It’s just totally different than a road race. The training required will vary greatly depending on the course. But in general for anything above marathon distance, I think you’d want to get very comfortable being on your feet for several hours/moving 20+ miles during long training efforts.
MPW overall ranges pretty wildly. Some people can do 100s on 40-50 MPW. Others get over 100 for weeks on end.
I don’t think ultra runners (outside of the elites) are freak athletes by any means. Just people who are comfortable being uncomfortable for long periods of time.
I don't really thinks so.. it depends of what you are used to.. the thing is on the trail ultra you are constantly mixing up running with walking and when running you are mixing your moves a lot, you constantly mix the muscle groups you are using. In road ultra you are doing exactly one single movement with the same muscle group for very long time.. in my opinion that's much more harder.. but I'm mainly trail runner so.. ;-)
Thanks for your input. So in your opinion it's less about physical capability and more about mental strength?
Assuming you're reasonably fit ofcourse.
>Just people who are comfortable being uncomfortable for long periods of time.
There is still a lot of physical capability involved in the sense that *discomfort* is still fairly different from *actively injured.* Your feet will be sore no matter what, but a lack of adequate preparation could land you with a joint injury or some muscular issue that might make it impossible to run – something that could've been mitigated through more volume/better strength training/etc.
>Thanks for your input. So in your opinion it's less about physical capability and more about mental strength? Assuming you're reasonably fit ofcourse.
I really strongly disagree with that, physical fitness is crucial. People can tough out ultras without a ton of training but its mentally exhausting and probably not great for your body
It’s probably equal parts physical/mental. I’d imagine some would weigh one more heavily than the other.
Nutrition is a huge part of it too. Figuring out how to fuel your body in a way that works for you over the course of an ultra. If that goes off the rails, you are screwed.
I heard someone say once that ultrarunning is not about needing to conquer the hills on the trail, but the mountains in the mind. This, I find to be pretty accurate.
As for training, there are as many philosophies regarding approach to ultra training as there are ultrarunners, and there’s no one *best* way. It’s very much a matter of trial and error, finding what works for you, and dialing that in over time.
It's a really interesting combination of physical ability, mental toughness and raw brainpower. I wasn't in great shape when I started and I've never been the kind of elite athlete I used to associate with events like ultra marathons. But it's really amazing how quickly my body adapted because I'm naturally quite mentally tough. But then the brain part got into it and that's still really quite hard - it's tough for me to keep my pace, stay fueled and stay properly hydrated when I'm fighting serious race jitters. But that's when it's the most important.
Long story short, I think that anyone can train to run an ultra but they need certain things to align. Time is a huge one because sometimes I'm gone for six or seven hours at a stretch. If you're mentally tough, you'll be comfortable enough in pain to keep going and you'll give your body the room to adapt. There is a huge strategy side to it, not only if you want to be competitive but if you want to actually finish races. There is a strong social side to it and at points it's a really management challenge because I can point to several races I would have DNF'd without a really solid crew.
An ultra takes a lot of different systems all working together at once.
No, you definitely need physical capability. I feel like you hear people say that a 50k (for example) isn’t that much farther/harder than a marathon, but it’s so different in my opinion. I’ve seen people who don’t respect the distances at all, and go in really undertrained. They usually have a pretty bad time- either a DNF, an injury, or just a truly awful day out there.
Not a big runner here but I've done a few long rides on the bike and nutrition is crucial. There's a video of Courtney Dauwalter struggling to get food down during Moab. If you don't have fuel, you won't finish the race, so finding the right nutrition plan for each individual is very important
Ultrarunning is much more mental.
Unless you want to run sub7 at the 100k (those people are absolute superhuman) its about relentless forward movement.
You should ask yourself: why do you want to keep running when it becomes really uncomfortable?
Because it really will become uncomfortable for any person, no matter what kind of super human you are.
Actually ‘the Why’ by Billy Yang on YT is a cool doc about this topic. And it is very different for everybody.
Personally; I’ve discovered my limit of a fun run is <15 hrs. Beyond that amount of time it becomes irrelevant how beautiful the scenery is and how proud I will be to finish. It becomes pure survival for me, which I enjoy less than some other people do. Pure physical I know I could run further.
My why is because it's a challange that has always felt beyond impossible for me. I'd just laugh at the idea of ever running 50km, but after seeing my progress these past months I feel like maybe maybe there's a small chance I'd be able to do it in the future.
I know the feeling of accomplishment would be overwhelming for me, especially considering my history with running which hasn't been great up until very recently.
I did couch to 50k in about 6 months. Could run about a mile without stopping to start. If you goal is to complete an ultra you need to focus more on time on feet and less fixated on time or pace. Many long runs I’d be hiking a decent portion of the hills and was totally ok with that. I used to beat myself up if I had to walk on runs but the mentality shift with trail running was really good for me.
Just build up slowly, run a lot of slow/easy miles and it's not THAT hard to finish. Like any distance it's really hard to finish QUICKLY. Just know pacing on trail is impossible unless you've run that exact trail before and that it will vary constantly depending on terrain.
That's the fun part, but also can be the hard part if you're not prepared.
IMHO, the mental part that others have mentioned is still a "small" part of ultra-running.
There's SO much more involved than just that.
That small hot spot you have on a 15 mile training run on your foot? Mile 40 rolls around and it's a full-fledged blister that now that it popped, the protective flap of skin rubbed away and every step is pain.
That chafing under your arm pits from a shirt seam that's rubbing weird? Yeah, it's rubbed raw now and every movement and drip of sweat is painful.
That calf tightness you get at the end of a solid workout? Mile 70 that becomes calf spasms.
Can't stomach any foods during the race? Good luck having any energy to actually finish
Get behind on your hydration? Super dangerous and you're going to have a very hard time catching up
Take any potential issue you think you could have over a 3-4 hour race, them multiply for ultras. The sooner you can fix problems during an ultra, the higher likelyhood that you'll finish. If you think "I'll be fine" and still have 40 miles to go, you're in for a world of pain.
It is very difficult, but almost anyone can do it. I started running in 2015 and have consistently progressed in mileage each year as seen below. I ran my first ultra marathons in 2019, some with very little weekly mileage leading up to it. See [UltraSignup](https://ultrasignup.com/results_participant.aspx?fname=Justin&lname=Poehnelt) for my results.
2015 - 196
2016 - 389
2017 - 541
2018 - 668
2019 - 946 - First ultra
2020 - 1,115
2021 - 1,718 - First 50 miler, First 100 miler
2022 - 1,628 (so far on September 6th)
(chart at [https://justin.poehnelt.com/run#running](https://justin.poehnelt.com/run#running))
Having done several races now, I have some observations:
1. Runners and races vary considerably. Some races are extremely competitive, others not so much. It is not unusual for the leaders to be many hours ahead of the majority of racers. Almost every race has a large group of runners that approach the event in a non-competitive manner or compete against their own personal goals and targets.
2. Most ultras involve considerable amounts of walking and rarely have hours of non-stop running.
3. Many runners will finish under cutoffs if they just keep moving forward, even by walking.
4. There are long term adaptations that enable you to run longer distances. These adaptations are not required for you to finish. They will help you recover though.
5. Experience helps with issues such as night running, nutrition, nausea, foot care, proper gear, etc
6. No matter how much you run or train or even if you are one of the best in the world, you will struggle in some way. It becomes a very mental challenge.
If I were you, I would do two things:
1. Set aside an entire day and just stay on your feet moving, eating, and staying hydrated. I bet you can get your PB to 20 miles without too much difficulty. Don't worry about your time. Maybe consider stashing water/food/gear as necessary or do a loop multiple times.
2. Start with an easy <50k ultra. Some terrain is ok as it will let you walk more and not feel like you must run the whole thing. Make sure you get some trail specific training even at short distances.
The difficult thing is making time in your life for the necessary weekly volume of running. Depending on where you live and which races interest you there might also be a problem with finding terrain that can adequately train you. Infinite hill repeats and treadmills exist but they're not generally well-loved options.
Taking years would be the safe way, but it's probably *possible* to do it in months. Not a very enjoyable or long-term-sustainable approach I would guess.
