5 Things I Wish I Knew Before My First Ultramarathon
I've only been running ultras for a couple of years now, so by no means am I an expert here. But, I have enough experience to pass down some things I've learned to help you avoid some of the mistakes I've made in previous races.
If you're thinking about running your first ultramarathon sometime soon or are just looking for some tips on how to perform better in your next ultra-distance race, consider these suggestions:
Pace yourself.
Train downhill running.
Run more hills.
Eat.
Finish first. Perform second.
Pace Yourself
It's a common mistake to start a race running way too fast. There's adrenaline coursing through your veins, possibly some spectators adding fuel to the fire, and then there's the natural tendency to simply want to keep up with the other runners as everyone takes off from the starting line. Be careful here—think about your training leading up to the race, and remember to run your own race. You might feel great in the beginning miles of an ultramarathon, and your pace may feel sustainable. But it's almost a guarantee that at some point, if you're going too fast, the feelings of sustainability will inevitably go out the window, and you'll be left feeling pain and sorrow. Let's just hope that the miles distancing you from the finish line aren't too great and that you don't fall victim to any time cutoffs. If you pace yourself conservatively and focus on your strategy, you'll go further with more energy, and less pain, and have a greater chance for a successful finish.
Train Downhill Running
I learned this one the hard way. Leading up to my first 50k (The Promise Land 50k), I put so much emphasis on training uphill hiking and climbing in my buildup to the race. I knew that the mountains would be harder to climb than the hills that I had access to around my house, and I wanted to make sure I'd be able to conquer them. However, I overlooked the importance of training the opposite aspect—downhill running. My strategy leading up to that race was to power-hike the uphills, run the flats, and "bomb" the downhills. Big mistake. By mile 14, I had realized the error in my training and accepted that my quads would be reduced to hamburger meat. Don't be like me—make sure to train your legs for downhill running, especially if you plan to race in the mountains.
Run More Hills
Olympic marathoner Frank Shorter famously said, "Hills are speedwork in disguise." This is true, and hills should be a staple of any ultra training plan. Running hills can help your legs get stronger, develop your aerobic capacity, increase your ability to recover more quickly, and build mental fortitude. All of these things will add to your ability and chances of finishing an ultramarathon. Just make sure that you're not cramming in too much high-intensity training—whether it's hills or speedwork—as you want to respect your body's need for recovery and repair.
Eat
During an ultramarathon, don't wait until you're hungry to begin eating. You want to be taking in calories early and often. A good rule of thumb is roughly 100-200 calories every hour. Try to do your best to stick to this, even if it feels unnecessary early on. The more calories you can take in before your stomach starts to turn or your body starts to feel the effects of all the mileage, the better off you'll be in the later miles. Make sure that you're training your gut during the buildup to your race. Try different food sources, experiment with different products, and try to figure out what works and doesn't work for you. The time to experiment is during training, not during your race. But, if you've taken anything away from this section, it's to remember to eat.
Finish First. Perform Second.
If you're like me, you'll want to perform to the best of your abilities during your ultramarathon, and sometimes that can lead to undesirable outcomes. Unless you have the potential and abilities to really crush a race and put up a top performance (if you do, you're likely not reading this), try not to get stuck in putting too much pressure on a specific outcome or goal. Your main goal in an ultra is to finish. If during the final third of your race, you feel that a finish is a guarantee, then by all means turn it up a bit and see what you have in the tank. However, there have been multiple events where I felt that I had the potential to accomplish big, lofty goals that I set for myself, only to realize that those goals were out of reach on those specific days. When my performance goals became unattainable in some of those events, I was immediately reduced to negative thoughts and a lack of focus. Not good. It never feels awesome the next morning after you DNF'd knowing that you still had the ability to finish. Remember, there's no shame in missing the mark when trying to accomplish something as difficult as an ultra. Take notes for your next training block, and just go finish your damn race.
I hope some of these suggestions can be helpful to you as you embark on your ultra journey and explore the preconceived notions of your abilities and limitations.
