The Barefoot Running Book - Jason Robillard [37]
The length of an Ultramarathon is officially any distance greater than the standard 26.2 mile (42.195K) marathon and include 50K, 50-mile, 100K, and 100-mile distances. It is entirely possible to reach these distances both in minimalist shoes and barefoot. I fell in love with ultras immediately. The sense of camaraderie among ultrarunners is second to none. If you decide to try these events, some of these ultra tips may be useful.
Training
It is important to train in similar conditions as the race for which you are training. If the race has hills, train on hills. If the trail has a lot of roots and rocks, train on trails with plenty of roots and rocks. This is especially important because you have to allow your feet to acclimate to the unique challenges you will encounter.
When going either barefoot or wearing minimalist shoes, it is important to know the course prior to training runs. If you cannot run the course prior to the race, try to get reports from other barefoot runners.
Train in a range of temperatures you MAY experience on race day by conducting research to determine the hottest, coldest, and average temperatures. Be prepared to use different strategies and wear different clothing depending on the potential conditions.
Weight training really helps, especially with muscle fatigue and recovery time. Ideally, your weight training routine should prepare you for the specific conditions encountered when running long distances. See the chapter on Training Plans (page 121) for specific information on my own training regime.
I’ve found rest and recovery to be the most important components of any training program. Be aware that training takes a toll on your body and rest days are necessary to allow your body to heal. As someone more knowledgeable than myself once said, “Being under-prepared is better than being over-trained.”
Figure out how much you need to drink based on various levels of effort in different weather conditions. I’ve made the mistake of drinking too much in cool weather resulting in lost time urinating excessively. In one particular 50-mile race, I lost nearly an hour due to that.
Practice dealing with issues that may arise (blisters, chafing, nausea, etc.) so you can confront them as they arise during the run. The best way to prepare for these possible problems is to experience them in your training runs. I have purposely avoided using anti-chafing lubrication, ran faster than I should have, and even consumed a large fast-food meal prior to a run in order to artificially create problems that I’ve solved on the fly. Now if I’m presented with those same challenges during a run, I have practiced the solutions.
Test A LOT of different foods, gels, and sport drinks to find what works for you. After the miles start to pile up, you may find some foods more palatable than others. For myself, I enjoy sweet foods early in a race, but cannot tolerate them after about 20 miles. My fail-safe go-to food when all else fails is chia seeds taken with water or diluted wine. It is an odd combination, but works well for me.
Racing
Start slow! The greatest mistake you can make is to start too fast, then bonk later in the race. There are different strategies people use for ultras. Some will run at a slow, steady pace as long as possible while others will schedule regular walking breaks.
Walk all hills. It is a good opportunity to change your stride and help distribute fatigue. Running hills, especially early in a race, is a recipe for disaster.
Eat early and often. Adequate caloric intake will help later in the race. Different runners can tolerate more or less food with the average seeming to be around 250 calories per hour. For myself, in some races I will consume upwards of 450 calories per hour.
Stay adequately hydrated. You should know how much you need to drink based on training. I also use urine frequency and color as a gauge. If I am urinating more than