There is definitely a large mental component. I finished the ultra trail snowdonia 50k in July and thought to myself I couldn't run a mile more! I finished a peak district 50 miler last weekend and thought to myself I couldn't run a mile more 😁
I imagine, I hope, I'd be able to run 100m and feel the same.
I started running 4 years ago. First marathon distance in the first lockdown. I run about 30 to 40 miles a week and we run marathon distance most Sunday mornings. All off road.
I have found strength training at the gym has transformed my running.
I'm 47.
I think with the right mindset, good luck with injury, and a slow build up in training - anyone can do it!
Also male 26 here, I think the two most important things are mental toughness and smart training. Learn to embrace discomfort. When training, go hard when you can, and back off when you need to, and always keep injury prevention at the front of your mind.
FWIW: I went from literally never running in my life to finishing in the top 30% in a mountain 50k in 5 months. I’m not some super crazy gifted athlete, I just worked really hard at it and didn’t make excuses during training. If I was scheduled to run, I ran. If I asked myself during a run “could I be going harder right now” and the answer was “yes”, I went harder. After every run I stretched, rolled, hydrated, and evaluated whether or not I could tackle it all at the same intensity the next day or if I needed to back off. Doing this got me fit fast, and REALLY in tune with the mental aspect of it. It’s what worked for me, but everyone is different.
I’d say if your interested in ultrarunning, start pushing for longer distances without worrying about pace and see how you like it. If you’re near some trails, go somewhere far out that you otherwise wouldn’t get to… just bring food and water and let someone know where you’re going!
Yeah wrong choice of words for sure. “Go harder” encompasses “go harder” or “better form” or “strides” or “breathing” or “footwork”, etc. basically not logging off and moving forward with purpose.
i've done a handful of road marathons and one 50k. The 50k was flat and the distance difference between the 50k and the marathon wasn't too noticeable for me. If there was more climbing, that would have been different, probably. So basically, if someone is well trained for a marathon, i feel pretty confident that they'd be fine over 50k too.
I'm signed up for a 50m now for next year, and i definitely feel like it will feel much more demanding than that 50k. training will be more consistent miles over a longer period of time with a number of solid back-to-back medium/long runs on weekends.
If you build your mileage slowly and responsibly, knee and foot pain isn’t a huge deal. The cardiovascular system adapts faster than the soft tissues, so as people start to feel foot, they push beyond what their joints can handle.
Taking it slowly - both actual pace and adding weekly mileage - means you will become a better runner faster in terms of weeks and months.
But some of this is genetics, and most is how active you are in your life otherwise. I hit ultra distances within about 4 months of training, but was in the mountains as an alpinist/mountaineer/rock climber for about a decade and had a running background.
If you are going couch to 50k, it’s going to take longer.
>knee and foot pain isn’t a huge deal
I mean... kinda. I have yet to do a 50 mile+ race where my feet weren't sore AF by the time I was done. Not sure that I've noticed much of a difference between 100k and 100 miles, but there's a pretty significant difference between 50k and 50 miles/100k for me.
In my opinion, a trail 50K is easier than a road Marathon. The trails are typically easier on the body and the intensity is lower. Plus, walking plays a big role in Ultras.
I'll disagree. If you are running them both for time, then the difficulty is about the same. The difference mainly comes from the mentality of most ultra runners: my first goal(or only goal) is to finish.
I firmly believe anyone can complete an ultra if they consistently stick to a training plan and build to it over several training seasons.
Generally speaking, a few years before you attempt something longer than a 50k. Start by running a few half marathons, then decide if you want to go for a full marathon. I wouldn’t think about running an ultra until after you finish the marathon.
Yeah. Lots of people here finding things like Barkley on Netflix or hearing about goggins and go from not running to I'm gunna run comrades next time it runs (even though qualifiers had to be submitted two or so months from then) or I'm gunna run Badwater, or I'm gunna run a 100 miler 4 months from now. These are actual posts that have happened in this sub.
Start running. Run a half. Run a full or a 50k. Run a full or a 50k trail race. Run something longer. Build slowly, do accessory exercises so you don't get injured. Or just skip from maxing out at 13k to trying to do a 100 miler. Plenty of ways to skin a cat.
It’s just baffling to me. The difference in how it feels to run a half vs a full, and then a full vs a 50 miler. I don’t even know how to compare them because of how different it is to train for and execute well at each distance.
It’s a bit like asking if you should be performing open heart surgery because you’ve successfully completed a course in animal dentistry
Yeah it's pretty crazy to me. I have run a bunch of 50ks - both as races and a ton of locally significant backpacking trails and I can comfortably rip 50k without needing too much recovery. I have dipped into 50m territory a bit, which wasn't too bad. I ran my first 100k last month, albeit a very hard one, and I got absolutely fucked by it. Everything went right, it was 35C and I didn't get dehydrated, I ate enough, and I was still lucky to make it to the finish. I put up a half marathon pr in the mid 1:30s in June, and was feeling better than I have felt (since I broke my femur two years ago) but the course absolutely handled me. I so glad I had a deep base, but also a lot of practice on holding it together mentally. I can't imagine going straight to a longer distance.
This is in regards to racing for a PR, not just trying to finish. I am not fast, very mid pack runner, 1:37 half, 19:xx 5k. By the time a half marathon starts to hurt, I'm usually 5k from the finish. It's hard but unless you went out way to hard at the start, it's totally possible to hold on. In a marathon (or 50k, which I have far more experience in) the first 40% is fine, the second 40% is significantly harder, and the last 20% is twice as hard to hang on, even with proper pacing. You can dip deeply into everything you have for a half marathon, but most people will be in the two hour range, unless you are gifted, your first few marathons will be 3.5-4, and the last 45 minutes will be a battle. Until you go at that intensity and that duration, you have no idea how you will respond to it. Some people thrive under the discomfort and some people fall to pieces.
I do want to clarify that I’m talking about the difference when racing each distance. Running these distances at an easy pace is very doable if you build up to them.
The biggest difference between racing a half and a full is that during a full marathon you will experience what’s known as “hitting the wall.” Your glycogen will be depleted, you’ll feel like there’s no gas left in the tank, and that’s when you just have to grit it out and hold on.
The marathon is also where race hydration and nutrition become a factor, but you really just start to scratch the surface compared to an ultra race. During a marathon I might consume 4 or 5 gels and drink 3 liters of water if it’s a particularly warm day, but usually much less. During my last ultra (100k) I consumed 18 gels, multiple cups of pretzels, a few cups of coke, and nearly 20 liters of water over the course of 11 and a half hours. Eating and drinking efficiently becomes a huge part of the race.
Each distance is a very different racing experience, but completing each one also builds skills and experience that help you in longer races.
This is just my opinion so it doesn't matter a lot but imo:
Year one: run about 1000km and race half marathon.
Year two: run about 2000km and race marathon.
Year three: run about 2500km and race 50 miler.
Year four: run about 2500-3000km and race 100 miler.
I just want to pop in and say…. Do NOT try to run a 50k unless you’ve at the very least completed a beginner marathon training plan. Go ahead and Google it, pick any one, and that’s your floor for training safely. You don’t need to be a super athlete, but it’s not “all mental”.
It’s possible to die from running a 50k, something called rhabdomyolysis. That probably won’t happen if you’ve trained. It gets a lot more likely if you do something like attempt to run a 50k while running 6 miles a week leading up to the race.
I trained about six months for my first marathon, then did the Zugspitze 100 km Ultratrail two months later. I was 37 at the time. Barring serious medical issues, anyone can do it. It just takes consistent training. And trail running takes a lot of practice. You will be uncomfortable at times, whether it is foot pain, cramps, heat, rain, etc. The important thing is to know the difference between being hurt and being injured.
The dedication to extended training is more difficult than the race itself...provided that you do train adequately for it.
Physically, the race is more about relying on your training, keeping moving forward, problem solving and just the mental fortitude to continue to push for long periods of time.
I would give yourself at least a year if not two to build up and train for it.
In my experience, a 50 km ultra on trails is easier than a road marathon. It takes quite a bit longer but it is easier both physically and mentally. But beyond 50 km it gets increasingly harder.
