What is Reddit's opinion of Training Essentials for Ultrarunning: How to Train Smarter, Race Faster, and Maximize Your Ultramarathon Performance?

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I’d suggest this book and especially pay attention to maintaining the number of vertical feet in a week that you would do in a race, and the reverse pyramid where you put in your high intensity weeks first in your training schedule and then more miles on trail at the end of your schedule.

You're probably selling yourself short in terms of performance if you aren't doing shorter sprints as well. I feel like I'm recommending it every other post, but Training Essentials for Ultrarunning explains why even VO2 max intervals are important for ultrarunning, even for the crazy races like Hardrock!

Here's a summary of why they are useful. VO2max intervals (very hard effort, 1 to 3 minute repeats) build your VO2max faster than any other kind of training you can do. (Duh, hence the name.) You might think "but I'll never need to use my VO2max during a race" and that is true. But a lot of ultra runners train so much at slow and moderate paces that they build their lactate threshold pace until it is nearly the same as their VO2max. But your lactate threshold pace can't technically exceed your VO2max. (The author has actually done tests of Ultrarunners with exactly this issue.) You need to build your VO2max first, then you'll have room for Tempo and Steady State runs to improve your lactate threshold and general aerobic conditioning.

You need to train multiple parts of your running physiology to improve your running fitness and be able to train better for Ultras.

Yeah, I could see that they are really into heart rate monitoring, but I haven't ever liked the idea of using a heart rate monitor.

Reading Training Essentials for Ultrarunning has really convinced me I'm better off without heart rate though. He goes into great detail, but it basically boils down to the fact that RPE (Rated Perceived Exertion) is more accurate for running in proper training zones than heart rate. Heart rate can be elevated for a number of reasons that don't mean you need to run slower, and worst of all, fatigue can actually depress your heart rate making you train too hard when fatigued, which is even worse!

Hence my curiosity about the Stryd. That seems like it might be a more accurate alternative to heart rate. Not sure, but even on hills its running power meter might be as accurate as speed + laps on a track.

Yeah, a quick ultrasignup search for central Ohio only gave me two spring ultras and they were both closer to Cleveland.

I've read both of those books. I like Powell's more. Koerner is obviously a great runner but his plan was intimidating to me when I read it. Krissy Moehl has a "beginner ultra" book, too, but I haven't read it. I just read Jason Koop's book as well. That's more about specific ultra training than the other books. My advice is really to just keep reading and running. The more knowledge you have the better off you'll be.

> training essential for ultra running

Training essentials can be purchased at Amazon - Training Essentials

https://www.amazon.com/Training-Essentials-Ultrarunning-Ultramarathon-Performance/dp/1937715450

Short of hiring a coach, I don't think you're going to find everything you're looking for all in one place. I would suggest reading one of the many excellent books on ultrarunning. My favorites are Training Essentials for Ultrarunning by Jason Koop and The Happy Runner by David and Megan Roche.

As for nutrition, my advice is to just try to eat healthy, but do not attempt to cut calories or otherwise restrict your eating patterns. The training will help you get fit without needing to go on any kind of "diet."

I'd highly recommend Koops book which touches the subject.