Back to Back Long Runs!

Hubbard Park: Mile 15 on Day 2 of hard running.

Here’s the advice I’ve received on training for an ultra: back-to-back long runs are useful because you learn to run while fatigued, and you can get in a ton of miles over two days instead of going extremely long in one day.

This weekend, I got in a total of 25 miles, with 8 on Saturday and 17 on Sunday. I don’t think 8 miles really qualifies as a long run but these were pretty technical trail miles on the most challenging section of the Moosalamoo race course. So I’ll count this as a weekend of back-to-back hard effort!

The 17 miles on Sunday were on varied terrain in Central Vermont – dirt roads, muddy trails and paved roads. The final miles in Montpelier went up and around Hubbard Park, with a steep descent back into downtown. My legs were TOAST after this. This training run also included a pit stop at Skinny Pancake to eat a spinach & feta crepe. (You know, just because that’s how that goes.)

Thank you to the amazing people with whom I got to run this weekend: Erika, Flossie, Beth and three Middlebury Trail enthusiasts on Saturday, and Emily, who gutted out five key miles with me on Sunday. Your enthusiasm and great company were a huge part of a successful weekend!