Discussion: Training Plan for Multi-Day Events?

I've seen 16-week training plans that prepare a person for a marathon or half-marathon by giving day by day running assignments. For example: http://www.runwindsor.com/prepare.htm

I wonder if something similar might exist to prepare a person for a multi-day orienteering event, such as the 1000 Day.

Such events are like a marathon in a way, when you consider the total distance you'll cover over the course of so many days. But then again, the events are relatively short when considered individually.

What would be the best approach to build up that kind of endurance for a multii day event?

In general, the best training programs are those that aim at the specific type of racing you will be doing. If you are planning on doing some sprint race where the qualifying race is in the morning and the final is in the afternoon, then you need to practice going out on fast runs twice a day just to get used to it. If you are racing an extra long or an extra hilly race, then you should practice running in such conditions at least once or twice a week beforehand.

To race a multi-day orienteering event, you should practice by running on consecutive days and going to several smaller multi-day events (perhaps 2-3 day ones).

There are plenty of people who go out on runs every other day or three times a week, and that's fine, but if you want to specifically aim for an event where you'll be running every day, then that's what you should practice. Obviously, since you still have several months to go, you can build up both the volume and the intensity gradually. So at first you might just do several consecutive easy runs a week, and then build it up until you are doing 1-2 faster runs and a long run each week as well as easy runs in between. The most important thing is getting used to the idea of running each day.

Yes, run each day at least 10K on the hilly terrain off trails, preferably at elevation 2000 m and up for at least 3-4 month. That should build enough endurance if you already have good base. Concentrate on specific races during the mega multi-day and treat all others as recovery/training.

As Kat mentioned above try to participate in smaller multi-day events.

Have training camp/competitions in Western Mountain region before the 1000 Days. For example, BAOC has races near Lake Tahoe with similar terrain and elevation in June.

If you don't have good base built after this winter - it is not later to start building one - you still have 4 month :)

One rule of thumb that I was taught as a teenage XC-skier is to twice per month do a long, slow endurance work-out that lasts at least 2.5 hours.

Thanks very much for the good suggestions.

Whatever you do, build up to it gradually. Simulating the challenges of the 1000 Day in training is fine in measured doses, but remember that racing several days in a row puts a lot of stress on the body, so you should not attempt to model this week after week. Easy days and weeks are necessary to prevent injury or burnout.