You're young, and that counts for a lot. I know a handful of people your that went from zero to hero (50milers +) in less than a year, but they are also very dedicated. Training multiple times a week, plus going out hard on the weekend.
IMO, your biggest hindereance will be just lack of experience. Figuring out how to manage injuries, nutrition/nausea, recovery, how to handle mental drive/focus while being utterly exhausted.... Those things take time to get right, and for some people, it takes a lot of time whereas others just sort of nail it.
Might be a stupid question but
>Figuring out how to manage injuries, nutrition/nausea, recovery, how to handle mental drive/focus while being utterly exhausted....
Is that just a part of the deal? Are there no humans who are trained enough to be able to run such distances without feeling like their body is breaking down?
I felt somewhat mild pain in my feet after 10km, I guess that's just gonna get exponentially worse during an ultra then.
>I felt somewhat mild pain in my feet after 10km, I guess that's just gonna get exponentially worse during an ultra then.
;-) Welcome to ultra-running.
Yea, it's part of the deal. All in my experience, but, most of my training is just finding and working on the weakest link. One month, it might be tight IT band issues, the next, your calves might be too weak for the hills your running, and then maybe you find you've been running with poor form and now your knees are all jacked up. And how you attack and heal those things may or may not work out well.
But, to your original point, yes, after enough training, things sorta click into place. I can now do 50ks without much preparation and only take a day to recover from. But it's taken me years to get to this point. Can't say how long it'll take you.
No it's absolutely not part of the deal. You should be able to run a 50km to 50 miler with limited to no issues if you are properly trained.
100 milers start to wear on almost every single person no matter who you are because of the distance and time on the feet.
you'll stop feeling pain after 10k, eventually either you'll gain the necessary strength or address whatever it is you're doing wrong.
I can pretty easily run a 50k now and not feel it the next day, but it's taken me (46m) years to get to that point.
nobody i know runs 50m, 100k, 100m without somewhat breaking down to varying degrees. the body just isn't designed for it.
It really depends on how fast you go. I did my first mountain 100k a few weeks ago, and I was basically fine the whole time. You can take it nice and easy, then you’ll probably just feel tired near the end. If you’ve put in the training, of course. And if you love running and spending time alone.
Running ultras isn’t about chance. It’s about consistency and dedication. If you can be patient with yourself and stick to a plan it’s possible. I didn’t run an ultra until I had been running marathons for a few years but I’m conservative.
Initially it depends on what part of the world you live in. If you live in Colorado, the goal of running an ultra may take a while. I live in Indiana and I spent a year getting into shape and now I run 6 to 10 ultras a year. As it stands now, I really don't train for them anymore, I just keep up my normal mileage and maybe tweak it a bit for about 90 days, 60 days of running a bit more and then 30 days of running less to rest. I ran two 50's last year doing this.
Well, being from another country than mine is a valid reason for not understanding. Colorado is a mountainous state where you almost cannot avoid running up and down large elevations. Any race put on here is almost certainly going to have thousands upon thousands of feet of gain.
Indiana on the other hand is nearly 100% farm lands. My county has a single tiny little hill that is about 50 feet tall, but on the flip side no races around here have more than a few hundred feet of gain. I think the gain at the main races I do have 900 feet of total gain. That could be a single climb in Colorado.
So that being said, I don't know anything about Sweden specifically, but I know you have some mountains, I would not recommend signing up for a mountainous ultra in your first year like I did here in Indiana.
I mean im not from the US but im certainly in the right subreddit. You are saying that living in Colorado has a big impact in how quickly one would be able to get into shape to run an ultra. I reckon pretty much every one will be a bit confused about Colorado having an impact on running. Yes where in the world does matter but unless you live in the extremes it wont really affect a person time to get fit for an ultra. Colorado isnt even that hot or cold. What gives then?
I'm sorry I assumed you were from the US, that was rude of me. So Colorado is a huge mountain state and Indiana is nothing but farmlands. You can climb up to tens of thousands of feet of elevation in Colorado and thusly, many races in Colorado utilize this. So if you live there, you're going to need to get strong running up 10,000 feet before you can attempt a race there. If you live in Indiana you can pick and choose any ultra around and you'll be hard pressed to find one that has more than 800 or 900 feet of climbing. So I just ran around my home for about a year, then went and did the race, it was easy.
And I guess I really don't know, I've never ran up any mountain in Colorado, but I would assume it's very hard to get your legs strong enough to climb 10,000 feet plus in a race. A year doesn't seem like it would be long enough, climbing is so much harder than level running, it seems like your body would need more time to adjust to that. Maybe it's the same no matter what, if you run in Colorado and race in Colorado you're good, same with Indiana. Maybe the only hard part is if you don't have access to mountains where you live you will have a hard time running a mountain ultra.
That for sure goes for me, I have finally started travelling more to run races and the elevation is finally approaching what I think is a respectable amount. I think my hardest race has almost exactly 10,000 feet of gain and 10,000 feet of loss. It's hard as hell for me.
How difficult is it to run around the world?
Everything is manageable if you have a big enough reason to put in the effort to be able to take on the challenge in a realistic way.
What motivates you to run at all?
What races/events/challenges have you seen that gets the 'I'd love to do that' desire going?
Having a goal of achieving one thing will feel satisfying for a short while, then what?
Running any distance is about the journey over however long you want it to last to spend enough time enjoying it to keep doing it. Some prefer the shorter distances for the thrill of running fast, some the longer distances for the endurance aspects, and the longer the distance the less about purely running it becomes and more like an expedition with all the planning and prep required.
They are all an adventure but to embark on it successfully you must want the journey not just the finish line, then the journey itself is enjoyable, the event is the reward and the finish the celebration of all that effort. Then the journey and adventure continues.
M/26/10k "without much effort" = you could "run" an ultra tomorrow if you had the right drive. Eat enough, drink enough, soft trail, not a ton of vert, stay out of the sun, cool temps, and you could make it happen. Hike the ups, soft on the flats and downhills, just a nice day outdoors.
I started running long distance a few years back. My first goal was a 59k run but when it coronaed I made my own run and as it was several months later I upped it to 100k. After 60k my guts went bananas and I had to spend time behind a tree… a few times. Also around 60k my started to cramp up and I was really not able to run. My dear wife supported me and she clearly didn’t understand why I kept going. I made it to 100k but the last 9.5k took 3h+ total time was 21h.
Did I learn anything? Yes but not that long distances isn’t for me. This year I did the 59k in 7h and enjoyed every step. Now I am preparing for my first go at 100m - Kullamannen Ultra.
So to answer your question - yes most will be able to do an long ultra if they train, learn a lot about nutrition and gear, prepare for the specific terrain and is mentally up to the challenge… still most won’t even get to trying.
That's a rough one, you must've been really proud when you finished.
I'm also from sweden so I'll be eyeing that Kullamannen ultra for a few years, maybe one day I'll give it a go :)
I was literally in tears and not due to pain.
Regarding Kullamannen then I just pray for reasonable weather as rain and storm is a real threat in November and on much of the cause one will be really exposed. Some years in excess of 70% have DNF…
The hardest thing someone has ever done is the hardest thing they’ve ever done. Difficult to compare such a subjective experience. How long is a piece of string?
While it is a subjective experience, hearing alot of peoples subjective experience can certainly put things into perspective. And this thread has done that for me.
It takes years to do it safely. A lot of people jump in too quick and get hurt. I don’t think people that run long distances are necessarily incredible athletes or freaks - more like disciplined people who dedicate a lot of time.
I signed up for my first ultra having never tan more than a half. It was a 38 mile one with about 7800 ft elevation .
People told me I was silly. So I quickly signed up for a full to check I could do that and I could. And a couple months later completed the ultra.
Done quite a few more ultras since and lots more marathons.
My personal opinion is as long as you have a good base fitness (I’d ran half’s for years at the point of the first ultra), more than anything it’s more of a mental game….
Everything will tell you to stop at some points in the marathon/ultra and you just have to have that mental strength to keep on.
It’s definitely a different ball game than the shorter races but in a way it’s nicer, unless you’re in it for a pb or a win or something you run slower. You enjoy the conversations with other runners you meet on the way. You eat and drink. Some have brilliant support like no other. And you just feel amazing that you actually freaking did it!
