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Why I'm Running 100 Miles
I officially signed up for my first 100-mile race!
In March, I’ll be running the Blackbeard’s Revenge 100 on North Carolina’s beautiful Outer Banks. The course passes some of the state’s most iconic landmarks, including historic lighthouses, pirate landmarks, and the site of the Wright brothers’ first flight. It seemed like the perfect race to take on my biggest running challenge yet.
Now, you might be wondering, “Gina…are you okay?” That’s probably a reasonable reaction.
You might also be wondering how I’m going to train for a 100-mile race while raising four kids, homeschooling, running a business, and navigating military spouse life, where I frequently solo-parent while my husband is gone for training and deployments.
Over the next several months, I’m going to share my ultramarathon training leading up to race day, including how I’m building my mileage, why strength training remains a priority, and the strategies I use to fit workouts into an already busy schedule. My hope is that this series isn’t just fun to follow if you enjoy running, but that it also gives you practical ideas for prioritizing your own health and fitness, no matter what season of life you’re in.
Whether your goal is to run your first 5K, train for a marathon, get stronger in the gym, or simply be more consistent with exercise, I hope this gives you some encouragement that big goals are possible, even when life is busy.
My Running Background
While this will be my first 100-mile race, I’m definitely not new to endurance running. It’s been a long time since I last ran an ultramarathon.
My first ultramarathon was a trail 50K back in 2013 (that I casually won for women). Then, in 2015, I ran a 40-mile point-to-point road race that actually finished near the Outer Banks (that I did not win). Looking back, I probably wasn’t nearly as prepared as I should have been for either race, but I still managed to finish both and discovered that I really enjoy the challenge of running longer distances.
Since then, life has changed quite a bit. I’ve had four kids, built MamasteFit, completed graduate school, and continued strength training throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period while working my way back to running. Last year, I ran my first marathon ever (lol, I’ve never actually run a marathon before, only ultras), and more recently, I’ve completed the Disney Goofy Challenge (half and full marathon), 25K trail race, several half marathons, and a handful of shorter races.
So while 100 miles is by far the longest race I’ve ever attempted, I don’t feel like I’m starting from scratch. I’m building on years of running experience while approaching this training cycle much differently than I did in my twenties. My goal isn’t just to cross the finish line. I want to train intelligently, stay healthy, and enjoy the entire process.
Ultramarathon Training: How I'm Preparing for a 100-Mile Race
While the 100-mile race is the ultimate goal, I’m not training specifically for it just yet. Instead, I’m breaking this season into smaller goals that naturally build on one another and should prepare me for the demands of running 100 miles next March.
Right now, my primary focus is a half marathon in November, where I’d love to set a new personal record and boldly attempt my first sub-1:30 half marathon. After that, my focus will shift to the Dopey Challenge at Disney World in January, followed by my second marathon at the Every Woman’s Marathon in February. If everything goes according to plan, those races will build both the endurance and confidence I’ll need heading into the Blackbeard’s Revenge 100 in March.
Training for a 100-mile race is obviously going to look a little different than training for a marathon or half marathon, but many of the same principles still apply. The biggest difference is simply the amount of volume. To prepare for spending so many hours on my feet, I need to gradually build my weekly mileage while also making sure I recover well enough to keep training consistently.
Right now, I’m averaging around 30 miles per week. By the end of the summer, I’d like to be consistently running 40 to 50 miles per week, eventually building to around 60 to 70 miles per week as I get closer to race day. Rather than making every run longer, I’ll slowly increase my overall weekly volume while keeping a variety of workouts throughout the week.
My running will generally include one interval or speed workout each week, one threshold or tempo workout, and eventually two back-to-back long runs on the weekends. Those long runs will likely be two to three hours each and will be the biggest time commitment of my training. As my mileage continues to increase, I also plan to add a couple of easy double-run days where I’ll run once in the morning and again later in the day to safely build more time on my feet.
Running isn’t the only thing I’ll be doing, though. Strength training will continue to be a major part of my program. As someone who is naturally hypermobile, lifting has been one of the biggest contributors to keeping me relatively pain-free while running. When I was in college, I did very little strength training and dealt with overuse injuries pretty regularly as a collegiate long-distance runner. Since making strength training a consistent part of my routine, I’ve still had occasional aches and pains, but they’ve generally been much easier to manage and recover from.
