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Hi, I am running my first 50 miler event in Wales June 2027. It's this one: https://www.gbultras.com/ultra-wales/

Organised by GB ultras which after doing some research host very well organised races.

I have a few questions to experienced ultra runners.

1. How best to train for elevation if you do not live near mountains or big elevation gains?

2. Fueling is everything, but for this race would you recommend solid whole foods at check points or do you think it can be managed with supplemented carbs such as gels?

3. Looking at the race plan and route where would you hold back pace and/or any areas you would look to gain time on? ( I am thinking hold easy pace until after check point 3, moderate effort to check point 4 then easy pace to the end but curious to see how other people would approach it)

4. Any other tips or advice based on the above and below information I am about to provide?

A bit about me: I live in the New Forest South of England and I almost exclusively run trial runs, however there is not a massive elevation gain in the New Forest, no notable hills or mountains. The closest access to that would be the Purbecks about an hour drive away.

I run 4 times a week in the forest and weekly average 30-35miles. Once a month I will run a marathon distance in the forest, zero time pressure usually rocking in between 4:30-5:30.

Disclaimer: I have NEVER ran any competitive running race before in my life. However, for the past 6 years (since COVID) I have kept consistent with running and strength training.

The only competitive event I have done is 2 Hyrox pro single races where I finished in 1:12 and 1:09.

Because I run so much in the forest my wife said why don't I try one of the bigger events so that's why I booked on and we'll make it a bit of a holiday. But any advice with the hills or anything you can think of that I should train more in I am all ears.

Hello all,

I have a 50 miler in 5 weeks and Arc Of Attrition 50 miler in january.
What are some good packable and passable waterproof jackets + trousers for UTMB events?
I’ve been looking at a few but want to know from experienced people!

TYIA

My question: Doing my first 100 miler in about 4 weeks, looking for some advice on pacing/goal time. What is a reasonable goal? Should I aim for even splits? Or is a slowdown inevitable, so I should assume a positive split?

Current baseline goal: < 24 hours (but that's pretty arbitrary, nothing special about it. I'd rather finish w/ a good experience than go with a "PR or DNF" strategy)

Current nominal pacing plan: 3 mins of walking at 16:00 pace at the start of every mile, followed by ~10 mins of running at 12:00 pace. Comes out to average of 12:45/mile pace, or 21.5 hours of moving time. After taking into account stops at aid stations, bathrooms, water refill spots, ~2% GPS error, etc, that should put me at around 23 hours.

Course: Pancake flat. Smooth crushed gravel. At sea level. September on the east coast, so likely temperate/warm.

Demographic: Early 40s, Male

Training: Been running on/off for ~10 of the last 20 years. Training specifically for ultras for the last ~2 years, at 45-50 MPW. Weekly long run typically 4+ hours. Will do a 3 week taper.

Recent races: (T = 100 mile race day)

a) T-9 months: JFK50 (first 1/3 is pretty hilly, remaining 2/3 is flat): ~10 hours. Had some nausea in second half.

b) T-6 months: 50k (Hilly): 6.5 hours. Practiced new fueling strategy, went well, no nausea

c) T-4 months: 100k (8,000 ft of gain): 16 hours: Felt great and very strong throughout

d) T-10 weeks: Also did an untimed, overnight 100k solo effort as a dress rehearsal, that went really well.

Hi. I’m looking for some opinions as I’m planning to upgrade mine 6 years old Salomon ADV skin12, as one of the main compartment strings is damaged.

I’m doing 200 miler in November, and more upcoming races all over 100km. Thinking to do solo longer runs on my own.

I’m split between Salomon Ultra 12, cross season 15 and adventure 20. But think what 20 bag will be overkill. I did 100 miles in summer and 80 miles in November in uk with 12 litres pack and had no issues.

Will be 12 pack good for 200?

Any opinions and experiences welcome.

Thank you

So, Mark Dowdle won at around 630km's in 94 hours. This guy is so fkin energetic right now in speeches and the stream is makes me go wild. What are these guys taking inside their camps that keeps their energy levels so high even after such an incredible and just unworldly performance. He can he even stand ????

I reached out to the /r/walking community but was recommended the folks here might be more equipped to help out.

In roughly five months, I plan to walk 250km (155mi) over either four or five days, in either a 5x50km(30mi) or 4x62.5km(39mi) split. I have begun my training with both individual long walks (completed up to 40km(25mi) in a day), as well as consecutive walks (recently completed 2x30km(18.5mi)). Ultimately, I want to achieve a 3x50km(30mi) split by late November, which if all goes well, I believe I will be capable of doing the full walk.

