How to prepare for an ultramarathon – and why so many people are getting hooked on endurance running
- Star ultrarunning coach Jason Koop shares insights on why more people are turning to endurance running, and tips on how to succeed at it
- With more people taking part in endurance events, he gives his seven tips on how best to recover
Ultrarunning has seen explosive global growth over the last decade, in both the number of organised races and participation.
Growing from an exclusive sport with just a small number of elite endurance athletes, ultrarunning – running a race longer than a marathon, or 42km (26 miles) – now attracts tens of thousands of runners from all walks of life.
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The “ultra” scene in Hong Kong has more than kept pace with global growth. The city’s love affair with endurance races goes back more than 30 years when the 100km annual military training exercise across the entire MacLehose trail was opened to the public. Now known as Oxfam Trailwalker, the annual event attracts nearly 5,000 participants each year.
The popularity of trail running mixed with Hong Kong’s nearly 300 kilometres of major hiking trails that criss-cross hills, country parks and shoreline has made the city a premier destination in the global ultrarunning circuit.
Steve Brammar, 50, race director of the Hong Kong 100, part of the Ultra Trail World Tour, has witnessed the rapid rise in the event’s participation. In 2011, there were just 200 participants compared with more than 7,000 applicants this year, of which only 1,800 runners were chosen via a lottery system to compete.
“Ultra-races provide a challenge far beyond road racing. The challenge to finish the race, the spectacular routes and the camaraderie among runners makes ultras enticing,” says Nic Tinworth, 44, who lives in Hong Kong and has run more than 20 ultras over the past decade.
Jason Koop, one of ultrarunning’s most successful coaches, was in Hong Kong recently. Koop is director of coaching at Carmichael Training Systems (CTS), an endurance sports training company based in Colorado Springs, United States.
He has trained elite American ultra-runners including Dean Karnazes (author of Ultramarathon Man and 50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days), Dylan Bowman and Dakota Jones.
An accomplished runner himself with more than 100 ultramarathons under his belt, Koop has co-authored Training Essentials For Ultrarunning (with Jim Rutberg, media director and coach at CTS).
“It has taken me over a decade to flesh out a coaching philosophy on how to prepare an athlete for ultrarunning success,” says Koop, 40. “There was no coaching manual for ultrarunning, so I broke down and analysed the key components of the sport – the aerobic system, the muscular function and race tactics along with numerous other factors, and optimised them in training plans to make a better athlete.”
To arrive at the starting line fully prepared, Koop says a runner must focus on seven fundamental areas: cardiovascular fitness (the first priority when it comes to training), improving lactate threshold, concentrating training workload, training the gut, racing with a purpose, resting and preparing for the stresses of race day.
With so many variables affecting performance, why prioritise cardiovascular fitness above all else? “Because it gives you the best chance of success. You spend less time on your feet, reduce the risk of injury and have more bandwidth to deal with unforeseen challenges on race day,” says Koop.
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He recommends top-speed intervals, tempo runs and steady runs to develop the cardiovascular engine. “Some of these could be called boring, but sound training principles never let you down,” he says.
Koop also recommends uphill interval training, which works the heart harder than level running and is a hedge against injury. “In a race, you spend more time going uphill then downhill and that’s where you can dramatically improve your pace,” he says.
Koop says training for an ultra takes from six to 12 months. He recommends a sequence of concentrated training workloads that focus on one area of physiological improvement at a time.
Another strategy is to start an athlete’s training programme with an aspect that will be used least during the race and end with the one that will be used the most.
“I started working with coach Koop in 2013 and he asked me to choose a race I felt passionate about. I picked the Western States [endurance] 100-mile race. I had finished in the top 10 both times that I competed in the race, but was not satisfied. My goal was a podium finish in 2014,” says ultrarunner Bowman, who has run more than 40 ultras and won several, including the Ultra-Trail Mt. Fuji and the UTWT Tarawera Ultramarathon.
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“Coaches typically have athletes start training with low intensity running. Instead coach Koop started me on running intervals, hammering uphill for three minutes as hard as I could for six to eight repetitions, three times a week,” he says.
“My race goal was 100-miles (160-kilometres) long and seven months away... The adaptation [in my training] could bolster my capacity to hold [a higher running intensity throughout the race],” says Bowman, 32, who took third place in the Western States.
Nutrition and hydration are equally important aspects of ultras, as runners need to rehydrate and replenish the body’s energy stores during long hours of running. “Try different foods during your long runs to see what works best for you. It’s impossible to figure out what works for your body without trial and error,” says Koop.
You also have to prepare for the elements. “Last year, we had 12 athletes taking part in the Western States 100-mile run where runners encountered temperatures pushing 110-plus degrees Fahrenheit (43-plus degrees Celsius),” says Koop.
“So we developed a nutrition strategy in training by experimenting with [foods, including] everything from scientifically engineered products to gas station snacks till the runners developed a plan that was relatively static in calories per hour (200 to 300 calories an hour), but dynamic in fluid requirements (16 to 48 ounces per hour),” says Koop.
To prepare for the heat, Koop also had athletes train in different ways – using the natural environment (if possible), using the sauna (after a run, athletes sit in the sauna for 20 to 30 minutes) and overdressing during runs (wearing three to four layers of long-sleeved tops and pants).
“Eight of the 12 athletes earned the coveted silver buckle (for those who finish under 24 hours) and three women placed in the top 10. Each of these was a priceless result that did not happen by accident,” says Koop.
Ultras are long, hard and difficult to race, he says, adding the many challenges include fatigue, sleep deprivation, blisters, vomiting, altitude changes, temperature changes, rocky terrain and injuries.
“When the going gets tough, it is preparation, purpose and your emotional engagement with the race that will drive you forward,” says Koop.
He tries to be at the finish line to meet his clients. “Being witness to the culmination of the athlete’s training … is the most rewarding part of my job,” he says.
Can anyone run an ultra-race? “Yes,” says Koop emphatically. “While running an ultra is not easy, by training intelligently and consistently anyone can cross the finish line and enjoy the process.”
Koop’s seven tips for recovery
Recovery is an important part of training. Here are Koop’s tips for how to include rest and recovery in your training.
1. No runs over 20 minutes
Give your body a significant rest for the first week after a long race and it will reward you with a stronger return to training.
2. Sleep
This is essential as your body releases hormones for repairing muscle and maintaining the immune system.
3. Good food
Adequate energy intake is essential for recovery. Eat fruit, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains.
4. Skin care and repair
Take special care of your feet. Pop and drain blisters.
5. Address injuries
Before training resumes, fix whatever ails you.
6. Incorporate non-running exercise training
Stay active through swimming, easy cycling, yoga, kayaking and paddle boarding while giving your legs a break.
7. Stop thinking about running (for a while)
Celebrate your achievements. Run just for fun, without a structure.