As I get closer to race day and my running volume gets higher, I’ll likely decrease my lifting volume while still prioritizing two strength sessions each week, along with plenty of single-leg accessory work to build stability, improve durability, and help reduce my injury risk.
I’ve also started incorporating swimming and some stationary cycling into my training. These lower-impact cardio sessions allow me to continue building my aerobic fitness while giving my joints a break from the repetitive impact of running. And who knows…don’t be surprised if my next big announcement is that I signed up for an Ironman!
Ready to Build Strength That Supports Your Running?
Strength training has been one of the biggest reasons I’ve been able to increase my mileage while staying relatively pain-free, and it’s something I don’t plan on giving up as my running volume increases.
If you’re at least six months postpartum and looking for a structured strength program that also includes accessory work, pelvic floor support, and progressive running plans, check out our Beyond Postpartum membership. New strength cycles start every month, and you can try it free for seven days.
If you’re less than six months or still wanting more pelvic floor support, check out our postpartum return to running program!
Before You Increase Your Running Volume...
If you’re thinking about increasing your mileage or training for your first race, here are two YouTube videos that I think you’ll find helpful.
- How to Assess Your Running Readiness covers the strength, stability, and movement qualities I like to see before increasing running volume.
- My Postpartum Return to Running After Baby #4 covers how I progressed back to running a marathon after my fourth birth.
Whether you’re training for your first 5K or your first ultramarathon, building a strong foundation can make the entire process much more enjoyable.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for weekly workouts and educational videos to support your pregnancy, birth, and fitness in motherhood!
What My Weekly Training Schedule Looks Like
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that consistency is much more important than having the “perfect” training week. My schedule will continue to evolve over the next several months as my mileage increases, but this is what a typical week looks like for me right now. My schedule will also fluctuate based on my family’s schedule. Most weeks I will hit my workout goals, but some weeks will be more sporadic if there is just too much going on. I am aiming for 80% consistency as opposed to 100%!
Monday: Speed Work
Monday is my quality speed session. Right now, this usually includes interval workouts on the treadmill, and as my mileage builds, I’ll likely add an easy second run later in the day. Depending on how I’m feeling, I may also include some lighter accessory strength work or a swim.
Tuesday: Heavy Strength + Easy Run
Tuesday is one of my heavier lifting days, followed by an easy run and usually a swim. Strength training has remained a priority throughout my running because I truly believe it helps keep me healthy and durable as my mileage increases.
Wednesday: Recovery
Wednesday is generally a lower-intensity day. Depending on how I’m recovering, this may be an easy run, swimming, cycling, or simply focusing on mobility and letting my body recover before the next harder sessions.
Thursday: Heavy Strength + Easy Run
Thursday is similar to Tuesday with another heavier lifting session, an easy run, and often a swim. As I get closer to race day and my running mileage gets much higher, these lifting sessions will likely become shorter and less demanding, but I don’t plan on eliminating strength training completely.
Friday: Threshold Day
Friday is typically my threshold or tempo workout. These runs help improve endurance at faster paces and are one of my favorite workouts of the week. I’ll often finish with some accessory work that supports running mechanics and single-leg stability.
Saturday & Sunday: Long Runs
Eventually, the weekends will become my back-to-back long run days. One of the biggest demands of ultramarathon training is simply spending a lot of time on your feet, so these longer efforts will gradually build from where I am now to several hours at a time. Doing them on the weekends also gives me the best chance of having childcare available or the flexibility to drive somewhere for a longer outdoor run.
One thing you’ll probably notice is that I don’t have many complete rest days scheduled. That’s intentional. Rather than taking an entire day off every week, I prefer to adjust my training based on how I’m feeling. Some weeks that means replacing a run with an easy swim or bike ride. Other weeks it means taking a full day completely off. As my training volume increases, recovery will become even more important than the workouts themselves, so I’ll continue to adjust based on how my body responds.
How I Fit My Workouts Into a Busy Schedule: My Tips for You
You definitely don’t need to be training for a 100-mile race to struggle with finding time to work out.
