Welcome To Ultramarathon Running
Here's Ten Quick Tips To Help You Go The Distance:
1. The Distance
Remember - it's never the distance on it's own which will kill you. What the distance does is give you compound and cumulaive to deal with.
2. Your Feet
Learn to love your feet. Cut nails straight across and file smooth, file down callouses, and keep the skin flexible.
Preventative care beats emergency action every time!
3. Rubbing & Chafing
Sort out which bits chafe on what combination of gear at a particular level of effort in different weathers - if not, it will seriously ruin your day.
The only way to do that? Experiment.
4. Hype
Don't believe the hype No 1: Just because it says '3 gels an hour' doesn't mean you'll need 'em.
Remember who wrote that: That's right - the gel manufacturers.
5. Lighten Up
Travel light: Just because you have a big shiny new rucksack doesn't mean you have to fill it with gear.
(And it's very easy to because, boy, is there lots of lovely gear to choose from these days).
Switch to a bumbag and hand-held bottle for that light, speedy feeling.
6. Give Back, Feel Good
A great way to get your mind off your stuff is to hook up with someone alittle slower / newer than you and help 'em through the race or through a section.
7. If It’s A Faff, You Wont Do It
The 'faff' factor. Pack your kit so you can reach the stuff you need to reach when you need to reach it.
Supplementary pouches, pockets, loops are all great. Sort out which bits flap and fix 'em.
Little irritants become big downers very quickly over the long stuff - and you'll need all of your sense of humour.
8. Hype Again
Don't believe the hype No 2. Everyone on a start line has either not trained enough, injured, or is just planning to 'take it easy'. And if you believe that...
9. Take The Lead
Never assume the person in front of you knows where they are going.
Take responsibility for getting the route notes in a format that makes it easy for you to use.
And if that means copying, highlighting, reducing / enlarging and laminating in the days before the race, then do it.
10. Feet Up
It's absolutely OK to not run at all for the last 10 days before a 100 mile race after spraining your ankle ligaments during your final key training session. Believe me, I know.
Andy is XNRG's head coach, a published author and one of the leading thinkers on high performance.
All our coaches can help you get more from your training and racing - find out more about coaching >
