So you’re stepping up in distance. Perhaps you’re preparing for a 100 km, a 100 miler, or even a gnarly 50 km can have you on your feet for the better part of a day. Jumping up decidedly into the unknown can be intimidating, but we’ve got experts on hand to dive into many of the most common concerns when it comes to taking the leap for the first time. 

If you’ve trained for a road marathon before you’ll likely have run close to the race distance in training. For the 26.2 mile race it’s not uncommon to run 20, 22 or even 24 miles prior to race day. As the distance goes up or your expected “time on feet” increases beyond a few hours, you’re probably beginning to wonder about your long runs, you can’t possibly be expected to do a 40 mile training run… right? 

In order to answer these questions and prepare your mind and body to handle longer races, we’ve enlisted the help of two coaches, Freetrail’s own Hannah Allgood, and Jess Schnier of Smiles & Miles Coaching.

How Long Should My Long Run Be?

When you’re preparing for a race that could last anywhere from 5 to 40 hours or more, you know you need to log some decent long runs in training, but how long is long enough? As always, it depends! And instead of any one single run, Jess and Hannah prioritize athletes’ total weekly and cumulative training volume.

Jess: “A general guideline is that at a minimum, during their highest volume training period, an athlete should run 9 hours per week for 6 weeks, starting 9 weeks before the goal race for a 100 kilometer or 100 mile event. Ideally, most athletes are running a bit more than this weekly volume during their peak weeks for these distances, but the race can be done if they are hitting these minimums. No singular long run or long runs can indicate success at one of these events – it’s the consistent training volume each week throughout the training block that most benefits an athlete.”

Hannah: “For a newer runner that is aiming for a 100 kilometer or 100 mile distance, it is most important to gradually build up your training volume and training intensity! As well as looking at the specific race distance, it is also very important to assess the vertical gain of the course to help gauge the amount of time on feet or miles necessary to train; the terrain will dictate your expected time on feet on race day.

When thinking about long runs, it’s important to have accumulated several hours on feet for these training runs, across terrain that simulates the race course as well as possible. Everyone’s longest run will vary based on their fitness levels and skills. Utilizing back to back long run days can help increase volume and help prepare you for a longer race day!”

Both Jess and Hannah acknowledge the importance of training on similar terrain to what you’ll see on race day, as well as using your training runs to test your gear (including shoes), hydration systems, equipment (like poles) and clothing.

Feel the relief wash over you when you see that neither Hannah nor Jess recommend running your race distance in training! Phew, no 100 kilometer training runs! 

Overcoming Self-Doubt

Without covering near the race distance or duration in training, oftentimes not even half the time your race will take, doubting your physical capabilities is perfectly normal. Confidence is often tied to our personal experience or watching friends and training partners meet their goals. Both coaches, Jess and Hannah, have advice to ease your doubt.

Jess: “We adapt to the cumulative stress of training, not just the duration of individual runs. While one’s longest run might be just a small portion of what we do on race day, it’s the combination of weekly mileage, back-to-back long runs, and overall consistency in training that builds the fitness you need to be successful on race day.”

Hannah: “It is important to remember that through training the goal of your long run is not to match the distance of your race, but rather to build up the necessary endurance and mental toughness for the race itself.”

Training the Mind to go the Distance

Sure, adequate physical training is required to finish any race, but just as important for the longer distances, is preparing the mind for what’s to come. Training your mind in the weeks to months leading in, then leaning on these mental strategies come race day, can be the difference between a successful finish and the dreaded DNF (Did Not Finish).

Hannah: “Mental preparation and toughness is key for ultramarathons. You can continue to improve your mental toughness throughout your training block with positive self-talk, visualization, and managing discomfort. Improving these skills will help immensely on race day!”

Jess: “No matter how prepared you are, mentally and physically, for these distances, they will always feel long and a little daunting. Tips for training the mind include: practicing staying present and using positive self-talk during your long training runs; developing mantras to use when things get tough; and visualizing success and preparing for challenges you might face. On race day, chunk the distance down into smaller, manageable segments, such as reaching the next aid station or seeing your crew, rather than covering the entire race distance.”

Pacing Ultramarathons: How to Keep Your Effort in Check

Without having covered your race distance or duration in training, you’re probably wondering about how to pace yourself.

Jess: “Training and racing ultras should primarily be based on Race of Perceived Exertion (RPE). Use your RPE as a guide to determine your pacing strategy throughout, and always be willing to adjust. It’s important to adjust your pacing based on terrain, weather, and how you’re feeling on the day. Training runs can help you gauge what different paces feel like over varying distances, but the key is to start conservatively in these races, too.”

Coach Hannah also suggests using RPE to pace your race, allowing “you to adjust your pace based on terrain (uphill/downhill), weather, and how well your body is responding in a given moment”. And she reiterated the importance of practicing pacing and dialing into RPE during training.   

Hannah: “It is also vital to try to simulate race conditions within training which will allow you to improve your ability to pace and how you respond to various conditions. Pacing an ultramarathons can be challenging at first, but you will continue to improve with practice! Be patient, stay consistent with your training, and trust the process!”

Night Running: To Do or Not to Do?

Depending on the race start time and your anticipated finish time, running through the night might be another concern. How do you prepare for this in training without sacrificing our most precious commodity, sleep?

Jess: “Practicing some running in the dark is important, primarily to make sure you have an adequate lighting system and get used to the footing required for running in the dark on trails. However, I don’t necessarily want an athlete doing an entire long run in the dark mainly because it is going to negatively affect their sleep in a way that will hinder them more than help them. With a few shorter practice runs and an adequate lighting system, athletes can be well prepared on that front without a major detriment to their sleep schedules!”

Hannah: “If you are planning to run an event throughout the night, night running, even shorter ones, is a valuable tool! It is important to get comfortable running at night with a headlamp or a waist belt due to the reduced overall visibility and altered depth perception of the trails. Running at night will also help make sure that you have the correct gear/equipment and that everything is working well so that you do not have to make adjustments on race day!

When training at night, make sure to wear reflective gear, starting on a trail that you know well, inform someone of your training plans or even run with a training partner!”

Fueling and Race Day Mindset

You’re training your legs, you’re training your mind, but are you training your gut? Unsurprisingly, another key aspect to successful training and race days is to appropriately fuel during and outside of your workouts. It’s important to dial in a fueling and hydration plan for race day during the build up, as well as helping you recover well so that you can tackle tomorrow’s training. Make sure to experiment with different gels, foods, and hydration options to have a plan for each scenario of a race!

Jess: “Your fueling strategy is the most important pillar in addition to the training for these events. Practice your fueling and hydration plan throughout your entire training block and test a lot of things to see what works for you.”

Running into the unknown requires a strong mind and body, yet no matter how many miles you log in training, or how dialed in your nutrition is, some pre-race apprehension and anxiety is normal. Here’s coach Jess with a final note on race day mindset:

Jess: “Ultrarunning is just as much a mental test as much as a physical one – these races rarely go entirely as planned, so being able to adjust your strategy on the fly is a key skill. Cultivate a mindset that embraces the unexpected and views challenges as part of the experience, trust your training and believe in yourself that you can do hard things!”

As you’ve read, training for a road marathon is a lot like a science, while training for an ultra is a bit more like an art with a lot of science incorporated in. Sure, long runs are important, but it’s your cumulative body of consistent physical and mental training that’ll set you up for race day success. And when you stand on that startline, you’ve got to believe in your ability to make it to the finish.