Cruel Jewel 100 Training Weekend Update - 7 Weeks To Go! - Ryan Clayton

Aug 13, 2025

Intro This is a quick summary of Cruel Jewel 100 Training Weekend Update – 7 Weeks To Go! from the Ryan Clayton channel. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the taper and upcoming training ideas today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points

Taper for the OPSF 50k: Reduce mileage, keep a few short high‑intensity efforts, and focus on recovery (sleep, nutrition). The goal is to arrive at the start line fresh.
Recovery focus: Aim for 22‑23 hours of recovery each 24‑hour cycle. Use the taper week to back off volume, keep legs moving, and get extra sleep and better nutrition.
Nutrition during race: Plan a gel every 40 minutes (Spring energy gels) and watch for gel fatigue after ~50 miles; consider real food if needed.
Post‑race plan: After the 50k, shift focus to heat training, downhill running, and a small increase in downhill load 4‑6 weeks before the Cruel Jewel 100.

Workout Example (Taper week before the 50k)

Sunday: Hard 15‑mile effort (high intensity) – a “tune‑up” effort to stress the legs.
Monday: Easy 5‑mile run, mostly Zone 2 with a touch of Zone 3.
Tuesday: 3‑mile treadmill climb – very easy.
Wednesday: 4‑mile easy run (about half the usual Wednesday volume of 7‑8 mi).
Thursday: 3‑mile very easy run – just keep the legs moving.
Friday: 3‑mile easy run – final recovery before race.

Previous weeks included 60‑plus miles per week for 3‑4 weeks, a 70‑mile week (Mar 8‑14), and another attempted 70‑mile week that was dialed back to 60 miles after a warning sign of fatigue.

Closing Note Give this taper plan a try and adapt the distances and paces to suit your own training in the Pacing app. Good luck with the 50k and the upcoming 7‑week block toward the Cruel Jewel 100 – you’ve got this! 🚀