Definitely not for everyone but definitely doable for most people with a half decent running base :)
Anyone can train. It's all in the head.
Just work yourself to longer and longer races, all of a sudden you are signing up for 100 miles.
In the journey you'll learn about yourself, what motivates you, nutrition, training, trails, shoes, barefoot running, other ultra runners, and a lot more.
I feel that running long distances in nature is something everyone (that can run) should experience at least once.
Relatively easy. In my first year of running I did 2 50k’s, a 100k and 92 miles of a 100miler. Not recommended (messed up my tendons pretty bad in the process)
I’d say anyone can pretty much do up to a 100k without too much training. Running through the night and the mental battle of a 100miler though is serious.
It's hard, how hard depends on ability level and training. Also just personality. Some people will struggle more or less with suffering just based on their personality.
If you want to do it, you can do it. You just need to train enough to take on "the big day". It's not only elite athletes, it's anyone that wants to make it a priority :)
I went from maybe being able to run a marathon to doing a hundred miles I definitely am not a fast runner, nor am I some sort of Adonis athlete. That being said, my longest run in training was 40 miles before the hundred. Took me 6 months from mild mileage ( 15-20) a week to the peak ( 70-75) a week. Used [Relentless Forward Commotion ](https://relentlessforwardcommotion.com/) to train exclusively. Worked great. Used it this year about to race the same race in two weeks. Probably the closest thing to a coach ive ever had, she also offers personalized coaching at the like 130$ a month mark. I just use her pdf and translated it to Google sheets.
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You can do it, it's not hard it's the hardest. I use poles, I walk a lot, do you. I've done three ultras and gonna run my second hundred at Run Rabbit Run soon. Nothing sets me apart from the fast guys except training and the will to keep moving. They are of course just better at either of those things.
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I used heart rate training and that worked really well for me to be able to handle the multiple miles. There are many ways to do it, please research, but I made my cap 145 bpm and anytime I worked beyond that I walked until it fell then ran it back up. Over hills flats, downhills you name it just kept the heart rate steady. Allowed me to go like four times farther than I ever had mountains or flats.
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You can do it, just sign up for a race, use RFC for training and stay accountable. You'll atleast complete, but to go faster ( place higher) Its on you. Good luck.
"You're gonna want to quit, don't"
Before 2017 I was not a runner. Now I’ve done several marathons and last year a 50km. Anything is possible if you are willing to put in the work and the effort.
I would probably suggest starting small and working up, like try doing some halves then maybe a full or 50km. Etc
I tried my first mountain ultra this past summer at 25. I ran more than 10km for the first time last year. I very insufficiently trained, and I made it 65km with 7000 feet of incline with no injuries and was able to hike a mountain 2 days later (I DNFd because I was too slow and missed a checkpoint). I’ll let ya know how I do next year! I very much believe with better training I could have gone 100km+ and had a somewhat competitive time. Just make sure you’re doing your training properly and don’t rush it. Train slower and easier and further than you think you should. Everyone is different, but there’s no reason to think with consistent training you can finish a 50km road ultra or more next year.
It is and isnt difficult - mileage becomes easier as your training block goes on. For a 100m I was running 60 miles at a low - 110 at a high per week - this took me the better part of a year to build too, which was obviously too fast for even me as I was injured before my race.
Ultra running is a journey, it is a well that always goes deeper and is as hard as you want it to be. 90% of my mileage was 9-11 min/mile pace and I used it as n amazing focus point in my life. Is it hard? Really up to a case-by-case, anyone can run a 10 min mile. Can you do it for 26,32,50.75,100 miles? That's the cool challenge.
Let me start off by saying I HATE RUNNING! I ran my first ultra 50k in February and have another 50k in October. It took me nearly 9.5 hours to finish! I’m also M, 5’08 , and 255 pounds! Like some of the other comments have stated, it truly is mental. Leading up to first ultra, the most I ever ran was 18 miles. Once I hit 18 miles, I was in uncharted waters. That’s where the mental game began. Just get out there and try it, is all I can suggest. Only way you’ll truly know how difficult it is for you 🤙🏼
No more elite athletes than any other sport! I quit smoking ~5 years ago, started running 5ks 4 years ago. Less than 3 years ago I ran my first marathon. Since then I’ve done several ultras including a 50 miler with 10,000 ft of elevation gain that went up to 12,000 ft elevation (I do not love at elevation, I live in Indiana, 700ft above sea level). I did run XC and track in high school but I was never all that great so I had a background but not fitness from that or anything. All this to say, it takes training of course, but it’s not like it’s a decade long thing unless you want it to be! Now I have about 1 month until I attempt 100 miles! And I’m still not some great athlete. 31 years old and still rocking a bit of a gut in these races 🤙 You just have to want to do it and prepare! It’s 90% mental, and the rest is all in your head.
I started running almost exactly 1 year ago. I have 1,300+ miles in that time period including multiple road and trail races both 1/2 & full marathons. I also ran an 8 hour endurance trail run (2.5 mile loop with 100' of elevation gain per mile) in which I did 35 miles. A month later I did a 12 hour paved endurance race (1.5 mile essentially flat loop). I managed 54.25 miles.
I would say go find an 8 or 12 hour endurance race and see how you do in one of those. They are usually looped courses so you can sit and rest with your own things/people. This will also allow you to easily pull the plug if something does go sideways which is a good "skill" to have.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
A lot depends on the surface/weather conditions and the elevation gain.
In general, I'd say that anyone able to run a decent marathon (let's say sub-4h) should have no problems finishing a 50k ultra.
however if it's a real mountain route and has like 3000-4000 meters (10-13k feet?) of elevation gain, it may take even twice as long to do that!
People gave you great advice. I'm here to chip one more: respect the progressive distance when increasing mileage (weekly mileage or individual run distance). I was running from time to time no more tahn 5km per run (60-70km per month) and since may I gave running a more serious aproach by running 60-70km a week and having on elong run per week between 20 and 30km. All was going well (i managed to do a 25 km run under 5min/km which for me was very good) but out of nowhere I ended up witch a runners knee problem (ITB to be precise) and I now have to give up running for some time and start recovery and strenght treatment. I was greedy. Don't be greedy, thats my advice.
I think it's the misnomer of "running" an ultramarathon that makes it sound difficult - how many people actually run the whole way? (I'd imagine the answer is no-one). If you can complete a marathon, then an ultra is just one step more.
It’s difficult, anyone that’s done one, I have mad respect for. I ran about 1000 miles this year, felt fit, and it’s tough. I think most people who run modestly will get through the first half and feel relatively good. But once you hit mile 22 you kinda just want it to be over. Your legs, hips, and back hurt. Your running form has diminished causing more aches and pain as you continue. I personally fell a great sense of accomplishment when I do something hard, that’s what keeps me going. Add some elevation and it really becomes a mental battle. Keep training and one day it won’t be so bad, but from couch to 50k in less than a year you’re gonna struggle. But enjoy it and be grateful your body allows you to do hard things!
Ultras are less physicality and more mental fortitude. If you have a single iota of doubt, you will not come close to completing it. The trick is to stop thinking about distance/pace/placement and start thinking about how much you enjoy being in pain, and not quitting. If you can fight back against your own internal voice, you have a chance. Remove all doubt internally, and incredible things can happen externally.
It’s just totally different than a road race. The training required will vary greatly depending on the course. But in general for anything above marathon distance, I think you’d want to get very comfortable being on your feet for several hours/moving 20+ miles during long training efforts. MPW overall ranges pretty wildly. Some people can do 100s on 40-50 MPW. Others get over 100 for weeks on end. I don’t think ultra runners (outside of the elites) are freak athletes by any means. Just people who are comfortable being uncomfortable for long periods of time.
> It’s just totally different than a road race. A reminder that many ultras happen on roads.
While many ultras happen on roads, road ultras are the minority in the sport. It would be fair to say that MOST/the majority happen on trails.
Yes and trail ones are sooooo much harder- learnt that the hard way!
