FIRST REAL VERT RUN of the Season! *Midwest Style - 22 weeks to Cruel Jewel 100 - Ryan Clayton

Aug 13, 2025

Intro

This is a quick summary of *“FIRST REAL VERT RUN of the Season! Midwest Style - 22 weeks to Cruel Jewel 100” from Ryan Clayton. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points

Ryan logged about 1,070 ft of vertical gain over ~4.5 mi (≈200 ft per mile) on a loop in Indiana, a solid start for his 22‑week plan to the Cruel Jewel 100 (target ~300 ft/mi).
He suggests using hill repeats or repeated loops to boost vertical gain toward the race goal.
The terrain is mixed (mud, hills) so choose shoes that handle mud (he used Altra Superior 4.5).
Keep an eye on hunting seasons and stay visible (red/white clothing) for safety.

Workout Example

Warm‑up – 5‑10 min easy jog on flat terrain.
Loop – Run the local loop (≈1 mile) that gives ~200 ft of elevation.
Repeat – Complete 5–6 repeats (or until you hit ~1,000 ft total gain). Total distance will be about 4.5–5 mi.
Cool‑down – 5 min easy jog and stretch.
Progression – Aim to increase the vertical per mile to ~300 ft/mi over the next weeks by adding more repeats or choosing steeper loops.

Tip: Use the Pacing app to log your elevation gain and adjust the number of repeats to match your target paces and vertical goals.

Closing Note

Give this hill‑repeat workout a try today, and feel free to customize the repeats and pace in the Pacing app to fit your own training plan. Good luck and happy climbing!