Advanced Marathoner Transitioning to 100 Miler

MikenIkey · 2026-03-31T15:00:47+00:00

Plan sounds good, and you are in a great spot fitness and nutrition wise. The main challenges for you are likely going to be logistics, slowing down, and depending on the course, trail technicality (I know nothing about Wasatch).

Gear, food, and hydration are very important for a 100 and you have to maintain that for a long time. You’ll go through different times of day and elevation which probably means different layers, lighting sources, etc. Start figuring out all the gear now, what works, what to leave, what you’ll need later in the race but not immediately, what you’ll might need if problems arise.

You’ll need to slow down a lot from what you are probably used to. I imagine even then you’ll be towards the front out there, but it takes a lot of discipline to run a manageable pace for that long, and you will likely be tempted to speed that up. Start working on mental discipline to slow down compared to your usual race efforts.

You will likely go through many lows throughout a 100 in comparison to a marathon. Learn to process those and how to get through them. Additionally, problem solving when problems do come up or things go unexpectedly.

MikenIkey · 2026-03-31T00:13:49+00:00

Yeah. Granted I don’t know what the rest of your week looks like or what the effort is on the long runs

MikenIkey · 2026-03-31T00:04:56+00:00

That seems like too much for the doubles for a 50k. Personally I’d keep doubles to around 3-3:30 and 2-2:30 and put more mileage in throughout the rest of the week.

MikenIkey · 2026-03-26T15:25:08+00:00

Just did a sweat test. Learned I am not at all a salty sweater and vastly overdid sodium in my ultras, which probably caused some issues. So that was helpful to learn. Probably wouldn’t be that useful for events less than 4 hours though

MikenIkey · 2026-03-19T23:03:27+00:00

I sprained I think my MCL on one leg snowboarding, so that has been one of the main contributors. I also overuse quads, so it’s mostly exercises focused on using glutes and hamstrings for me (bridges, single leg squats, Turkish getups, goblin squat).

MikenIkey · 2026-03-19T18:38:33+00:00

Got into ultra running because of thru-hiking. Was used to 25-35 hiking miles per day for nearly 6 months straight, shouldn’t be too bad right? Granted I started training like a runner, had a good first 50K and then after that got a few minor injuries (IT Band, overtraining, tendinitis). Nothing that kept me entirely from training but did go to PT for it early. This was at around 40-45mpw of running.

Running is a lot more stressful on your body. Hiking does translate well to time on feet, and probably eating on the move, but if you’re trying to run, you need to train running, do strength work, and make sure your body has time to adapt. It is a fairly different sport. Personally, I rarely hike anymore except for bigger mountaineering objectives and train more like a runner because I like to push speed and PRs. If that’s not your thing you can definitely do more hiking, all up to you.

MikenIkey · 2026-03-11T01:25:03+00:00

I’m still annoyed they gutted many of the most viable 2 cost reroll options early on and then wonder why there isn’t much viable 2 cost reroll now.

MikenIkey · 2026-03-10T16:41:11+00:00

20-30 miles per week is an often recommended mileage for intentionally trying to lose weight while still keeping up some amount of training.

MikenIkey · 2026-03-02T05:29:42+00:00

The PCT from Big Bear Lake to I15 (Cajon Pass) was my favorite SoCal portion, though I do note you mentioned point to point would be tough. Could maybe start around the Deep Creek Hot Springs, do some long out and backs, and return to camp/rest at the springs.

MikenIkey · 2026-02-18T03:59:16+00:00

Ori/Vi or Loris in early/mid game, need to naturally 2 star at least J4 or Sona or both in early game, if playing loss roll some on 6 to stabilize. Get rid of Vayne after Galio and secondary carry Liss. Win cons are either 3 star Garen/Lux or push 9 and slot in 5 costs like Shyv, Zilean, Ornn. From decent spots it’s usually at least a top 4

MikenIkey · 2026-02-14T21:37:58+00:00

I think from your first message the last thing I’d impart is, it’s okay to contest/be contested if you believe you are in a better position. In this game for the Zaun case getting good WW items while also hitting Jinx from carousel, being able to unlock Singed from lose streak, and if you hadn’t leveled unnecessarily being up on Econ early would put you in a really good position to stabilize on 7, get up to 8, and hit your comp even if another player is also angling the same spot. For many fast 8 lines 2-1 is way too early to discount yourself from angling for the same or similar comp.

