Training for 100K/24h death march

[Fynbo]

Hi everyone

In August 2015 I will be hiking a 100K (62 miles) death march in 24 hours in Belgium. Long hiking trips and thru hikes are not new to me, so the hiking basics I have. It is the progression towards the 100K I'm not certain about.
I've made a training program with 2 training day's a week. One speed training day (working day) and one distance day (weekend). The distance day progresses with 5 Km every 3'rd week up till 60 Km, being the longest training distance three weeks before the 100K in Belgium.
The approach in the program is a long and safe training progress to avoid injuries. Like a marathon runner doesn't run the full distance before the actual marathon, my thought is to hike maximum 60 Km but is it too much or too little?
If any of you have experience in training for or hiking such a distance in one hike I would like to hear your thoughts and advices-

I have attached the program below.


100 Km march.JPG

[onfire]

I cant help Im afraid but I will be watching this thread (and your progress) with great interest. Best of luck!

[RedStix]

Hi everyone

In August 2015 I will be hiking a 100K (62 miles) death march in 24 hours in Belgium. Long hiking trips and thru hikes are not new to me, so the hiking basics I have. It is the progression towards the 100K I'm not certain about.
I've made a training program with 2 training day's a week. One speed training day (working day) and one distance day (weekend). The distance day progresses with 5 Km every 3'rd week up till 60 Km, being the longest training distance three weeks before the 100K in Belgium.
The approach in the program is a long and safe training progress to avoid injuries. Like a marathon runner doesn't run the full distance before the actual marathon, my thought is to hike maximum 60 Km but is it too much or too little?
If any of you have experience in training for or hiking such a distance in one hike I would like to hear your thoughts and advices-

I have attached the program below.


100 Km march.JPG

Generally while training for a marathon they recommend to not exceed a 10% increase in mileage (kilometers) per week. Also, they say the key to success is to make sure you get your long run in each week. I would suspect that would be the same for this type of training. If I was going to develop a plan I would target training 5 to 6 days a week, with a very long hike each weekend that increases distance each week building toward your 60k mark. To be honest, I'd probably try to see if the time frame could allow you to go a little farther than that. In marathon training they say you only need to do an 18 mile run to be prepare, but I've found I am better prepared and ready to race if I have at least one 22 mile run under my belt (84% of the marathon distance). If you were to do the same you would need to have a hike of 84k. But as they say in this forum, you HYOH (hang your own hang).

Good luck!

RedStix

[Scotty Von Porkchop]

I've only done a couple of real distance runs so I'm not all that knowledgeable, but when I did them the only real difference was my feet got butchered and I struggled to eat while on. After a marathon distance its just grit and determination, fitness is almost secondary.

Good luck with it though and keep us posted

[Fynbo]

I cant help Im afraid but I will be watching this thread (and your progress) with great interest. Best of luck!

Thanks onfire

[Fynbo]

Generally while training for a marathon they recommend to not exceed a 10% increase in mileage (kilometers) per week. Also, they say the key to success is to make sure you get your long run in each week. I would suspect that would be the same for this type of training. If I was going to develop a plan I would target training 5 to 6 days a week, with a very long hike each weekend that increases distance each week building toward your 60k mark. To be honest, I'd probably try to see if the time frame could allow you to go a little farther than that. In marathon training they say you only need to do an 18 mile run to be prepare, but I've found I am better prepared and ready to race if I have at least one 22 mile run under my belt (84% of the marathon distance). If you were to do the same you would need to have a hike of 84k. But as they say in this forum, you HYOH (hang your own hang).

Good luck!

RedStix

Hi Redstix

Im really glad for your reply. My plan isn't complete yet. I have good time to adjust my trainingplan according to what I can find on the internet and from replies from forums like this. I have taken your advise regarding more training days during the week. I have added an extra day, so now the program have three walking-training days. Besides the three days, I also go to the gym four days a the week therefore I cant make more time on the trail. Besides adding an extra day, I changed the program in order to make the longest walk before the 100K an 70K, 10K's more then the original 60K.

When is becomes possible to sing up for the death march. I will post a link to the official homepage and my start number. It will be possible to monitor my trip realtime, I'm not sure how many checkpoints there are and therefore how often there will be an update on the day.

New program added below

100K marchtraining program.JPG

[UncleMJM]

I can't help with any 100K experience but what I have done is a 50 mile/20 hour hike decades ago when I was in Boy Scouts.

It was not a race but an endurance hike on flat ground supported with water and snacks at rest stops along the way. We were not smart enough to have a training schedule other than being kids who did lots of running and bike riding along with a monthly scout hike. We did however, have a qualifier, we hiked 30 miles in 11 hours two weeks before the big hike. This matches your plan for a 60K long walk in your training and it worked well for us. Only those who completed that in the allowed time were able to participate in the 50/20 held 2 weeks later.

