As a family we shot over to Millau for the weekend. The idea: run the race route, spend quality time together in a new place. In order to keep things simple, I lit out for an 80km lap 5am Saturday morning.
Boiled down, the route is a series of small climbs and descents spanned by runnable plateau. All the climbs take less than 30 minutes and vary in steepness and technicality. Sometimes smooth and switchbacked, sometimes very direct and rocky. The runnable stuff is fast. The descents, at speed, pretty intense.
I enjoyed running at a comfortable pace, stopping to check out the giant bolete mushrooms, medieval ruins, soaring vultures, and wonky rock formations.
The advantage of checking the route is less about the nuances of individual climbs but more to specify my training to themes which pose the greatest challenge.
Economy at speed
Observation: The gold standard on this route is Jon Albon’s 2021 victory and course record. He absolutely smashed this race, clocking 6h32m over the 80km with 3500m of gain.
Analyzing his Strava activity, he logged 30 kilometres under 4 minutes per kilometre. Taking advantage of the rolling plateau and descents, it is possible to make a very fast time.
Implication: I need to bring the cost of running in this pace range down. To address this I have been running more roads and doing 1 track section per week. The goal is not to run 20km/h but 15-16km/h relatively comfortably. I will continue to accumulate distance at pace and the adaptations should come easily.
Vertical agility
Observation: Whether it is just 150m of a climb, or the frequent leaps and dips of the trail as it meanders the plateau rim, being prepared to move efficiently over steep country is very important.
Implication: As a lanky runner, I find these tight, technical bits tricky. When tired, it is difficult to remain light on the feet. In training I am doing 1-2 days a week practicing uphill form and selecting climbs which present similar obstacles.
My focus is on cadence, applying a stride which suits the terrain. One drill I am using is to pick a short, steep climb and do an alternating series of quick choppy steps and bounding to train the feet.
Downhill relentlessness
Observation: To make good time, you have to throttle up on the descents. With ‘only’ 3500m of vertical loss, you can afford to take chances, but moving fast over the technical forest paths without crashing or losing an eye is tough.
Implication: Just get better. Descending is largely mental. A video game played with perception and anticipation. My plan is to do 1 downhill session a week at race pace.
Less Concerning
Endurance does not seem to be a problem. I knocked out the recon under 9 hours and was not sore after. Mild gradient uphill was easy in recon and will be a racing strength. Nutrition for this duration is straight froward and my coach will be there for assistance.
Good Vibes
It’s a nice place to run and explore with the family. Although a departure from the style of races I have been doing, I feel competent enough to give a sub-7 hour effort a go. The style of training has been refreshing, prioritizing pace and intensity over volume, trying to shift my physiology toward a novel objective. So far so good, but there is plenty to improve!
Agree with Dave! These entries are important ones for the sport and for life in general. Love your transparency Ben!
Great summary of the prep for your next race. Wishing you the very best of luck!