There are a bunch of different ways to approach ultras depending on what you want to get out of the sport. Some runners focus on fitness and attempt to get as fast as possible. Some people only want to briefly experiment with distances beyond marathons. Some sign up and race every weekend or two. Some want to dabble a bit here and there with maybe one or two races a year. There is no universal right or wrong answer; only what resonates with you.
My goal is pretty simple: I want to be good at running long distances. The difficulties of ultras though turns this into an incredibly complicated and challenging task. People think about ultras as a physical endeavor and while that’s accurate, I’ve found that the fitness aspects are relatively simple. It’s all the other “little” things that come with moving your body long distances that are tough to master: pacing, nutrition, hydration, chafing, how much and what kind of clothes to wear, electrolytes, poles, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
Not only is there a long list of variables that need to be mastered, but the solution to these problems changes depending on the length of race, time of year, or whatever random weather conditions you’re faced with on any given day. You can plan ahead for some eventualities, but others you’ll just need to problem solve as you go along. It’s the difference between book smart and street smart. Experience is a great teacher and the primary reason I’ve gotten as good at ultras as I am. I’ve just been around the block quite a few times.
But there’s always opportunities to improve and grow. I’m currently working to improve my navigation skills. My last unsupported effort left much to be desired in this regard so I’m learning how to use the navigation functions of my Garmin in prep for Coast to Coaster in a couple weeks. I’ve figured out how to load courses onto my watch and have been experimenting with following them and going off track to see how that works (or doesn’t). For most people, this wouldn’t be a big deal. Heck, it’s not really been a huge intellectual undertaking for myself. This will definitely improve my route finding during the race. It will also reduce my stress levels about potentially being off course, which will make for a more enjoyable race. And will hopefully make me a slightly better ultrarunner.
Stack enough little improvements and you’ll be amazed at how proficient you can become.