A beginner's guide to ultrarunning
Becoming an ultrarunner may not be as difficult as you think!
Have you thought about getting started with ultrarunning? Maybe you have been running for a couple of years and now you’re interested in exploring more of the unknown and seeing how your body and mind respond to ultra long distances. Or perhaps you’re a complete beginner in the running world. Whichever the case, anyone can get started with ultrarunning.
There is no definite right or wrong when it comes to training as an ultrarunner. However, there are a few guidelines that are beneficial for anyone who wants to enhance their endurance levels. The definition of ultrarunning is quite straight-forward — it basically means that you run any distance longer than a marathon, that is, 42 195 m. In other words, anyone who runs beyond these numbers is an ultrarunner. But there’s so much more to ultrarunning than that! For instance, most people who have ever ran an ultra probably agree on the fact that being an ultrarunner is more a state of mind than running a certain distance…
To help you get started with ultrarunning, we’ve collected some of our best advice on how to become an ultrarunner. Contrary to what many might think, it is not all about training hard, but also to train in an enjoyable and sustainable way.
Getting started with ultrarunning can mean losing your footing for a while. Either literally or mentally.
8 tips to become an ultrarunner
1. Set a goal
Having a goal is the most important thing for any aspiring ultrarunner - both for the training, but also for your planning. The goal should be measurable and within a reasonable timeframe, for instance a 50-mile race in one year from now.
With that being said, in order to get started with ultrarunning you don’t necessarily have to have a 50-mile race as your goal. The goal might as well be logging 100 miles in your training diary within a month’s time or being able to participate in a 6-hour race. The important thing to remember is that whichever goal you set for yourself, the goal is simply a tool to help you motivate yourself to training and actually getting those workouts in that are on your schedule. Having a future goal in mind will help you to stay motivated in the present moment.
And once you reach your goal — don’t forget to reward yourself accordingly! It might be a new pair of ultrarunning shoes or some other type of ultrarunning gear that you’ve always wanted. Or just a good night out with your friends and family! When you reach success, don’t forget to celebrate.
We offer a 10 month training program for aspiring ultrarunners who would like to be able to run distances between 50 miles and 100k - read more here.
When you reach your goal, make sure to reward yourself!
2. Run sustainably
When it comes to training as an ultrarunner, sustainability is key. In order for you to be able to run longer distances, it is crucial that your body stays healthy and injury-free.
So how do you train in order to be able to run long distances or even an ultrarunning race, without injuring yourself or causing damage to your body? This is not an easy question to answer as there are many different training philosophies and training programs for ultrarunning out there, and what works great for some might not work at all for others. However, it’s important to find a training plan that keeps you injury-free and that doesn’t only focus on hard training, but also helps you find a balance in life between racing, recovery, training, mobility, strength training as well as diet and mental training.
We have developed our coaching programs according to the MAF method, a training philosophy specifically designed for endurance athletes. MAF stands for Maximum Aerobic Function and is a training method that has been developed to improve the function of the aerobic system. We are firm believers that the MAF method is the best approach for any ultrarunner who is looking to improve his or her performance in a manner that doesn’t sacrifice health. MAF works for anyone - no matter if you are simply interested in improving your health or fitness levels or if you are a professional athlete.
To read more about the aspects of the MAF Method here, including nutrition, exercise and stress, join one of our coaching programs or head to www.philmaffetone.com.
How do you train in order to be able to run long distances or even an ultrarunning race, without injuring yourself or causing damage to your body?
3. Minimize stress and meditate
Stress is the worst enemy of any endurance athlete. When you start training for ultrarunning, you should consider minimizing stress in your overall life. This is an important part of the beginner’s path to becoming an experienced ultrarunner.
Our human body doesn’t always differentiate between different types of stress. You’d think it should know the difference between stress at work, in your family or the stress caused to your body as a result of tough interval sessions — but it doesn’t. In order to minimize stress on your body, always be kind to it and tune into its needs so that it will be able to carry you on long ultras today - and hopefully for many more years to come.
While ultrarunning in itself may work as a stress relief, it’s always a good idea to use meditation and mindfulness as a tool to reduce stress in everyday life.
One way to not only decrease stress levels, but to also find harmony in other parts of life, is to start with a meditation practice. It doesn’t have to be difficult. We get it, most people don’t have time to meditate several hours a day like the Buddha. But did you know that meditating even just a couple of minutes per day can help you control your stress levels, decrease anxiety and ultimately boost your performance as an athlete?
Another benefit of meditating is that it prepares you mentally as an ultrarunner. It works as mental training for difficult situations. It might sound like a paradox that you should work on your mind when the act of ultrarunning seems to be a purely physical thing. Well, that pre-conception couldn’t be more wrong. Ultrarunning is just as mental (or maybe spiritual) as it is physical, and for that reason you will also need to work on your mind. Training your mind for ultrarunning is an important piece of the puzzle and should be part of any good program for the beginner ultrarunner. At a time when your body feels completely broken down in a long race, or you’re bored of running on the same track around and around, or you simply don’t see why you should continue, is when you need your mental strength to help you take one step further. And then another. And then another.
You can read more about mental strategies for ultrarunning here.
