Are you ready to train for an ultra marathon?
An ultra marathon is any race longer than 42.2 km. The most common first ultra is a 50K, often on trails. Most plans assume you have finished a marathon, or that you run 40 km or more a week comfortably and have done long runs of 25–30 km.
| Race | Typical plan length | Typical peak training |
|---|---|---|
| 50K (road or trail) | 12–20 weeks | Long runs of 3.5–5 hours; back-to-back weekend runs |
| 75–100K | 20–24+ weeks | Back-to-back days of 5–6 hours; night running practice |
| 100 miles / multi-day | 6–12 months | Built on several shorter ultras first |
The key sessions in ultra training
- Time on feet, not pace: long runs are measured in hours. Run them easy and walk the steep climbs, as you will in the race.
- Back-to-back long runs: a long run on Saturday followed by a medium-long run on Sunday teaches you to run on tired legs without the injury risk of one very long run.
- Vertical gain: if your race has a lot of climbing, build weekly elevation gain towards the race's total spread over a week or two. Treadmill incline and stair sessions help in flat cities.
- Downhill strength: long descents destroy unprepared quads. Include downhill running and eccentric strength work such as slow step-downs and Bulgarian split squats.
- Power hiking: practise fast uphill walking, with poles if the race allows them. Most ultra runners hike more than they think.
- Race simulation: at least one long run on similar terrain, wearing your race pack with the mandatory gear and eating your race food.
Fuelling and hydration for ultras
In an ultra, fuelling is a discipline in its own right. Stomach problems end more ultras than tired legs.
- Aim for about 60–90 g of carbohydrate per hour from early in the race, mixing gels and drinks with real food such as bananas, boiled potatoes with salt, chikki or dates.
- Train your gut by eating on every long run and practising at race intensity.
- Plan sodium and fluids for the heat, especially on exposed trails and in humid Western Ghats races.
- Set a timer to eat and drink every 20–30 minutes; appetite becomes unreliable in the later hours.
Training for Indian ultras
Indian ultras range from road ultras to technical mountain races in the Western Ghats and Himalayas. Typical challenges include heat and humidity at lower altitudes, slippery monsoon-season trails in the Ghats, long climbs, and altitude in Himalayan races.
- Western Ghats trail ultras: train on the Sahyadri trails for grip, roots and mud, and do hill repeats for the steep ghat climbs.
- Himalayan races: arrive early to acclimatise and include extra hiking volume; altitude will slow everyone.
- Night sections: practise running with a headtorch if your race starts before dawn or runs through the night.
Taper and race strategy
Taper for about 2–3 weeks before a 50K. Start much slower than feels necessary, walk the climbs from the very start, eat on schedule and break the race into aid-station-to-aid-station segments.
General training information, not medical advice. Ultra events in remote terrain carry extra risk; follow race rules on mandatory gear and get a medical check-up before your first ultra.