Martin Parnell

A couple of weeks ago, my wife Sue and I watched the movie Julie and Julia (2009) starring Amy Adams and Meryl Streep.

It’s about, Julie Powell, a worker at the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, who attempts to cook all 524 recipes from Julia Child’s first french cuisine cookbook in one year.

Her own “Cooking Quest 524” got me thinking that running an ultramarathon is a lot like baking a cake.

You need a number of key ingredients and then you have to let them bake for a set amount of time.

So, what are these essential ingredients?

Well, the first is time on your feet. An ultramarathon is any race over the marathon distance of 42.2 kilometres.

Typical distances are 50 kilometres, 80.4 kilometres, 100 kilometres and 161 kilometres. There are a number of other races that do not fit into these categories.

For example, the Canadian Death race in Grand Cache is 125 kilometres and Sinister Seven in Crowsnest is 146 kilometres — you’ll notice ultramarathons have very uplifting names.

Before you try an ultramarathon, I suggest you run a marathon, before that a half marathon, before that a 10 kilometre and before that a 5 kilometre.

If you’re a new runner, then progressing from a 5 kilometre race to a marathon should take three years.

Yes, I’ve heard the stories and watched the results from people who want to tick a marathon off their bucket list in six months — don’t, it’s not a pretty sight.

Take your time, let your legs get used to the run/walk. My normal run/walk cycle is run 9 minutes and walk 1 minute; however, for beginners I suggest starting at run 1 minute and walk 4 minutes and build up from there.

People will say the run/walk cycle isn’t “running,” you have to run all the time or you’re not a runner. Not true.

If you want to achieve your running goals and be injury free then run/walk is the way to go.

You’ve set the oven for three years and now you’re ready to start thinking about your first 50 kilometre ultra.

Race selection is the next challenge. Alberta has several options, including the Frozen Ass 50 in Calgary, the Lost Souls 50 in Lethbridge and the Blackfoot 50 in Edmonton.

These races are very different to a regular marathon and preparation is the key.

The typical marathon is on the road with plenty of aid stations. Ultras tend to be on single trail or gravel roads and aid stations are infrequent.

Nutrition and hydration are key elements. An intake of 200 to 300 calories an hour will prevent “hitting the wall,” a problem for runners when their bodies shut down, and a hydration pack is essential.

Proper foot wear and clothing are a must. Get yourself a pair of trail running shoes. These have more support and, in a number of brands, toe protection.

There’s a saying about ultra racing, “It’s 90 per cent mental and 10 per cent in your head.”

Hence the final ingredients are patience and perseverance. For the majority of ultra runners the main objective is finishing. Generally, there is a reasonable cut off time but the drop-out rate can be up to 70 per cent .

So, that’s the easy-to-follow recipe on how to run an ultramarathon. Now it’s time for that piece of cake.

Next time I will tell you about my training for the Comrades 89-kilometre ultra in South Africa in May. Stay tuned.

A hydration pack and good trail shoes are critical when thinking about running ultramarathons. Photo by Martin Parnell

© 2011 Martin Parnell

mjparnell@shaw.ca

www.marathonquest250.com

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