The marathon was invented in 1896 as the long distance running event for the first modern Olympics, inspired by the story of the Greek soldier Pheidippides who ran from the battlefield at Marathon to Athens to announce the victory.  In reality, Pheidippides ran not from Marathon to Athens, but from Athens to Sparta, a much longer distance of over 140 miles.  Every year countless people across the world compete in marathons, but only a much smaller number choose to take up the gauntlet thrown down by Pheidippides and run an ultramarathon.
 
The term ‘ultramarathon’ refers to a race longer than a traditional marathon, but surprisingly, the distance can vary hugely.  50 to 100 mile-marathons are the norm, but the Inditarod Invitational Event across Alaska is a staggering 1,000 miles long.  To most people the idea of running a marathon, let alone an ultramarathon is a daunting task, so why do so many people choose to compete?

The first reason is that the endorphin rush from running is highly addictive, but that is true of any distance.  What separates ultras from other running races is that the enjoyment is not in the time you set; it is simply in completing the course.  It is perfectly acceptable to walk and in fact it is almost mandatory in some like the Marathon Des Sables in Morocco, where the Saharan sand makes it impossible to run.  Some of the toughest like the popular Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc force you to contend with difficult terrain and a steep incline.  Others like the Spartathlon, which retraces the steps of Pheidippides, force you to keep up a relentless pace throughout.  All are designed to push you to your absolute limit, and a good one will at points have you wondering if you can actually finish so that when you do complete it the feeling of accomplishment is often overwhelming. 
 
Long multi day events like The Jungle Ultra in Peru or The Spine, The UK’s toughest event, require competitors to carry equipment like tents and stoves and challenges competitors to deal with sleep deprivation as well as the task of negotiating the punishing terrain in exhausting conditions.  For some winning will always be everything but for the majority the competition is against themselves, not the other racers, so there is usually a communal feel with competitors helping each other to the finish.  This makes the ultra a much more sociable event and some races even allow you to bring a pacer, a friend that will encourage you and help you keep up the pace in the tough last leg of the race.
 
Because of the much lower pace you can complete them with much less training than you might imagine and a 50 mile ultra should be doable within a few weeks for an experienced marathoner.  The key to completing your first ultra is getting used to spending long periods of time on your feet, even if you’re not moving at a very fast pace.  Make use of long intervals and slowly increase the miles every week or so.  Once you have completed your first ultra you will be hooked, and excited to see how far you can go.  It opens up reserves of willpower and mental strength you never knew you had and awakens a desire to see how hard you can push yourself, a desire that is making the ultramarathon community one of the fastest growing in the running world. 

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