Ultra running is a sport reserved for the gutsiest of athletes. You might not be the strongest, the fastest, or the most technically proficient runner. But if you can push your mind and body to the limit, you might just have what it takes to run extreme long distance. Learn more about the rapidly growing ultra running scene with our training guides and race profiles:
I’m not the strongest. I’m not the fastest. But I’m really good at suffering.
Amelia Boone
ULTRA RUNNING
Ultra Marathon Training 101: How to Become A Successful Ultra Runner
As the famous quote goes: If you want to run, run a mile. If you want to experience a different life, run a marathon. If you want to talk to God, run an ultra.
Training for an ultra-marathon (any race longer than 50K) is a huge undertaking that requires strength, endurance, guts and determination. Are you up for the challenge?
Famous Ultra Marathon Race Profiles
One of the great appeals of ultra distance running is the opportunity to explore routes that you simply wouldn’t encounter in an ordinary race. From the toughest mountains to the most historic trails, every race is a journey. You might start your ultra adventures with an extended road race, but once the bug bites, it’s hard not to become infatuated with the extreme races that dominate the Ultra calendar. Here we profile some of the world’s most infamous Ultra marathons:
Ultra-Trail Du Mont-Blanc: Inside the Grueling UTMB Race
Marathon Des Sables (MdS): The Toughest Race On Earth?
Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra: The World’s Coldest Ultramarathon?
Spartathlon Race Guide: The Historic Ultra from Athens to Sparta
Tunnel Ultra: Is This The World’s Cruellest Ultra Marathon?
What Makes The Badwater 135 So Hard?
Why Is The Barkley Marathons So Hard?
15 Hardest Ultra Marathons in the World
“Endurance races are a microcosm of life; you’re high, you’re low, in the race, out of the race, crushing it, getting crushed, managing fears, rewriting stories.”
— Travis Macy, author of The Ultra Mindset
Travis Macy summited glacial peaks in the French Alps, rappelled into vast limestone caves in China, and ran through parched deserts in Utah. Most famously, he won one of the country's marquee ultra-distance events: Leadman. This book passes on his 8 core principles for success.
Tips and Inspiration for Ultra Distance Runners
One of the things you have to possess (in abundance!) to become an ultra runner is motivation. It’s not possible to run these extreme long distances without a burning desire to prove something… or feel something. Here we bring you a collection of tips, inspirational stories and unique insights in to what it takes to become an ultra distance runner.
15 Ultra Marathon Mistakes To Avoid
Ultramarathon Training 101: How to Become A Successful Ultra Distance Runner
Tarahumara Runners: 5 Key Traits of The Ultra-Running Tribe
5 Best Ultra Running Books: Our Top Picks
Get Started On Your Ultra Journey
It goes without saying… the journey from novice runner to ultra runner is long and arduous. If you are captivated by the idea of completing a monster 100KM trail race, but you haven’t yet run a Half Marathon, there are milestones you will need to check off before you are ready.
Every journey starts with a single step. Browse through our introductory guides to cover your bases and prep for the journey ahead!
GET IN SHAPE TO RUN LONGER
Your body has to be primed before it can handle extreme long distances. Don’t try and Forrest Gump it!
Nutrition for runners
Learn how to fuel your body for those draining long runs. Here’s what runners need to know about nutrition.
injury AND Recovery
Every ultra runner has to confront injury. It’s a rites of passage. Here’s how you can minimise your risk and recover faster.