If you are like most triathletes who have completed a half-ironman or ironman triathlon, you've put in the hard work, and reaped the rewards of self-achievement, superior physical fitness, and the highs (and lows) that competition can bring out. But long distance triathlon does have its limitations; for example, it requires a good amount of time, equipment, and support to train in all three sports. Training over the winter and spring also has its challenges, and lastly, if triathlon is the only sport on your calendar, you may eventually succumb to a case of "burnout."

One way to avoid triathlon burnout is, of course, to take a break, or at least modify your multi-sport training to include a new type of endurance challenge. This summer, I tried my hand at something new, by entering a two-person team event, the "Transrockies Run", a 120 mile, 6-day stage race from Buena Vista to Beaver Creek, Colorado. I had never done a trail marathon before, but with some special preparation and modifications to my "normal" triathlon training, my endurance base helped see me through. Here are some tips I picked up on my journey that you might find useful if you choose to enter a trail marathon or ultra-marathon in 2014:

As a triathlete, you probably have a good aerobic endurance base. Assuming you have the fitness to finish a half-iron distance triathlon, your cardiovascular system is ready for a trail marathon or 50k race. However, most trail runs are "vertically challenging", perhaps at high altitude, and, of course, often over very rough terrain. These factors will call for modifications to your typical marathon running training schedule and race plan, and may include:

• Running with a hydration pack and some food and "survival" gear. Make sure you buy a hydration pack designed for trail running, and do your trail runs wearing the full complement of gear you will race with. Other special gear may include trail running shoes, lightweight hiking poles, gaiters, waterproof rain clothing, and a headlamp.
• Walking up long, steep pitches. Even world-class ultra trail runners will walk the steep uphill stretches (at a very fast pace) in order to save their legs and glycogen stores for the flats and downhill. Walking places demands on different muscles than running, and you will need to practice uphill walking accordingly. If you don't have steep hills/mountains in your local area, a good alternative is to use the "stair stepper" at your Life Time Fitness club. You will soon find out that a 30 min. stair stepper workout is harder than you thought -- especially with a few pounds of water on your back! I would recommend at least two stair stepper sessions per week if you don't have the luxury of having a "natural" stair stepper out your front door. Conversely, don't forget to run the downhills as you would in the race -- to practice your technique and build up your quad strength.
• Leg strength training is very important, especially if you are 40 or over. Lunges, single leg squats, glute bridges, calf raises, side planks, and core work will help keep you from losing running form (economy) as you go over 2 hours of running. Even upper body strength is important for trail running (swimming will give triathletes a head start here). Additionally, most of these exercises can incorporate some "balance" requirement, which is important to help with downhill running and minimize the occasional "face plant". Do these exercises with perfect form, and use a personal trainer if you need help with proper technique or developing a strength plan. This past summer, I met several 100-mile type ultra runners over the age of 60, and every one of them spends a lot of time in the gym with all-around strength and core training.
• Your training plan volume will, of course, depend on your particular event, but for most triathletes, I would caution to not "over train" versus "under train." My average weekly running mileage for the Transrockies Run was usually 25-30 miles, and I peaked at only 50 miles (I still did 2-3 hours of bike training). The main difference for ultra runners is that you need to be able to incorporate 2, 3, or even 4 days of "long" (1.5 -- 2.5 hours) runs in a row -- especially for a stage race like the Transrockies. And these training runs should, of course, match as close as possible the terrain and profile of the event.
• High altitude runs bring their own challenges, of course. I was lucky enough to be able to do weekly runs above 7000 ft. which served me well. If you are a "lowlander" preparing for a high altitude race (anything over 5000 ft), your best bet is to try to get to the race venue at least a week ahead of time to acclimate. I was also told by a former mountain climber (thanks, Dad!) to take lots of vitamin E in preparation for running at high altitudes (and some medical studies back this up). I also took an occasional Tylenol in the morning to stave off any high altitude headaches, and never really experienced any high altitude problems.
• Nutritional needs are different for the ultra trail runner from a triathlete, and opinions on this vary wildly, ranging from "eat anything at the aid stations, including the donuts and hot dogs" to your typical triathlon fare (sports drinks and gels), to Scott Jurek's vegan diet. Keep in mind, though, your race intensity for a 50k trail run will be lower (probably much lower) than even your ironman effort, so you'll be able to burn more fat and eat solid foods. I shifted my race diet from the typical "gels and sports drinks" to using a "super starch" product called UCAN, and had great success with this low carb, high fat (LCHF) approach. Whatever approach you choose to take, the key is to train with the same nutrition you will use during the race. Many ultra runners have to drop out of contention or even DNF because of bonking or GI issues. The same applies to taking in electrolytes and water, especially for hot weather races. Have a detailed plan, practice it on your race rehearsal runs, and make sure it works for you under race conditions.
• Body weight is, of course, important, even more so for a mountainous trail race. Every pound of body fat you can take off in preparation for the event will save you many, many calories and minutes! If you are a Life Time Fitness member, you also have access to state of the art metabolic assessment tests. This test will identify your heart rate training zones -- but more importantly, in my opinion -- it will identify your metabolic efficiency profile. This profile shows the percentage of calories you are burning from "fat" and from "carbohydrates" in your muscle cells as a function of your heart rate/work load. By knowing this profile, you'll be able to determine your nutritional needs at your race intensity and determine if you have a good, average, or poor "fat-burning" metabolic efficiency (which can be changed with modifications to your nutrition and training plans). Improving your metabolic efficiency will help you to not only lose body fat more effectively, but, for racing, dial in your exact requirement for carbohydrates (for which you have a top intake limit of ~ 400 kcal/hr), and help you confidently rely more on your stored body fat calories.

A great resource for trail running, and especially ultra events, is the website http://www.IRunFar.com. It has a wealth of information, including articles, interviews, videos, product reviews, trail guides, and external.

Trail running can be a wonderful adjunct (or healthy break) to a triathlete's training schedule, and new trail races are popping up all over the country. Conquering a grueling mountain pass and then madly running down the other side in the high Colorado Rockies can be nearly as (or perhaps more) thrilling as the sprint down the finish chute of your next triathlon. See you out on the trails!

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Lifetime Endurance - http://www.lifetimeendurance.com/public/456.cfm
Lead Endurance Coach and Personal Trainer @ South Jordan LTF