Five months after signing up for my first ultra, I crossed the finish line 11 hours, 51 minutes, and 23 seconds after running 50 miles. I’ve been reflecting on what my first ultra has meant in the grand scheme of things, and it’s given me some insight into how ultra marathons are fundamentally different from shorter races I’ve run—even longer triathlons. Here are some things I learned.
Coaching and being coached should be an ongoing, give-and-take relationship. It can give back to everyone in ways far beyond planning workouts and executing a perfect race day. When we invest in each other as people first, there are no limits on the richness that may emerge.
It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of race day, so one of the biggest things trail and ultrarunners can do is prepare themselves in advance for their race day needs, and shift their focus to resting, polishing mental strategies and getting to the line feeling organized, well-rested and confident in their planning and preparation.
Training independently—doing things your way, free of charge—is appealing. You can train more intuitively, like Courtney Dauwalter (who isn’t coached), less beholden to a coach’s workouts that might not fit with your life and all of its stressors. If you decide to coach yourself, here are some suggestions to help you make the most of your training.
Using a training plan is a good investment in yourself and your goals, no matter how large or small. So, where should you start?
Have you strung together a good number of 50k and 50-mile finishes? Do you feel like you are a reasonably capable ultrarunner? Sure you may not be fast and you might not post podium results, but you’re confident running on trails and over long distances, so now it is time to contemplate what some folks call “the golden distance” of ultra running – 100 miles.