Relentless Forward Progress_ A Guide to Running Ultramarathons - Bryon Powell [7]
You’ll learn many lessons en route to a successful ultramarathon. These lessons can be slowly and sometimes painfully self-taught through trial and error. This books aims to shorten the learning process and minimize unneeded suffering by instructing you regarding the ins and outs of ultramarathon hydration and nutrition. Even if you consume the correct fluid and fuel to keep you going on the course, injuries and other challenges can be a quick way to a DNF (did not finish), so they are covered, too. You’ll also want the right gear while training and racing, so that’s covered, as well.
Once you have the tools and training, it’s time to attempt your first ultramarathon. Learn how to prepare for race day and how to approach the race itself. In general, the nutrition, required gear, pacing, environmental conditions, and time on your feet for an ultra differ significantly even from a marathon. In fact, environmental conditions, from blistering heat to breath-stealing altitude, are encountered often enough in ultras to warrant a chapter of their own.
Last but not least, this book offers a few options for exploring and then expanding the world of ultramarathons. Ultras are a social phenomenon; chapter 14 touches on various ways for sharing your journey with others, and points out community-based resources. Finally, the afterword examines variations on the ultramarathon theme, including adventure runs, endurance snowshoeing, fast-packing, and stage races.
Ultrarunning elites and subject area experts have weighed in with their advice to help round out the pages of this book. The widely varying contributions are presented in each runner’s own voice from Krissy Moehl’s inspirational essay on why you should run an ultra to Karl King’s technical insight on hydration and electrolyte balance and from David Horton’s decades-long perspective on how to prepare for your first ultra to Dakota Jones’ fresh take on trail stewardship. I trust you will find their thoughts as valuable as I have.
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Why Run an Ultra?
Krissy Moehl
Why run an ultra? Because you are looking for that next challenge? Because you have recently met someone who runs farther on their “training” runs than you would consider even racing and you saw that sparkle in their eyes when they spoke of the trails and the mountains?
How often in life do we have the opportunity to inspire ourselves? Often we look outward, to other individuals and teams, to fill that need for inspiration, whether it be in our work, sport, or daily living. Pushing your physical limits, putting yourself to an unknown challenge is personally inspiring.
It inspires you to get out of bed in the morning and train no matter the weather. It inspires you to learn more about nutrition, training, and equipment to help you accomplish the task. To make it to the starting line is personal inspiration and to pull off the feat is an accomplishment hard to match. You know the time you have dedicated to that end goal, to the finish line. You know the experiences you’ve gained through the process as well as the tough times you endured to make it happen. It is a very personal goal and one that will fulfill a soul.
The energy gained in having a goal, in training for that goal, and reaching that achievement not only grounds your daily life, but also adds meaning and purpose. It creates memories both personal and shared. It brings you into a community no matter where you travel, because runners like you exist all over the world.
I am lucky (I think) to say that my first experiences on the trails were guided by our sport’s greats. They knew I would be a quick convert when, rather than making the comment, “I don’t like to drive my car 100 miles,” upon learning of Scott Jurek’s first Western States win, I instead inquired more about trail running.