How to run your first multi-day ultra (expert advice)

What are the best tips for multi-day ultras? Dragon’s Back Race and Cape Wrath Ultra winner and coach (and fellow wild ginger!) Marcus Scotney give his best advice.

How do you layer up for colder weather? - I take you through my layering system.

Are waterproof jackets really breathable? - I tell you the truth!

What should runners carry in their first aid kits? - I show you what's in mine.

Tune in to see if I've answered your question in my fortnightly Q&A series, answering all your trail running questions.

OMM Kamleika Pants (the best waterproof trousers in my opinion - STRETCHY which is kinda vital for running, yeh?)

Salomon Soft Bottle (my favourite soft bottle, long, slim, easy to open & close and slide into a pocket)

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JOIN! Wild Ginger GEAR TEST CLUB (#WGGearTestClub) to discuss kit choices and purchases with me and like-minded, helpful runners.

Camera kit used:
GoPro Hero5

iPhone 7

Audio-Technica Omni ATR3350 Lavalier Mic

GoPro Tripod

Slik Master large tri-pod

[northernninjarunner]

Thanks for the tips on the cold weather gear 👍 I have a UA waterproof running jacket and found the same thing, when running in it when it rains it’s end up like you’re running in the shower. I haven’t used it since. I don’t have a treat when I run as I normally run early morning but at weekends a good breakfast of scrambled eggs with spinach in it on crumpets with pumpkin seeds and nuts sprinkled on top is great for recovery.

[scootwales]

After run treats - we have 2 - the first is a smoothie peanut butter, milk, banana and honey. Lovely. The second - we found a small restaurant in Chepstow and whenever we run in that area we head there for steak and eggs breakfast. Stunning :)

[Venturello]

That was a very well put together video Claire, so much knowledge here! Well done!! 👏

[MrBrianRoberts]

This is really helpful, really appreciate it thank you 👍

[johngardner]

In this video you provide an outstanding, brief description of the new features found in the Fenix 5S. The best one I've seen so far on the internet. And your recommendation of the View Ranger app is spot on! What a spectacular App. Great tip. I needed this desperately to navigate the forest trails in our local municipal forest (which happen to be quite visible on the App). I'm going to hit the forest this weekend. Thanks so much Claire!

[ksteege]

Great job Claire! love hearing the tips I can see how although they make total sense that folks will forget to do these things - will need to check out the ViewRanger app for sure!

Favorite post race treat - Guinness!

[joneinarmattiasvisser]

Great video! Love to do more trail runs, I am pretty good at them. On the road I cannot really get the power down but boy I pass a lot of guys when it goes uphill! Actually I am a biathle/xc-skier who loves trail running in summer (and who hates normal running sometimes). There are guys that run like 2 minutes faster for a 3k on the track but I beat them hard on a steep trail run. Here my strengh comes in to play, I'm quite lite (175cm 62kg) so yeah. Oh my favourite post run snack: Its not really a snack, its juice plus complete powder vanilla. You can put it in yoghurt as vanilla yoghurt or with muesli or in milk for a nice shake. Whats a nice mixture for after sport (after any sport really): smoothie with beetrood, turmeric, banana, mandel drink ( kinda like milk but tastes better) and some chocolate powder as wel as complete (which is some kind of protein rich powder really). Yeah something like that is my favourite.

[littleoldmanrunning]

A nice selection of answers :-) As always.
I'll have to check out the waterproof trousers and see if they make a size tiny for little old men.
For my post run treat - it's always fresh fruit salad (that I chopped up myself) and icecream, washed down with a nice cold beer.

And now my question(s) - foam rolling, leg and foot care type stuff. What do you do and how do you do it? I have found foam rolling to be totally ineffective the way I've seen it done online. It only seems to work for me at all if I do it totally 'wrong'. So it would be interesting to see how you do it. :-)

Thanks for the videos, loving that English sunshine.

[FluffieWolf]

Amazing tips thankyou :) . I am not signed up for any multi days but hope to in the future. Really interesting to see all the advice and things. Have a problem with getting extremely cold even when its not cold so would love to know more about the warmer leggings and which ones you recommend. Will have a look at those gloves too they look great :)

[joncroy]

Hello, I love your channel and wanted to ask your opinion on running/hiking poles? What are the brands, anything new and what am I buying? I just ran the Blood Rock in Oak Mountain State Park and felt like I could have used it, I saw multiple runners with them and felt left out of the party. Thanks!!!

[baobei]

What about waterproof gloves? Have you ever tried wearing a pair? And which one would you suggest? Thanks

[jasondawson]

dark chocolate topped rice cakes and flat white.

[jeffw]

I'm running a pairs relay 50km run in a day and a bit. Each lap is 3.6km ~15 minutes. What would you suggest to do in the breaks to be ready for next lap (and my other 5)?