74 votes

I ran a 50k today, please clap

I ran the dead horse ultra today! It went well, I had to work through some foot discomfort and crashing physically from going out too hard.

Ran the first half in almost exactly 3 hours and finished up the second half in just over 3 1/2. It was my first ultra (and actually my first official race longer than 5 miles) and I am very quite happy with how it went.

I am tentatively planning on running a 50 mile race sometime next year and depending on how that goes shooting for a 100 mile at some point in the next couple years. Anyone who has any questions (or advice) please let me know!

18 comments

  1. unkz
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    clap clap

    clap clap

    12 votes
  2. JXM
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    I’m genuinely impressed. You earned this.

    I’m genuinely impressed. You earned this.

    6 votes
  3. RheingoldRiver
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    Wow!! That's a huge distance, congrats!!

    Wow!! That's a huge distance, congrats!!

    6 votes
  4. slade
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    That's crazy to me. I used to run 10ks a lot and they're weren't too challenging for me, but I can't imagine a 50k. Kudos!

    That's crazy to me. I used to run 10ks a lot and they're weren't too challenging for me, but I can't imagine a 50k. Kudos!

    5 votes
  5. kingofsnake
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    If I could give you some useless accomplishment silver, I'd do it.

    If I could give you some useless accomplishment silver, I'd do it.

    4 votes
  6. Asinine
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    Good for you, and that's brutal for basically anyone (and if they don't agree, poo poo!) And I will not link a Shia Lebouf gif :D Seriously, I'm impressed and would like to do that one day, but I...

    Good for you, and that's brutal for basically anyone (and if they don't agree, poo poo!)
    And I will not link a Shia Lebouf gif :D
    Seriously, I'm impressed and would like to do that one day, but I won't!

    4 votes
  7. [2]
    BroiledBraniac
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    Congrats! I have run a couple marathons and wondered how someone gets into ultra. I imagine the training schedule is a bit different and probably requires significantly more dedication. Hopefully...

    Congrats! I have run a couple marathons and wondered how someone gets into ultra. I imagine the training schedule is a bit different and probably requires significantly more dedication. Hopefully you can take some time away to bask in the accomplishment.

    3 votes
    1. enso
      Link Parent
      It’s mostly just running a lot, but slowly. In the lead up (except for some time off I took for an ankle sprain), I was running 20-35 miles a week. Since a 50k isn’t that much further than a...

      It’s mostly just running a lot, but slowly. In the lead up (except for some time off I took for an ankle sprain), I was running 20-35 miles a week. Since a 50k isn’t that much further than a marathon, but I’d encourage to walk a lot I feel like anyone who can run an entire marathon can do a 50k.

      3 votes
  8. zini
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    That's incredible! How does it feel to be fitter than 99% of the population?

    That's incredible! How does it feel to be fitter than 99% of the population?

    3 votes
  9. JCPhoenix
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    Fucking hell...Congrats! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 I can't even run a mile...Seriously, running a 50k is huge -- Literally! Hope you get some serious rest after all that!

    Fucking hell...Congrats! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

    I can't even run a mile...Seriously, running a 50k is huge -- Literally! Hope you get some serious rest after all that!

    2 votes
  10. TheRTV
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    👏 👏 👏 👏 👏

    👏 👏 👏 👏 👏

    2 votes
  11. chundissimo
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    Unreal! I’m convinced people who can run like you are secretly Kryptonians. Well done!

    Unreal! I’m convinced people who can run like you are secretly Kryptonians. Well done!

    2 votes
  12. [4]
    vili
    (edited )
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    Congrats from me as well! 50k is hugely impressive. For anyone to be able to keep the pace that you did for so long is mind boggling to me. If I (re-)count correctly, your pace (sub 8 minute kms)...

    Congrats from me as well! 50k is hugely impressive. Especially as I believe it's miles (?) and not kilometres.

    For anyone to be able to keep the pace that you did for so long is mind boggling to me. If I (re-)count correctly, your pace (sub 8 minute kms) is what I can just about maintain for a 10K run, not longer. And regardless of speed, my legs start to give up at around 20 km, or 15 km of trail running.

    So, hats off to you!

    I'm curious, how long did you train with a focus specifically on this ultra run? What sort of pace did you keep for your standard training runs compared to your race pace, and how often did you vary between slow runs, tempo runs and sprints? Do you train on flat terrain, or do you do trail runs as well? When focusing on this event, did you just run, or did you mix it up with other exercises as well?

    I'm considering starting to train for a marathon next year.

    Edit: cfabbro corrected me on the miles/km thing, edited my response accordingly.

    1 vote
    1. [2]
      cfabbro
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      The K in 50K = kilometers, which is ~31 miles 50M (50 miles, or 80.5K) is one category higher: https://www.madmooseevents.com/dead-horse-ultra

      The K in 50K = kilometers, which is ~31 miles
      50M (50 miles, or 80.5K) is one category higher:
      https://www.madmooseevents.com/dead-horse-ultra

      3 votes
      1. vili
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        Oh! Indeed. I actually even went to the website and somehow just saw "50 mile". Thanks for the clarification! Will edit my comment. Edit: Thinking about it now, 50K miles wouldn't even make much...

        Oh! Indeed. I actually even went to the website and somehow just saw "50 mile". Thanks for the clarification! Will edit my comment.

        Edit: Thinking about it now, 50K miles wouldn't even make much sense, as 50,000 miles would be quite a bit of running. Twice around the world, or something like that. In my defence, units are sometimes hard to comprehend when different systems and notations are mixed. Oh well, I suppose it's happened to other people as well.

        1 vote
    2. enso
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      I’ve been running a lot over the last couple of years, I expect I’ll finish this year up having run a bit over 700 miles. I wasn’t training for this event specifically but I have been running...

      I’ve been running a lot over the last couple of years, I expect I’ll finish this year up having run a bit over 700 miles. I wasn’t training for this event specifically but I have been running primarily with the intention of being able to run for longer instead of faster.

      For the first half my pace was similar to a very slow training run, mid 11 minute miles, but I fell off pretty hard in the second half and was averaging closer to mid 14’s. Most all my my training was road running on fairly flat terrain (I live in a quite flat place), but in the couple months leading up to the event I did intersperse a good bit of trail running (though still very flat).

      I didn’t consciously decide to cross train for the event, but I indoor rock climb several times a week (it’s my main hobby) and have been trying to use the weights there once or twice a week to stay well rounded.

      For any future races I think I will want to do more targeted (read: hilly) trail runs and make sure I’m running a higher weekly mileage going into the event (I had just come off an ankle injury going into this so I had only run twice in the three weeks before it).

      1 vote
  13. doingmybest
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    Amazing! I am delighted for you. I run just short distances due to a funky knee. I imagine this kind of run must feel soooo free!

    Amazing! I am delighted for you. I run just short distances due to a funky knee. I imagine this kind of run must feel soooo free!

    1 vote
  14. Aerrol
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    ... Even imagining trying to do that makes me nauseous and I'm in pretty good shape, haha. Are you sure you're human? Crazy good work!!

    ... Even imagining trying to do that makes me nauseous and I'm in pretty good shape, haha. Are you sure you're human?

    Crazy good work!!

    1 vote