24 hour run by Dana Roueche

Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 14:47:14 -0400
From: Dana Roueche
Subject: Re: 24 hour run

Dana Roueche - 24 hour run

Enjoy the anticipation. Go into the race knowing this is your first 24 hr, that you will not be setting any world records and for that matter, whatever distance you do run will most likely not be your best lifetime performance in the 24 hr. Your first 24 hr is for accomplishing something you have never done before, it is for enjoyment and it is for learning.

For training, time on your feet is most important, make sure you can handle 6 or 7 hour training runs. Work up to that time and try to get at least 3 or 4 of them in. Distance is not as important as simply spending
the hours on your feet running/walking.

The key to a successful 24 hr is to have a plan to be out there for 24 hrs whether you are walking or running, it doesn't matter. What does matter is you are moving forward. You will not be covering any ground while sitting in a lawn chair or worse lying in a tent.

This is entirely my opinion and I'm sure there are plenty who disagree but a 24 hr run is no place to have a tent. I would guess that the small tents people bring to the race have been responsible for ruining far too
many good runs. At 2 or 3 AM they are just far too inviting. Once you crawl inside, your as good as done. Might as well just pack it in and drive to a hotel. I actually won the last 24 hr I ran, the 2004 Moose Jaw
24 hr. Not because I was the best runner, far from it. It was because the weather was really nasty, everyone crawled into their tent and I was the only one left running. No kidding.

Good Luck

Dana