{"id":22443,"date":"2017-11-16T15:57:48","date_gmt":"2017-11-16T23:57:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=22443"},"modified":"2018-11-11T22:23:11","modified_gmt":"2018-11-12T06:23:11","slug":"camille-herrons-100-mile-world-record","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/run\/camille-herrons-100-mile-world-record","title":{"rendered":"Camille Herron\u2019s 100-Mile World Record"},"content":{"rendered":"

How do you break records for a distance you\u2019ve never run before?<\/strong><\/p>\n

At exactly 7:42 p.m. November 11, 2017, in a pitch-dark Illinois night, Camille Herron raised her arms and crossed the finish line of the Tunnel Hill 100. With a time of 12 hours, 42 minutes and 39 seconds, the Oklahoma native smashed the previous 100-mile women\u2019s world record by more than an hour, and set the fastest known time (FKT) for 100 miles on a trail by anyone\u2014male or female\u2014in North America.<\/p>\n

How did someone who had never run more than 100 kilometers (62.1371 miles) completely crush the records?<\/p>\n

The secret to her success might lie in her background in science\u2014she earned bachelor\u2019s and master\u2019s degrees in exercise sports science. \u201cI\u2019m all about the research behind things and apply it with myself,\u201d Camille said.<\/p>\n

As an undergrad at the University of Tulsa, she started her research in strength training studies. She spent time much of her time focusing on blood lactate (which is hard to explain<\/a> in an aside). She learned if there is an eccentric (contraction that occurs as muscles lengthen) component to exercise, subjects produce more blood lactate and thus, increased muscle growth.<\/p>\n

She began adding eccentric exercise to her own training in the form of downhill running. She also incorporated upper-body strength training to her regime. It was like clockwork\u2014every time she added upper-body exercises, she saw increased performance in her running after six weeks.<\/p>\n

Camille went on to get her masters at Oregon State University, with her thesis in bones and exercise. Through her research, she found that low-level mechanical stress enhances recovery. For laypeople, she broke it down: \u201cRecovery is all about trying to get the blood\u2014with its growth factors and micronutrients\u2014where it needs to go. Even walking and easy jogging can help you recover quicker.\u201d She makes sure that she doesn\u2019t lie around after races\u2014she\u2019s up walking or jogging the next day.<\/p>\n

After graduate school, she worked in bone research at Purdue University and the University of Michigan. At a work-related bone symposium, she learned about research suggesting it\u2019s better to divide exercise into two bouts with four to six hours in between. Seizing this research, she applied it to her own life. \u201cI\u2019ve actually averaged 100 miles a week for 11 years. I run twice a day, every day,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

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12+ hrs and 100 mi of pure joy! \u2764\ufe0f\ud83c\udfc3\u200d\u2640\ufe0f \ud83d\udcf7: Conor #TunnelHill100 #100miler #lovetorun #running #dayinthelife #trailrunning #ultrarunning #runnerforlife #Joy #smile #happiness #perseverance #digdeep #allheart #WorldRecord #instarunner #runitfast #Lifeisgood #borntorun #JustDoIt #transcend #NikeTrail<\/a><\/p>\n

A post shared by Camille Herron<\/a> (@runcamille) on