Ultra tips from ultra runners

"Take a nap when you start to see a dog face on a rock. Eat. Always eat."

Happy New Year friends, I hope 2022 has been treating you well so far! I’m very excited for this latest edition as I’ve compiled a whole whack of tips from a slew of runners who live and complete ultra runs around the globe. There are tips from 9 different countries in this post! Thank you, runners!

Check out the collective experience of the runners giving tips, it’s good company to be in ;)

This is a whole lot more fun for me to write and a whole lot more beneficial for everyone to read, as there are a ton of great tips here that I could never have thought up all on my own.

This is an impressive group that gets after it!

Whether you’re thinking of running an ultra, or a seasoned veteran, there is something in here for you.

Everyone would agree that you must have some kind of nutrition and fuelling strategy when you get into such long-distance running, and that topic was a very popular one amongst the runners who I reached out to, including Kathy MacRae who had some short and sweet advice:

“Eat. Always eat” Amen Kathy!

Pick a handheld food you love and see if it’ll work as a race food. Tater tots, pizza, burgers, pierogis and sandwiches are just a few options. The only thing you have to do is be willing to test them out on a training run. - Anna Razzell, Maple Ridge, BC.

“Nutrition-wise, just because someone swears by a certain way of eating, you are the only one running in your body. Test what works for you and trust it even if it’s not glamourous.” - Brittany Edmiston, Arizona

During an ultra make sure you drink enough water. I go into an aid station with an empty bottle, fill it and drink it, and then refill before I leave. - Charlotte Wales, Davis, WV

“Two things that I have learned over the years are proper hydration and fuelling (trust me, I learned the hard way), as well as not to take training too seriously. Stick to a plan, but have fun!” - Greg Faber - West Vancouver, BC.

Experiment and practice nutrition strategy often during training (including how you'll carry everything, so think about running vests, etc.), and always smile and have fun throughout the race! - Justin Yan

“Eat plenty of food prior and at the beginning of the race. Too many racers wait too late to start taking in calories and are immediately working at a deficit.” - Greg Wingo, Birmingham AL

Something I am still working on: nutrition. It’s hard for me to force myself to eat during a race but you need to. Ask someone, find food that you won’t be sick of, do anything to get those calories in. - Jeannine Avelino, North Vancouver, BC

“Practice your nutrition and your fuelling during your training, you can train your gut and it is as important as training your aerobic fitness.” - Francesco Di Costanzo

Clearly, nutrition is an important aspect of successfully running ultra-distance events! I certainly learned the same thing, and for myself through my coaching, I aim to ingest 250 calories an hour. I’ve consumed everything from McDonald’s to Banana Bread. There is no wrong food out there, as long as you can keep eating.

Another common theme runners mentioned was the mental side of training. The chance to train the mind beforehand for what’s in store on the big day is something that must be considered. This is something Anna Razzell keeps in mind:

“Mental grit is huge! Do some long training runs alone and without music/podcasts/audiobooks. On race day you may be alone with your thoughts for long stretches so getting used to that before race day will help you push through.” - Anna Razzell

Getting yourself to the mental low points in training, will help you learn how to get through those points on race day! It’s all mental and I have found it very fun to figure out how to work through them. - Steve Martens, Victoria, BC

“One thing I use often is counting my breaths, and seeing how high a number I can get to before losing count and starting again. It’s a simple way to steady my cadence and breathing rhythm as well as stay focused on the moment instead of all the many distracting thoughts. It’s been useful both in high effort short tempo intervals as well as endless plodding hill climbs.” - Chris Shier, Vancouver, BC

Relax! This was a hard one for me. I get very nervous before races and for this latest one I decided that every time I got “The Fear” about something (it’s Nov, what if it snows?) I made a plan to deal with it. Take spare gloves that can go over normal running gloves. Pack an extra buff to keep ears warm. Pack an extra buff so that you can give it to someone else so they can have warm ears…making plans to mitigate against “The Fear” - worked a treat. - Gail Mackay, Scotland

“Don't be a victim / Suffering is a choice - These two phrases could fall under the category of mantras. Having a powerful mantra could be a tip in itself, but I'm suggesting them here as an individual tip because to me they're really about maintaining a positive mindset. There's likely to be ups and downs when running an ultra. The power of a positive mindset may be a key difference between making it to the finish line or accepting a DNF.” - Scott Snell, New Jersey