Whether your goal is to exercise a few days a week, train for your first race, or work toward a bigger fitness goal, one of the biggest challenges is simply finding the time to fit it all in. Between work, kids, appointments, sports, meals, and everything else life throws at us, it can feel like there’s never enough time.
I’m certainly not perfect at this, and there are plenty of weeks where life wins. But over the years, I’ve found a few strategies that make it much easier to stay consistent. These are the same things that helped me exercise during pregnancy, postpartum, marathon training, and now while preparing for my first 100-mile race.
1. Make Working Out as Accessible as Possible
One of the biggest reasons I’m able to stay consistent is that I’ve created multiple places where I can work out without depending on childcare.
For running, my treadmill has probably been the biggest game changer. Since I have four kids, stroller running has never been a realistic option for most of my workouts. Even if I wanted to run outside with a stroller, I don’t have one that fits all four kids, and there aren’t many stroller-friendly running routes near me.
Instead, I can run at home while my younger kids play nearby. When they were babies, I’d often put a Pack ‘n Play next to the treadmill so they could safely play while I ran. At our gym, we have the treadmill behind a baby gate to keep little ones away from the moving belt while still allowing them to stay close.
Having a treadmill removes one of the biggest barriers to running because I don’t have to arrange childcare every time I want to get a workout in. I use the Peloton Tread+, and I love that I can take classes, read on my Kindle, or watch a show during easier runs.
2. Have More Than One Place to Strength Train
I also have more than one place to lift weights.
Our MamasteFit gym is designed to welcome kids, which makes it much easier for me to work out without coordinating childcare. On days when leaving the house just isn’t happening, I also have a home gym that lets me get my workout in without packing everyone into the car.
You don’t need a huge home gym to strength train effectively, either. A few sets of dumbbells, a workout bench, a sturdy plyometric box, and a variety of resistance bands can go a long way.
Check out our Amazon storefront for the equipment we use in our home gym.
3. Take Advantage of Childcare When It’s Available
We also belong to a gym with a pool that offers childcare, and that’s made swimming much more realistic for me.
Childcare at gyms often comes with limitations. There may be age requirements, time limits, or limited availability, and when my kids were younger, those restrictions made it harder to use consistently. Now that they’re older, I can use those childcare hours for swimming or lifting when I want a workout without interruptions.
If childcare is available to you—even if it’s only once or twice a week—it can be a great opportunity to schedule longer workouts or harder-to-do sessions when kids are nearby.
4. Schedule Your Workouts Like Any Other Appointment
My workouts go on our family calendar just like appointments, sports practices, and homeschool activities. That allows me to see what each day looks like ahead of time and helps me decide when I realistically have time to exercise.
It also helps my family know when I plan to work out so we can coordinate childcare or adjust our schedule if needed.
I’m not aiming for 100% consistency. If I can complete about 80-90% of my planned workouts over time, I’m happy with that. Some weeks we travel. Some weeks, one of the kids gets sick. Some weeks, life is simply busy. Instead of feeling like I’ve failed, I just adjust and get back to my routine when I can.
5. Follow a Plan Instead of Making It Up Every Day
One of the easiest ways to remove decision fatigue is to follow a training plan. When it’s time to work out, I don’t have to spend 20 minutes deciding what I’m going to do. The workout has already been planned, so I can simply show up and get started.
That’s one of the reasons we’ve created structured prenatal, postpartum, and Beyond Postpartum strength programs. Having a plan removes one more barrier to staying consistent.
Explore our fitness programs if you’re looking for a structured plan to follow.
Looking for a Running-Friendly Postpartum Fitness Program?
If you’re rebuilding strength after having a baby or getting back into running, our postpartum fitness programs are designed to help you return to exercise with confidence. Every program includes strength training, pelvic floor-focused accessory work, and progressions that prepare you for the activities you love, whether that’s chasing your kids, lifting heavier, or training for your next race.
Your Workouts Will Look Different in Different Seasons of Motherhood
One of the biggest things I’ve learned over the years is that my workouts have changed with every stage of motherhood, and that’s okay.
