One day five weeks before your Centurion Walk you need to plan a Humble Pie Walk. A humble pie walk is a 45 mile walk at a strong Centurion pace. I use my long walk training day (Sunday). It is a good chance to work on your food and drink plan. Try out socks, shoes any thing you plan to use in the race.
The reason I call it a Humble Pie Walk. You will be surprised how hard it is. 45 miles in ten hours. I train hard. I have a well planned training schedule. I start to think I have this walking down to an art form. I start to think I am fast. All this thinking leads to dreams of fame. Dreams of Grandeur. A Humble Pie Walk will bring you back to reality. A hard 45 mile walk knowing you will have to walk 55 more miles for a Centurion. It is Humbling.
Don’t despair after your Humble Pie Walk. You have to remember for your Centurion qualifier you will have rested tapered legs. You will get a BIG boost from race day adrenaline. The other racers will give you a boost. It will be to your advantage to show up at the Centurion Qualifier humbled and reserved.
Excited for You Alan. I very much enjoyed my walking trip in England. Your walk sounds like a great one. Enjoy your trip and walk well. Keep me posted on your success.
Rob
Such great information. Thank you!!
On May 12-13 2018 My first big walk will be the British Heart Foundation Thames river walk. 64 miles. (Staines to Oxford) My goal is… If I feel that I can, continue up the river solo for another 36 miles and have my first 100
You have encouraged me to keep a record of my training. I can see that as being really helpful
Hello Joe,
Great question. I follow a strict diet during my training. Except for two squares of dark chocolate each day I don’t eat sugar. On race day the diet is over. I fuel my walk with sugar. Sugar gives me a SUPER boost. Cookies, candy and my Favorite peanut MM’s. I eat one handful every 30 minutes. I don’t stop to eat. Eat on the walk. Every six hours I want something more solid. A burger, sandwich, potatoes or pizza. The only fruit that does not upset my stomach is bananas and water Mellon. After about 18 hours nothing looks or sounds good to eat. However you cannot stop eating. Make yourself eat. Toward the end of a long race I switch to Coke. Except for Coke late in a race I only drink water.
I have done races that provide food and races that don’t. You can find out before the race. In Australia last year I bought every peanut MM bag the store had. I still remember how the store clerk looked at me (the typical American sweet eater).
Rob
Could you write an entry about how you handle food/drink during a race?
Are you a strict calorie/carb counter per hour? Or do you eat when you feel like it?
I imagine since you’re doing international 100 milers, you don’t bring much of your own food or special drinks and rely on what the organizers provide. Has that caused any problems? (Unless you do a mad shopping dash the night before a race?)
Thanks for your tips!