CJ Albertson, 29, from Fresno, California, will try to reclaim his 50k World File on the thirty fifth Annual Ruth Anderson Memorial Run in San Francisco, California, on Saturday, October 8 at Lake Merced. The race is known as after Ruth Anderson, a lady who was a pioneer ultrarunner within the San Francisco Bay Space through the Seventies.
Stephen Mokoka of South Africa holds the present 50k World File, operating 2:40:13 on the Nedback Runified 50k in Gqeberha, South Africa, and breaking fellow South African Ketema Negasa’s former World File of two:42:07, set on the 2021 Nedback occasion. Previous to that, Albertson ran 2:42:30 in 2020 on a monitor in his hometown of Fresno to assert the document.
On Saturday, Albertson will comply with a lead bike as a information, and forgo using pacers through the try. Race administrators Anil Rao and Steve Jaber have confirmed that at the very least three different entrants are pursuing American data on the mixed 50k and 50-mile occasion. UltraRunning sat down with Albertson for an interview on Monday, simply 5 days away from his World File try.
UR: You’re simply 5 days faraway from one other World File try. How are you feeling? What are you doing between now and Saturday?
CA: I’m not feeling an excessive amount of proper now. I’m not even actually occupied with the race, to be trustworthy. I assume on Friday afternoon once I get to San Francisco I’ll in all probability begin occupied with it.
UR: How did you resolve on the thirty fifth Ruth Anderson Memorial Endurance Run as the situation on your World File try?
CA: There wasn’t a complete lot of decision-making. I’m doing the Valencia Marathon on December 4, in order that’s the massive factor I’m coaching for. I used to be going to do both a half marathon or perhaps a 50k as a result of I needed to get the document once more, after which Fernando Cabada advised me he was doing a 50k in San Francisco to set the grasp’s document. I appeared into it and realized that it wasn’t too removed from me. I reached out to the race administrators (and allow them to know) that I used to be considering going for the World File. The RDs found out what they needed to do to get an IAU label, get it licensed by World Athletics and arrange drug testing. We form of simply obtained it sorted out within the final couple weeks.
UR: It’s thrilling to listen to that there are going to be another athletes going for data on the similar time, each in 50k and 50-mile. Does that create a particular form of power totally different out of your earlier World File try?
CA: I feel it’s going to positively carry some power having different individuals there. Personally, for me, operating it received’t be simpler as a result of I’ll be operating on my own the entire time, whereas final time I had pacers. After I’m truly operating, I’m not going to have the ability to lap them, so I’m not going to see them. No less than there might be some individuals on the market cheering within the park.
Albertson together with his spouse Chelsey and 10 month outdated son Luke after the 2022 Boston Marathon in April. Photograph courtesy of CJ Albertson.
UR: It appears to be like such as you had a comparatively mild summer time after Boston in April and Grandma’s in June. Was that deliberate or have been you coping with any points?
CA: My summer time was weirdly busy. There have been a lot of little issues, however as soon as we hit August, I used to be capable of get again right into a set routine and actually begin ramping up the miles and coaching. From Boston till August it was form of up and down, not tons of coaching, however since then, coaching has been good.
UR: Extra particularly, how has coaching gone the final couple of months because you picked up some momentum?
CA: It’s gone alright. I wouldn’t say it’s been nice, however nothing has been unhealthy about it. I’ve been performing some longer runs, longer than a marathon, 25-30 miles, and people have felt fairly good. My velocity on the longer runs has felt good. Working 5:10-5:15 tempo feels quicker than it has prior to now. However my coronary heart fee has been comparatively decrease once I’m at round 5:10 tempo, I feel I common 157. I ran 30 miles at 5:15 tempo a pair weeks in the past, my coronary heart fee was low, however the tempo didn’t really feel prefer it has prior to now. I’m nonetheless 9 weeks out from my purpose marathon. Usually, that’s how I really feel 9-10 weeks out—I really feel fairly sluggish. After which, as we get inside 5-6 weeks, I begin to really feel good and a few of my velocity exercises begin to really feel extra easy.
