Lauren, it would be disingenuous of me to claim that the Run Maintenance plan is sufficient for all Ultra runners. Beginners, yes. Intermediate and Advanced ultra runners, probably not. I feel really good about the position that it is a great choice for 5K to Marathon, but you’re right, it’s relatively low volume for an Ultra runner, and the ramp-up time from the maintenance plan to an Ultra plan is steep.
So, yes, for someone who has their next event as 50 miles or more, I would modify the Maintenance plan so that the two longest runs of the week add an additional 1 to 1.5 hours of Zone 2. Keep to the intervals and other runs as prescribed, but those additional 3 hours a week will be enough to allow you to jump into an Ultra plan fully prepared.
David
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