Choosing an Ultramarathon: The Difference Between Roads and Trails

The vast majority of ultras are run on trails of some sort. Some are run on roads. Distance races tend to be more trail-oriented, while timed races tend to be more road-oriented (which may include things like running tracks or concrete sidewalks through parks).

Is one better than the other?

Not necessarily, though there are significant differences. Road running requires a lot of repetitive motions. Your running gait remains more or less the same for the duration of the event. Furthermore, road races tend to be rather flat. This puts stress on specific sets of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. People that train primarily on trails usually have difficulty running on roads (like me).

Most trail runs require the runner to avoid obstacles such as roots, rocks, logs (both wooden and the kind left by animals... or lazy humans), and water or mud. Trail races tend to have more elevation change, so you spend more time traversing hills. This requires much more dynamic movement, which distributes the workload to different muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. People that train primarily on roads usually have difficulty running on trails.

My suggestion: Like I discussed in a previous section, it's best to choose a race with similar terrain and elevation as your training routes. If you live in a city surrounded by flat farmland, a mountain trail race would be a bad idea. It's the same deal if you like to train on trails with lots of elevation change. A road race will be more difficult than a trail race.

It is possible to take a “jack of all trades” approach and train on both roads and trails, which gives you MUCH more versatility. This would be the ideal situation if you have enough time to train before your first ultra.

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Choosing an Ultramarathon: How Much Do Ultramarathons Cost?

The price of ultras can range from free (the previously-mentioned fatass races) to staggeringly expensive. Badwater, a race run through Death Valley in California, can easily cost around $10,000 for the race entry fee, hotels, gear, and rental vehicles. So what is a more realistic price?

Most races range in price from a low of about $30 to a high of about $200. generally speaking, the longer the race, the more expensive the entry fees. Other variables make a difference, like the level of support offered, need for permits to use the land, and the swag (goodies like t-shirts and finisher awards).

Aside from the entry fee, other costs need to be considered, including:

• Transportation: If the race is within driving distance, you need to consider the price of gas and parking. If the race requires flying, consider airport parking, the cost of the flight, rental car, and rental car gas.
• Lodging: Hotels may be needed for the night before and after the race. Hint- always get a room on the first floor. After the race, it will likely be difficult to climb stairs. Some races will offer on-site camping, which can save money. If you camp in a tent, bring plenty of warm blankets. It's not uncommon to feel colder than normal after a race.
• Food: You will need food before and after the race, and potentially food during the race. Some races offer pre- and post-race meals. One of the best parts of ultrarunning- we tend to burn a lot of calories, which means one thing: guilt-free fast food! I recommend Taco Bell. Lay off the spicy sauces, though... otherwise you'll regret it the next day. Trust me on this one.
• Gear: I usually prefer to bring as little gear as possible, but it still adds up to a fair amount of crap. I usually bring several clothing options, at least two pair of shoes, sometimes socks (I hate socks), bandana, flashlights and headlamps, lube (prevent chafing), handheld water bottles, and a small foot care kit (I'll discuss that one later). For very long races, I'll also add some more crap to my stockpile. To save money, you can often use non-running specific 'homemade” gear. In my first ultra, I used little travel bottles designed for shampoo ($1 each) instead of gel flasks designed for runners ($12 each). Different sections of this book will help you determine what you need to buy.

There may be other expenses that arise based on individual experiences. For the most part, ultras are pretty cheap compared to other hobbies. The closer you stay to home, the more money you'll likely save on transportation and lodging.

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Choosing an Ultramarathon: The Different Race Options

The first step to choosing that first ultra is actually choosing the race. The single best resource is Ultrarunning Magazine's online ultra calendar (http://www.ultrarunning.com/calendar.html). The races can be sorted in a variety of ways based on location, distance, difficulty, date, etc. I would recommend starting with distance. There's actually to categories: distance races and timed races. Here are the most common:

• 50k (31 miles): This is considered the minimum “ultra” distance. It's usually considered to be the easiest. It's a good first choice, especially if you don't want to train for a long period of time.
• 50 miles: This is also a decent choice for a first ultra. It's more difficult, but can still be run in a single day.
• 100k: This distance is getting into the realm of “too difficult for a first ultra” because they usually require day and night running.
• 100 miles: Some people start with ultras, but I'd advise against it. You encounter a lot of issues that are difficult to experience in training. Your best bet is to learn from the shorter distances first.
• 6 hour race: This is probably the shortest timed race where a beginner could reach the ultra distance (50k). The races are usually held on small loop courses with ample aid and other support. However, it would probably require running for the entire 6 hours averaging about an 11:30 minute/mile pace. It is probably better to do a...
• 12 hour race: This is a great ultra distance to get your feet wet if a 50k distance race is unavailable. Pretty much anybody can reach the ultra distance and still have plenty of time to sit down and rest, eat, and take care of any issues that arise. Think of it a an ultra with training wheels for the newbie. In fact, 12 hours are my favorite race to introduce people to ultra distances by using simple logic- you can stop at any time, even after one lap.
• 24 hour race: This is another good option if a 12 hour isn't available. It can also be a good option for those wanting to train for 100 milers since it involves night running and sleep deprivation.
• 48 and 72 hour races: This would be overkill for a newbie... no need to go this long unless you're really into adventure!

As if this weren't enough options, races also come in a few different layouts:

• Point-to-point: This race starts at one place and ends at another. Timed races do not use this format. Personally this is my favorite type of race because you don't run on the same part of the course twice. I like the novelty. For beginners, this is a good choice because you don't come back to the start line, which could give you the opportunity to drop out of the race (DNF, or Did Not Finish).
• Loop: A loop course is run in a series of, well, loops. All timed races are loop races. Many distance races run in smaller parks are also loop course. The advantage of loops is course familiarity. Once you run one loop, you've seen all of the course. For some, this is a nice benefit.
• Out-and-back: These races start at one point, run to another, then back to the original start line. They have the advantage of course familiarity on the way back, but also make it difficult to stop. Unless you have a rise to the start line, dropping out would still require you to walk all the way back to the start line- the same distance you'd cover if you stayed in the race. Personally I like to plan training runs as out-and-backs for this very reason.
• Stage Races: These races are held over the course of a few days. You run a certain distance, rest, then run more the next day. Because of the logistics, these really aren't good "newbie' races... and some question if they're actually ultramarathons if the runners don't cover at least 50k per day.
  

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