Q&A
TIMO MEYER
Over the past two years, Minakami-based trail runner Timo Meyer has made a name for himself on the international trail running scene. Outdoor Japan’s Robert Self sits down with Timo to talk running trails, training and racing overseas. 群馬の水上を中心に活動しているティモ・メイヤーは国際 的なトレイルレースの世界で、今、大きな関心を呼んでい る。アウトドアージャパンのロバート・セルフは、彼と腰を 据えてトレイルランニングやトレーニング、また海外での試 合について語り合った。
Your performance in August (finishing 6th) at the Leadville Trail 100 Mile Race in Colorado caught the attention of the trail running world. Tell us about your preparation for that race. Since the LT100 course is all high altitude (lowest point 2,800m; highest point 3,840m), I knew I needed plenty of time for acclimatization. I traveled to Colorado four weeks prior to the race so my body could gradually adapt to the altitude. My training was a mix of running and hiking; the long hikes in higher altitude and climbing a few “14-ers” (14,000-foot mountains) especially helped give my body time to adjust. Since it was just my second 100-mile race, I increased my weekly training volume and ran up to 210 kilometers in the weeks before tapering off, following the rule to train low and live high. The long runs (50K+) and more intense runs I did in lower elevation in the Boulder area (1,500m). You won the Al Andalus Ultimate Trail Race in Spain last year, as well as the Sunrise to Sunset Ultra Marathon in Mongolia two years ago. Overall you seem to enjoy entering races outside of Japan. I started trail running and racing in Japan, which I really enjoy, but trail running for me goes hand-in-hand with discovery, adventure and meeting other like-minded
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people. I love traveling to other countries and joining races. I haven’t entered a race twice yet. Another reason I prefer races overseas is the atmosphere is generally more fun and friendly, compared to a more serious and competitive atmosphere at Japanese races. Don’t get me wrong; I love to compete, but having fun while being out there with several hundred fellow runners and enjoying the trails and scenery is as important to me as the competition. What’s your typical training week? My typical weekly volume (distance) is 100-150 kilometers but, depending on the type of race I enter, my training weeks vary quite a lot. I generally run daily and take a day off or do very easy runs if I feel tired. Weekdays I usually do one speed workout (intervals or tempo) and one hill workout on road or treadmill. On the weekends, I try to go out on the trails and do long runs between three and six hours, often back-toback. I also like to do double sessions, a harder/longer session in the morning and easy runs in the afternoon or evening. It’s easier to accumulate miles and is less stress on your body. I don’t do much cross training but try to spend two-to-three hours per week in the gym doing core and full body exercises.
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You seem to do a lot of road and speed work. Is roadwork essential to becoming a great trail runner? I started running on road and running marathons. I wouldn’t say roadwork is essential for trail running. There are a bunch of elite runners out there such as Kilian Jornet, Timothy Olson, Ruby Muir and Anton Krupicka who, as far as I know, never train on road. But I think the main benefit, which you gain from road running, is speed, increased leg turnover and running for longer stretches at a steady pace. In Japan, the trails tend to be more technical and less runnable, so if you only train on trails, you might work on your strength, technique and agility, but speed is also a major factor nowadays if you want to place high at a trail race. There are a few high rising roadrunners winning races such as Max King and Sage Canaday, setting new CRs (course records) in races they enter. Their PBs (personal bests) on road marathons is in the range of two hours, 15 minutes. How much time do you spend training in Japan these days? As much as I love traveling and discovering new places to run, I am also a person who likes continuity and routine. If you travel a lot, it is difficult to find a steady training rhythm. I try to train in Japan when I prepare for