training for a 50k

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well, first I'd ask if you are doing a trail ultra or road ultra. If trail ultra, regular marathon road distance plus lots of trail time. If road ultra, I have no advice :-)

Back in the day I was doing a 50K a month, with a couple of 50 milers thrown in there. For me, a trail 50K was SO MUCH EASIER on my body than a road marathon. I didn't really change my training much, just ran off road as much as possible. You really need to have strong ankles and get your legs used to uneven terrain. It also helps to practice eating all kinds of fuel - typically we'd have m&m's, pbjs, potato chips, coke, etc at the aid stations.

I also did the races more like 'tours' or long training runs, wasn't really trying to set any speed records.

My typical month would be 2 or 3 4-8 milers during the week, and a long run on the weekend - usually 10-15 max each week with one ultra weekend. Did that for about a year and a half with no injuries - only reason I cut back was so I could get pg. (it worked)

The ultra community was incredible back then (late 90s), I'm sure they are now, too - great people and good times...I miss that sometimes, but now have BT!

I did my first over 30k run in February, it was a 50k race. It took me 7 hours. It was awesome.

I did not have a lot of experience running, prior to the race I had one 10k (1:04) done in May 2007 and two half marathons (2:18 for both) done in May and September 2007.

I did a lot of running in December and January leading up to the race. That being said I only did 115 miles in January, but for me that was a lot, in fact of 22 hours of running (I run slow).

My training was to do one or two shorter sub 10 k runs during the week and LONG (time wise) and SLOW runs on Saturday and Sunday. I would run 2 hours on sat and 3 on sun, sometime more. But I would run super slow, take walking breaks every 10 minutes.

So, clearly I was not going for a record, I just wanted to finish. That being said and at the time I thought that the Saturday and Sunday long run are essential for an ultra perpective. You need to be able to stay on your feet and build the muscular endurance. That being said, a 50k is not a 50 miler, and although technically it is an Ultra it really isnt that much longer than a marathon, so if you have completed a marathon then perhaps you dont really need to work on the endurance in the feet and legs so much.

I am currently planning on doing it again in February 09 and have taken the view that if I can get a sub 4 hour marathon out of it then I might be able to break 5 hours and for sure 6. So I am currently training for a sub 4 hour marathon. I think that I will continue that until late December or early January when I will try to put in a couple of those long run weekends.

Good luck, it is awesome.