Following my Valencia marathon, a friend asked me:
“So now that you can check off your Sub3h marathon goal, will you ever run an Ultra-marathon“
Me: “Nope, never, 42k are enough”
It took only one sub3 marathon more (Munich 2018) to change my mind.
Being a big fan of trail running, especially awakened during my training at home in the Swabian Alps and even more fostered by many other runs out in the Sierra Calderona close to Valencia (my third home), I decided it’s time for something bigger. And since most of the great trail races in Europe are not in vicinity of my doorstep (Brussels, BE) it had to be more than ‘just a marathon’. With its 63km and 3000m elevation gain the Zugspitz Supertrail seemed the perfect option
In short, I just needed a new adventure, different from road running this time :-).
But trail running is so much more.
I believe Marathon training got a bit old (despite of enjoying it a lot), but if you get the main things right (medium-long intervals, long runs, high but physically acceptable mileage, along with proper nutrition), the training is pretty straightforward. This is especially true for (ambitious) hobby runners like me, who basically improve with any kind of sufficiently hard stimuli.
For ultras, or trail runs, especially ultra-trail runs, however, specificity is one of the main players. Depending on the duration of your race, climbing during the race, slope grades, downhills, time of the year, elevation levels, mandatory equipment and so on, adaptations in a wide range of conditions are the ne plus ultra. This brings fun and diversity to your training, but also makes it harder and time consuming.
Fun.Run.Dad 