Ultra running has met a big boom over the past years, from the rise of UTMB races, The Ultra-Trail Du Mont-Blanc, 100-milers, and stage races to your local, long-distance races of 50Ks and 80Ks.
An ultramarathon is a run that covers a distance longer than that of a standard road marathon—therefore, any run longer than 26.2 miles or 42.195 kilometers is an ultramarathon.
No one is saying that running a marathon is easy, but there are some serious differences between the marathon and the ultramarathon that sets them apart and makes them a whole new challenge.
In this guide, we will explore what sets the ultramarathon apart, such as the common longer distances, characteristics, and training. Keep reading to get inspired!
What Are The Typical Distances For Ultra Running Events?
Technically, you could run 26.3 miles and call it an ultramarathon, but that wouldn’t do the discipline justice.
Ultramarathon race distances typically start at 50K, barely 8K over the marathon distance. From there, common race distances jump to 50 miles, 100K, and 100 miles.
Of course, there are races everywhere between those figures, and outrageously, many races go beyond the ‘standard’ 100-milers.
The longest ultramarathon is a 3100-mile race that takes place over 52 days!
Check out our free training plans for common ultramarathon distances:
- 50K Ultra Training Plan
- 50 Mile Ultra Training Plan
- 100K Ultra Training Plan
- 100-Mile Ultra Training Plan
What is an Ultra Marathon Stage Race?
Many of these 100-mile + ultramarathons take place over many days and are called ‘stage races’ or ‘multi-day races’.
During stage races, there are typically prescribed distances, or ‘stages,’ that the athletes must run daily.
Each stage tends to finish wherever the runner will spend the night. This could be a self-sufficient camp or a higher-class setup, such as the Highland Kings Ultramarathon, which ends each day in luxury accommodation.
Famous ultramarathon stage races include:
- The Coastal Challenge
- The Marathon des Sables
- Racingtheplanet’s 4 Deserts Race Series
- The Trans Atlas Marathon
- The Everest Trail Race
Interested in running your own stage race? Check out our Stage Race Handbook.
What is a Time-Based Ultramarathon?
There are ultramarathon races with designated distances, but there are also those defined by a timeframe. There are generally three different time frames used for time-based ultramarathon:
- 6 hours
- 12 hours
- 24 hours
It is common for a time-based ultramarathon to consist of several loops around a shorter course of maybe a few miles. This way, runners can stop to refuel and rehydrate at an aid station at the end of the loop.
What Defines An Ultra Run?
#1: Terrain
While a marathon is typically run on the road, your standard ultramarathon race is part of the trail running sector and will be run in nature—over mountains, on forest trails, or through deserts.
This means that the underfoot surface can be challenging. During a race, it is common to use all four limbs to hoist yourself over a boulder.
Quite often, too, during an ultramarathon, the course will have a significant amount of elevation gain, meaning that much of an ultrarunner race preparation will be spent on the hills.
Of course, there is no one-size-fits-all description of ultramarathon running terrain. There are indeed many races that are completely flat and on tarmac.
For example, the Berlin 100 Mile Ultramarathon, which follows the length of the old Berlin Wall and is entirely flat and paved. Therefore, if you prefer road races, there are ultrarunning events that take place on roads and tracks.
#2: Aid Stations
You can (typically) be sure to find plenty of aid stations during an ultramarathon.
These are supply checkpoints during the route. They supply runners with food and hydration, and there are usually medical personnel there just in case.
They can be as basic as a jug of water and some sweets, but they are all a beacon of light during an ultramarathon.
It is common for ultrarunners to psychologically break up an event into more manageable aid station-sized chunks.
For example, if a 100-mile race has an aid station every ten miles, it is often a good strategy only to think ten miles ahead.
#3: Support Crew
Some ultra races, especially the longer ones, allow runners to bring a support crew on race day.
A support crew is a trusted team of race-day helpers. They are usually made up of running buddies, a significant other, friends, or family.
A support crew’s role is to offer both moral and practical support to their runner. This may mean preempting when the runner may be hungry, or when they may need their bottles refilled.
#4: Pacers
Much like Eluid Kipchoge had a dedicated team of runners keeping him on track for his sub-2-hour marathon, ultra runners are often allowed pacers to keep them on track to the finish line.
A pacer will run alongside the ultrarunner during a chunk of their race, often during a time they know will be a struggle—the 3 AM shift during a 100-miler, for example.
