Training for a running event of any length is challenging and it’s not true that the longer the event the harder it is. That was one of the first things I noticed about training for my first ultra-marathon last year: I found it less intense than marathon training. A lot of that is down to expectations, though. I’m usually aiming to run a PR when marathon training and do a couple of hard workouts each week, whereas with my first ultra-marathon I was just aiming to finish and enjoy the process as much as possible.
The event I completed was a local one, in Epping Forest, London, where I ran 10 five-mile laps in just over eight hours. Things got pretty dark towards the end of the event, literally and figuratively, though overall I enjoyed the experience. If you’re tackling your first ultra-marathon this year, here are a few things I picked up that are worth knowing.
