Zach is an ultra marathon runner and a coach at Zach Bitter Running. Zach has held the 100 mile American record and the 12 hour work record. In this episode we talk about how a runner can make the jump to ultra distances and find out what it is like running on a track for over 400 laps.

How did you get your start in running, I am guessing your first run wasn’t an ultra. So let’s start with the really early days. Did you start running in high school, jr high, where does the story begin?

What was your high school career like, what type of 5k times were you doing

So let’s start out talking about how someone can make the transition from someone who maybe is not an elite runner, but has a few 1/2’s and a few marathons under their belt and wants to make that jump to an ultra. What advice would you have for a runner. Should they start with shorter races like a 50 miler before they jump to a 100 miler?

So if someone is running 40-50 miles a week what can they look up for a build up time and what type of volume do you think they need to get to before they toe a starting line?

You have someone looking to train and do their first 50-miler, what sort of long run do they need to do before you know they are ready to tackle that?

What does a week look like for this person trying to build up for the first time?

Now they are spending almost a full day on their feet running, they probably need to be eating and fueling different than they ever have before. What do you recommend as far as learning to fuel for an ultra?

Where do you follow on the scale, are you more of a Paleo low carb guy or more higher carbs?

You mentioned 150 mile week, is that kind of an average week for you?

To simulate the long runs many ultra runners will do two long runs on back to back days, is this something you implement?

If you have two long runs back to back how much time are you spending running on those two days?

So I am curious, when out running that long, do you listen to anything, music, audiobooks, podcast, anything like that?

So you got the 100 mile American record and 12 hour world record in my back yard running at the Desert Solstice. So just to give our listeners an idea, that is 402 laps on the track. I can imagine some thing like hydration, food, restrooms, medical needs all being right there are great, but at the same time 402 laps. What is that like and how do you enjoy it compared to hills?

What would you rather do, a trail or a track race?

Karl Meltzer is out there on the Appalachian Trail trying to break the record, would you ever have any interest in anything that long?

You have a package of training plans available on Final Surge, can you give listeners an idea of what is included in those plans?

Link to his training plans

How are you using Final Surge in your coaching?

We talk about the Strava and Garmin connect features.

Rapid Fire... 5 questions in under 1 minute
Favorite running book? - Born to Run
Current trainers you are wearing? - Altra One 2.5
Favorite race? - World 100k
Favorite recovery meal or recovery drink? - Eggs and Bacon
Your favorite piece of running equipment that is not your shoes? - Drymax ultra thin socks

how can they follow you online or reach you if they are interested in getting coaching info from you

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