UR: As an alternative of 125 laps on the monitor, you’re going to finish roughly seven, 4.5-mile loops round Lake Merced. Does that change your strategy to the race or distance?
CA: The 50k distance has by no means appeared tremendous lengthy or a lot totally different from a marathon. The document now’s virtually 3 minutes quicker than once I tried it final time. This time, it’s at a tempo the place I’m doing all of it on my own. Once you run on the monitor you recognize what tempo you’re going and you recognize you’re going to run the shortest distance. Everytime you run one other course, it’s possible you’ll find yourself operating an additional quarter mile. So, there’s some uncertainty. Whereas on the monitor there’s probably not any uncertainty. For this, I form of must depend on the timing clocks as a result of your watch will be off a pair seconds a mile and over a 50k, that may be a pair minutes. For those who’re solely getting suggestions as soon as each 4.5 miles, you may get off. That’s truly a great query—I must ask them the place there’ll be clocks.
UR: The course is usually flat, however not completely with 100-feet of achieve/loss per lap. Did you have got any consideration for a totally flat course such as you did in 2020?
CA: After I practice on an excellent flat loop, I really feel worse than when I’ve slight undulations. I feel it will likely be good. From what individuals have advised me, I don’t assume the undulations will sluggish me down, however they’ll be sufficient to combine up the muscle tissues a bit of bit, combine up the rhythm and perhaps even assist. Individuals run quick on that loop. I don’t assume the elevation is absolutely slowing many individuals down.
UR: What have been some key exercises which have given you the boldness to go for it?
CA: That future, 30 miles averaging 5:15, is fairly near what I’ve to do on Saturday. I’m going to run 31 at 5:09, so it’s not an excessive amount of totally different. I felt fairly good on the finish and I ran 4:40 or 4:50 for the final mile, and once I picked it up, I truly felt higher. That’s actually near what I’m going to run, so I feel that’s in all probability the largest one. Aside from that, I’ve executed a lot of lifting stuff. My legs really feel sturdy.
I’ll be capable of deal with the space, my legs might be sturdy and I’ll be capable of run arduous the entire time. I haven’t executed any tremendous spectacular exercises, particularly like velocity, however I can grind out a protracted tempo for a very long time and with just a bit little bit of adrenaline in a race, I really feel like that can carry me down into the 5-0’s.
Albertson beforehand captured the 50km World File in November 2020 in 2 hours, 42 minutes and 30 seconds. Photograph courtesy of Brooks Working.
UR: We perceive that you’re aiming for 2 hours and 38 minutes. (5:05 minutes/mile); stroll us by way of your pacing plan.
CA: I’m going to try to exit at round 5:05 tempo to offer myself a bit of little bit of a buffer, as a result of the World File tempo is 5:09. I don’t have a selected general time I need to hit, I simply need to break the document. Going out a couple of seconds per mile quicker and if there’s any points, like final time I needed to go to the lavatory, or if the course is operating a bit of bit longer, then I’ve some wiggle room so long as I’m underneath the document. Beneath 2:40 is sweet.
UR: How do you stability teaching at Clovis Group School, elevating a household and coaching at such a excessive stage?
CA: It’s primarily about routines, so once I get into a great routine it helps. The times are principally busy, so when I’ve time to run, I run. Once you don’t have a number of additional time you simply do every thing within the schedule as a result of that’s the one time you must do it.
UR: In the end, this 50k World File try is absolutely only a construct in the direction of a winter marathon in Spain. What does coaching appear like for you after Saturday?
CA: At Valencia, I’m hoping to be proper round 2:08 and get a pleasant PR. It’s normally a extremely quick race so it ought to be a great alternative. Like that 30-miler at 5:15 tempo is basically the identical as what I’m going to do Saturday hopefully, just some seconds per mile quicker. If I don’t dash on the finish, I’ll really feel fairly good the following day. However who is aware of, issues can occur, and also you by no means actually know the way a lot you’re going to must push.
