Your first ultra marathon - top 10 tips (PLUS more Q&A!)

What are the top 10 tips for your first ultra?
How do you clean a hydration bladder?
Should you go from couch to 100k?
And what length poles should you choose?

Find out in my Q&A series, answering all your trail and ultra running questions. (Scroll down for links to all the books/gear I mention)

Wild Ginger Running is a YouTube channel dedicated to bringing you the best advice and gear reviews for trail and ultra running, created by me, Claire Maxted, co-founder and former editor of Trail Running magazine UK. Ask me all your running questions!

Other useful films I referenced in this video:

Products I recommend:

The Amazon links below are affiliates that give me a tiny percentage of the sale at no cost to you, so please click on these first before you buy anything on Amazon (it works even if you're not buying running gear! Cool isn't it!) Thank you, Claire

Hydration Bladder Insulation

Got a niggle like my Plantar Fasciitis? I recommend Running Free of Injuries by Paul Hobrough

My favourite GPS watch is the Garmin Forerunner 235

My fave running pack is the Raidlight Responsiv 10L

If you're on a budget though, look at the Aonijie 5L running pack which is more like £35-£45

Or the Aoniji 10L one which is pretty much the same price!

 
Music: Animal by Max Surla/Media Right Productions

[MarkSouthee]

The freezer trick for bladders definitely works

[clintisatallrunner]

Running my first 50k in Oct. These are good tips, almost impossible to believe I will be using them!

[jp]

“These super long distances have become really trendy lately” so true!

[alanshrimpton]

5x/week and normally my rest days are after both quality workout days. I tend to do my strength on these 2 days off running.

[jman]

Typically run 3-5 times a week. Training for a 50K

And really enjoyed the Cape wrath talk. Thanks for sharing

[jillmahal]

I try to run about 5 - 6 days a week. I'm in training mode for some shorter trail races, so I have to get the miles in!!! Hoping to do a marathon this fall/winter with a longer goal of a 50K next spring. Taking your advice to work my way slowly to the ultra distance! Love your tips and gear suggestions.

[Theervince]

Typically 5 days a week unless taking part in a RED challenge! 😁 Monday group run or track session, Tuesday short easy solo run, Wednesday longer tempo run, Thursday cross train, Friday longer easy run, Sunday trail run or race day. 👍

[gretchenross]

5 days a week, typically on Tuesdays (4-5), Wednesdays (shorter), Thursdays (speedework), Saturdays (long), and Sundays (crawl), and I cross train the other days. I'm an addict.

[hugokramer]

Great stuff as always Claire!

I run 4 times a week including a speed session and LRS.

[stephenmackay]

I normaly run 3 to 5 times a week
Have my 1st Ultra in March
Love the tips

[waynereed]

All of last year I could only run once every 2 weeks. Since the new year and my switch to keto I have noticed a massive reduction in pain and recovery time, this has allowed me to up my running to 4 runs a week. Monday slow gentle recovery, Wednesday fast paced couple of miles, Friday hill intervals, Saturday long run. My mileage is still low in comparison to most people I know but it is a massive improvement on last year.
I only managed 2 races last year, my first ever race- freedom Racing summer Sessions godrevy 10k in May, and then Eden half marathon in October, with a little Santa fun run at the end of the year. So far this year I have done Clowance Woods 4 miler, and last weekend the new twilight race cardinham Woods 10k by purple gecko events(awesome!) and already have planned 4 half marathons, man vs coast 23+ miles, potentially coastal point marathon, and the Halloween edition of the 10k I just finished, maybe push out to RAT over summer leave. The fitter, thinner, and faster. Hopefully build up to doing the classic quarter next year 😜

[larslaird]

I'm pretty consistent on being active 4 times a week. However, one is playing football, and these days I swap some runs for cross country skiing. The burden of being Norwegian ;) .

[littleoldmanrunning]

I'm currently aiming to run twice a day (20kms each time) every weekday and taking the weekends off. I'm not suggesting this is a smart thing to do. So far I haven't managed a full week. Work commitments and wife commitments sometimes get in the way. But I'm doing as much as I can as often as I can.

I'm constantly knackered at the moment. but I'm hoping if I can stick with it that my body will adapt and it will become easier - just like it did when i was running 10kms every day. (and that really hurt to start with)

Again, this is not a sensible thing to do, but no-one ever accused me of being sensible ;-)

[jamesmurray]

How often do I run?

Over the past 5 years I only ran a few weeks before a ocr. As from 2 weeks ago I have and will be training 3/4 times a week due to signing up for a Edinburgh marathon in May, an entry level triathlon in June and hope to do a 50+k trail ultra towards towards the autumn.

[kl]

Couch to a 50k is do-able. Couch to 100k? No. I tried that craziness on my recent 100 miler attempt. You will get stuck limping a third of the way if you are not used to elevation, and it will hurt every step you take.

[TT-rlsu]

Guys help me out please. I used Salomon 12L vest for last 3 years in size M. This year I thought of getting size S as I am inbetween the sizes S and M. My chest is around 97cm, size S stops at 97 and Size M starts at 97 grrrr.

I have attached a link to me wearing old model in size M and the new model in size S. Should I exchange the new 2019 model for size M? Can't decide lol