Certainly one needs to be in good physical shape for such a hike but the bigger challenge is mental. Of the 11 of us in my troop who qualified for and began the 50/20 only 3 of us completed it. The interesteing thing is that those who dropped out all did so prior to the 30 mile mark. The remaining distance was just too much for them to wrap their heads around. Those of us who finished didn't focus on the end distance, rather on one step at a time, one mile at a time.

We did this hike in Virginia on the C&O canal so it was flat and had plenty of road access for support if needed. The hike began at midnight and we walked until 8pm the next evening. The key was to keep a good steady pace, not rush, but stay consistent. Our game plan that worked for us was to hike at a pace that would get us 3 miles in 50 minutes. Each hour we took a 10 minute break, sometimes with our shoes off and feet elevated slightly. It was an adventure and accomplishment that I remember clearly 40 years later and I wish you well.

[Fynbo]

I've only done a couple of real distance runs so I'm not all that knowledgeable, but when I did them the only real difference was my feet got butchered and I struggled to eat while on. After a marathon distance its just grit and determination, fitness is almost secondary.

Good luck with it though and keep us posted

Thanks Scotty

I will keep posting

[genixia]

I wonder if your training schedule is un-necessarily long. I have a three 50 milers (80K) under my belt, and I couldn't count the 10-30 milers. A couple in between too. In all of that, I've never had a training schedule. To be fair, if I had, maybe I'd have 2 more 50 milers. My point remains though - your schedule is going to require a long commitment of time and energy, and I'm not convinced that it is all necessary. I'm also not convinced that you have enough recovery time between your Sunday hikes and Tuesday, especially when they get longer.

Your ailments are likely to be friction-cause (blisters), joint pain and muscle soreness. Hopefully the first will be taken care of by using worn in boots and dry socks. Joint inflammation if it occurs will need some time to recover from, and its occurrance is highly correlated with both distance and the hardness of surface that you're hiking on. Those 5K hikes later in your schedule aren't doing too much for your stamina or ability to complete the 100K distance - but they are reducing recovery time and making it more likely that you suffer an ailment in the first place, especially if for convenience you choose to do them on pavement.

You haven't told us much about yourself in terms of age, health or longest hike, or about the hike in terms of elevation and footing, so it's hard to know.

If I were to train for this, I would start with 10Km-15Km every day for a week on an easy grass route to kick my metabolism up a gear, concentrating on improving my pace each time. I know I can achieve that distance on tougher terrain with a 40lb pack on a daily basis without feeling any ill effects, so it seems daft to waste time on anything less. That would be my base training. 1 week.

I would then hit 30Km on a long day, take one day off for recovery and then 2 days of a short distance aerobic (speed) hike. Aiming for 30 minutes of elevated heart rate and those muscles working, distance isn't important. 1 day of the 10-15Km base route, again watching the pace for improvement, then 2 more days of aerobic.

Week 3, I would push that long hike to 45Km, otherwise the same.

Weeks 4+, I would be less aggressive at increasing distance. At this point avoiding injury, concentrating on gear, pacing, fueling and hydration become much more important factors in your chances of completing the 100Km than doing 60,70,80 Km in training. I would still increase the long hike gradually when possible, but at that point going the extra distance has little to do with extra fitness and a lot to do with those other factors and mental preparedness. Get a good handle on those and you're basically ready. Maintain aerobic fitness as before and keep that pace hike too. Remember to stretch!

You will find that after a certain distance your next day will just suck anyway. At high distances your legs might start to need a second day for recovery - consider hitting the gym and using your upper body muscles for that 30 minute aerobic workout instead.

A big part of the mental preparation that you'll need is for the night. Navigation at night is different. If concentrating on putting your feet down without tripping on rocks and roots is mentally tiring during the day; it's worse at night. 4am is the worst time for most people; emotionally, physically and mentally you will be at a low because of your bodyclock. It's worse after 40 miles when you're tired too. It's worth starting some of your longer training hikes late in the day so you can experience some of that. That will also help you with gear planning - most people are comfortable picking out clothing for a day hike, but now you have to account for night temperatures too. Hats can be much more important at night (especially in your part of the World). A comfortable headlamp is vital too.

[Fynbo]

Thanks for your point of view genixia

The hike takes place in Belgium. Is is called Doden totch. The terrain is pretty flat and as far as I know, the surface is mostly asfalt. A little info about me. I'm a 36 male, spent 4 years in the infantry in my 20's, so night hiking is not a concern. My longest hike, I would guess is about 50 km a couple of years ago. I will be carying 10 kilo backpack weight. That will be 5 kilo baseweight and 5 kilo of water/food and fuel.

I have two succes criterias for the hike:
1. to complete the 100 K
2. To do it with out any permanent or long term injuries.

Number 1 can be done with just training up til 50k. The last 50K is as you also put it, a mater about mental state of mind. It is number 2 i'm not that certain about, would it be suficient with the longest hike beeing 45-50K. Is that enough to avoid injuries? Should it perhaps be 80K or could it as you say lead to overtraining and not enough time to recover.

As mentioned earlier, the training program is not set yet. I am very glad about the input you all are giving and hopefully it will help me in making a great program.