Ultra Running is 90% mental, train your mind to endure suffering as well. - Alan Mijinke, Abbotsford, BC

“Run for the happiness. It's never too late to go for a run.” - Mithilesh Kumar

Remember that you are amazing. However hard it feels, or whatever doubts pop up along the way (sometimes right after hitting that registration button) know that you only find out how it goes or how it changes if you stay in it. So don't give up on yourself and know that you will in fact probably register for another ultra or want to within 48 hours of finishing. :) - Jenny Quilty, Abbotsford, BC

We certainly have to find ways to keep our minds sharp and positive as often as possible when we are out there. I use a visualization technique when I have a negative thought while running where I essentially take that negative thought, imagine it on a piece of paper, crumple the paper in my hand, and blow it away into the wind. It’s funny to write down, but it works for me! I’m generally able to move on and get my head back into the run. I’m able to practice this technique during big races or training runs. Gail Mackay makes sure to train on grounds that will be familiar come race day:

“Training miles on similar terrain using the kit you will use on race day and test out fuelling options so that on race day, everything feels familiar and there are no surprises.” - Gail Mackay

Bring more food than you think you’ll need for longer training runs. Not much worse than bonking ten km away from your way home, as the sun is setting and you’ve already been out too late so you have to hobble back, when an extra snack could have kept you running the whole way. It’s a mistake I’ve made more times than I’d like to admit. - Chris Shier

“Music for training runs! Or something else to keep you entertained/motivated. I make really good playlists (in my opinion) for long runs and zone out to the songs. It helps make the run fun, especially on long solo road runs!! Podcasts work too, I just prefer music to get me moving.” - Sheryl Zornes, Sidney, BC

By "joining" the ultra side of running, be prepared to start the toughest but most rewarding journey of your life. - Francisco, Portugal

“The jump from a marathon to a 50k is just shy of 8 km but don’t take it lightly. The last few kilometres will make or break you, so you need to prepare yourself mentally for that (as well as physically).” - Jeannine Avelino

Respect the distance! Ultras can do a lot of damage to your body if you don’t prepare for it with consistent strength training and solid mileage. Grit and a purpose can only take you so far without backing it up with the training. - Brittany Edmiston, Arizona

“Run an ultra with a running buddy. Use those many running hours to catch up on life topics/goals and to take your mind away from the pain in the last few kilometers of your race. Encourage each other to cross the finish line together.” - Luciana Ellis, Burnaby, BC

Join a running group! I'm quite introverted and get anxious meeting new people. It was a huge deal for my friend to drag me to a running group, but it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Right from the first run. I have made so many like minded friends and it's so much more fun and motivating for training and races to have people to run with. You can usually convince a few of those people to do crazy things with you, like run for 50 Kms. - Sheryl Zornes

“I’m 57 and started properly running about a year ago, although I've completed several hiking ultras in the past. I completed 3 ultras in 2021 between 50-100km and 6 marathons. Age is not a problem. For me, most important is adequate training, especially for the long term stress: don’t count the miles but the hours you spend training. And don’t worry about the speed either, you’ll get there. During those long training sessions you learn to feel what is the right speed for you.” - Harry Järn, Helsinki, Finland

Remember that the race day is just the culmination of the journey and every day of training leads up to that moment. Your training means more than the race, and while things will get in the way, and you may not even make it to your race day, your training is the journey to appreciate and be proud of. - Solana Green, Squamish BC

Success on race day is more likely if you have consistently embraced training. Being ready for race day both physically and mentally will obviously give you the best chance to succeed. I like to aim to be consistent in my training and also let myself off the hook when necessary. Nobody is perfect and it’s OK to realize you are included in this. This sort of mind frame helped me get to race day in a positive state, and that’s so important because you never know what will happen on race day! Sandra Louie mentioned this as well, and likes to break down her races, even more, to stay positive:

“Don't focus on the final distance but on getting to each aid station 😜 It's fine to have time goals and performance goals but just know that anything can happen on race day and you just have to go with the challenges and curves that come. Pay attention to your body and your gut feeling” - Sandra Louie, Burnaby BC

Figure out what makes you laugh, and use that during an ultra. You will hit low points, and they will pass. If you can think of something that makes you laugh during a low spot, it might at least make you smile, and help you start feeling better quicker. Biggest thing to always remember is to have fun out there! - Charlotte Wales

