Hour 7 Running Introduction Image

11th at The World Mountain and Trail Championships

Race name:

World Mountain and Trail Running Championships- Long Trail

Athlete:

Tom Joly

Race description:

85km with 6,500m of elevation gain and loss. Mixed terrain including snow, mostly a technical course with 5 climbs over 2,000m absl. 0630 start, with warm weather throughout (20-30c).

Extremely deep field of athletes (Average ITRA index of 907 for top ten men).

Distance:

85km

Result:

10:22. 11 th

(Hour 7 athlete Tom Joly crossing the finish line in 11th place on GB debut).

Elevation:

6,500m+

Training volume in build-up:

10 week block including taper:

Running: 1,265km with 60,000m of elevation gain. Peak week 192km with 8,500m+.

Cycling: 965km with 19,500m of elevation gain

Gym: 16 hrs

Training intensity distribution:

Approx 80% zone 1 and 2. 20% Zone 3 and 4. 0% zone 5/vo2 max.

Key sessions:

5 min hill reps on road (threshold/zone4) with 3 mins recovery. 8-12 reps.

600m up over 4km, 600m down over 4km, on trail. Zone 2- Zone 4. 1-3 reps

1km on (3:30/km) 1km off (4:30/km) on treadmill. 8-10 reps

Long run 32-42km with 1,400-2,000m.

55km and 60 km trail race (6 hrs) practicing race set up, nutrition etc.

Race strategy:

Don’t go too hard on the first climb, attack on the technical/high altitude sections around halfway, save something for the downhill/runnable section (KM 54-68), hang on for the last climb and descent.

Race nutrition:

10 x gels (250g of carbs 200mg of caffeine)

1 x chews (42g of carbs 75mg caffeine)

6 x drinks (480g carbs)

1.5L of coke (150g carbs 120mg caffeine)

14 x salt pills

Race hydration:

Filled up water between aid stations in rivers, fountains, also cooling by jumping in water troughs and rivers.

Race shoes:

Inov-8 Trailfly 280

Key items of kit:

Poles

Key lesson:

I underestimated how close the field would be after 10hrs of racing (8minutes between 11 th and 4 th

place) Save something for the last climb and descent!

(Hour 7 athlete Tom Joly after his race).

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