This conversation is starting to come up with a lot of my athletes lately as their goal races are creeping closer. No one is going to ask you what time your ultra marathon time was the way they do after a marathon because you just finished a freaking ultra and that’s a long way! In fact, you don’t have to run them at all, you are practically encouraged to walk, even the elites do it.Ĥ. The focus in ultra running is all about enjoyment over pace. You don’t have to go fast, you just have to go forwardįorward motion is forward motion no matter what speed you are going at. Don’t worry, it doesn’t need to be anything fancy and grandiose.ģ.

You will encounter extreme highs and lows so you’re going to need a damn good reason to pick yourself up.

Aside from all the physical training you’ll undergo to finish your first ultra marathon, often half the battle is in your head. This is one of the first things I ask my runners to bring to the start line. Figure out your ‘why’ so you can keep pushing when things get hard I want you to stand on that start line knowing we have worked through even the tiniest of detail to make sure your event is a success.Ģ. I always encourage my runners to focus on the controllables in training and find joy in the journey of getting to the start line. There are so many considerations out on the trails especially if you are running in the mountains. Plan for every eventuality and trust the process Read on to find out the 10 things you wish someone had told you before your first ultra marathon now.ġ.

Or maybe you’ve got your first ultra coming up later this year and want as few tips from someone who has been exactly where you are right now?Īs your running coach, I want you to avoid making the same pitfalls I did. Have you got your sights set on training for your first ultra marathon? Curious about what it takes to step foot into the crazy world of ultra running but have a tonne of questions about how to get started. With over 6 years of ultra running under my belt, I truly wish I’d known a few things sooner about what to expect in those early years because it would have helped avoid getting injured.Īnd more importantly, it meant I would have gotten their so much quicker and more had heaps more fun along the way. When I finished my first ultra marathon back in 2014, I made a boat load of mistakes in getting to the start line of Race to the Stones.

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