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You may still be considering whether or not you want to train for an ultra—or perhaps you’re looking for some reassurance for continuing to do so. While it is unlikely that training for and racing an ultramarathon will be easy throughout, there are many reasons to run an ultra, whether it’s your 1st or 40th.

For starters, if this will be your first ultramarathon, you will experience a journey into the unknown. The ultramarathon represents a new challenge in attempting to run farther than you ever have before. Rest assured that the challenge is both physical and mental. Find out if you have what it takes.

The complicated and unpredictable nature of ultramarathons can, somewhat counterintuitively, help you reconnect with running. Devon Crosby-Helms, winner of the 2008 Vermont 100-miler, suggests, “A good reason to switch from marathons [to ultras] is because in ultras you have to think about more than just splits and ticking off miles at a certain pace. I think it reconnects you with running in a way that marathoning doesn’t.”

Training for and running an ultramarathon is something to get excited about. (Photo by PatitucciPhoto.com)

Training for and racing ultramarathons also connects you with a new group of friends. Most folks who have crossed over from subultradistance road racing have found a tight-knit but welcoming community. Ultrarunners are often eager to share the trail with anyone dipping his or her toe into the ultra world. Not only are these runners welcoming, they are an invaluable resource. Coach Lisa Smith-Batchen suggests to new ultrarunners, “Find a group of people that are already running on the trails so they can help you.” Likewise, if you’re training for a road ultra, find some folks training for one. Don’t worry if you’re already active in a running club or community; many ultrarunners enjoy the company of multiple running groups. Variety is the spice of life, after all!

American runners spend the vast majority of their running miles pounding the pavement. On the other hand, most North American ultramarathons are run on trails, so getting ready for one is a great excuse to get off the pavement and up into the hills. While you’re up there you might just see spectacular things. Scotty Mills, who has run ultras for more than a quarter century, notes, “The advantages of training for trail ultras over road marathons are the beauty of the trails, the shared trail time in remote areas, and the peaceful feeling of training with the mind-set that you can run forever.”

Running an ultra also provides a great break from competitive pressures, while still giving you a goal to shoot for. It’s easy to get caught up in racing when there are 10,000 runners blasting down the course with you. The smaller fields, longer distances, and variable conditions of ultras help shift your competition from others to yourself. Knowing that others are thinking the same way makes this transition all the easier. Plus, if it’s your first ultra, you’ll set a PR no matter how long it takes you to finish! Finally, as Mills points out, “The training and friends you make in ultrarunning are the real payoffs; the race itself can almost be secondary in importance.”

In attempting to do what so few people have done, you may end up inspiring yourself. “The mind is a very powerful thing, and it’s generally the only thing standing between you and something incredible. You can always do more than you think you can,” suggests ultra-convert Paige Troelstrup. In a similar vein, Leadville Trail 100-mile founder Ken Choulber is often heard reminding runners, “You’re tougher than you think you are, and you can do more than you think you can.” Go find out if Ken is right!

How to Use This Book to Run an Ultramarathon

Whatever your reasons, you’ve come to this book in search of guidance for running an ultramarathon, perhaps your first—and that is what you’ll find. This book begins by providing a basic framework for ultramarathon training. Following this foundation, you will