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Ultramarathons

Ultramarathons, running events that are substantially longer than a marathon, are becoming increasingly popular, as humans are continually trying to push the limits of endurance. 

While the marathon requires the largest glycogen storage capacity possible, a very efficient capacity to make new glucose, and a very effective system of fat use, these characteristics are paramount for the ultramarathon.  Therefore, one of the goals of ultramarathon training is to teach your muscles to rely on fat as fuel.  While muscles’ store of carbohydrate is limiting, humans’ store of fat is virtually unlimited, with enough to fuel about five days of marathon running or about 1,000 miles of walking.  While women are at a definite cardiovascular disadvantage to men since they have a smaller cardiac output and less hemoglobin in their blood to transport oxygen, research has shown that women have a greater capacity to metabolize fat and conserve glycogen, which may give them an advantage for very long endurance activities.  Indeed, in 2002 and 2003, Pam Reed beat all the men at the 135-mile Badwater Ultramarathon.

There are two ways to make your muscles more effective at using fat for energy—1) run/walk for very long periods of time (4-6 hours) and 2) begin your runs with low muscle glycogen by consuming a low-carbohydrate diet beforehand.  Think of this strategy as creating a threat to the muscles’ survival—when you threaten the survival of muscles by depriving them of their preferred fuel, a strong signal is sent to make more of that fuel to combat the threat and to use other sources of fuel more effectively.  The downsides to training with little glycogen, however, is that 1) it doesn’t feel good and 2) it compromises any intensity in your program since high intensity running depends on carbohydrates for fuel.  If you’re going to try training with low muscle glycogen, make sure you consume lots of carbohydrates before your ultramarathon, so you “train low, race high.”  

Given its duration, the ultramarathon also requires the consumption of calories during the race.  If you’ve ever eaten during a long endurance event, you know the mess it can make of your digestive system.  During your long training runs, practice eating different foods and different nutrients to see what your stomach can handle.  The more you practice refueling and rehydration strategies, the better off you’ll be on race day.

Like the marathon, dehydration, muscle fiber damage, hyperthermia, and psychological fatigue are huge issues for the ultramarathon, so use your long runs to practice dealing with each of these issues.  Since your sweat rate exceeds your ability to ingest fluid while running, dehydration is difficult to prevent.  However, since endurance performance declines with only a 2-3 percent loss of body weight due to fluid loss, it’s important to minimize its effects by drinking fluids with sodium.  Since water goes wherever sodium goes, more water is conserved by the kidneys when you ingest sodium with the water.

Climate has a greater effect on the ultramarathon than it does on any other race.  Prepare yourself by acclimatizing to hot and humid conditions beforehand.  While cardiovascular adaptations to running in the heat are nearly complete within one week, the sweating response takes about two weeks, so give yourself at least two weeks of slowly introducing yourself to the heat. 

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In Press...
Cruise Control, my article on downhill running with tips on how to prepare for downhill races, appears in the May, 2009 issue of Runner’s World.

The Bare Bones, my article on everything you wanted to know about bones and exercise, appears in the May, 2009 issue of IDEA Fitness Journal, the premier trade magazine for fitness professionals. 

Lungs and Legs: Entrainment of Breathing to Locomotion in Highly Trained Distance Runners, the abstract of my doctoral dissertation research co-authored with Robert Robergs, Ph.D., appears in the May, 2009 issue of the scientific journal, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.

Training Characteristics of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifiers, my research article documenting how the best marathoners in the U.S. train, with comparisons made between men and women and elite and national-class runners, appears in the May/June, 2009 issue of Marathon & Beyond.

The 3 Metabolic Energy Systems, my article that explains how humans get the energy to exercise and how to train the systems to get more energy for muscle contraction, appears in the May, 2009 issue of the United Kingdom’s Ultra-Fit magazine.

How Fast Can Johnny Run?: Assessing Sprinting Ability, my article that describes the various ways coaches can evaluate possible sprint talent, appears in the Spring, 2009 issue of Track Coach, the official technical publication of USA Track & Field. 

How Many Sets Do You Need, my Chest Essentials piece on how many sets men need to maximize strength and hypertrophy of their pecs to make women swoon, appears in the May/June, 2009 issue of Maximum Fitness. 

Once the place where only athletes and hardcore fitness enthusiasts with big muscles or tight buttocks went to show off their bodies, gyms are now filled with everyone from Mr. Olympia to grandma next door.  So why not you?  Why You Should Join a Gym, a podcast of my article that discusses the reasons for joining a gym, can be heard live at http://www.itrainerlive.com.

There’s no “I” in Team: How to Find a Training Group, my article outlining the benefits of training with a group, with suggestions on how to find them, appears in the May/June, 2009 issue of Washington Running Report.  

Five Lessons I Have Learned From Physiology and How They Can Make You a Faster Runner appears in the Spring, 2009 issue of Duke City Fit, Albuquerque, New Mexico’s premier fitness magazine.

Also check out my quotes on changes you can make to enhance your workouts   in the June, 2009 issue of Marie Claire, on newsstands in May. 
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©2009 Dr. Jason Karp.