Resting During Ultra Training Is A Secret Weapon Strategy

February is over and training for Javelina 100 took on a different look than it did in January. This month in the ultra training cycle included the strategy of rest. For the first 31 days of 2025, I was focused on shorter and faster runs which was a great way to jump start the training. Why? The answer is simple. It will take everything I have to get to the finish line because finish lines are not guaranteed. Moments of ‘flying’ around the course will be followed by long slow hikes.

Training Evolution: How February Looked Different

So, what happened in February and how was the training different? I’m glad you asked.

Looking back at my training for Canyons 100, I could see huge gaps in the variety of running I did. That variety also didn’t happen within running. Essentially, I ran and did not look at speed or hill workouts. I ignored hiking, strength training as well as cross training with swimming and cycling.

The result of this lack of variety was a DNF at the 50k mark. Now, that wasn’t the only reason. My mind wasn’t into it. I was bored with my training and my mind was wandering everywhere and not focused on the task at hand.

The Power of Rest: Why 4 Days Off Changed Everything

This is why my training for Javelina 100 has been varied. In the month of February, I took nearly a week off as a rest week. It allowed me to get my mind in gear for the task at hand. This allowed my body to recover from the first four weeks. Coming back to running felt glorious. My body needed the rest and then it needed the soreness.

Stairs, Strength, and Strategy: Mixing It Up

February saw me add a new fitness club workout to the schedule. The Saturday Stairs in Hollywood was a great experience that allowed me to get a workout in without focusing on paces or worrying about anything other than running stairs. It is officially a part of the training plan for the remainder of the cycle…..that’s how much fun I had.

This may seem like everything is going perfectly but we all know that isn’t how training plans work. There are days when you feel like garbage and others when other aspects of your life take over. That has happened to me as well.

That week off in February? Was this rest week part of the strategy or was this happenstance for this ultra training cycle? The time off happened because I was on the campus of Pepperdine University while Lori was going through her cohort on her way to her Doctorate. I believed I could get a few runs in but as minutes and hours passed, I realized that wasn’t going to happen and the timing for a rest week was ideal. I just didn’t think rest would be 4 straight days. Lo and behold I survived and found a renewed interest in this training plan.

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The Role of Perspective in Ultra Training

For most, and I’m included in that most, 4 days of rest in the middle of an ultra training plan would not be a strategy. With that as background, I put these 4 days into perspective. 4 days out of 28 in February is equivalent to 1/7th. That is approximately 14% of the month but when you blow that out to October that percentage becomes really small which becomes easier to process.

This word, perspective, is helping me just about as much as the physical component of running and strength training. Let’s put my goal into perspective. I want to run faster than 21 hours on race day.

21 hours is equivalent to 12m36s per mile pace. Javelina is a 5 loop race. This means that the middle loop can average 12m36s while the first two loops can average 10m36s and 11m36s, respectively. Following along that means that loop 4 can be 13m36s and the final loop can average 14m36s.

Knowing this allows me to program my training. Flatter sections must be run faster. Hillier sections must be run at a pace that when averaged gets me to 12m36s. Trying to keep it all simple gives me the edge I need to be able to go out and perform on training days as well as on race day.

Injury Prevention: Staying Available for the Start Line

After two months of training, there is nothing major to report on when it comes to aches and pains. I have had a tight left hip for ages but I am addressing that with the percussion hammer on a weekly basis. I am also walking quite a bit after my runs to allow for a solid cool down.

All of this in the hopes of keeping any injury or nagging nags away from my body. One thing I know for certain is that the ability that is most important in getting me to the start and eventually the finish line is availability. If I’m injured and no training is happening then I am unavailable and that finish line gets harder to achieve. Perspective and patience…..undefeated in lesson teaching.

The Run Tri Bike Community: A Game-Changer

Speaking of undefeated in lesson teaching…..the Run Tri Bike community is also without a loss. Every week I post about a run or a workout and you show up to cheer for me. You message me and ask how I’m doing. You share your stories with me.

All of this gives me the feels. It helps me get through those hard workouts knowing that Victor will have a dance he is posting or that I may grab coffee with Kevin after the run. There are so many stories and people putting in the work and being a part of that allows for perspective, patience, fun and emotions to bring this training cycle to life.

It is unlike any other training cycle I have been through and it is only month 2. As the miles add up, the smiles get wider, the dancing gets longer, the music gets louder…..I know one thing: you guys will have my back.

Cheers to all of you training for your race…..remember that you took a risk and are betting on yourself but you’re not alone.

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