So You Want To Run An Ultramarathon!

1
SO YOU WANT TO RUN

AN ULTRAMARATHON!
What Is an Ultramarathon?
What is an ultramarathon anyway? Does it require you to run
100 miles over mountain trails in a race such as the Western States
Endurance Run or to suffer through 135 road miles in the furnace-
like heat of the Badwater Ultramarathon? No. Simply, an ultrama-
rathon is any race longer than the marathon’s 26 miles and 385
yards.
If you’ve completed a marathon and have run a few additional
yards before, during, or after the race, then you’ve completed an
ultramarathon. If you’ve taken a wrong turn on a long training run
and, through a combination of running and walking, have covered
more than 26.2 miles, then you, too, could call yourself an ultra-
marathoner.
Still, while both of the above scenarios technically make you an
ultramarathoner, it would be somewhat disingenuous to call your-
self one after such an effort. As you learn after spending time around
other ultramarathoners, the sport is built upon community and the
“spirit of the sport,” rather than self-recognition and technicalities.
With that in mind, there’s a second, implicit criterion that should
be met before calling yourself an ultramarathoner: the intent to com-
plete an ultra distance. Secondarily and with a nod to the disfavor
of technicalities in ultrarunning, the intended distance should be an
appreciable distance longer than the marathon. Sorry, but setting
20 R E L E N T L E S S F O R WA R D P R O G R E S S
out with the aim to run 26.3 miles just doesn’t sit right.
For most runners, 50-kilometer (31.1-mile) races are the gate-
way into “ultras,” as ultramarathons are commonly known. Those
seeking to test themselves with a first ultramarathon at the shorter
end of the race spectrum are in luck, as the 50k distance is the most
frequently raced ultra distance in most locales. To give you an idea
of the prevalence of 50ks, in 2010, well in excess of 200 of them
were run in the United States, while 60 were run in California alone.
Other runners use time-based races of 6- or 12-hour duration to
ease into the requisite distance.
To be clear, you need not run a race to have run an ultrama-
rathon. For instance, you could meet up with a running club for an
ultra-distance “fat ass” event. Traditionally, fat ass events carry some
variation on the disclaimer, “No fees, no awards, no aid, no wimps.”
While the disclaimer may make it sound like fat ass events are no
place for running a first ultra, many such events do have limited aid,
and their non-competitive nature provides even more collegiality
than normally found in the friendly world of ultras. If you prefer
solitude, create your own first ultra, whether it involves running laps
around your neighborhood or a daylong wilderness adventure run.
All that said, most runners prefer to break the ultra barrier in an
official race before calling themselves ultrarunners. If you’ve run a
marathon, you may understand the inherent feeling of accomplish-
ment of reaching a true finish line. That feeling is repeated in your
first ultra. Satisfaction lies in the act of crossing the finish line, receiv-
ing a finisher’s award, and forever after being able to say, “I ran my
first ultra at XYZ Race.” Before race day, having a race on your cal-
endar keeps you motivated to train when any of a countless num-
ber of detractors, from work and family, to weather and illness,
threaten to derail it. At the race itself, you have a built-in supply
network of aid stations, while volunteers, spectators, and fellow com-
petitors aid you in your journey beyond the marathon.
S O Y O U WA N T T O R U N A N U LT R A M A R AT H O N ! 21
Why Run an Ultramarathon?*

You may still be considering whether or not you want to train for
an ultra—or perhaps you’re looking for some reassurance for con-
tinuing to do so. While it is unlikely that training for and racing an
ultramarathon will be easy throughout, there are many reasons to
run an ultra, whether it’s your 1st or 40th.
For starters, if this will be your first ultramarathon, you will expe-
rience a journey into the unknown. The ultramarathon represents a
new challenge in attempting to run farther than you ever have
before. Rest assured that the challenge is both physical and mental.
Find out if you have what it takes.
The complicated and unpredictable nature of ultramarathons can,
somewhat counterintuitively, help you reconnect with running. Devon
Crosby-Helms, winner of the 2008 Vermont 100-miler, suggests,
Training for and running an ultramarathon is something

to get excited about. (Photo by PatitucciPhoto.com)
* This section is adapted from the article “It’s Time to Run Your First Ultrama-
rathon!,” which originally appeared on Running.Competitor.com.
“A good reason to switch from marathons [to ultras] is because in ultras

