo (zone 3) and subthreshold (zone 4) training combined with an adequate growing of aerobic volume in progression combining different activities (extended activities and bigger volume will be in zones 0-1-2).
In the second part of pre-season (1-3 months) we will be training more of thresholds (aerobic/anaerobic), and training of VO2 max. We will adapt training volume to goals and athlete history, and work on max strength lower body, CORE, and running specifics. In running this means we will train more polarized (20% zone 5, 80% zone 1-2).
Later on the season as we are getting closer to races, we will be training more in competition intensity and pacing. We will also be training other competition details such as terrain, nutrition, equipment. According to strength, the focus will be in keeping strength levels and also add some plyometrics training (jumps).
When it’s getting closer to Kullamannen 100 miles I need to be in a level of 70 Fitness points, which is a lot more training volume than I train now, and we will add training volume step by step, according to my progression, feelings, my achilles and other small problems.
Each week Coach David are checking my trainings, and if my body responds well to the trainings, he will adjust training volume accordingly…
Training goal 2023-10-31: Fitness points: 70
I’m very excited about my training, and upcoming season of races and events, and I’m looking forward to that very much! That is my motivation now when we are heading towards the darker and colder period of the season here in Sweden.
Let’s go for the 2023 season of trailrunning!!!!
Curious about Arduua?
If you are curious about Arduua, How we train or our Profession Coaching Service, Race trips or Camps. You are super welcome to join us! We welcome all levels of runners from any country and background.
Please send me an e-mail for any questions katinka.nyberg@arduua.com.
/Katinka Nyberg, Arduua Founder