Picking a date for my SOLO 100 MILER - Ryan Clayton

Aug 13, 2025

Intro

This is a quick summary of “Picking a date for my SOLO 100 MILER” from Ryan Clayton. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the training plan today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points

Build weekly mileage to about 50–55 miles, with daily runs of 5–6 miles, and add a longer weekend run (13–14 mi) to hit a total of ~53 mi this week. While volume is key for an ultra, making some of those weekday miles quality sessions can significantly boost your fitness. Consider learning more about Mastering Interval Training: Science-Backed Workouts and How a Smart App Can Personalize Them to improve your running economy.
Plan a 50‑mile solo about 4 weeks before the 100‑mile race, then a 100‑mile on the weekend of Oct 16‑17 (or Oct 23 if needed).
Use a “soft” rest week (≈40 mi) before the 50‑mile, then two hard weeks, a short taper, and a final taper before the 100‑mile.
Track training stress balance (TSB) and chronic training load (CTL) in TrainingPeaks or Strava; aim for a CTL around 100 points to feel race‑ready.
Use reliable gear (Polar Grit X, Altra Viho) and GPS watches to map the Chana Lakes State Park trail.

If a 100-miler feels like too big of a leap right now, you can apply similar principles of structured training and gradual progression to shorter distances. Building a strong foundation by Mastering the 10K: Proven Training Plans, Pace Strategies, and How a Smart App Can Elevate Your Performance is an excellent way to prepare for future endurance challenges.

Workout Example

Weekly Structure (next 8 weeks)

Current week – 53 mi total (6 mi weekdays, 13 mi Saturday, 10 mi Sunday).
Week 1 (Oct 24‑30) – Light week, ~40 mi to recover.
Week 2–3 – Build to 50‑mi long run (target Oct 18).
Week 4–6 – Build weekly mileage back up to 50‑55 mi, include back‑to‑back long weekends.
Week 7–8 – Taper (reduce mileage by 20‑30 %) leading into the 100‑mile on Oct 16‑17.

Tip: Add 1‑2 mi to weekday runs each week and keep a daily log in Strava to monitor TSB and CTL.

Closing Note

Give this progressive plan a try and tweak the paces to match your own fitness in the Pacing app. A personalized approach is crucial whether you’re tackling an ultra or working on your speed over shorter distances. In fact, many of the same smart training principles can be used for Mastering 5K Speed: Proven Interval Strategies to Cut Minutes off Your Time. Good luck, and enjoy the journey to your solo 100‑mile—you’ve got this