You’ve signed up for your first ultramarathon, you’ve been putting in miles, and the big day is coming up soon. But, despite all those miles of training, have you really done everything you need to do to ensure success on race day?
Running is only one part of success in ultras. How you manage the other parts of the race can either make or break your race experience. When I starting doing ultras, these following issues were the ones that usually stood out come race day. Prepare for these, get them right, and you’ll own that ultra.
TEST YOUR GEAR
Think about what you’re going to use on race day. This includes everything from underwear to hydration packs. Shirts, shorts, pants, socks, shoes, headlamps, trekking poles, gaiters, coats, anything. Make sure you’ve tested everything on a run before race day. Little annoyances like a hydration pack hose that is hard to get water from or socks that feel itchy become big problems during a big race like this.
CHAFING, BLISTERS & LUBE
This kind of falls under “Test Your Gear,” but it’s so important it’s worth noting again. A seemingly small issue here can end your race. As you test your gear, are there any friction points? Places where maybe your hydration pack or backpack chafe against your lower back? Or your heel rubs against the back of your sneaker or your foot slides in your shoe? After a while of running, even your arms brushing against your sides can cause chafing.
Prior to the race – and again during it – you will want to lube up generously. Failure to do so leads to unglamorous ultra realities like bleeding nipples and rash-like chafed butt cheeks. Go crazy with the lube, especially those who-ha and thingamajig regions. Yes, it sounds funny. But it will be decidedly unfunny during the race if you don’t heed this advice.
TEST NUTRITION
Test any food or drink you plan to use during the race. That snack or beverage that is usually fine might not sit so well when your stomach is under the stress of a long endurance event. Test that stuff out on long runs to see if you have any problems.
TRAIN MINDSET
Ultras are often a lot more about your mental game than your running game. Train for those mental obstacles. I like to train for boredom (since ultras can be pretty boring). I’ll do long sessions with no headphones, just getting comfortable doing the same thing over and over again and being alone with my thoughts. That’s where mentally you’ll be spending a lot of time, so get used to it.
Also, get your mind used to pushing just a little farther even when you feel destroyed. You can do this with regular workouts; it doesn’t have to be running. Like a seven round workout where you get through three rounds and you feel like you don’t know if you can finish. That’s when mental training happens; breaking big things into small steps, focusing on the one rep in front of you at a time, and plugging away. The more experience you have with that ahead of time, the more likely you are to keep pushing in an ultra.
HAVE A PIT PLAN
If you are doing a loop race instead of a point-to-point (and loop races are great for beginning ultrarunners), it helps to have a game plan for your pit transition. The pit is comfortable and can suck you in. You want a hard deadline to get in, get what you need and do what you need to do, and get out. You’ll want your food and drink organized and easy to access, as well as any additional gear.