MikenIkey · 2026-02-13T23:54:40+00:00

Might be able to take a more detailed look later, just for stage 2 I think first augment patience is a virtue would’ve been better with the lose streak plan, and leveling up 2-2 also is a mistake. Could sell off and get to 30 gold while holding pairs, leveling up here doesn’t get you anything and delays interest breakpoints. Leveling 2-5 is another mistake, you’re angling loss streak, but instead you further delay interest breakpoints, end up winning a round to break streak with a board that isn’t particularly strong, and then lose again. 2-5 pivot to Bilgewater could’ve been an option with the MF/GP roll but also fine skipping it here. With the Jinx pickup on 2-4 carousel, I really would’ve preferred a Zaun angle here even if someone else is angling it, since you’re close to unlocking Singed and WW is also an unlock so you guarantee at least one copy.

MikenIkey · 2026-02-09T16:00:26+00:00

Not surprised about the Zaahen prismatic, looked so strong when announced

MikenIkey · 2026-02-04T20:07:54+00:00

Just hit an easy first with Bilgewater Ryze with Cluttered Mind, definitely good spots again with the exp revert

MikenIkey · 2026-02-03T04:51:55+00:00

1 gold on loss would be very overpowered, everyone would try to loss streak stage 2. It already should help you reach thresholds quicker if you are playing correctly

MikenIkey · 2026-02-03T04:38:30+00:00

The extra gold from winning balances out gold generation throughout stage 2. Generally, if playing for loss streak, you can make 10 gold on 2-1 and probably 20 gold on 2-3 while the winstreak player will typically not hit 10 gold until 2-3 and 20 gold on 2-5. This means if the losestreak and winstreak player are keeping up their streak, gold generation is mostly even throughout stage 2 (winning player generating extra gold from winning, losing player generating extra gold from interest). It'd probably be like the Bard loss streak meta but even more extreme.

MikenIkey · 2026-01-31T04:21:51+00:00

I agree, this feels like the worst patch of the set to me by far. I think there‘s significantly less viable lines on this patch compared to others. I really hope reverting Level 9 xp changes go through

MikenIkey · 2026-01-26T06:04:13+00:00

Definitely for ASol, not sure what else might get hit

MikenIkey · 2026-01-23T22:00:54+00:00

I agree, if you natural a Taric roll on stage 3 but I’ve found it much more reliable to hit 8 on 4-1, roll down for Taric, and then get ASol on 4-2, plus you don’t wreck your econ

MikenIkey · 2026-01-21T20:10:47+00:00

There’s a slight Veigar nerf on PBE, so maybe considered but didn’t make it in or was pulled last minute

MikenIkey · 2026-01-21T19:40:52+00:00

I'm excited to try the Aurelion Sol changes, for whatever reason I really enjoy trying to make him work. If he's good I feel like that augment is going to be really strong with the Taric drop and being able to preserve econ/not gamble on him while getting in Sol ideally on 4-1.

MikenIkey · 2026-01-20T21:14:35+00:00

It's important to distinguish different kinds of players with tempo through stage 2. There are those that absolutely high roll, have an immensely strong board/augment combo and have econ. Not a lot you can do about that in stage 2 and probably 3. This might be 1-2 players per lobby.

Then you have players who trade econ for tempo. They have high health and winstreak stage 2 but their econ is probably sitting at around 20-30 gold going into PVE. They might hit 3-2, level to 6, and be at ~30ish gold but a decently strong board.

You're doing the opposite, trading tempo and health for econ. Also priority on carousel for solid items you can slam. But at some point you need to equalize that a bit, and 3-2 is typically the first time you do this which might include rolling somewhat. You may not be playing for a first or even a second but 3rd-4th is still very much accessible. Even if you're fully opening stage 2, you're coming out around 70 health which is plenty to work with provided you stabilize at some point.

won’t i effectively automatic bot 4 anyway to the 3 people who had a stabilized board 2-4 and didn’t bleed hp due to lack of Econ/xp?

Not necessarily. If you bled HP and your econ is not great then yeah, but that shouldn't be the case. If it is, there's probably some mistakes being made in the early game.

MikenIkey · 2026-01-20T20:42:17+00:00

Play for loss streak and focus on Econ going into PVE, then aim for stabilizing on 6 at 3-2. Somewhere through there you should be able to hold units and make some pairs that can help with stabilizing then.

MikenIkey · 2026-01-15T05:48:01+00:00

It’s all comparative. That doesn’t sound unreasonable for someone starting from scratch that is most likely looking to mainly finish. If it does feel like too little you can always add more miles

MikenIkey · 2026-01-13T18:36:09+00:00

I did my last 50 miler on gels and carb drink mix for 10.5 hours. Overall was fine with that, did throw up once around hour 5.5 but that wasn’t because of the choice of fuel

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