Here at AAT Events, we are the proud organisers of The Fox Ultra – a circular 62km ultra marathon in the beautiful Surrey Hills. It follows a little-known trail called The Fox Way, and showcases some of the very best views that the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has to offer; from woodlands, grasslands and farmlands to urban and river-side scenery – this event truly has it all.
There are many reasons why someone might want to run an ultra marathon, from the incredible feeling of personal achievement to simply enjoying the time spent outdoors in nature. But undertaking an ultra marathon is a huge feat of effort and you shouldn’t take it lightly. Read on to find out everything you need to know about training for an ultra marathon.
How long does it take to train for an ultramarathon?
Training for an ultra marathon takes a lot of hard work and dedication. It is something you need to make sure you are fully prepared for and that you have the support and time to do it properly. You will need to juggle home life and work life with your training and at some points, you may find that training needs to take priority. This is so that you know, come race day, you’ll be prepared and able to take on the distance without getting ill or injured along the way.
The key to training for an ultra marathon, and deciding how long it takes to train for one, is assessing how much time you’ve spent on your feet as a runner. If you’re new to running, it will take you much longer to train your body for the distance. If you’ve been a dedicated runner for many years and have run half marathons and even marathons before, you could follow a 16-week plan and be ready for an ultra. In general, it’s better to take your time and train properly rather than rushing into it, especially if you want to be able to enjoy the experience.
How many miles a week do ultra runners run?
In order to run an ultra marathon well and without injury or illness, you will need to be clocking at least 50 miles per week in your training. Some ultra runners run 60-70 miles per week, as this will lead to better results and an easier, more enjoyable race day experience.
Of course, this is a huge commitment, so you need to make sure you’re able to take on this kind of mileage in a week. Your weekly long training runs will be upwards of 15 miles, so you need to make sure you have the time each week to be consistent with your training.
Is a 50k an ultramarathon?
Yes, a 50k is an ultramarathon. Technically, any run over the marathon distance of 26.2 miles counts as an ultra marathon – so this means that even a 27-mile run would count as an ultramarathon. The most common ultra marathon distances are 50k (31 miles), 50 miles, 100k (62 miles), and 100 miles.
How do you train for an ultra marathon?
This is the ultimate question! How do you train for an ultra marathon? There are four key elements that you must consider when taking on such a huge commitment: the training itself, nutrition, sleep, and hydration. It doesn’t matter how many miles you run in a week, if you don’t nail all four of these elements, you won’t be able to successfully run an ultra marathon.
Something that many people find difficult when training for an ultra marathon is fuelling enough, as you will burn a lot of calories every week. You could burn anywhere from 5,000-10,000 calories every week just through running, so you need to make sure you’re eating enough to fuel your training. Make sure to prioritise slow-release carbohydrates such as oats and wholewheat pasta, as well as lean protein to keep your body strong and healthy, such as poultry, dairy, or plant-based sources like beans, pulses and legumes.
You will need to do at least 4 runs per week – 80% of your runs should be ‘easy’, that is to say you could hold a conversation throughout. The other 20% should be ‘hard’, such as tempo runs, threshold runs, sprints, or hill intervals. You should also incorporate cross-training, which is anything that isn’t running – cycling and swimming are best. Strength training will keep your body strong and reduce your risk of injury, as well as helping you to power up hills.