This article was originally published in the February/March 2025 issue of UltraRunning Magazine. Subscribe today for similar features on ultra training, racing and more.
With snow-covered trails across much of the country, winter offers athletes a prime opportunity to shift focus from their usual training routines. Whether through structured indoor workouts on the treadmill or a bike trainer at higher intensities, or by logging aerobic miles on skis, winter provides the perfect chance to explore different exercise modalities.
For many athletes, this phase provides a much-needed mental break from running while introducing new training stimuli. As spring approaches and race season nears, it’s time to transition from general fitness to race-specific training to align with the unique demands of the upcoming races.
Principle of Specificity
The “principle of specificity,” also known as “SAID” (Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands), is a fundamental concept in exercise science that states that the body will adapt in a highly specific manner to the type of training it is exposed to. In other words, the physiological adaptations that occur from exercise are directly related to the specific demands placed on the body.
This principle asserts that to improve performance in a particular activity, the training must closely mimic the specific characteristics of that activity in terms of movement patterns, energy systems and muscle groups used. This is implemented by various sports such as powerlifting and sprinting and team sports such as football, baseball and basketball and of course, endurance activities.
In essence, the principle of specificity means that if an athlete wants to improve performance in a particular sport or event, their training must closely simulate the conditions, skills and energy systems they will encounter during that event.
Transitioning to Specificity
In coaching, I dedicate the final 8–12 weeks before race day to a “race-specific training block,” focusing on the unique demands of the event. For ultramarathons, this means training at lower intensities and higher volumes to replicate the race’s terrain, elevation and conditions as closely as possible.
This involves shifting from high-intensity, low-volume training early in the season to lower-intensity, higher-volume training as race day approaches. The goal is to build endurance for long durations at a sustainable pace. For shorter events like a 5k, the training approach is reversed: start with low-intensity, high-volume training and progressing to high-intensity, low-volume as race day nears. This reflects the principle of specificity, where training matches the event’s specific physiological demands, preparing athletes for the challenges they will face on race day.
Mastering Specificity
Training for a race begins with an understanding of its specific demands. This includes key factors such as race duration, elevation changes, terrain, nutrition, hydration, environmental conditions and required gear. Tailoring your training plan to these variables is essential to ensuring optimal performance on race day.
Duration. The length of the race shapes your training strategy. For shorter, sub-ultra races, the focus is on high-intensity efforts and race-specific speed, targeting both aerobic and anaerobic systems. For longer ultras, such as a 100-mile race, the emphasis shifts to building endurance and durability, requiring slower-paced, longer runs. The goal is to increase mitochondrial density for better aerobic energy production and enhance capillary networks to improve oxygen delivery to muscles. These adaptations help preserve glycogen stores, allowing for a steady pace over long distances. In the final weeks leading to a long ultra, high-intensity training should decrease to prioritize higher volume and race-specific pacing, in line with the principle of specificity. Too much high intensity work close to race day can hinder recovery and adaptation, negatively impacting performance.
Elevation Change and Terrain. Elevation gain and terrain are critical when preparing for a mountainous ultra. Rather than focusing solely on weekly elevation gain targets, a more effective strategy is to aim for the elevation change per mile. For instance, training for the Western States 100 requires simulating its average of 180 feet of gain and 230 feet of loss per mile. In the final 8–12 weeks, replicate this ratio to prepare your body for both uphill and downhill efforts. If replicating this ratio is difficult during weekly runs, focus on hitting it during weekend long runs, where you can more effectively simulate race conditions.
Athletes in flatter areas face challenges when preparing for mountainous ultras. While they may not have access to similar terrain, they can still build a solid foundation through general running fitness, which enhances adaptability and problem-solving skills. Fitness makes everything easier. Athletes who are generally fit are better equipped to handle challenges they haven’t specifically trained for. While it’s ideal to train for every aspect of a race, the reality is that being as fit as possible will provide a significant advantage over being undertrained. If you can’t prepare for every specific demand, focus on building overall fitness—it will help you tackle whatever comes your way on race day. That said, don’t prioritize small details of specificity at the expense of building overall fitness—which is a common mistake.
