Are Muscular Endurance Workouts the Key to Winning UTMB?
In long, no. In short, perhaps. Is it the end all, definitely not. Are we trying to make it the new shiny object that’s old. Yes, probably.
The sole key to winning UTMB is your genetics, and maximizing your V02 in relation to your genetics.
How do you optimize your genetic V02 Max? By training your V02 Max. In the case of UTMB, Reverse Periodization would be the best practice, with some short bursts into your Z3 (3 zone system), Z4 (4 zone system) or like most of us mortals call it Z5 (in the 5 zone system) in the taper.
How would I tackle the Muscular Endurance aspect of UTMB? First off, I believe winter is the best time to bring ME to the table. Most mountain athletes enjoy winter sports as much as they enjoy trail running, if I can get athletes to snowshoe, with or without a weighted pack; enjoy some Uphill Travel/Ski Mo, during the winter season. When the trails thaw, they’re happier, they have enjoyed the winter season. They will almost always come out of winter stronger, and with a solid base. There is some variation to winter training, some athletes enjoy skate skiing, which has a high demand on the cardiovascular and skeletal systems. In the case of skate skiing athletes, working Threshold and V02 during the winter months would be key, reverse periodization. In the skate skiing scenario, these athletes would then, head into a base building block when the trails dry.
Reverse Periodization would be key in developing athletes for long trail runs, like UTMB, because as we get closer to our ‘A’ event(s) we need more specificity for the event.
In the case of UTMB we need long hours, many hills, and our body’s ability to optimize lactate as efficiently as possible. How do we optimize our lactate shuttle systems? By training it.
As Dr Bu’s work continues to unfold, I believe we will see, that our ability to perform at our best will be when we optimize our genetic marker for lean tissue, specifically, muscle. Mitochondria are found in the greatest density within our muscle tissue. The more lean tissue we have, the more mitochondria we have, the more our body is able to utilize lactate for fuel.
Step One: Work Strength, build our genetic marker for lean tissue, muscle. And GET STRONGER!!
Step Two: Build Base in Z2, in a 5 zone system, or Z1 in a 3 zone system: improving our mitochondrial density.
Step Three: Improve our Lactate Shuttle System, by spending time roughly 10 beats below, and 10 beats above our anaerobic threshold/lactate threshold/LT2. Some schools of thought would suggest 3 mmol of lactate. Some schools of thought may say Z3 (in a 3 zone system), while others would say Z4 (in a 5 zone system)
In the midst of articles coming out, and this Training Peaks video interview with Dirk Friel and Scott Johnston, we can get lost in the talk. It’s important to hone in on the details. One of the most important details is both of these athletes who won UTMB were spending a significant amount of time per week slightly below and slightly above their anaerobic threshold/lactate threshold/LT2. They were spending a great deal of time running/hiking hills.
The reality is to, win an event of UTMB fortitude, the key is resilience, also called, durability...“resilience,” defined as “the ability to resist functional decline following acute and/or chronic stressors,”...
Is Muscular Endurance related? I don’t want to give all the secrets away. Yes, potentially. Resilience/Durability would be successfully completing Hill Interval Training at the end of a long run that is specific to the objective, in this case UTMB. Hill Interval Training is also considered Muscular Endurance. Reality Check: to win long running races, one has to run faster, for longer distances.
In every race there are intrinsic factors, and external factors that play a role in our performance. We can only control the intrinsic factors: our training, gear, nutrition, rest, mental fortitude or self talk. In a race like this, we can’t control who shows up, or the weather. Some people just do better, and thrive, the worse the conditions are. The male and female winners of UTMB had the genetics, put in the work, and overcame the shitty conditions and thrived to the end to win.
We shouldn’t re-invent the wheel and say the secret to their success was Muscular Endurance, the reality is their success was their resilience/durability to stay strong through such a grueling event, their genetics (V02 max), their ability to shuttle lactate efficiently, and probably most importantly, their fueling and hydration strategy!! Add in their ability to handle the weather, and that is the recipe for success. Congratulations on the great run! And taking home 1st place! Hard work always pays off!
Science is science. We should always analyze the demand of the event, and plan a program that will help the athlete achieve it successfully.
Thanks for checking in!
Be Your Ultimate Potential.
-Coach Zoe