One of the first challenges many budding (and existing) ultra runners face is which race to do – nowadays there are so many to choose from: look here . An ultra event is very much a personal choice – pick one right for you, your ‘why’ you’re doing it, what you enjoy, what excites you, your experience. It is not about choosing one to impress someone else, or one that has fancy marketing or has been 'recommended' as a bucket list race by an influencer. Hopefully this article will help you choose a good one.
Often the first question is how far: 50k, 50 miles, 100 miles, 200 miles or more.
Main suggestion is don’t over-stretch early on - set the bar low. Choose something that will be an enjoyable challenge for you but is not so hard that there is a good chance of not finishing and denting your confidence or putting you off for life. There is no hurry to complete your iconic bucket list race – you can steadily build up to it. The good events will be there for many many years, and you can run well into your 60s … so you can take your time to progress up the ladder. If you have done a marathon before (42k) a sensible next step might be in the 50k-70k range. If you have done a 50k, a next step might be a 50 miler.
But bear in mind that when thinking about how challenging an event will be for you, it’s not just about distance. There are many other features of a race aside of the distance that can add to the challenge and the time it will take:
- How much ascent is there? 100m ‘vertical’ takes roughly as much time and effort as 1km on the flat. Unless you are used to hills, more than 20m ascent per km might be challenging. If you live in Norfolk, can you get enough hill training in?
- What is the terrain like? Most ultras are off-road but there are many different off-road terrains – boggy hilltops in the Cheviots are much tougher going than a well-groomed forest track. The combination of hilly and rough terrain (and bad weather) can halve the speed you go. Like for ascent, ideally you need to get used to the terrain of the event.
- What might the weather be like? If you choose a winter race the cold, wind, rain, snow and the short daylight hours will not only slow you down but also mean you have to carry more kit. For many hot weather can be equally challenging. In the UK weather is pretty unpredictable (races have been called off in July for wind and rain) but generally the ‘better’ weather is normally between April and September
- How easy is the navigation given your skills levels? Some ultra courses are well marked and easy to follow, others require you to use a GPS device or map and compass to stay on course - here's some advice on navigating an ultra
- Do you like heights? Some races include some exposed parts or scrambles that, if you are not comfortable with, can ruin your day
Like with distance build up to greater challenges. If you have done a flat 50k on even trails on a warm spring day it might be a step too far to do a hilly 50 miler on rough terrain in winter.
Probably there will be many races that are the right level of challenge so how do you choose between them? These are the things we tend to think about:
- There are many many advantages choosing a local race. You can avoid the cost and worry of travel/hotel and the difficulty (and danger) of driving a long way post-race. Also it’s more likely friends can come to support you or pace you. Your friends might have done the race and give you an honest opinion. It’s also easier to recce the course in advance. And your carbon footprint will be less.
- You might choose a race where you can volunteer. This may allow you a free place, but it also gives you a much better feel of the event and what the runners think of it (and you’ll probably have a great day out)
- How much support is provided (or allowed). Some races have well-stocked checkpoints every few miles (particularly races with laps) or you can have support from your own ‘crew’ and a pacer. Other races make a virtue that you need to be self-sufficient for long periods and cannot accept any outside help.
- How tough are the cut-offs. Sometimes it’s difficult to work out whether a cut-off is difficult but % completion rates are a good indicator at how tough the cut-offs might be. More and more races are making sure their races are beginner friendly rather than being just for experienced or fast runners
- The price. Prices for ultras vary massively reflecting the costs involved in running the event. A 50k can vary from £20 to £150 (or more). But when choosing an event don’t just consider the registration fee – also think about other costs like travel/hotel, new kit, need to travel for recce/training
- Are you comfortable with the ethos of the race organiser: is it ethical and environmentally friendly (e.g. no bling, no cups, making it easy to use public transport, responsible sponsors); are they a grassroots organisation or more commercial like UTMB. The grassroots races tend to be smaller and more friendly
- Is it welcoming to me? Most ultras are welcoming but might want to look at what others say or better still people you know. Many events have taken steps to make races more accessible to women
- And one to think about for longer races is whether you can handle the sleep deprivation and running in the dark
- Some races have qualifying standards - check that you can meet them
Quite a lot to think about? But if you are going to invest hours in training and doing the race its worth investing a bit of time in choosing the right race for you. Much of the information (distance, ascent, terrain, support, cut-offs, price) you can find on race websites. For other aspects good to get opinion from others. Be wary of what influencers say (they may be paid). Many races have Facebook communities where you should be able to get unbiassed opinions from regular runners. If you are really stuck drop us a line (info@intoultra.org.uk).
This article was based on a webinar for our runners by Allie Bailey at Ultra Awesome - thanks Allie.
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