n!, where n= number of ultrarunners

The number of different ultrarunning tips is n!, where n= the number of ultrarunners you talk to. This is great when you talk to only three ultrarunners, they'll only give you 3! = 6 different and conflicting bits of advice. Heaven help you if you come across a group of 10 ultra-runners (yes, they do sometimes travel in packs). They will give you 10! = 3.629 million bits of advice - none of it will agree with that of the other nine ultra-runners and most will be self-contradictory.

Really, the best thing is to study widely, read blogs, website's and ask questions in discussion groups. If you have access to them, ask the opinions of athletes you admire. Here are some recommendations:

1. Enjoy the adventure. Your first ultramarathon race will be an incredibly exciting adventure for you. Hopefully, you've picked a race that really gets you inspired and fired up. Your training should reflect this adventure, go for training runs in interesting places and push your body to accomplish amazing things.

2. Do NOT be intimidated. There is nothing magical about the marathon distance. Be prepared to push one step beyond the marathon and you'll open up a whole new vista of running adventures. Most first-time ultramarathoners complete a 50-k run and then step it up to a 50-miler (80K).

3. Train with friends that have similar goals. Learn from them, they'll help keep you sane because they are as crazy as you. Draw on your knowledge from previous marathon events, triathlon, adventure racing to help you prepare for the ultra.

4. Throw away your watch, GPS unit, heart-rate monitor... OK ok, you can keep all that stuff (and use it - if you must). Ultra-running is pretty simple in it's pure essence. It's just running a long way. The reason why I said to throw away all that stuff is to focus you more on your time spent on the trails, not on measures of distance or pace. Learn to listen more to your body and how your energy, level of exertion and the rhythm of your running change as your run progresses. Record the time when you hit the trail and the time when you came back and make an assessment of how your body handled that sustained level of effort.

See the big ol page of resources for more ultra running tips

or, ask Neil Gellatly, the Tarawera Ultra. coach

There you go. Ultramarathons - easy huh?

 

Please feel free to get in touch if you are looking for any training tips, travel plans or just want to talk about a great run you have just had.

Cheers, PC