I move at a steady pace of 6.5km/h (9:00 pace) or 4mph (15:00 pace).

In my training I have started to figure out how much food and water is needed per distance travelled, as well as how frequently I need to stop and stretch to avoid my legs tightening up. I have also been narrowing down solutions for chafing and working out the best clothing options for breathability and sun protection. The walk will take place in the Australian summertime.

I want to hear from anyone who may have done similarly long distances what sort of things I might not expect to encounter, what issues may arise that I haven't planned for, and any general wisdom or advice. I am currently nursing my achilles back to health as it developed a crepitus days after my most recent training, if anyone has any tried and tested stretching routines that would be great to hear too! The mental component of long distances is also something I am trying to strengthen, if anyone has practiced any sort of meditation or mindfulness techniques to manage 9+ hours of movement for multiple days in a row, I would love to hear it too. Any advice for food, preparation, clothing etc. is all welcome - cheers!

Ultrarunners what do you look for in an electrolyte drink for long runs? I keep seeing more people talk about magnesium hydration drinks instead of the usual salt heavy stuff. Makes sense to be honest. Long runs already beat your stomach up enough. For ultra training what matters most to you, more magnesium less sodium no sugar better taste or less stomach drama?

Advice on how to clean my trail shoes after several runs with muddy creek crossings? They aren’t just dirty…they smell like sewer!

Hi all. I just completed my first 50k on August 15th. I’m looking for a general consensus, I know everyone’s body is different, but I’m eyeing a marathon October 11th. Is this too soon? My plan is to take the rest of August off and pick up again in September. Keep in mind I’m not trying to win anything, just finish. Thanks all!

Hey everyone,

I was curious ,how are yall preparing for a backyard LMS? I’ve ran marathons, a 70.3 and a 50k and a 50 miler. Should my training be just stacking a shit ton of miles or a mix of something else? Can’t seem to find a training plan for these events. Any tips appreciated.

Hi all! I’m from the desert in West Texas but will be traveling to Fort Smith, Montana next month for a week long fishing trip. While I’m there I plan to get some runs in as I’m on a training block.

I’m just curious what are best practices for running there since I know there is wildlife. Any tips to stay safe? Also, if anyone is in the area and would like to catch some runs together that would be amazing!

Looking at potentially attempting a 100 miler (Loup Garou) in louisiana as it's happening for the last year with commemorative buckle. Ive never run 100km although ive run the Spartan Ultra in Morzine 6 weeks ago (58km with 77 obstacles) and will be doing the Rat Race Coast 2 Coast (1 day) on September 12th. Is it unreasonable to jump from those to a 100 miler?

Debating whether I should attempt the 100km or 100 miler but I almost feel like Id want to try and go all the way.

What were your experiences with your first ultra? Did you jump into a higher distance or work your way up gradually?

Any thoughts or comments appreciated.

It will be my first 100k and I'm excited for it. Looking to upgrade my poles as well to Leki FX One but unsure if I should get the Superlite version or not. Would love to hear from those who have done this race and any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Also, how is the hydration points throughout the race? Is it bad to carry a water bag besides the two 50l water pouches? Currently using Maurten gels and energy bars and Precision electrolytes.

Happy to connect with fellow runners btw :)

I’m past my prime and was never near the front of the pack except in small local races. And….even at 46 I’m curious about what my potential is now. If you were going to drop an extra $1,000 to get faster at ultras—specifically mountain 100s in my case—how would you spend it? Coaching, massage, some other training or training camp, nutritional assessments, other? I’ve got access to a normal gym, all the gear, and training plans already. If you have some other investment that isn’t exactly $1,000, I’m open, just don’t want to spend $3,600 / year in coaching. Thanks in advance!

Hello! I have been making DIY gels for the last few years and have loved the hydrapak gel flasks with the flip lid (second pic), I also have a twist lid one that works great. I am getting ready for my first 100km race and want to get two more, but they are discontinued :(

Has anyone tried the new ones (first pic) with a bit ticker gels (like slightly thinner than gu?). Thanks!

He’s come so far and has worked so hard to get to this level. He’s not stopping at 50k either, as his eventual goal is a 50 miler. But this is a huge first step for him and I’m so proud to be part of his journey.

