How To Run Your First Ultra Marathon– Training Plan and Long Runs

How should you train for your first ultra marathon? Today, I’m helping you build your own personalized training schedule / training plan to help you prepare for your big race! In this detailed guide, I’ll first go through some critical principles, and then will get specifics on how you can make your own week by week and day by day plan.

Curious about the trail running gear I use and recommend: check out this link

One could naively think that “more miles is better”, but it couldn’t be further from the truth! Sure, if you run too few miles in training, you’ll risk a DNF. But too much mileage could lead to overuse injuries. Finding that sweet spot to make the most of your time and effort is critical but tricky! It’s not about working out harder – it’s about working out smarter! … no scratch that! It’s about working hard AND smart.

In this new training series on How to run an ultra marathon, I use my experience finishing over 27 x 100 miles ultra marathon, and the lessons I've learned. I may not be the fastest, but I get to that finish line – and I want to make sure you do the same!

What would you like me to cover? Feel free to leave suggestions in comments below! (some planned ones already include fueling, salt, blisters)

Work Hard!
Believe in yourself!
Push your limits!

I hope that’s helpful, and as always - Thanks for watching!
Simon

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Music credit
- By Infraction : Future me
- By Mokka Music: Sunny walk

Track Name: FUTURE ME (TROPICAL HOUSE)

Song: Future Me - Infraction
Music by Infraction:

/ @infraction
Music provided by Free Sound Inc.
Video Link:

• Future Me - Infraction

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[runningwithsimon]

I hope that was helpful! More to come this summer :)

[andrewrivera]

I liked ultras cuz once you run a marathon then all you need to do is just drop your pace a bit and enjoy a long day beating feet munching food at all the aid stations just make sure you don’t go out too hard. My last ultra was the NorthFace 50 trail miler destroyed me, I paced it perfect but it just beat me up. At the beginning the guy asked how many first timers were there we raised our hands then he said:” ok your next 50 miler will be easier!”

[loganfishbeard]

Just completed the beaverhead 100k with only 7 months of training so I truely believe ultras are for anyone. My key takeaways:
1) The longs runs are your race "shakedowns". Yes, they make you stronger but they really help you learn how to listen to your body as well as dial in nutrition and gear.
2) Train for your specific race. My race had 11k feet of vertical gain(and even more drop😬) so I dedicated the last 4 week block of traing to nothing but hills. I only put in 50ish mile weeks but racked up 31k feet of vertical gain in the month of June and this was hands down most beneficial block of training to prepare me for my race.
3) Eat your peas and carrots. Both literally and metaphorically you need to adjust your diet to fuel your high caloric burn rate as well as put in those burdensome strength and mobility sessions. I am not 18 anymore and I've learned my body likes to turn into and exploded rubber band ball after just a few days without mobility work. I learn this the hard way with a sciatica issue that set me back 5 weeks in my training.
4)Never doubt yourself. Yes, the training will exhaust you and their will be a point in your race where you question your life choices. Make sure you have your "why" and don't let giving up be an option.

[adventurecats]

I think this is the most positive and productive training information I've seen. I'm on my third watch, just absorbing the knowledge and reminding myself that "yes, I can do this... maybe not today, but definitely in my near future." The delivery and comic relief is excellent. Thank you Simon!

[kitgreen]

Many thanks for this :) I've just signed up for my first 50k which is next march (in about 4 weeks). The longest I've run before is a half marathon. I'm soaking up the wisdom like a dry sponge :D

[anshulthapa]

I am getting into running in general…. I run 180+ miles a month, Trying to do it smartly, avoiding injuries. It really helped and formed a base for my ultra running journey, thankyou

[mski-cqie]

Your videos are inspiring. Your back to back to back to back and so on and so on....100 milers plus are insane (in a good way). I'll be running my first Ultra (50K) in August (I've never run a marathon before) but I've been training for 4-6 months now. Did my practice run on the same route (full distance) and made my finishing time (which is my only goal for this first one). Doing the Antelope 50K in March and the sand looks brutal. Mentally, I'm sure I can do it. I'm putting in the training for a 100K which will hopefully make that 50K more palatable.

[burrianaUK]

Good video Simon, thank you. The furthest I have run is 13.2 miles road and 14 miles fell running (Lake District so hilly), but aiming to do my first 50k next year, so I will make use of your training plan 👍🏼🙂

[Kelly_Ben]

Fantastic stuff!! I'm so happy you're doing this series! Anyone who can accomplish all you have, in such a short time and with so few injuries, is someone worth learning from. I'm glad to see your emphasis on reality vs perfection... I work 2 physical jobs, about 60 hours a week. It makes for great cross training, but is challenging for getting the runs in. I'm the queen of undertrained races, and would like to step up, from finishing in the bottom 20 to... hold onto your seat... finishing mid pack!!! Lofty goals, I know! 😂 Any help to get me there is much appreciated!

[sebastianbar]

Have a great race at Badwater this year! This video is great, thank you!

[jenniferkaloki]

Thank you Simon, quite insightful and authentic, running my first marathon this year.

[antoniopadilla]

Best video I found for ultra marathon training

[MuhNameIsJazmyn]

Thank you so much for this! I'll be training for my first ultra in December of this year-- very excited and this was all great information and made a lot of sense to me!

[leana.b]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge, this was very informative. I am currently training for a 50 miler and this video made me more confident knowing im on the right track.

[deandunnachie]

Great video. I’m doing first 100miler in 3 weeks. Been averaging 60mile a week last few weeks and thought it was far to low, listening to your video made me feel a bit more confident 😅

[nataliamartinkova]

Simon, thank you for walking us through the build-up of a training plan. With your guidance, creating a plan is easy! I was amazed by your equations. Rest week is about 60% of previous weekly mileage, speed sessions are 10% of the weekly mileage. I loved how it all came together.

[PakanitK]

Thank you for this vlog. I just completed my first two ultra races (road 66k, mountain 50k ) with following your plan and mindset 😊. I plan to step up to 50k trail race the end of this year 😁

[outdoorsformentalwellness]

Thank you for this content I'm planning for my first ultra in 12 months time. So this video has helped me a lot to build structure to my training 👍

[amdelorey]

Really great video. I am running a 54km v hilly trail ultra in September, Chiggy Ultra in Nova Scotia. Although I walked the Camino (800km) in April and May my recent training was more like de-training with 2 weeks of illness recently. Like you say, life happens. Your vlog really helped me rebuild my training plan now that I am 10 weeks out. New subscriber. Thanks.

[jasonschillinger]

Video really informative and helpful!!