Thinking About a 50K? 50 Miler? How to Run Your First Ultra Marathon, According to Science

You have loved our episodes on how to run your first half marathon and marathon - so today, we have an episode for those of you who feel ready to go further. We discuss how to train for your first ultra marathon, whether you are doing a 50K, 50 miler, or 100mile. You will learn how to structure workouts and long runs, how to prepare for elevation gain, how to fuel, and more!

Thank you to our sponsors:

✨Title Nine: Comfortable sports bras that actually fit, from a women-owned company. Use code RUNTOTHEFINISH for free shipping at https://runtothefinish.com/title-nine/

✨ Tailwind: Complete sport nutrition made simple, including hydration mixes, high-carb sport drinks, endurance fuel, and recovery mixes. Use code TREADLIGHTLY20 at https://tailwindnutrition.com/TREADLIGHTLY for 20% off your first purchase.

In this episode, you’ll learn about:

✅ The physiological demands of ultra marathons

✅ How to use back to back long runs in ultra training

✅ How to prepare for uphills and downhills

✅ Types of workouts to include in your first ultra build

✅ If hiking can help you prepare for your first ultra

✅ Nutrition and hydration for your first ultra race

✅ Recommended gear for ultra marathons

If You Enjoyed this Episode, You May Like:

🎧 Fatigue Resistance: How to Not Slow Down at the End of Your Next Race (18 April 2025)

🎧 Running at High Altitude (2 November 2023)

🎧 Heat Acclimation Strategies and Science-Backed Cooling Techniques (29 May 2026)

References

🔬PMID: 41334713

🔬PMID: 35213820

🔬PMID: 25943654

🔬PMID: 2710655

🔬 PMID: 37222863

🔬PMID: 40757594

🔬Van Horn, Kylee. (2025). Practical Fueling for Endurance Athletes. Human Kinetics

Tread Lightly Running is hosted and researched by Amanda Brooks and Laura Norris, MSc. Production, show notes, and graphics by Laura Norris.

Let’s stay connected:

➡️ Tread Lightly Running Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treadlightlyrunning/

➡️ Laura Norris Running on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauranorrisrunning/

➡️ Subscribe for weekly evidence-based newsletters, straight to your inbox, on https://lauranorrisrunning.substack.com/

➡️ Run to the Finish on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runtothefinish/?hl=en

➡️ Thousands of running gear reviews and training guides: https://runtothefinish.com/