Mallorca 5000 by UTMB - Training

Mallorca 5000 – Training

Due to the time of year and where it sits between other goals, the training for this event hasn’t been optimal, so given the constraints of concentrating on a return to cycling, working full time, and this period being my recovery from TDS/offseason, I have only managed to squeeze in a short 3 week block prior to the race. However, I do want to do well in Mallorca so have looked to the following to get me through;

Existing volume and mountain specific training – I’m coming off the back of big volume mountainous runs during June/July/August which I’m still riding on the back of. So even though I haven’t maintained particularly high volume or specificity for the event I can still call on this. One positive to years of building a big aerobic base is that its resilient and fitness isn’t lost as fast as quickly acquired fitness.  

Overall aerobic volume – I’m a big believer in low intensity volume, it is preferred that this is made up of running so it has specificity to the event, but volume through cross training is not a waste, it all goes in the same pot, whatever the discipline.

Strength – Obviously ultramarathons don’t require maximal strength, but good quality strength work promotes efficiency of movement. For example, if my 10 minute running pace requires 20% of maximal strength to maintain, then if I increase that maximal strength then that 20% will reduce, thus increasing efficiency. Key go to strength exercises, I do more than these but the following are my top 3.

·       Deadlifts

·       Squats

·       Lunges

Specificity – This is where I have lacked, simply to other more important goals and the time of year this has landed. But if you maintain the two points above and maintain some sort of specificity (in this case 1 vertical gain session per week), you can maintain specific fitness in the short term (<2 months). Specific sessions for Mallorca on the 5th, 12th and 18th October.

Pic 1 – 3 week block from Garmin Connect

·       Total training time for 3 week block – 39hrs 56 minutes.

·       Running – 48 miles, 8hrs 41 minutes.

·       Cycling – 427 miles, 25hrs 26 minutes.

·       Strength sessions – 6 sessions in total, 4hrs 47 minutes.

 Pic 2 – Extract from Training Peaks

·       CTL (fitness) risen from 75 to 89

·       ATL (fatigue) risen from 72 to 117

·       Form decreased from +12 to -24

Now during the taper, the CTL will decrease due to decreased load, ATL will decrease as I freshen up, and form will increase as CTL and ATL decrease, due to being fresher.