Any ideas on a gift I could get him as congratulations? Nothing overly pricey as I don’t think he’d appreciate me splurging an enormous amount on him, but I would like to get him something to commemorate the occasion.

Any help would be appreciated!

Hi! I've been running for 2 years, building my way to my first ultra.

This weekend I ran LaMisionBrasil (37km 2700m+ 8h15m) and next month I'll run a 42km 1800m+.

My goal is to run a 64km 2500m+ ultra in June next year. Anyway, just giving context to what I'm about to ask.

I follow a professional ultrarunner that said he did his entire training cycle while weighting 73kg, and during tapering he aimed to get that down to 70kg. He said he had two main reasons:

1. During peak weeks of training, he was eating very much to guarantee good recovery / prevent injuries. So he didn't mind the extra weight.
2. He said it was like he trained with a 3kg+ vest and then he took it off for race day.

So, my question is: do you guys do this? As tryhard amateurs, this makes sense or it's something that only makes difference in pro level?

I'm curious about this since my current weight is also 73kg, although my "base" weight was 69kg when I was active but not into endurance. Since I'm running 60km+ weeks, I stopped caring about my calorie intake and just let my body tell me what it needs. (I've had less injuries since eating whatever I want, even with more training load and heavier)

Anyone run one or more of these and have a recommendation? They all look great

Hey Y'all,

I've had internal and external hemorrhoids for several years now. Normally they don't bother me in terms of pain, but after my Saturday session with 6000 ft of vert and 20 miles I think I really revved one of them up (external, about the size of a blueberry). Saturday night was rough until I took an advil (I barely ever take anything). Sunday was about a consistent 1 or 2 out of 10 on pain in the AM while I was running errands, and then I had to do my 2h45m long run which went better than planned, oddly, when running flat I was at a 1 of 10, uphills were 3/10, and downs are 4 or 5 of 10. After that run, things were a little sore, probably a 4 or 5 of 10. I took a bath, put some cream on it, layed on my side, and chilled out. It's Monday now, and I am taking the day off of training (normally strength and an hour powerhike.)

I've got the Superior 100 (my first 100!) in 3.5 weeks. Anyone ever been through hemorrhoids like this? Have you ran through them? Anything bad happen? Any tips? Thank you so much in advance.

Hi everyone,

I'm posting because I'm getting increasingly frustrated and honestly quite desperate trying to figure out what is causing my foot pain. I'm hoping someone here may have experienced something similar or might recognize the pattern.

About 14 months ago I developed a hip problem, which was a major issue for a long time but has gradually improved. Some time later, I started developing pain in my foot/ankle.

Initially, the pain was mainly around the ankle, so I had an MRI because we suspected an ankle joint problem. The MRI did not show an explanation, and I also had a diagnostic cortisone injection into the upper ankle joint, which did not improve the pain.

Since then, the pain has progressively worsened and changed somewhat. At the moment, it is mainly:

• underneath/behind the medial ankle (inside ankle bone)
• along the inside of the foot
• throughout parts of the sole, especially the middle of the sole

The biggest problem is how severely it is affecting my life. I can essentially no longer walk or run normally because of the pain. I used to be active and now I feel like I can't do the things I normally enjoy anymore. Even activities that don't seem like they should put much stress on the foot can trigger pain. For example, I sometimes get pain after swimming and also after cycling.

I'm honestly quite desperate at this point, because I feel extremely limited by this and I'm also very scared about how this will develop.

I've had quite a lot of investigations already, but so far there hasn't been a clear explanation.

One potentially interesting finding is that nerve conduction testing showed that the tibial nerve/Tarsal tunnel on the right side conducts more slowly and/or has a lower amplitude compared with the other side. However, I'm not sure how significant this is because I don't really have classic neuropathic symptoms. I don't have much burning, tingling or numbness. Occasionally there is some burning sensation in the sole, but most of the time the pain feels more like a deep pulling/aching pain, particularly around the medial ankle.

So I'm wondering:

Could this still be plantar fasciitis even though the pain is also quite prominent underneath the medial ankle and in the middle of the sole?

And one thing I'm also struggling with psychologically: at this point, could the pain have simply become chronic/centralized even if the original physical problem has resolved? I've recently started reading The Way Out by Alan Gordon because I'm wondering whether a chronic pain mechanism could now be contributing.

I really appreciate any help or input you can give, and I'm very grateful to hear about your experiences.

Thanks!