In the modern-day era of fast food binge-eating and broadening waistlines, completing a marathon is pretty much an accomplishment. All things considered, the ability of battling through 26 miles or so without the need of keeling over short of the finish line is just about outstanding, correct? However, there are a group of people called “ultrarunners” who look at the traditional marathon as just a warm-up.
Ultrarunning is the long distance running sport that has taken shape around ultra-distance races. It is typically a race that involves more than 26 miles. The usual races begin at 50K or 31 miles but it can span up to 100 miles long. It is mostly done on highway roads, trail tracks, and country places. Because of its fame, there are at least 70,000 people who participate in ultra races every year. Those who are fans of this sport may agree that the most challenging race ever was the Badwater Ultramarathon where athletes climb 19,000 feet over 135 miles long. This contest was held in the Sahara desert where the competitors fight off the sand and choking heat while carrying their camping gear in a span of seven days.
If you want to enter the ultra marathon races, then you have to give yourself at least three months to prepare. Your most immediate line of action is to lose some pounds. You still have to carry you own gear so it is best to lose some extra pounds to make way for that. Without those extra pounds, you will find it easier to train harder.
Have at least one back-to-back long run in a week. Estimate your time for finishing the ultra and build up to running those total hours over two days. Before joining the marathon, you should have had run the full distance in a minimum of four times.
There are also programs available that give you professional training. You can try to find a Personal Running Coach that will help monitor your progress.
Try to find out which eating habits and nutritional foods work best for your training. A good tip is to start drinking water before you get thirsty.
Practice running efficiently with as little motion as possible. It is a good tip to keep your head as still as possible so you don’t exert a lot of effort. Raise your feet as little as necessary.
Find adequate clothes, socks, and shoes for training. Buy multiple pairs for back-ups.
Try to be familiar with the type of terrain you will be racing on. It is also a nice tip to run hills once in a while to increase your endurance.
You do not want to overly exhaust yourself so schedule some recovery days to so you can recharge your body.