Am I Ready to Run an Ultra?

Running an ultra was not something I had ever considered. Given the amount of training that goes into a marathon, I figured with my family, and work, training for anything past a half marathon would be too tough to pull off. Then came Covid, and a lockdown, and suddenly I was running every day and racking up the weekly mileage. I stumbled across the Vermont 50 website early in the year, saw there was a 50k option, and started seriously thinking, ‘Am I ready to run an ultra?’

I reached out to a couple of friends I knew had run the 50k in the past, for tips and opinions. I knew the training load was not that much more than training for a marathon, and after putting together a training plan, then tweaking and adjusting, I realized with some early morning weekend running, I could definitely fit this into my life.

If you’ve found yourself asking if you’re ready to run an ultra, then read on.

What kind of time do I need to train for an ultra?

Being ready to run an ultra means being ready to commit to training for an ultra. If you have ever trained for a marathon, and you think you could fit that training load into your current schedule, then you have the time you need to train for a 50k, and with not much more tweaking, for a longer ultra distance. Depending on how long you’ve been running, and how accustomed you are to long-distance running, you should plan for a minimum of 3 months of training. If it’s your first 50k and you’re not already running at least 25 miles per week, think about at least a 4-month training plan to prepare.

The time spent every week is going to depend on what part of the training cycle you are at, but in the heaviest training weeks, you’re probably looking at about 9 hours a week, and this will include a long run of between 4 and 5 hours. I used the weekends for my long run and my hill training, because I could get up early, and be back home in order to be present for my kids. My long run would usually start at 5:30 or 6:00am on a Saturday, so I’d be home by 11am at the latest. Then on Sundays I would plan a day of running up and down a mountain, which would take anywhere from 90 minutes to 3 hours. I ran Mount Ascutney, Killington, and Okemo for these mountain Sundays.

How am I going to run for 5 hours in a training run?

I know. It sounds crazy, right? I wrote my own training plan, and even I was looking at those 4 and 5-hour training runs planned, thinking, ‘Really??’ Yes, really. By the time you get to that stage of your training, your body is adapted to running long distances, and you’re used to the time on your feet. Something to remember is it’s not 5 uninterrupted hours of running the same pace with no breaks. You’re going to walk sometimes, you can take breaks. You’ll be eating and drinking. The miles will still click away, and you’ll have all the training effect, but it won’t be a relentless monotony of running.

Usually ultras are trail races, so your long runs should generally try to be as close as possible to the terrain you’ll be running on race day. 5 hours in the mountains, on trails, is a lot different experience than 5 hours of road running.

Can I avoid injury training for an ultra?

Yes, you can! Two words: strength training. There’s a common fallacy that runners don’t need to strength train lower body because the running is ‘enough’. It’s not enough. Get into a routine of strength training to support your running goals. Think about working toward core stability, a lot of single leg work, balance training, and building strong glutes, calves, quads, and hamstrings. Strong muscles help propel you up mountain trails. A strong core will kick in when you’re fatigued and your form begins to suffer. Strength training gives you greater mobility, flexibility, and stability.

Other ways you can take care of your body to avoid injury include paying attention to your sleep routine. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, which will usually mean more sleep once you get into a heavier training routine. Eat food that nourishes you and gives you energy and the calories you need. Drink lots of water throughout the day. Make sure you’re wearing the right shoes, and replace them every 300 – 500 miles. Foam roll, stretch, use a massager (or get massages if you’re able!). I made sure when I felt like something wasn’t right that I went directly to my physical therapist to get looked at, and learn stretches and exercises to help keep me healthy throughout the training cycle.

What if I’m prone to injury?

If you’re prone to injury, there’s usually a reason behind it. First, I would check for any muscular imbalances. When one of your muscles is tight, either from overuse or repetitive motion, it usually means you’ll have a weakness in the opposite area. People with tight chest muscles usually have weak back muscles, for example, or if your glutes are weak you’ll find your hip flexors are tight. Find those imbalances, and start addressing them. Focus more on unilateral exercises when you’re strength training in order to work on differences between sides of your body. Definitely think about finding a personal trainer who is experienced in working with runners, or consult a physical therapist, or sports massage therapist.

Also check your shoes are the right kind for your running form, and that you’re replacing them before they completely wear out. Make sure you’re warming up before your runs, and either adding stretching, or mobility exercises at the end of every run.

Do I have a good support system?

Meaning, are your family and loved ones in your life on board with your goal? Do you have people who will help you make time in your schedule for long training runs, and who will understand when you fall asleep at 7pm on the couch because you’re in the middle of a hard training week? Having your significant other, kids, or anyone you live with or spend a lot of time with in your corner helps more than you can imagine. Make sure you’re clear with your loved ones about what to expect when you start training for an ultra. You may have to make compromises – doing long runs earlier than you’d prefer, or splitting some training runs into doubles mid-week.

I was lucky that my partner was 100% behind my goal, and was supportive of the work I needed to put toward training. I also have a flexible work schedule, where I could make my training fit around my responsibilities. But even if your life is crazy busy, having people who believe in you and want you to succeed can alone be a major factor in getting you to the starting line of an ultra.

What’s my mental game like?

If you believe you can’t, you probably won’t. Negative self-talk, feeling overwhelmed, getting discouraged easily by setbacks…these are signs you may not be in the best mental place to tackle an ultramarathon. The good news is, you can train your brain for positive reinforcement, and to help your training and performance. Using visualization, meditation, and mastering self-talk affects your running more than you would imagine.

However, if even with mental training techniques you find yourself unable to get out of a negative head space while you’re training, take a step back and check in with yourself by asking a few questions. Why am I tackling this goal? Do I have a strong motivation and drive to make this happen? Is my job/stress level/relationship/life situation contributing to me feeling overwhelmed and discouraged? Are these things able to be changed? Sometimes your timing is just not right. I’ve written about a marathon I trained for that ended in a black flag, but even if that hadn’t happened, I know it wasn’t going to be my finest day. I wasn’t long postpartum, I’d just made an interstate move, and I wasn’t in a good emotional or mental state during that whole training cycle. In retrospect, the race getting cancelled mid-run was probably a blessing. If I had a client who was like me at that point, I probably would have gently suggested reassessing their ‘why’ for the race, and whether it was the best idea.

In the end, only you know if you’re ready to run an ultra

You’re the only one who knows if you’re ready, and the right time to do it. With the right preparation and training, you can tackle any distance, but only you know if you’re ready physically, mentally, and emotionally. Setbacks may happen, and training is hard work, but crossing the finish line of your first ultra is a feeling worth all the sweat, tears, pain and suffering you may endure along the way. (You also experience joy, peace, fun, and exhilaration, but those don’t get talked about as much as the tough stuff!) When you start thinking about a big goal like running an ultra, chances are you’re on your way to achieving it already.