“Have fun and not have expectations/time goals (other than finishing!) for your first time. You don’t know how your body or mind will respond, so don’t put added pressure. Embrace the experience, talk to people, make friends, don’t take yourself seriously, and just breathe in all the moments - good or bad.” - Solana Green

There will be times where things get tough but having a positive attitude and supporting others throughout the race will make things more memorable no matter how the race goes performance-wise! - Justin Yan

“Stay far away from threshold pace, it is not a road race! Early in the race conserve energy and don’t overdo it.” - Nick Beckmann, U.S.A.

Focus on you. It’s the only thing you can control. - Greg Wingo

“Pace yourself accordingly, stay hydrated.” - Rethabile Qekisi, Soweto, South Africa

Smile at and thank your crew and the volunteers at the aid stations. Positivity breeds positivity and facial expressions can affect mood. You smile at them, they smile at you. Smiling makes you feel happier. It's a win-win! Invest in your overall experience of running an ultra by depositing some smiles with the aid station volunteers and your crew. - Scott Snell

“Nutrition and energy conservation are the most important when running an ultra.” - Tony, U.S.A.

If you can't have someone there with you at an aid station, try and have notes from family/friends/loved ones to help motivate you, cause it's gonna get hard! - Kathy MacRae

“Plan nutrition carefully. Stay slow. Speed up when you know you have the distance secured.” - Martin López, Wolverhampton, England

During the ultra, three things: hydrate, eat/energy, ibuprofen. I use ibuprofen to keep my stiffening knees going. Was first advised by a sports doctor in Hong Kong back in 2002 when training for 70 km mountain hike race, Lantau Trail. - Harry Järn, Helsinki, Finland

“Welcome the hurt. Embrace the feeling of being uncomfortable. Acknowledge it. Give it a big hug, knowing NOW is when the work begins!!” - Natasha Wood, Kelowna, BC

Take your time, there is no need to cramp up in a short timeframe. Allow yourself to enjoy the training and improve between events. I know it's so tempting to immediately sign up to the next event, but take a moment to reflect on the past few months before pulling the trigger. - Francesco Di Costanzo

“I learned the hard way never to change up your gear before a big race (bottles instead of a bladder) and trail naps are much more comfortable (and necessary) than they look!” - Patrick, B.C.

Speaking of trail naps…

Take a nap when you start to see a dog face on a rock. Always bring extra toilet paper. - Johnny Lee, Coquitlam, BC

I can’t say I’ve run to the seeing-a-dog-face-on-a-rock point of exhaustion yet, so way to go Johnny! Johnny’s toilet paper tip is perhaps the most basic and smartest thing you can do. You’ll never be disappointed with TP in your pack! A few other random tips runners mentioned, including this gem from Anna about choosing a goal race:

Plan an A, B and C race. Sometimes races sell out in a matter of minutes. You don’t want to be scrambling to research and find another one. Be prepared. Know the races you’d be up for. Know registration dates, registration fees and any hidden costs (travel, lodging etc.) of each. If you have a few races to choose from, you’ll be much happier going into registration knowing the pressure is off. - Anna Razzell

“Your body can do a lot more than your brain lets you think! You can do whatever you put your mind to. It may seem insane, but isn’t all of this ultra stuff insane in some way?!” - Steve Martens

When you’ve completed your first ultra, shout it from the mountain top! Tell people your story, be proud of yourself because what you’ve accomplished is amazing! - Natasha Wood

Not a tip really, just an observation made by a friend of mine: the good thing about ultras being so long is that there is plenty of time for conditions to improve (it may be raining here now, but 10 miles down the road the sun will be out). - Gail Mackay

“Jorts are a lot more comfortable to wear than most people think.” - Alan Mijinke

Speaking of jorts…

Pack a mini tube of anti-chafe (like Squirrels nut butter) because sometimes you don't know what will happen at a new distance until you are there. - Jenny Quilty

No one will ever be upset they didn’t chafe while they were running, so chuck that in your pack with the toilet paper, and you’ll never truly feel shit out of luck…

Some really great tips that I was so happy to get to go through. I’m super grateful to all of the runners for taking the time to participate! I’d love to hear from you if you have any more tips of your own, comment below!