Ian Sharman

There are many reasons why athletes take on ultras, whether it’s looking for a new challenge, different terrain or reading an inspirational book. One of the key components underlying all those reasons is the need for adventure, especially in a world of sedentary office jobs. Normal life can seem dull in comparison to traveling to an exotic location, making new friends and doing something genuinely hard. Yet, this year, monotony and frustration with lock-downs has been especially difficult to cope with for our mental and physical well-being.

Odds are that for the really long distances, like 100 miles, almost everyone will need to power-hike at some point during a race. To put it in context, each time I won the Leadville Trail 100, I typically power-hiked around 25 miles

When life or health issues get in the way, one of the hardest choices runners must make is whether or not to run a race. Sometimes it’s for logistical reasons that are out of your control, such as starting a new job or the timing of a new baby. But when it’s due to injury or not being well-prepared, it’s tough to make the right call.

I often get asked if there’s a secret to maintaining consistency. This question usually has the undertone of having your cake and eating it too, i.e. doing excessive training and getting away with it. Yet, it’s a fairly simple formula that I instill in those I coach, as well as in my own racing.

At the end of the year, most of us back off training and allow for a little downtime and reflection, plus, family commitments are especially time consuming (and fun) during the holidays. What should you consider when thinking ahead to next year to allow yourself to keep progressing and improving your running?

I’ll admit I have a bias on this topic, since when I first started running ultras in 2005, I also got hooked on road marathons. However, one thing I noticed was how effectively sub-ultra road races prepared me for many aspects of longer races.

As we get into the middle of summer, many races involve running in severely hot weather. The most experienced runners use several tricks to deal with this, which are most evident at two Californian races renowned for their searing heat—Western States 100 and Badwater 135.

Summertime means the mountains are open for runners and hikers, and the majority of the high alpine races are during this time of year. However, many runners, especially city slickers, don’t have equivalent climbs where they can train. Fortunately, there are ways to prepare for the more mountainous races no matter where you live.

One of the simplest improvements a runner can make to his or her training is to approach every run with a simple question: “What am I trying to achieve today?” It sounds obvious, but it’s all too easy to get caught up aiming for weekly mileage targets for no better reason than because they sound impressive.

Do you find your running mojo runs low sometimes? That every run feels the same and you’re pounding familiar paths again and again? It can be easy to get stuck…

Around the end of the year we all look forward to a little downtime from running. Then after about five minutes, we get itchy feet and want to get right…

No matter what mileage you run per week or how many races you have in a year, it’s helpful to have an off-season, and this is the time of year to consider how to get the most from this phase of training. This article lists some of the advantages of down-time, plus tips for getting the most from it.

One thing I’m frequently asked about is how I incorporate weight vests into training, since it’s a tool I use for myself and for those I coach. It was especially key to my attempt at the 2013 Grand Slam of Ultrarunning, where I ran 100-milers close together and had to get the most out of training while focusing on recovery.

Races can be very useful training arenas as alternatives to solo long runs. There’s certainly a tendency for ultrarunners to race a lot more frequently than the traditional spring and fall marathon, so what’s the best way to incorporate races for training purposes?

Through winter we all struggle to fit in any type of run with less daylight, icy roads and snowy trails. This becomes even more difficult for city dwellers in cold…

At the end of the year most runners think about their plans for the following year, including their target races. This early planning is exacerbated by the number of lotteries…

Ian lays out tactics for optimizing your performance for racing multiple ultras with less than a month between.