The best strategy for flatland athletes training for mountain ultras is a 2–3-day training camp in the mountains, ideally 5–8 weeks before race day. Training on similar terrain allows for rapid adaptations, particularly the overload and repetition of downhill running (Shaw et al., 2018). Flatland athletes often miss the eccentric loading needed to build strength for descents, so downhill exposure helps improve muscle resilience and neuromuscular coordination. Additionally, the camp can boost confidence and mental readiness for race day.
Nutrition and Hydration
Nutrition can be periodized to match training load and race goals. As training progresses, adjust caloric intake and macronutrients, especially carbohydrates, to support higher-volume efforts. A key aspect of race prep is gut training, gradually increasing carbohydrate intake during long runs to reduce GI distress on race day. Recommended intake for ultramarathons is 60–90 grams per hour (Tiller, et al., 2019), typically achieved by consuming 20–30 grams every 20 minutes. Start at the lower end and increase as your body adapts.
Hydration is crucial and understanding your sweat rate is key. Weigh yourself without clothing before and after a 1-hour run at race effort to estimate fluid loss per hour. Sweat rate varies with temperature, so test it in different conditions to refine your hydration strategy.
Electrolyte balance, particularly sodium, is essential for hydration. Sodium regulates fluid balance and muscle function. Consider sweat sodium testing, with cost effective tests like Precision Hydration, to assess your sodium loss and tailor your intake to avoid hyponatremia or hypernatremia, ensuring balanced electrolytes and reducing race-ending issues.
The Environment
Hot races like Western States, Javelina and Badwater require preparation for extreme conditions. If training in a similar environment isn’t possible, I recommend a minimum effective dose of heat training to avoid overloading the body and interfering with regular workouts. Research shows that heat exposure sessions (15–30 minutes) in a sauna or hot water immersion 2–3 weeks before the race are effective (Périard et al., 2015). These should be done post-run to maximize adaptation without compromising recovery, but be sure to hydrate regularly to avoid dehydration.
High altitude races, like Leadville or Hardrock, present a different challenge. Altitude tents can help but are costly and disrupt sleep. A more practical strategy is to arrive 10–14 days before race day to allow for initial altitude adaptation. While full adaptation takes several weeks, this timeframe minimizes the risks of acute mountain sickness. Key adaptations at altitude include increased red blood cell production and enhanced mitochondrial efficiency. If arriving early isn’t possible, arrive within 24 hours of race day to reduce the risk of altitude sickness, which peaks in the first 24–48 hours. This approach minimizes immediate risks while giving time to adjust.
Required Gear
All of the considerations mentioned above will influence the gear you choose for your race. It’s essential to incorporate this gear into your training, as it not only provides peace of mind but also helps improve efficiency and allows you to identify and correct issues before race day. If utilizing poles are an option in your race, make sure you practice with them during your training runs. A well-established principle in endurance sports is to never try anything new on race day—this holds true for gear, nutrition and just about everything else. Although we all may have been guilty of ignoring this rule at least once, the best approach is to ensure everything you plan to use on race day is well-tested and dialed in during training. This preparation reduces the risk of discomfort, chafing, injury or gear failure and helps you avoid unnecessary distractions during the race.
Applying the principle of specificity is essential for preparing effectively for race day. As spring approaches, it’s crucial to transition from general fitness to specific training that mimics the demands of your upcoming race. Whether it’s adjusting your training intensity, adapting to terrain or ensuring proper nutrition and hydration, specificity ensures that your body is ready for the unique challenges of race day. If you can’t address every specific demand, focus on building overall fitness—it will help you tackle whatever comes your way. Remember, fitness makes everything better.
References
- Shaw, A. J., Ingham, S., & Folland, J. (2018). The efficacy of downhill running as a method to enhance running economy in trained distance runners. European Journal of Sport Science, 18(5), 630–638.
- Tiller, N., Roberts, J. D., Beasley, L., Chapman, S., Pinto, J. M., Smith, L., … & Antonio, J. (2019). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: nutritional considerations for single-stage ultramarathon training and racing. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 16
- Périard, J. D., Racinais, S., & Sawka, M. N. (2015). Heat acclimation improves performance through physiological adaptations. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 11(6), 333–343.