Now that my youngest is almost 2 years old, it’s much easier for me to get through a workout with fewer interruptions. My older kids know the routine; they know what they’re allowed to do while I’m exercising, and they’re much more independent than they were a few years ago.
But it definitely wasn’t always like that.
During my first year postpartum, there were plenty of days when all I managed was 10 to 15 minutes of exercise before someone needed me. Between frequent nursing sessions, unpredictable naps, and waking up multiple times each night, I was simply more fatigued. During that season, it was more important for me to stay consistent than it was to complete every workout exactly as planned.
That’s one of the reasons I pay attention to how I’m actually feeling instead of forcing myself to follow my training plan perfectly. Recovery is just as important as the workouts themselves, and there are times when sleeping a little longer or shortening a workout is the better choice.
Something else to remember is that if you’re just starting to prioritize exercise again, your kids may not be used to it. They don’t automatically know that this is your workout time or what they’re supposed to do while you’re exercising. It often takes a little time for everyone to adjust to the new routine. I also have gym equipment specific for my kids so they can join me in my workouts!
One thing that’s helped our family is preparing an activity space before I start my workout. Depending on their ages, I’ll set out snacks, water or juice, books, puzzles, sensory bins, Magna-Tiles, art supplies, or other open-ended toys that tend to hold their attention a little longer.
We’ll put on a movie, let the kids watch a show, or use their tablets while I finish a workout. If that’s not something your family wants to do, that’s completely okay. There are plenty of ways to keep kids occupied. For us, it’s simply one tool that helps me consistently prioritize my own health while still meeting my family’s needs.
The biggest thing I’ve learned is that consistency doesn’t mean perfection.
Some weeks I complete every workout I planned. Other weeks, we go on vacation, someone gets sick, or life simply gets busy, and I miss a few sessions. I don’t see those weeks as failures. My goal is to stay consistent over months and years, not to have a perfect training log.
Whether you’re training for your first 5K, returning to exercise after having a baby, or chasing a goal that feels a little scary, remember that you don’t have to do everything perfectly to make meaningful progress. Show up when you can, adjust when you need to, and keep moving forward. Those small, consistent efforts add up far more than waiting for the perfect season to begin.
I’m Excited to Bring You Along
This race is definitely my biggest running goal yet, and if I’m being completely transparent, it’s also a little intimidating. There’s a lot I don’t know yet, and I’m sure there will be workouts that don’t go as planned, unexpected setbacks, and plenty of lessons learned along the way.
But that’s also part of why I wanted to share this journey.
Over the next several months, I’ll be documenting my training leading up to the Blackbeard’s Revenge 100, including my workouts, race recaps, fueling strategies, gear, strength training, recovery, and everything I learn along the way. My hope is that you’ll not only enjoy following along, but that you’ll also feel encouraged to chase goals that excite you, even if they feel a little outside your comfort zone.
Your goal doesn’t have to be running 100 miles. Maybe it’s getting back to exercise after having a baby, running your first 5K, lifting heavier than you ever have before, or simply making time for yourself a few days each week.
Whatever that goal is, I hope this reminds you that you don’t need perfect circumstances to make progress. You just need to keep showing up, be willing to adjust when life happens, and trust that consistency over months and years matters much more than perfection on any single day.
I can’t wait to see where this journey takes us. Let’s get training!
Whether your goal is to return to exercise after having a baby, run your first 5K, set a new PR, or someday tackle an ultramarathon, having a plan can make all the difference.
At MamasteFit, we’ve created fitness programs that help you build strength, improve durability, and support your pelvic floor through every stage of motherhood.
Newly postpartum? Our Postpartum Fitness Program provides a step-by-step plan to safely rebuild strength, core function, and confidence as you return to exercise.
Ready for your next challenge? Our Beyond Postpartum membership includes monthly strength training cycles, progressive running programs, mobility work, and accessory exercises designed to help you stay strong for both everyday life and the sports you love. Plus, you can try it free for 7 days.
And if you’re just looking for more free education, be sure to check out our YouTube channel, where I share running tips, strength workouts, pelvic floor education, and follow along as I train for my first 100-mile race.
I’d love to have you join me on this journey!