It is the pacer’s job to keep the runner going.
Elite runners might have a pacer to hit a particular pace that they want to achieve, while, for your standard ultra runner, a pacer might be the difference between finishing and dropping out (DNF).
What is Ultra Running’s Effect on Your Body?
What is ultra running if it’s not tough on your body?
What is Ultra Running’s Effect on Your Stomach?
One of the biggest challenges that ultrarunners face during a big race is food-related.
When you cover such big distances, you inevitably have to eat as you go, or you will run out of energy and crash fast.
During an ultramarathon, aid stations offer a wide array of foods, from energy gels and sports drinks to sandwiches, sweets and even pickles!
But eating as you run can lead to unfortunate gastrointestinal issues.
This is because your body does not prioritize digestion as you run. Because of this, blood is often diverted away from your stomach and to your muscles to keep them churning away the miles.
Related: Ultramarathon Nutrition Guide: What to eat before, during, and after an Ultra
What is Ultra Running’s Effect on Your Feet?
Blisters are common due to the challenging terrain associated with ultras—mud, sand, rain—and the sheer number of hours spent on the trails.
Ultrarunners have tried everything to mitigate blisters—from wearing toe socks to investing in wide-toe trail running shoes to slathering anti-chafe cream on their toes. But sometimes, blisters or hot spots are just an inevitability.
What is Ultra Running’s Effect on Your Eyes?
This is a strange side effect of ultrarunning, but if the race is held in windy or dry conditions, the cells that pump a protective liquid layer over your cornea can get damaged,1Hou, D. A., Chia-Yi. (n.d.). What happens to your body during an ultramarathon. Business Insider. Retrieved July 2, 2024, from https://www.businessinsider.com/ultramarathon-marathon-runrace-running-affects-body-health-2019-3?r=US&IR=T leading to blurred or reduced vision.
What is Ultra Running’s Effect on Your Mind?
To run ultra distances you need to train your mind as well as your body.
During ultramarathon training, runners build up their mental strength alongside their physical endurance as the distances get longer.
It is during an ultramarathon when an athlete may have to dig deep into their mental reserves built during training. This is where the famous back-to-back training sessions come in handy. To be able to push through tought times, running on tired legs and a tired mind.
Aside from the mental toughness aspect, ultra distances are quite literally mind-bending.
It is not uncommon for ultramarathon runners to experience hallucinations while running. In fact, for many ultrarunners, these are part of the fun!
Courtney Dauwalter, ultrarunning champion and proud ultra hallucinator, spoke in an interview about some of the things she has hallucinated during an ultra.
Aside from her encounters with pterodactyls and giraffes, she tells the story of a colonial woman churning butter;
“One time I was running along, and next to the trail, a woman was churning butter, like a colonial woman. she wasn’t real, she wasn’t there.”
Why Do People Run Ultramarathons?
Good question. What is ultra running’s pull?
This is obviously very personal, and every ultrarunner has their own reasons. But here are some common ones:
- Making friends– Many people stick around in the ultra community because of the bonds they form. Trail runners are a pretty fun bunch, and being in challenging situations with other people is a solid bonding experience.
- Getting out and about– Ultra running forces you to spend a large chunk of time outside, often in nature. This is bound to make you a happier, calmer person.
- Personal fulfillment- Running an ultramarathon is something you can be seriously proud of. It takes a lot of persistence and hard work. Being able to achieve something previously completely beyond your capacity is incredibly fulfilling.
More On Ultra Running:
Now that you know what an ultra marathon is, the next step is to get to that start line!
Even with access to all of our Free Ultramarathon Training Plans, you may still feel a bit overwhelmed with the concept of an ultramarathon. This is totally normal, so don’t worry!
If you like the idea of running an ultramarathon but are worried about getting injured after some training guidance or wondering how you’ll be able to balance the training with your schedule, we’ve got you.
Our UESCA-certified running coach and ultra-runner Thomas Watson has developed the Ultra Runner’s Playbook online course.
When you enroll, you’ll get access to hours of exclusive video content, downloadable guides, cheat sheets – and direct access to Thomas to ask questions and discuss any issues!
Thank you for the insights! Motivates me to try my first ultramarathon!! The article is very well written too.
Awesome! We’re here to motivate, it’s why we started the site! Good luck with your Ultra journey!
Thomas