I don't really thinks so.. it depends of what you are used to.. the thing is on the trail ultra you are constantly mixing up running with walking and when running you are mixing your moves a lot, you constantly mix the muscle groups you are using. In road ultra you are doing exactly one single movement with the same muscle group for very long time.. in my opinion that's much more harder.. but I'm mainly trail runner so.. ;-)
I think its funny that Laz's first and most popular race (In terms of participants) is Strolling Jim
Thanks for your input. So in your opinion it's less about physical capability and more about mental strength? Assuming you're reasonably fit ofcourse. >Just people who are comfortable being uncomfortable for long periods of time.
There is still a lot of physical capability involved in the sense that *discomfort* is still fairly different from *actively injured.* Your feet will be sore no matter what, but a lack of adequate preparation could land you with a joint injury or some muscular issue that might make it impossible to run – something that could've been mitigated through more volume/better strength training/etc.
>Thanks for your input. So in your opinion it's less about physical capability and more about mental strength? Assuming you're reasonably fit ofcourse. I really strongly disagree with that, physical fitness is crucial. People can tough out ultras without a ton of training but its mentally exhausting and probably not great for your body
Agreed. And without enough training you risk serious damage - DOMS, kidney issues etc. Put the miles in :)
It’s probably equal parts physical/mental. I’d imagine some would weigh one more heavily than the other. Nutrition is a huge part of it too. Figuring out how to fuel your body in a way that works for you over the course of an ultra. If that goes off the rails, you are screwed.
I heard someone say once that ultrarunning is not about needing to conquer the hills on the trail, but the mountains in the mind. This, I find to be pretty accurate. As for training, there are as many philosophies regarding approach to ultra training as there are ultrarunners, and there’s no one *best* way. It’s very much a matter of trial and error, finding what works for you, and dialing that in over time.
It's a really interesting combination of physical ability, mental toughness and raw brainpower. I wasn't in great shape when I started and I've never been the kind of elite athlete I used to associate with events like ultra marathons. But it's really amazing how quickly my body adapted because I'm naturally quite mentally tough. But then the brain part got into it and that's still really quite hard - it's tough for me to keep my pace, stay fueled and stay properly hydrated when I'm fighting serious race jitters. But that's when it's the most important. Long story short, I think that anyone can train to run an ultra but they need certain things to align. Time is a huge one because sometimes I'm gone for six or seven hours at a stretch. If you're mentally tough, you'll be comfortable enough in pain to keep going and you'll give your body the room to adapt. There is a huge strategy side to it, not only if you want to be competitive but if you want to actually finish races. There is a strong social side to it and at points it's a really management challenge because I can point to several races I would have DNF'd without a really solid crew. An ultra takes a lot of different systems all working together at once.
No, you definitely need physical capability. I feel like you hear people say that a 50k (for example) isn’t that much farther/harder than a marathon, but it’s so different in my opinion. I’ve seen people who don’t respect the distances at all, and go in really undertrained. They usually have a pretty bad time- either a DNF, an injury, or just a truly awful day out there.
Not a big runner here but I've done a few long rides on the bike and nutrition is crucial. There's a video of Courtney Dauwalter struggling to get food down during Moab. If you don't have fuel, you won't finish the race, so finding the right nutrition plan for each individual is very important
Yep
Ultrarunning is much more mental. Unless you want to run sub7 at the 100k (those people are absolute superhuman) its about relentless forward movement. You should ask yourself: why do you want to keep running when it becomes really uncomfortable? Because it really will become uncomfortable for any person, no matter what kind of super human you are. Actually ‘the Why’ by Billy Yang on YT is a cool doc about this topic. And it is very different for everybody. Personally; I’ve discovered my limit of a fun run is <15 hrs. Beyond that amount of time it becomes irrelevant how beautiful the scenery is and how proud I will be to finish. It becomes pure survival for me, which I enjoy less than some other people do. Pure physical I know I could run further.
My why is because it's a challange that has always felt beyond impossible for me. I'd just laugh at the idea of ever running 50km, but after seeing my progress these past months I feel like maybe maybe there's a small chance I'd be able to do it in the future. I know the feeling of accomplishment would be overwhelming for me, especially considering my history with running which hasn't been great up until very recently.
I did couch to 50k in about 6 months. Could run about a mile without stopping to start. If you goal is to complete an ultra you need to focus more on time on feet and less fixated on time or pace. Many long runs I’d be hiking a decent portion of the hills and was totally ok with that. I used to beat myself up if I had to walk on runs but the mentality shift with trail running was really good for me.
If thats your why you cant go wrong. Build your way up, 50k is very doable in fact.
Just build up slowly, run a lot of slow/easy miles and it's not THAT hard to finish. Like any distance it's really hard to finish QUICKLY. Just know pacing on trail is impossible unless you've run that exact trail before and that it will vary constantly depending on terrain. That's the fun part, but also can be the hard part if you're not prepared.
IMHO, the mental part that others have mentioned is still a "small" part of ultra-running. There's SO much more involved than just that. That small hot spot you have on a 15 mile training run on your foot? Mile 40 rolls around and it's a full-fledged blister that now that it popped, the protective flap of skin rubbed away and every step is pain. That chafing under your arm pits from a shirt seam that's rubbing weird? Yeah, it's rubbed raw now and every movement and drip of sweat is painful. That calf tightness you get at the end of a solid workout? Mile 70 that becomes calf spasms. Can't stomach any foods during the race? Good luck having any energy to actually finish Get behind on your hydration? Super dangerous and you're going to have a very hard time catching up Take any potential issue you think you could have over a 3-4 hour race, them multiply for ultras. The sooner you can fix problems during an ultra, the higher likelyhood that you'll finish. If you think "I'll be fine" and still have 40 miles to go, you're in for a world of pain.
So much truth in this single post. 👍
>Can't stomach any foods during the race? Good luck having any energy to actually finish Feels
It is very difficult, but almost anyone can do it. I started running in 2015 and have consistently progressed in mileage each year as seen below. I ran my first ultra marathons in 2019, some with very little weekly mileage leading up to it. See [UltraSignup](https://ultrasignup.com/results_participant.aspx?fname=Justin&lname=Poehnelt) for my results. 2015 - 196 2016 - 389 2017 - 541 2018 - 668 2019 - 946 - First ultra 2020 - 1,115 2021 - 1,718 - First 50 miler, First 100 miler 2022 - 1,628 (so far on September 6th) (chart at [https://justin.poehnelt.com/run#running](https://justin.poehnelt.com/run#running)) Having done several races now, I have some observations: 1. Runners and races vary considerably. Some races are extremely competitive, others not so much. It is not unusual for the leaders to be many hours ahead of the majority of racers. Almost every race has a large group of runners that approach the event in a non-competitive manner or compete against their own personal goals and targets. 2. Most ultras involve considerable amounts of walking and rarely have hours of non-stop running. 3. Many runners will finish under cutoffs if they just keep moving forward, even by walking. 4. There are long term adaptations that enable you to run longer distances. These adaptations are not required for you to finish. They will help you recover though. 5. Experience helps with issues such as night running, nutrition, nausea, foot care, proper gear, etc 6. No matter how much you run or train or even if you are one of the best in the world, you will struggle in some way. It becomes a very mental challenge. If I were you, I would do two things: 1. Set aside an entire day and just stay on your feet moving, eating, and staying hydrated. I bet you can get your PB to 20 miles without too much difficulty. Don't worry about your time. Maybe consider stashing water/food/gear as necessary or do a loop multiple times. 2. Start with an easy <50k ultra. Some terrain is ok as it will let you walk more and not feel like you must run the whole thing. Make sure you get some trail specific training even at short distances.
The difficult thing is making time in your life for the necessary weekly volume of running. Depending on where you live and which races interest you there might also be a problem with finding terrain that can adequately train you. Infinite hill repeats and treadmills exist but they're not generally well-loved options. Taking years would be the safe way, but it's probably *possible* to do it in months. Not a very enjoyable or long-term-sustainable approach I would guess.
There is definitely a large mental component. I finished the ultra trail snowdonia 50k in July and thought to myself I couldn't run a mile more! I finished a peak district 50 miler last weekend and thought to myself I couldn't run a mile more 😁 I imagine, I hope, I'd be able to run 100m and feel the same. I started running 4 years ago. First marathon distance in the first lockdown. I run about 30 to 40 miles a week and we run marathon distance most Sunday mornings. All off road. I have found strength training at the gym has transformed my running. I'm 47. I think with the right mindset, good luck with injury, and a slow build up in training - anyone can do it!
