Ultra marathon – challenge the limit of runners

“Ultra marathon” also known as super marathon is an extreme long-distance running race, held on trails, in mountains or deserts. The starting and finishing lines may not overlap. The usual ultra tournaments are 50-160 km long, and some are up to 2,000 km long.

This is the dream of most runners. Just being able to participate in ultra races and finish is also a memorable milestone.

The world’s longest ultra marathon is The Ultimate Ultra, held every autumn in Sri Chinmoy, New York, USA, with a length of 1,300 miles (2,092 km). There is also a Trans America Footrace race held each year, and participants must run one consecutive day for 64 days from Los Angeles to New York, over a length of nearly 3,000 miles (more than 4,800 km). , runs about 45 miles (72 km) a day on average.

According to Run Ultra, there are now more than 1,800 ultra races around the world. The sport has grown rapidly, with the number of races and runners reaching the finish line since 1981 steadily increasing each year. Many races around the world because of too many participants, such as the Ultra-Trail de Mont-Blanc in France and the Western States 100 in the United States, have had to hold draws to limit the number of participants. bronze.

The Marathon des Sables is one of the best known cross-country races. Runners have to cover 156 miles in the Sahara desert. Although the fee for a ticket is £4,250, the Marathon des Sables sold out in no time.

The rules of the game allow athletes to exploit all the power inside the body. This means participants are allowed to run, walk, take breaks to drink or eat and even sleep to recharge if the race is too long. During such breaks participants are not penalized, but will fall behind.

Ultra marathon is seen as an adventure and through which runners gain valuable life experiences. On the track, alone or a group of people together cross the wild, large area with a backpack on their shoulders inside with a water bottle, energy bars. For sports enthusiasts, using strength and will to overcome their limits in super terrain races is always a pride.

How to run an ultra marathon

Transitioning from beginner joggers to trail runners 42km to ultra marathon is a lengthy process and can’t be burned. Runner needs changes in mind and physiology to help the body grow strong as well as adapt well in harsh conditions. One of the most common training mistakes runners make is trying to find shortcuts in the body’s adaptation process by constantly testing the limits and soon suffering injury and burnout.

Newcomers to the super marathon often fall into two groups. The first is a new runner, has little running experience but finds that he loves running, sees his friends do a super marathon and is curious whether he can do it or not.

The second subject is a person who has completed a full marathon (42 km). People who complete several tournaments with good results and are excited to explore new limits and challenges. This group often follows a serious training regimen, with a marked improvement in the stats over time.

According to experienced athletes, the group that is new to running should aim to start at a distance of 50 km. Then train hard, apply the experience of running the first time on the second and the second time should still continue with the distance of 50 km. Should only aim for the next step of 70-80 km after completing a few times of the 50 km.

On normal days of the week, you should do 2-3 more light runs lasting from 30-60 minutes. The goal of this is to accumulate an average run time of 4-6 hours per week for a minimum period of 3 months. The runner will then be able to conquer 50 km on easy to medium difficulty.

The group that completed the full marathon has a strong background in training and competing in marathons, so they can be more flexible. In fact, many experienced athletes often train with marathon distances for 80 km tournaments. This group has the ability to regulate on the track well, replenish energy and water fully. However, to be safe, this group can also try the 50 km distance first.

This group should note that running an ultra-marathon on mountainous terrain often takes longer than running a flat road at the same distance. Long marathons are suitable for training for 80 km, but need to add about 2-3 times to perform two consecutive long runs on Saturday and Sunday every 2-3 weeks during the period. peak workout.

The length of the second long run should be about 1/2 or 3/4 the length of the first day long run. If the runner has done endurance and speed runs, continue to add these exercises to the training program but make sure to give the body additional recovery time before and after the workout. Weekly distances should remain the same as when training for a marathon, but need to redistribute distances from day to day.

Also, have a balanced diet of all three macronutrients. Some runners can adapt to a low-carbohydrate or keto diet during training, most will eat better with a diet that includes a variety of healthy carbohydrate sources, in addition to protein and fat. . These healthy carbohydrates include fruits, starchy vegetables, whole grains, some dairy products, and beans.

Thanh Duong (synthetic)