You’ve set the alarm, you’ve clicked the buttons, charged the Credit Card and now you’re thinking ‘Holy heck, I’ve got to run an ultramarathon…’
What should you do now?
- Start getting some runs done. Everyone worries about ‘peaking too early’ there’s actually no such thing. The better base of training you have ‘underneath’ you the better off you will be on race day. Consider each training session you get done a coin in the bank and if you keep piling them up you can cash them in on race day.
- Work out what gear works for you. Start buying your compulsory gear OR request items for Christmas.
- Make your training FUN! Plan some ‘B’ races to keep you honest along the way, they’re a great chance to test fitness, gear and fueling. Have some adventures. Get out and see some epic stuff.
- Strength train. Sigh. No one wants to, we just want to ruuuuuunnnn. It’ll decrease your chances of injury and increase your speed.
- Test out fueling and hydration. It’s a really tricky one to nail. Do your research, work with someone, trial stuff and enjoy race day.
- Sort your accommodation!
- Start groups, understand what you need to do to be in the right start group. Plan your races around SG qualification.
- Enlist support. Tell your friends, family, co-workers that you are running an ultramarathon in May. When people know they will keep you in check, ask you how your training is going and support you in whichever way they can.
- Do your research, know the terrain that you are racing on, think about places nearby which will simulate that terrain and train on it. If you can get to the Blue Mountains and run sections of the course in training do! It’ll help you come race day.
- Zoom out! Understand that training is also the ‘stuff’ around the running that you do. It’s the rest and recovery, the food you eat, keeping well hydrated.
- Work with professionals, a great physio will help you address any imbalances and keep you running smoothly.