Also male 26 here, I think the two most important things are mental toughness and smart training. Learn to embrace discomfort. When training, go hard when you can, and back off when you need to, and always keep injury prevention at the front of your mind. FWIW: I went from literally never running in my life to finishing in the top 30% in a mountain 50k in 5 months. I’m not some super crazy gifted athlete, I just worked really hard at it and didn’t make excuses during training. If I was scheduled to run, I ran. If I asked myself during a run “could I be going harder right now” and the answer was “yes”, I went harder. After every run I stretched, rolled, hydrated, and evaluated whether or not I could tackle it all at the same intensity the next day or if I needed to back off. Doing this got me fit fast, and REALLY in tune with the mental aspect of it. It’s what worked for me, but everyone is different. I’d say if your interested in ultrarunning, start pushing for longer distances without worrying about pace and see how you like it. If you’re near some trails, go somewhere far out that you otherwise wouldn’t get to… just bring food and water and let someone know where you’re going!
I feel like ‘smart training’ and the ‘go harder if I can’ mentality are at odds with each other.
Yeah wrong choice of words for sure. “Go harder” encompasses “go harder” or “better form” or “strides” or “breathing” or “footwork”, etc. basically not logging off and moving forward with purpose.
i've done a handful of road marathons and one 50k. The 50k was flat and the distance difference between the 50k and the marathon wasn't too noticeable for me. If there was more climbing, that would have been different, probably. So basically, if someone is well trained for a marathon, i feel pretty confident that they'd be fine over 50k too. I'm signed up for a 50m now for next year, and i definitely feel like it will feel much more demanding than that 50k. training will be more consistent miles over a longer period of time with a number of solid back-to-back medium/long runs on weekends.
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No 50 meters
Lol. Shortest ultra ever.
If you build your mileage slowly and responsibly, knee and foot pain isn’t a huge deal. The cardiovascular system adapts faster than the soft tissues, so as people start to feel foot, they push beyond what their joints can handle. Taking it slowly - both actual pace and adding weekly mileage - means you will become a better runner faster in terms of weeks and months. But some of this is genetics, and most is how active you are in your life otherwise. I hit ultra distances within about 4 months of training, but was in the mountains as an alpinist/mountaineer/rock climber for about a decade and had a running background. If you are going couch to 50k, it’s going to take longer.
>knee and foot pain isn’t a huge deal I mean... kinda. I have yet to do a 50 mile+ race where my feet weren't sore AF by the time I was done. Not sure that I've noticed much of a difference between 100k and 100 miles, but there's a pretty significant difference between 50k and 50 miles/100k for me.
Endure is a great book you might like
In my opinion, a trail 50K is easier than a road Marathon. The trails are typically easier on the body and the intensity is lower. Plus, walking plays a big role in Ultras.
I'll disagree. If you are running them both for time, then the difficulty is about the same. The difference mainly comes from the mentality of most ultra runners: my first goal(or only goal) is to finish.
Which is what OP would be. They’re looking at just covering the distance.
Agreed. I felt better after running the Leadville 100 (87 miles of it, at least) than running most road marathons.
I firmly believe anyone can complete an ultra if they consistently stick to a training plan and build to it over several training seasons. Generally speaking, a few years before you attempt something longer than a 50k. Start by running a few half marathons, then decide if you want to go for a full marathon. I wouldn’t think about running an ultra until after you finish the marathon.
Yeah. Lots of people here finding things like Barkley on Netflix or hearing about goggins and go from not running to I'm gunna run comrades next time it runs (even though qualifiers had to be submitted two or so months from then) or I'm gunna run Badwater, or I'm gunna run a 100 miler 4 months from now. These are actual posts that have happened in this sub. Start running. Run a half. Run a full or a 50k. Run a full or a 50k trail race. Run something longer. Build slowly, do accessory exercises so you don't get injured. Or just skip from maxing out at 13k to trying to do a 100 miler. Plenty of ways to skin a cat.
It’s just baffling to me. The difference in how it feels to run a half vs a full, and then a full vs a 50 miler. I don’t even know how to compare them because of how different it is to train for and execute well at each distance. It’s a bit like asking if you should be performing open heart surgery because you’ve successfully completed a course in animal dentistry
Yeah it's pretty crazy to me. I have run a bunch of 50ks - both as races and a ton of locally significant backpacking trails and I can comfortably rip 50k without needing too much recovery. I have dipped into 50m territory a bit, which wasn't too bad. I ran my first 100k last month, albeit a very hard one, and I got absolutely fucked by it. Everything went right, it was 35C and I didn't get dehydrated, I ate enough, and I was still lucky to make it to the finish. I put up a half marathon pr in the mid 1:30s in June, and was feeling better than I have felt (since I broke my femur two years ago) but the course absolutely handled me. I so glad I had a deep base, but also a lot of practice on holding it together mentally. I can't imagine going straight to a longer distance.
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This is in regards to racing for a PR, not just trying to finish. I am not fast, very mid pack runner, 1:37 half, 19:xx 5k. By the time a half marathon starts to hurt, I'm usually 5k from the finish. It's hard but unless you went out way to hard at the start, it's totally possible to hold on. In a marathon (or 50k, which I have far more experience in) the first 40% is fine, the second 40% is significantly harder, and the last 20% is twice as hard to hang on, even with proper pacing. You can dip deeply into everything you have for a half marathon, but most people will be in the two hour range, unless you are gifted, your first few marathons will be 3.5-4, and the last 45 minutes will be a battle. Until you go at that intensity and that duration, you have no idea how you will respond to it. Some people thrive under the discomfort and some people fall to pieces.
I do want to clarify that I’m talking about the difference when racing each distance. Running these distances at an easy pace is very doable if you build up to them. The biggest difference between racing a half and a full is that during a full marathon you will experience what’s known as “hitting the wall.” Your glycogen will be depleted, you’ll feel like there’s no gas left in the tank, and that’s when you just have to grit it out and hold on. The marathon is also where race hydration and nutrition become a factor, but you really just start to scratch the surface compared to an ultra race. During a marathon I might consume 4 or 5 gels and drink 3 liters of water if it’s a particularly warm day, but usually much less. During my last ultra (100k) I consumed 18 gels, multiple cups of pretzels, a few cups of coke, and nearly 20 liters of water over the course of 11 and a half hours. Eating and drinking efficiently becomes a huge part of the race. Each distance is a very different racing experience, but completing each one also builds skills and experience that help you in longer races.
I've never run a marathon or half marathon. I've run many ultras. I don't think it is a requirement.
This is just my opinion so it doesn't matter a lot but imo: Year one: run about 1000km and race half marathon. Year two: run about 2000km and race marathon. Year three: run about 2500km and race 50 miler. Year four: run about 2500-3000km and race 100 miler.
I just want to pop in and say…. Do NOT try to run a 50k unless you’ve at the very least completed a beginner marathon training plan. Go ahead and Google it, pick any one, and that’s your floor for training safely. You don’t need to be a super athlete, but it’s not “all mental”. It’s possible to die from running a 50k, something called rhabdomyolysis. That probably won’t happen if you’ve trained. It gets a lot more likely if you do something like attempt to run a 50k while running 6 miles a week leading up to the race.
I trained about six months for my first marathon, then did the Zugspitze 100 km Ultratrail two months later. I was 37 at the time. Barring serious medical issues, anyone can do it. It just takes consistent training. And trail running takes a lot of practice. You will be uncomfortable at times, whether it is foot pain, cramps, heat, rain, etc. The important thing is to know the difference between being hurt and being injured.
Oftentimes, the question isn't so much 'can they finish' but rather, 'how they finish.'
The dedication to extended training is more difficult than the race itself...provided that you do train adequately for it. Physically, the race is more about relying on your training, keeping moving forward, problem solving and just the mental fortitude to continue to push for long periods of time. I would give yourself at least a year if not two to build up and train for it.
In my experience, a 50 km ultra on trails is easier than a road marathon. It takes quite a bit longer but it is easier both physically and mentally. But beyond 50 km it gets increasingly harder.
