Ultra marathon

An ultra is any race longer than a marathon: 50 km, 100 km, 100 miles, often on trails with thousands of metres of climbing. The goal is lasting, not speed.

• Start from a solid base, ideally a marathon already run, and build over 16 to 24 weeks, often 50 to 100 km a week, with climbing for a trail.
• Back-to-back long runs (say 3 h Saturday, 2 h Sunday) teach you to run on tired legs.
• Walk the steep climbs from the start: brisk hiking, with poles where allowed, saves your legs.
• Eat from the first hour: 40 to 90 g of carbohydrate per hour, sweet and salty, tested in training.

Check the mandatory kit (headlamp, waterproof jacket, survival blanket, water) and start slower than you think.