Biggest Lessons I Learned While Running My First Ultra
Biggest Lessons I Learned While Running My First Ultra
By: Sydney Nagy
The red rocks in front of me were almost swirling around and jumping up at me from the ground, causing me to trip every now and again. At around mile 18, I sat down on a rock. I felt dizzy, exhausted, and defeated. How could I have gone from running 15 miles in 2.5 hours, feeling amazing, to 3 miles later, feeling absolutely defeated? Probably because it was my first ultra and I knew absolutely nothing.
In the fall of 2020, my boyfriend convinced me to sign up for the Arches Ultra 50K. Arches Ultra is a race put on by Mad Moose Events (who you should definitely check out!). The race takes place in January which is probably one of the few times I would voluntarily run in Moab. It’s one of the more flat courses I have run, coming in with about 3,000 feet of elevation gain and loss. I enjoy variety and this course provides a lot of that! You see anything from views of desert walls and cliffs to the snow covered La Sal mountains; run on smooth singletrack, sand, and slick rock as hard as concrete. I may or may not still have hard feelings towards concrete, I mean, slick rock.
As I started training, I didn’t feel totally lost. I had a couple road marathons under my belt. I had the intention to follow a marathon-like plan, gradually increasing the distance week by week. Though there are similarities, I didn’t realize how different preparation should have been. My initial training plan included a long run of 20 miles a couple weeks before the race. I ended up getting bit by a dog leading to a week or two of limping around. My final training run was 17 miles on some comparable trails to the ones I thought I would see in Moab. Most of my weekly runs were indeed very short, maybe 2-3 miles (I was also working as a hiking guide part time). The weekly runs either took place on gravel roads, regular roads, or some pretty chill singletrack. There was nothing special about my training. I was just trying to prepare to run 32 desert miles with my current knowledge.
My main training takeaways:
17 miles is too short before 32 miles if you can help it. Time on foot is very beneficial. Prepare to be on your feet for a very long time. I would have felt better prepared if I had gotten in some longer days on the trails prior to race day.
Getting in lots of days on comparable trails helps too. Obviously there are times for roads, tracks, treadmills, etc, but there is something to be said about preparing your body and your mind for what you will be experiencing on race day.
Being adaptable in training is important. It is pretty rare that your build up to a race is going to be perfect. It happens, but not very often. I got bit by a dog. It wasn’t ideal and it was frustrating. Ultimately me taking the time to take care of the problem before it became something bigger allowed me to successfully finish the race.
Practice your race day fueling (we will get to this more)
It was a chilly January morning in Moab. So chilly that I decided to run the race in leggings. Quick lesson: if you don’t normally run in pants, and it’s going to eventually warm up to be in the high 40’s, don’t run in pants in the race. That was a rookie mistake (for me personally) that I still cannot believe I chose to do, ha! The race went along slickrock trails with views of the snow-covered La Sal Mountains. They sent us off in small packs and I started running. I remember being so grateful to be out for a run on these beautiful trails, not concerned at all with pace or time. The first 15 miles or so of this race were flawless. I felt amazing and grateful simply grooving along those Moab singletrack trails.
Around mile 17, we arrived at the longest climb of the race so far. A steady, dirt road hill. It was about this time that I started to feel a bit out of it. Everything ached and I couldn’t believe I was only half way done. I couldn’t tell you now what my fueling strategy was or if I even had one. I do know my pack was filled with solely 100 calorie gels because that’s what you do in a road marathon! I slogged my way over rocks and through winding trails. Somebody offered me salt tabs, I said no. Somebody else offered me snacks, I said no. It wasn’t that I was too strong headed to accept help from others. I truly believed my body didn’t need anything they were offering. Well, I was wrong. After probably an hour or more of alternating between walking, laying on the ground, rolling my eyes about what I was doing and how I was feeling, the 20 mile aid station appeared. I hobbled up to the aid station. The volunteers were wonderful (per usual) asking me what I needed. I ended up leaving the aid station with a quesadilla, pb&j, and bottles filled up with this magical electrolyte drink. Ah, electrolytes. Ah, foods with more than 100 calories. Very shortly after leaving the aid station, I gained a little pep in my step. Ah… I start to connect the dots.
Fueling Takeaways:
It is so BEYOND IMPORTANT - it will make or break your day/
You must practice fueling in training so you know what works for you and to help train your stomach
I am not sure how many calories an hour I was eating, but now I aim for 250-300 calories/hour - you have to eat to keep going. This may include gels, bars, high carb drink mixes, real foods like sandwiches and rice balls. There are so many options. This is why it is important to trial and practice - especially the longer the races get.
Electrolytes!!!! You are sweating and you must replace some of what you lose otherwise you will feel absolutely terrible, like me. Learn from me.
Some of my favorites for fueling 50K’s are Scratch Labs, Spring Energy, Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars, Go Squeeze Applesauces, and sometimes I enjoy a splash of ginger ale as well. These work for me, and they may or may not work for you.
After that aid station, I start consuming higher calorie foods along with my gels, as well as electrolytes in my bottles. The majority of the race felt much better. Even with feeling better, there is no getting away from the fact that 32 miles is a long way and I had never done it before. The mental piece of finishing this race was uncharted territory for me, and to me, is still one of the most interesting aspects of the whole race. After bouncing back and forth between a positive and negative attitude, the finish line came into sight. I picked up the pace and finally crossed the line I had been imagining for 6.5 hours before.
Mental Takeaways:
Stay positive. Remember all of the work that you put in, and be grateful for the opportunity to be there.
Find some games you can play with yourself when you can’t get out of your head. Ex: counting your steps to 40 and starting over.
Try visualizing before the race. On your long runs, visualize running on the trails where you will be running and see yourself cross the finish line. If you just finished 20 miles, tell yourself you can run 12 more.
Try to learn the most from the mistakes I made in my first ultra so you can endure the most positive experience for yourself. The truth is, most of us have to get out there and give it a go for ourselves and learn our own lessons too, as they are inevitable. Fill your corner with good people and good support. If you need outside support there are always people to work with: coaches, sports psychologists, dieticians, etc. If you’re reading this, you are strong and capable of whatever your goals are. Get after it!
Author: Sydney Nagy had the chance to run the amazing trails in Sedona and wanted to share her story here. She is coaching on the Becoming Ultra platform now too. Learn more about her here.