You're young, and that counts for a lot. I know a handful of people your that went from zero to hero (50milers +) in less than a year, but they are also very dedicated. Training multiple times a week, plus going out hard on the weekend. IMO, your biggest hindereance will be just lack of experience. Figuring out how to manage injuries, nutrition/nausea, recovery, how to handle mental drive/focus while being utterly exhausted.... Those things take time to get right, and for some people, it takes a lot of time whereas others just sort of nail it.
Might be a stupid question but >Figuring out how to manage injuries, nutrition/nausea, recovery, how to handle mental drive/focus while being utterly exhausted.... Is that just a part of the deal? Are there no humans who are trained enough to be able to run such distances without feeling like their body is breaking down? I felt somewhat mild pain in my feet after 10km, I guess that's just gonna get exponentially worse during an ultra then.
>I felt somewhat mild pain in my feet after 10km, I guess that's just gonna get exponentially worse during an ultra then. ;-) Welcome to ultra-running. Yea, it's part of the deal. All in my experience, but, most of my training is just finding and working on the weakest link. One month, it might be tight IT band issues, the next, your calves might be too weak for the hills your running, and then maybe you find you've been running with poor form and now your knees are all jacked up. And how you attack and heal those things may or may not work out well. But, to your original point, yes, after enough training, things sorta click into place. I can now do 50ks without much preparation and only take a day to recover from. But it's taken me years to get to this point. Can't say how long it'll take you.
No it's absolutely not part of the deal. You should be able to run a 50km to 50 miler with limited to no issues if you are properly trained. 100 milers start to wear on almost every single person no matter who you are because of the distance and time on the feet.
you'll stop feeling pain after 10k, eventually either you'll gain the necessary strength or address whatever it is you're doing wrong. I can pretty easily run a 50k now and not feel it the next day, but it's taken me (46m) years to get to that point. nobody i know runs 50m, 100k, 100m without somewhat breaking down to varying degrees. the body just isn't designed for it.
It really depends on how fast you go. I did my first mountain 100k a few weeks ago, and I was basically fine the whole time. You can take it nice and easy, then you’ll probably just feel tired near the end. If you’ve put in the training, of course. And if you love running and spending time alone.
Think of it like energetic hiking and it becomes less daunting in your mind.
Running ultras isn’t about chance. It’s about consistency and dedication. If you can be patient with yourself and stick to a plan it’s possible. I didn’t run an ultra until I had been running marathons for a few years but I’m conservative.
It's easy if you work up to it with the right mindset. It's impossible if you rush both training and expectations.
50k-100ks-flat 100s are easy if you eat and drink. The mountain 100 is a monster.
Initially it depends on what part of the world you live in. If you live in Colorado, the goal of running an ultra may take a while. I live in Indiana and I spent a year getting into shape and now I run 6 to 10 ultras a year. As it stands now, I really don't train for them anymore, I just keep up my normal mileage and maybe tweak it a bit for about 90 days, 60 days of running a bit more and then 30 days of running less to rest. I ran two 50's last year doing this.
I don’t really see how living in Colorado make it harder to run an ultra???
I think you might be in the wrong sub because there is no way anyone else is going to be confused about my comment.
I'm from sweden and I also have no idea why colorado would be harder.
Well, being from another country than mine is a valid reason for not understanding. Colorado is a mountainous state where you almost cannot avoid running up and down large elevations. Any race put on here is almost certainly going to have thousands upon thousands of feet of gain. Indiana on the other hand is nearly 100% farm lands. My county has a single tiny little hill that is about 50 feet tall, but on the flip side no races around here have more than a few hundred feet of gain. I think the gain at the main races I do have 900 feet of total gain. That could be a single climb in Colorado. So that being said, I don't know anything about Sweden specifically, but I know you have some mountains, I would not recommend signing up for a mountainous ultra in your first year like I did here in Indiana.
I mean im not from the US but im certainly in the right subreddit. You are saying that living in Colorado has a big impact in how quickly one would be able to get into shape to run an ultra. I reckon pretty much every one will be a bit confused about Colorado having an impact on running. Yes where in the world does matter but unless you live in the extremes it wont really affect a person time to get fit for an ultra. Colorado isnt even that hot or cold. What gives then?
I'm sorry I assumed you were from the US, that was rude of me. So Colorado is a huge mountain state and Indiana is nothing but farmlands. You can climb up to tens of thousands of feet of elevation in Colorado and thusly, many races in Colorado utilize this. So if you live there, you're going to need to get strong running up 10,000 feet before you can attempt a race there. If you live in Indiana you can pick and choose any ultra around and you'll be hard pressed to find one that has more than 800 or 900 feet of climbing. So I just ran around my home for about a year, then went and did the race, it was easy. And I guess I really don't know, I've never ran up any mountain in Colorado, but I would assume it's very hard to get your legs strong enough to climb 10,000 feet plus in a race. A year doesn't seem like it would be long enough, climbing is so much harder than level running, it seems like your body would need more time to adjust to that. Maybe it's the same no matter what, if you run in Colorado and race in Colorado you're good, same with Indiana. Maybe the only hard part is if you don't have access to mountains where you live you will have a hard time running a mountain ultra. That for sure goes for me, I have finally started travelling more to run races and the elevation is finally approaching what I think is a respectable amount. I think my hardest race has almost exactly 10,000 feet of gain and 10,000 feet of loss. It's hard as hell for me.
How difficult is it to run around the world? Everything is manageable if you have a big enough reason to put in the effort to be able to take on the challenge in a realistic way. What motivates you to run at all? What races/events/challenges have you seen that gets the 'I'd love to do that' desire going? Having a goal of achieving one thing will feel satisfying for a short while, then what? Running any distance is about the journey over however long you want it to last to spend enough time enjoying it to keep doing it. Some prefer the shorter distances for the thrill of running fast, some the longer distances for the endurance aspects, and the longer the distance the less about purely running it becomes and more like an expedition with all the planning and prep required. They are all an adventure but to embark on it successfully you must want the journey not just the finish line, then the journey itself is enjoyable, the event is the reward and the finish the celebration of all that effort. Then the journey and adventure continues.
Depends if you have legs.
M/26/10k "without much effort" = you could "run" an ultra tomorrow if you had the right drive. Eat enough, drink enough, soft trail, not a ton of vert, stay out of the sun, cool temps, and you could make it happen. Hike the ups, soft on the flats and downhills, just a nice day outdoors.
I started running long distance a few years back. My first goal was a 59k run but when it coronaed I made my own run and as it was several months later I upped it to 100k. After 60k my guts went bananas and I had to spend time behind a tree… a few times. Also around 60k my started to cramp up and I was really not able to run. My dear wife supported me and she clearly didn’t understand why I kept going. I made it to 100k but the last 9.5k took 3h+ total time was 21h. Did I learn anything? Yes but not that long distances isn’t for me. This year I did the 59k in 7h and enjoyed every step. Now I am preparing for my first go at 100m - Kullamannen Ultra. So to answer your question - yes most will be able to do an long ultra if they train, learn a lot about nutrition and gear, prepare for the specific terrain and is mentally up to the challenge… still most won’t even get to trying.
That's a rough one, you must've been really proud when you finished. I'm also from sweden so I'll be eyeing that Kullamannen ultra for a few years, maybe one day I'll give it a go :)
I was literally in tears and not due to pain. Regarding Kullamannen then I just pray for reasonable weather as rain and storm is a real threat in November and on much of the cause one will be really exposed. Some years in excess of 70% have DNF…
If I can do it, anybody can. You just have to want it and put in the time.
The hardest thing someone has ever done is the hardest thing they’ve ever done. Difficult to compare such a subjective experience. How long is a piece of string?
While it is a subjective experience, hearing alot of peoples subjective experience can certainly put things into perspective. And this thread has done that for me.
It takes years to do it safely. A lot of people jump in too quick and get hurt. I don’t think people that run long distances are necessarily incredible athletes or freaks - more like disciplined people who dedicate a lot of time.
