Simply put, an ultramarathon (also referred to as just an “ultra”) is a race of any distance beyond the standard 26.2m/42.2km marathon distance. There is no set distance required as long as it is longer than a regular marathon.

Ultras can indeed be.. ultra. Some go upwards of 100 miles! In this post, we’ll look at the details surrounding this extreme level of competition as well as how people start training for an ultramarathon.

Distance

As said above, ultras have to be longer than 26.2m/42.2km. Most ultramarathon races fit into one of these distances:

• 50 kilometers (approximately 31 miles)

• 50 miles (approximately 80km)

• 100 kilometers (approximately 62 miles)

• 100 miles (approximately 161km)

There are certainly ultras of different lengths, but these distances are the most common. There are even segmented races, in which runners are expected to stop and sleep after each day’s miles. The longest known race of this type is 3,100 miles (4,989km) long!

Trail vs Road

Most ultras are trail races. The long distances, coupled with the smaller field of participants, create circumstances in which plotting out routes on streets becomes difficult. Besides, if you’re going to run for an entire day, you probably want it to happen somewhere with great scenery!

Trail races often have significant elevation gain, as they usually go through mountainous areas. Some of the hardest ultramarathons have so much elevation gain that they can take over 20 hours for the average participant to complete. When you’re researching ultras, be sure to look at both the distance and the elevation gain of the route to determine the level of difficulty.

How to Train

Training plans for ultramarathons look very similar to those for standard marathons: 3 to 4 runs during the week, with a long run on the weekend. As race day gets closer, you’ll need to do back-to-back long runs on both weekend days in order to train your legs to take the brunt of extended mileage while already fatigued.

Always consult a coach and trainer when selecting a plan, but most plans will not get anywhere near the full mileage of your intended distance. Any training plan for a 26.2-mile marathon will get you close to that distance by including at least a couple of 20 mile runs over the course of the training plan. If you are training for a 100-mile race, there will not be any 80 or 90 mile runs on your plan! The goal is just to acclimate your body to running regularly, focusing on form and breathing.

You also need to ensure that your training plan will take elevation gain and trail conditions into account. If you are going to run up and through mountains, you have to include trail work in your plan.

Gear will also be a consideration, as many ultras require you to be self-sufficient for nutrition and water on course. This means that your training has to replicate these processes as closely as possible.