4. Rest, recover and sleep
Sleep is a foundation and a requirement for recovery and health. In other words, you need to sleep well in order to benefit from any kind of training. Most people are aware of the fact that getting enough recovery and rest after training is crucial to improving fitness and performance levels, but many still train too hard and feel guilty when they take a rest day. But try to think of it this way: During training, the muscles in the body are put under a lot of stress. During recovery, the body repairs the muscles that have been broken down and strengthens itself again. This means that in order for you to gain the benefits of training, you need to allow your body to rest in between sessions. Continuous, never-ending training without sufficient rest can actually weaken even the strongest athlete. When training for ultrarunning, rest and recovery is a crucial aspect that can’t be stressed enough! An athlete that struggles to see progress in his or her training, might not need to put down another hour of hard training every week, but would perhaps benefit much more from another hour of sleep each night.
To get sufficient recovery after a long ultrarunning training session, may require some planning. Taking a nap in the middle of the day or during a long run may be one solution!
Logging your workouts with the help of a training diary, as well as listening to your body, can be a good idea to also keep track of your recovery and making sure that you get enough of it. Remember: the greater the workout intensity and volume, the greater the need for sufficient recovery.
5. Eat to fuel your body
Food is health. If you want to build a stable, good-looking and functional house you have to use high-quality material. The same goes for your body. Foods are the building blocks of your body, so make sure to build, strengthen and energize it with healthy and sufficient amounts of food.
Food for champions! What you choose to eat when training for ultrarunning is up to you. But we suggest you try to keep it simple, with as many natural ingredients as possible. A vegetarian paella might be a good choice, just make sure to add some fresh veggies as well!
There are several different diet philosophies for ultrarunners out there, but we strongly believe in the power of eating clean and mainly plant-based foods with as many natural ingredients as possible. We recommend adding a lot of vegetables and fruit to your diet as well as avoiding processed sugar, junk food etc in your day-to-day life. Which diet works best for ultrarunners is a question that is impossible to answer. Every endurance athlete is different and requires a different set-up of food and hydration to stay healthy. But the bigger the training load, the more effort you should put into eating healthy as well - your body uses up a lot of nutrients, vitamins and minerals when you start training for ultrarunning.
6. Strength training
If you want to become a better ultrarunner and stay injury-free, strength training is a must. If you don’t build some muscle, your body won’t be able to handle the pressure and stress of running long distances, much less the stress caused by running a long ultra race. Before hitting the heavy weights, we recommend to simply focus on functional training and body-weight exercises.
As a runner, you naturally need to have strong legs. However, it is also a good idea to work with balance exercises (for example standing on one foot on a balance board). This will help you strengthen smaller muscles and prevent e.g. knee and ankle injuries.
There are more things to be considered when training for that long run you’ve always wanted to be able to do. In order to achieve your goals, you need to incorporate strength training into your routine as well.
Another important aspect of strength training for ultra is core strength and stability. With a strong core you will be able to maintain a better posture and running technique. By only doing a few simple core exercises a couple of times per week (such as plank holds or dynamic planks) you can greatly improve your running performance.
7. Eat and run
One of the aspects of training that really sets ultrarunning apart from shorter types of running, is that you need to learn how to eat while you run. The reality is that, as an ultrarunner, you will be running for such long periods of time that your body will require more fuel than simply water and a gel, or sports drinks. This is, however, easier said than done. During an ultra, your stomach tends to turn against you, as you begin to lose your appetite despite the amounts of calories you are burning. And that is exactly why you need to get your body used to eating while running before a race. If you don’t eat enough, it is highly likely that you will run out of energy before you’re supposed to finish.
What to eat while you are running is entirely up to you. Try out different foods and find out what works for you. What works for some, might not work for others. Some might enjoy a thick slice of cheesecake, another can only digest white rice balls with a little salt.
An often overlooked aspect of the eat and run-strategy is the importance of salt. While you’re running (especially on hot days through sweating) the body loses high amounts of salt. You need to replace the lost salt with either foods high in salt, salt tablets - or simply pure shots of water mixed with table salt.
In contrast to all that we have said above, however, it is also a good idea to get your body used to running a couple of sessions when your body is in a fasting mode - for most people that means in the morning before breakfast. This will increase the body’s ability to stay moving even when there are no carbohydrates to receive your energy from.
One of the things you have to learn when training for ultrarunning, is to eat while running. Some like gels and sports drinks, while others like nuts, fruits and more “food-like” energy.
To receive more in-depth information and knowledge about diet for ultrarunning and fasted running, join one of our coaching programs.
The famous ultrarunner Scott Jurek has written a very popular book named Eat and Run, which is packed with inspiration as well as great recipes for ultrarunning energy and foods:
https://www.amazon.com/Eat-Run-Unlikely-Ultramarathon-Greatness-ebook/dp/B005OCHOZS/
One of our go-to bibles on ultrarunning food is Feed Zone Portables, by Biju K Thomas and Allen Lim:
https://www.amazon.com/Feed-Zone-Portables-Cookbook-Go/dp/1937715000/
8. Run longer than 42 195 meter
When it comes down to it, getting started with ultrarunning is relatively easy. Run longer than 42 195 meters - and you are an ultrarunner. But making sure that you can manage those ultra distances or a dream race in a sustainable and enjoyable way requires some strategy other than just running. If you implement the tricks we’ve provided you with above, we can guarantee that your journey as an ultrarunner will be one of the greatest love stories of your life.
If you are an aspiring ultrarunner, we recommend joining our coaching program 10 months to ultra. The program, tailored to help you achieve distances from 50 miles to 100k, runs over 10 months. You will receive an individualized and holistic training program, monthly evaluations and feedback on your progress, in-depth articles, inspiring recipes - and much more! Everything you need to succeed as an ultrarunner.
Click on the following link to read more: https://ultrarunningacademy.com/coaching
Happy running!
/Ellen, Jënni and Johnny