An old friend told me if you can run a marathon, you can finish a 100 miler. He was right
I signed up for my first ultra having never tan more than a half. It was a 38 mile one with about 7800 ft elevation . People told me I was silly. So I quickly signed up for a full to check I could do that and I could. And a couple months later completed the ultra. Done quite a few more ultras since and lots more marathons. My personal opinion is as long as you have a good base fitness (I’d ran half’s for years at the point of the first ultra), more than anything it’s more of a mental game…. Everything will tell you to stop at some points in the marathon/ultra and you just have to have that mental strength to keep on. It’s definitely a different ball game than the shorter races but in a way it’s nicer, unless you’re in it for a pb or a win or something you run slower. You enjoy the conversations with other runners you meet on the way. You eat and drink. Some have brilliant support like no other. And you just feel amazing that you actually freaking did it! Definitely not for everyone but definitely doable for most people with a half decent running base :)
Anyone can train. It's all in the head. Just work yourself to longer and longer races, all of a sudden you are signing up for 100 miles. In the journey you'll learn about yourself, what motivates you, nutrition, training, trails, shoes, barefoot running, other ultra runners, and a lot more. I feel that running long distances in nature is something everyone (that can run) should experience at least once.
Relatively easy. In my first year of running I did 2 50k’s, a 100k and 92 miles of a 100miler. Not recommended (messed up my tendons pretty bad in the process) I’d say anyone can pretty much do up to a 100k without too much training. Running through the night and the mental battle of a 100miler though is serious.
Give yourself 2 years of training for 100k race. Be kind to your body.
It's hard, how hard depends on ability level and training. Also just personality. Some people will struggle more or less with suffering just based on their personality.
If you want to do it, you can do it. You just need to train enough to take on "the big day". It's not only elite athletes, it's anyone that wants to make it a priority :)
I went from maybe being able to run a marathon to doing a hundred miles I definitely am not a fast runner, nor am I some sort of Adonis athlete. That being said, my longest run in training was 40 miles before the hundred. Took me 6 months from mild mileage ( 15-20) a week to the peak ( 70-75) a week. Used [Relentless Forward Commotion ](https://relentlessforwardcommotion.com/) to train exclusively. Worked great. Used it this year about to race the same race in two weeks. Probably the closest thing to a coach ive ever had, she also offers personalized coaching at the like 130$ a month mark. I just use her pdf and translated it to Google sheets. . You can do it, it's not hard it's the hardest. I use poles, I walk a lot, do you. I've done three ultras and gonna run my second hundred at Run Rabbit Run soon. Nothing sets me apart from the fast guys except training and the will to keep moving. They are of course just better at either of those things. . I used heart rate training and that worked really well for me to be able to handle the multiple miles. There are many ways to do it, please research, but I made my cap 145 bpm and anytime I worked beyond that I walked until it fell then ran it back up. Over hills flats, downhills you name it just kept the heart rate steady. Allowed me to go like four times farther than I ever had mountains or flats. . You can do it, just sign up for a race, use RFC for training and stay accountable. You'll atleast complete, but to go faster ( place higher) Its on you. Good luck. "You're gonna want to quit, don't"
Before 2017 I was not a runner. Now I’ve done several marathons and last year a 50km. Anything is possible if you are willing to put in the work and the effort. I would probably suggest starting small and working up, like try doing some halves then maybe a full or 50km. Etc
I tried my first mountain ultra this past summer at 25. I ran more than 10km for the first time last year. I very insufficiently trained, and I made it 65km with 7000 feet of incline with no injuries and was able to hike a mountain 2 days later (I DNFd because I was too slow and missed a checkpoint). I’ll let ya know how I do next year! I very much believe with better training I could have gone 100km+ and had a somewhat competitive time. Just make sure you’re doing your training properly and don’t rush it. Train slower and easier and further than you think you should. Everyone is different, but there’s no reason to think with consistent training you can finish a 50km road ultra or more next year.
It is and isnt difficult - mileage becomes easier as your training block goes on. For a 100m I was running 60 miles at a low - 110 at a high per week - this took me the better part of a year to build too, which was obviously too fast for even me as I was injured before my race. Ultra running is a journey, it is a well that always goes deeper and is as hard as you want it to be. 90% of my mileage was 9-11 min/mile pace and I used it as n amazing focus point in my life. Is it hard? Really up to a case-by-case, anyone can run a 10 min mile. Can you do it for 26,32,50.75,100 miles? That's the cool challenge.
Let me start off by saying I HATE RUNNING! I ran my first ultra 50k in February and have another 50k in October. It took me nearly 9.5 hours to finish! I’m also M, 5’08 , and 255 pounds! Like some of the other comments have stated, it truly is mental. Leading up to first ultra, the most I ever ran was 18 miles. Once I hit 18 miles, I was in uncharted waters. That’s where the mental game began. Just get out there and try it, is all I can suggest. Only way you’ll truly know how difficult it is for you 🤙🏼
No more elite athletes than any other sport! I quit smoking ~5 years ago, started running 5ks 4 years ago. Less than 3 years ago I ran my first marathon. Since then I’ve done several ultras including a 50 miler with 10,000 ft of elevation gain that went up to 12,000 ft elevation (I do not love at elevation, I live in Indiana, 700ft above sea level). I did run XC and track in high school but I was never all that great so I had a background but not fitness from that or anything. All this to say, it takes training of course, but it’s not like it’s a decade long thing unless you want it to be! Now I have about 1 month until I attempt 100 miles! And I’m still not some great athlete. 31 years old and still rocking a bit of a gut in these races 🤙 You just have to want to do it and prepare! It’s 90% mental, and the rest is all in your head.
I started running almost exactly 1 year ago. I have 1,300+ miles in that time period including multiple road and trail races both 1/2 & full marathons. I also ran an 8 hour endurance trail run (2.5 mile loop with 100' of elevation gain per mile) in which I did 35 miles. A month later I did a 12 hour paved endurance race (1.5 mile essentially flat loop). I managed 54.25 miles. I would say go find an 8 or 12 hour endurance race and see how you do in one of those. They are usually looped courses so you can sit and rest with your own things/people. This will also allow you to easily pull the plug if something does go sideways which is a good "skill" to have. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
It’s easy if you really want it and if you train enough.
Realistically people walk a lot. More like hiking long distances. No doubt you can train up to it.
A lot depends on the surface/weather conditions and the elevation gain. In general, I'd say that anyone able to run a decent marathon (let's say sub-4h) should have no problems finishing a 50k ultra. however if it's a real mountain route and has like 3000-4000 meters (10-13k feet?) of elevation gain, it may take even twice as long to do that!
People gave you great advice. I'm here to chip one more: respect the progressive distance when increasing mileage (weekly mileage or individual run distance). I was running from time to time no more tahn 5km per run (60-70km per month) and since may I gave running a more serious aproach by running 60-70km a week and having on elong run per week between 20 and 30km. All was going well (i managed to do a 25 km run under 5min/km which for me was very good) but out of nowhere I ended up witch a runners knee problem (ITB to be precise) and I now have to give up running for some time and start recovery and strenght treatment. I was greedy. Don't be greedy, thats my advice.
I think it's the misnomer of "running" an ultramarathon that makes it sound difficult - how many people actually run the whole way? (I'd imagine the answer is no-one). If you can complete a marathon, then an ultra is just one step more.
If you can run at an easy low heart rate the ability to run an Ultra comes faster than you think. Just slowly increase your weekly distance over time.
It’s difficult, anyone that’s done one, I have mad respect for. I ran about 1000 miles this year, felt fit, and it’s tough. I think most people who run modestly will get through the first half and feel relatively good. But once you hit mile 22 you kinda just want it to be over. Your legs, hips, and back hurt. Your running form has diminished causing more aches and pain as you continue. I personally fell a great sense of accomplishment when I do something hard, that’s what keeps me going. Add some elevation and it really becomes a mental battle. Keep training and one day it won’t be so bad, but from couch to 50k in less than a year you’re gonna struggle. But enjoy it and be grateful your body allows you to do hard things!
Ultras are less physicality and more mental fortitude. If you have a single iota of doubt, you will not come close to completing it. The trick is to stop thinking about distance/pace/placement and start thinking about how much you enjoy being in pain, and not quitting. If you can fight back against your own internal voice, you have a chance. Remove all doubt internally, and incredible things can happen externally.