An ultramarathon (or simply, an "ultra") is a demanding foot race that is greater than the standard marathon distance of 26.2 miles. Most ultramarathon races are one of the following distances: 50K, 50 miles, 100K, 150K, or 100 miles. There are a few ultramarathons greater than 100 miles, and these are the extreme events, such as the Badwater 135 miler in the searing heat of Death Valley, California. In training for your first ultramarathon, you'll want to pick one in the 50K to 100 mile range, depending on your overall fitness, your commitment to training, your toughness, and your ability to grit out pain. Anything over 50 miles will be a significant challenge for your first ultra. read on to learn how to train for an ultramarathon.

1. Build your training around one weekly long run.

2. Your long run should be about 50% of your total miles for the week.

3. Simulate race conditions during your long run.

4. Be reasonable in choosing your first race distance, most people can't jump from 26.2 miles to 100 miles.

5. Stay injury free and don't push through excruciating injury, see your doctor instead.

6. Learn to eat while running.

7. Build up your muscular strength in your legs.

8. Be tough, giving up is not an option.

Training for an ultramarathon will involve a time dedication of 7-15 hours of weekly training and an overall ability to stick with it, no matter what. You'll not only need to put in your miles, but will have to be focused on eating right, sleeping more than usual, and staying injury free.

You need to have a running base before beginning to train for an ultramarathon. If you haven't done a regular marathon yet, you should not be considering an ultramarathon. A marathon is just a small taste of the physical and mental toughness you'll need to to complete an ultra.

You should also be able to do a regular marathon in 4 hours and 30 minutes or less, before trying to do an ultra. Most ultramarathon events of a fixed distance have time cutoffs, and you'll need to have some speed to make the time. That's not to say that ultramarathons are speed events, they are much more focused on stamina and endurance, however, an ability to maintain an adequate pace is essential.

Once you've done at least one regular marathon at 4:30 or better, and enjoyed the experience, you're ready to start training for an ultra.

Choose an ultramarathon that you want to compete in. Find a race that has an open field. Some of the elite and more extreme ultramarathons have closed, invitation-only fields. You'll want to choose an ultramarathon that is 6 months out, or more, to give yourself adequate time to train.

For your first ultramarathon, you should choose one that is similar to the conditions you'll be training in. For example, if you live and train at sea level, you probably don't want to run the Leadville Trail 100, in the Colorado Rockies, that starts at a 10,200 foot elevation. You'll also want to try an match the heat and humidity conditions that you're training in. If you live in New York, you probably don't want to run your first ultra in the heat and humidity of Florida.

The distance you'll be ready to compete at depends on your base prior to beginning your training schedule, and the amount of time you have to train for the ultra. If you have 6 months and are currently running 20-30 miles a week, a 50 miler or 100K is a good distance to try for. It's not out the question to try a 100 mile race, but you'd better be prepared to do a 40-50 mile training run, and have a week of at least 80 miles.

Training for an ultramarathon requires a great focus on going the distance during training. This means less workouts dedicated to speed and more to endurance. You'll need to have one workout per week that is a long-distance run, and all other runs are built around that. Your long-distance run should make up 40-50% of your total mileage for the week. For example:

Weekly Total Miles: 40 Long run: 20 miles 2 medium-fast runs: 5 miles each 1 hill run: 7 miles 1 speed workout: 3 miles

Your total miles should not increase more than 10% of your previous week. Taking the example above, with a 40 mile week, the following week should not be more than 44 miles. The 10% increase per week is tough for some runners, and 5% is often a better progression for those concerned with injury.

Ultramarathons will put a lot of stress on your legs and feet. Blown quads, cramping hamstrings and calves, various foot problems, and blisters are common during ultra events. Getting your legs and feet ready for the race are crucial.

Some runners employ a weight training program to go along with their running workouts. Weight training is a quick way to build muscle, but it must be done correctly. It is easy to weight train improperly, as the muscles need to be built in the similar proportions that running will do. Improper weight training will create muscle imbalances, which will often put stresses on the weaker muscle groups. If you're doing a weight training program for the first time, you'll want to focus on high repetitions with less weight.

Another method for building leg muscle is to do hill running. This will be particularly important if your ultramarathon has a lot of elevation changes. Many of the extreme ultras involve running up and down mountains! If you live in a flat area without hills, your only option is to do hill workouts on a treadmill. Most treadmills don't have a negative incline, and you'll need to physically raise the back of the treadmill (with a block of wood or similar material) to simulate downhill running.

Your ability to do long training runs will often determine your race success in an ultramarathon. Here are some guidelines for what you need to work up to for your long runs:

1. Race: 50K - Long run of 20-25 miles
2. Race: 50 miles or 100K - Long run of 30-35 miles
3. Race: 150K or 100 miles - Long run of 40-50 miles

Many of the longer ultramarathons are completed in a run/walk fashion. This is an excellent method to approach for your first ultra. Run/walk involves running for a certain time or distance, followed by walking. For example, the 8/2 run/walk method involves 8 minutes of running, followed by 2 minutes of walking. Run/walk gives your body a chance to rest and recover during walk cycles, and automatically makes it easier to go the distance. You'll want to employ the run/walk method during your long runs, if you plan to use it in the actual race.

Do only one long run per week, followed by a day of rest or easy running. Fit 3-4 additional runs into your training schedule per week, trying to do about 50% of your miles in these runs. That means if you're doing a 30 mile long run, you should be doing about 30 miles cumulative in your other training runs.

One of the most difficult aspects for runners graduating from regular marathons to ultramarathons is the requirement to eat while running. Your body will store 4,000-5,000 calories, which will get you somewhere between 20-40 miles, depending on your weight. A 150 pound person will have enough stores for about 30 miles. For most people, anything over a 50K will require consuming calories during the race.

You'll need to experiment with eating while training. You'll need to find foods that taste good, don't make you feel full or bloated, and provide the energy you need to keep you going. Carbs are king during a marathon. You'll also need to make sure to replace lost sodium and potassium, which you can do with food or salt tablets. Some popular foods include: trail mix, nuts, fig newtons, potatoes and potato chips, fruit, and candy.

Various gels are a quick way to get calories, provided that you enjoy (or can at least tolerate) their thick consistency. Many runners take gels with a swig of water or sport drink to get them down. Gels with caffeine in them can help give a boost. Some examples of gels include Gu Gel, Clif Shot, Hammer Gel, Energy Gel, Power Gel, and Carb Boom.

Calories can be consumed with drink too. A sports drink is a good base drink; dilute it with water if you need to. Ensure and Pedialyte are also popular with ultrarunners as they provide a quick calorie boost and electrolyte replacement. Many ultrarunners also enjoy sugary soda as a fast source of easily digestable carbs.

Ultramarathoning requires the participant to be tough. Going these distances requires not only physical fitness but mental toughness as well. You'll have to deal with a certain level of pain, regardless of your conditioning. Your body will signal your brain many times during your race to stop. You have to fight against these urges. You'll reach extremely low points during the race and will feel like laying down and going to sleep. Don't give in.

You are tougher and stronger than you think you are. Remember that, and you're soon to be an ultramarathoner!