It's Time To Run Your First Ultramarathon!

Folks, I apologize for the slow week on iRunFar. After pacing at and covering the Wasatch 100 last Friday, I […]

By on September 17, 2009 | Comments

Folks, I apologize for the slow week on iRunFar. After pacing at and covering the Wasatch 100 last Friday, I decided to end the iRunFar Summer Roadtrip a few days early. While setting up the new iRunFar Worldwide Headquarters in the Sierra Nevada foothills, I’ve been busy helping new coaching students and working on a slew of freelance pieces you’ll soon be seeing at your local magazine rack if not in your mailbox. Anyway, I wanted to share my most recently published piece, It’s Time To Run Your First Ultramarathon, that can be found over at Competitor Running. More on the article below the fold.

The First Ultramarathon article covers two topics: (1) reasons why you should try an ultra and (2) tips for success at your first ultra. Below I list the subheadings for both… you’ll have to check out the full article over at Competitor Running for details. The article includes insight from the likes of Scotty Mills, Devon Crosby-Helms, and Lisa Smith Batchen! Please feel free to generally comment on the article here, but please leave an substantive comments over at Competitor Running.

Why Run an Ultramarathon

  • Journey into the Unknown
  • Reconnect with Running
  • Make a Whole New Group of Friends
  • Stop Sucking Car Exhaust
  • Race Yourself, Not Others
  • Inspire Yourself

Tips for Your First Ultra

  • Train with Specificity
  • Start Out Slowly
  • Walk When You Need To
  • Cut Up the Course
  • Eat Early and Often
  • Take Care of Problems Before They Take Care of You
  • Recognize Pain. Respect Injuries.
  • Enjoy the Roller Coaster
  • Make Relentless Forward Progress
  • Be the Town Crier
  • Stop and Smell the Roses
Bryon Powell

Bryon Powell is the Founding Editor of iRunFar. He’s been writing about trail running, ultrarunning, and running gear for more than 15 years. Aside from iRunFar, he’s authored the books Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons and Where the Road Ends: A Guide to Trail Running, been a contributing editor at Trail Runner magazine, written for publications including Outside, Sierra, and Running Times, and coached ultrarunners of all abilities. Based in Silverton, Colorado, Bryon is an avid trail runner and ultrarunner who competes in events from the Hardrock 100 Mile just out his front door to races long and short around the world, that is, when he’s not fly fishing or tending to his garden.