you have to think about more than just splits and ticking off miles
at a certain pace. I think it reconnects you with running in a way
that marathoning doesn’t.”
Training for and racing ultramarathons also connects you with a
new group of friends. Most folks who have crossed over from sub-
ultradistance road racing have found a tight-knit but welcoming
community. Ultrarunners are often eager to share the trail with any-
one dipping his or her toe into the ultra world. Not only are these
runners welcoming, they are an invaluable resource. Coach Lisa
Smith-Batchen suggests to new ultrarunners, “Find a group of peo-
ple that are already running on the trails so they can help you.” Like-
wise, if you’re training for a road ultra, find some folks training for
one. Don’t worry if you’re already active in a running club or com-
munity; many ultrarunners enjoy the company of multiple running
groups. Variety is the spice of life, after all!
American runners spend the vast majority of their running miles
pounding the pavement. On the other hand, most North American
ultramarathons are run on trails, so getting ready for one is a great
excuse to get off the pavement and up into the hills. While you’re up
there you might just see spectacular things. Scotty Mills, who has run
ultras for more than a quarter century, notes, “The advantages of train-
ing for trail ultras over road marathons are the beauty of the trails, the
shared trail time in remote areas, and the peaceful feeling of training
with the mind-set that you can run forever.”
Running an ultra also provides a great break from competitive
pressures, while still giving you a goal to shoot for. It’s easy to get
caught up in racing when there are 10,000 runners blasting down
the course with you. The smaller fields, longer distances, and vari-
able conditions of ultras help shift your competition from others to
yourself. Knowing that others are thinking the same way makes this
transition all the easier. Plus, if it’s your first ultra, you’ll set a PR no
matter how long it takes you to finish! Finally, as Mills points out,
S O Y O U WA N T T O R U N A N U LT R A M A R AT H O N ! 23
“The training and friends you make in ultrarunning are the real pay-
offs; the race itself can almost be secondary in importance.”
In attempting to do what so few people have done, you may end
up inspiring yourself. “The mind is a very powerful thing, and it’s
generally the only thing standing between you and something
incredible. You can always do more than you think you can,” sug-
gests ultra-convert Paige Troelstrup. In a similar vein, Leadville Trail
100-mile founder Ken Choulber is often heard reminding runners,
“You’re tougher than you think you are, and you can do more than
you think you can.” Go find out if Ken is right!
How to Use This Book to Run an Ultramarathon

Whatever your reasons, you’ve come to this book in search of
guidance for running an ultramarathon, perhaps your first—and
that is what you’ll find. This book begins by providing a basic frame-
work for ultramarathon training. Following this foundation, you
will find training plans for 50ks (31 miles), moderate-distance ultras
of 40 miles to 100k (62 miles), and longer ultras of 100 miles and
beyond. You’ll also receive a concise education on trail running, a
vital component of most ultramarathons.
You’ll learn many lessons en route to a successful ultramarathon.
These lessons can be slowly and sometimes painfully self-taught
through trial and error. This books aims to shorten the learning
process and minimize unneeded suffering by instructing you regard-
ing the ins and outs of ultramarathon hydration and nutrition. Even
if you consume the correct fluid and fuel to keep you going on the
course, injuries and other challenges can be a quick way to a DNF
(did not finish), so they are covered, too. You’ll also want the right
gear while training and racing, so that’s covered, as well.
Once you have the tools and training, it’s time to attempt your
first ultramarathon. Learn how to prepare for race day and how to
approach the race itself. In general, the nutrition, required gear, pac-
ing, environmental conditions, and time on your feet for an ultra
differ significantly even from a marathon. In fact, environmental

conditions, from blistering heat to breath-stealing altitude, are
encountered often enough in ultras to warrant a chapter of their
own.
Last but not least, this book offers a few options for exploring
and then expanding the world of ultramarathons. Ultras are a social
phenomenon; chapter 14 touches on various ways for sharing your
journey with others, and points out community-based resources.
Finally, the afterword examines variations on the ultramarathon
theme, including adventure runs, endurance snowshoeing, fast-
packing, and stage races.
Ultrarunning elites and subject area experts have weighed in with
their advice to help round out the pages of this book. The widely
varying contributions are presented in each runner’s own voice from
Krissy Moehl’s inspirational essay on why you should run an ultra
to Karl King’s technical insight on hydration and electrolyte balance
and from David Horton’s decades-long perspective on how to pre-
pare for your first ultra to Dakota Jones’ fresh take on trail steward-
ship. I trust you will find their thoughts as valuable as I have.

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1

SO YOU WANT TO RUN

Why Run an Ultramarathon?*

Training for and running an ultramarathon is something

“A good reason to switch from marathons [to ultras] is because in ultras

How to Use This Book to Run an Ultramarathon

differ significantly even from a marathon. In fact, environmental

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