Moab 240 Training Camp

Over Labor Day weekend, I am planning a three day training camp for the Moab 240. The camp will cover some of the highest and most technical sections of the course with two days at 50k and another at the marathon distance. I am focusing on the latter part of the course as I ran (DNF) the first half last year.

Abajo Mountains

• day: September 3rd, 2023
• course miles covered: 105-126
• distance: 32.49 mi, 6,549 ft
• RPE: 4

This will a couple loops in the Abajo mountains. The first up and over the high peak and the second going up Robertson Pasture trail and then climbing up to the location of the Shay Mountain Aid Station.

Dry Valley to Monticello and back down

• day: September 4th, 2023
• course miles covered: 126-144
• distance: 32.74 mi, 3,794 ft
• RPE: 4

This route is an out and back from Dry Valley to Monticello Lake. I will possibly stash some water since there will be no options on the way. Might get hot in September.

From Pole Creek into La Sal mountains and back

• day: September 5th, 2023
• course miles covered: 185-200
• distance: 27.56 mi, 6,780 ft
• RPE: 4-5

The final day will be a loop from Pole Creek to the La Sal mountains and back. This will be the most technical day with a lot of climbing and descending. I haven’t been in this area as I dropped out at Shay Mountain Aid last year. These will probably be some slow miles on tired legs, but that will simulate how I will feel at miles 185!

Total miles and elevation

3 days, 92.79 mi, 17,123 ft

Questions to answer

1. What do you feel most confident about going into the race?
2. What do you feel least confident about?
3. What did you learn from the training camp that you’ll apply to race weekend!

Relative Perceived Exertion

At its simplest, RPE is a scale of 1 to 10, measuring the intensity of your effort – 1 being extremely light activity like a slow stroll, 10 being an all-out sprint which you can only maintain for a few seconds. The scale is based on the physical sensations you experience during exercise, including increased heart rate, respiration and sweating, and muscle fatigue. It’s a subjective measure, so it’s based on how you feel, rather than any external factors like speed or power output.