Setting Yourself Up For Success

Congratulations, you’re in! The e-mail lands in the inbox and although there’s excitement there may also be a hint of nerves. But don’t worry, nerves are a good thing. They show you care enough to want to succeed. 

Today I’m going to look at some top tips on how to enjoy your ultramarathon. Whatever your goal, whether this is your first or 10th or whether you’re aiming for performance or completion, these tips will help you reach that  finish lining feeling fulfilled. 

An ultramarathon is defined by the mental and physical challenges they pose (1). It’s probably why we sign up to them: to achieve goals, personal discovery, and develop our belief in ourselves (2,3). Preparation doesn’t just help with enjoying it on the day (there’s nothing worse than arriving on the day with essential kit missing!) but also helps with that belief in yourself that you are capable (4). 

 

Preparation is key

Preparation isn’t just physical, it’s also mental. Did you know that your brain cannot tell the difference between real-life experiences and visualising an experience (5,6)? So, let’s make use of this!

Visualising both achieving your goals and challenges you may face will help prepare you. Build it into your routine, and make sure to incorporate all your senses. What do you see, hear, smell, feel? This will help build confidence and your ability to cope with challenges under pressures.

 

Accept that this is going to be uncomfortable

You don’t sign up to an ultramarathon to be comfortable, you can do that on the couch. Accepting that this is going to be hard is the first step to being able to cope with the discomfort you will encounter on the day. 

Check in with your body regularly. How are you feeling? Is there anything that hurts? Focusing on your pain objectively allows you to check in with yourself and cope with the pain. 

For example, you feel like your legs are burning running up a hill. 

1. Is it helpful to be running uphill rather than walking in the long run? 
2. Have you had enough nutrition and hydration to give you the fuel to push? 
3. Are you using poles or are they strapped to your pack? 

The other method to cope with discomfort is through distraction. Run with people, enjoy the views and if you then still need it listen to your favourite playlist. 

What if it doesn’t go to plan?

Success is dependent on your perspective and sometimes this has to adjust to the experience you are having. An ultramarathon is no easy challenge. 

There’s a simple technique you can use to ground yourself and reset if something is going now. Stop, breathe and focus on the WIN.

1. Stop: take a moment, either slow down or stop completely.
2. Breathe: take 3 deep breaths.
3. Focus on the WIN: focus on: What’s Important Now.
   What are the controllables in your arsenal? Nutrition, hydration, your ability to put one foot in front of the other. Break it up, and focus on the next step that will help you move on. And if you need a little help with that, lean on a friend.

Setting yourself up for success isn’t just physical, it’s mental too! Put the work in early so you can enjoy the ride on the day. 

If you have any questions or want support, drop me a message!

 

References:

1. Spenceley et al 2017
   
2. jackman et al 2020
3. Lidell et al 2023
4. vealey
5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0167945789900080
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8584178/