It definitely is for everyone. Started training for Ultras at 240lbs and with no cardio training history. Did 2 50ks and a 50 miler a year and a half later. Not fast…but finished.
Totally, when I realised I was bored with half's and had done enough 10ks I decided on a marathon, chatted about it to an ultra runner /triathlete who gave me top advice.. He said.. Skip the marathon and go ultra first... Best advice ever to my mind.. I have now done both and I find marathons mentally more traumatic, all the hoo ha.. The expos.. The bells and the crowding... Yup the ultra crowd are IMHO more peaceful xx
@@emmarunyeard6832 I have never run more than a 5K on the road (for a race). Running a road marathon intimidates me so much more than Ultras of longer distances. Lol
@@dustinmills7296 congrats on changing your life around. ya i agree, running in a city with a crowd? why when i can be in the woods with just a few people? also i HATE running on pavement
I remember reading an article awhile ago about the runner's knee myth. The author's belief was that when the myth came about decades ago, runners were going to the doctor to get checked out. While nonrunners were not. Hence everyone thought running was bad for you. It pointed out that now that more people are getting regular check ups, there's really no difference in bad knees between runners and nonrunners. At least that's how I remember the article.
Makes sense! I read an article a few months back about a study showing that running actually strengthens the ends of the bones, which helps hold off degenerative wear and tear. I don't recall who did the study though.
@@Kelly_Ben I'd be curious to read that. But it makes sense - impact and pressure will increase bone density. I think they showed that with skiing (although didn't read the actual study). Adding how running will also strengthen stabilization muscles and all - the whole thing make sense to me
Well, this sport has done more to help me focus on being grateful and gratitude then really anything in my life no matter how bad I’m doing sometimes I can usually say well there’s somebody having a worse time than me even if it’s maybe not true my very first 50 K coming in from after doing a couple marathons. I was shocked at the difference a man on the coursehad a heart attack and everybody like stopped their race to run over and to see if there’s anything they could do and help the paramedics get in in the whole bit and that started to teach me and so did ultramarathons really work on my gratitude unless I’m injured and I can’t race then I don’t got much gratitude
My biggest misconception about trail marathons was that I always thought I was in nowhere close to good enough shape for one. Then I learned that nobody runs the entire thing, they go at all sorts of paces and they don't stick to just one. So basically it was how I already was hiking. Getting rid of that misconception helped me mentally bridge the gap between simply hiking for fun and fitness to trying to increase my pace and mileage, and eventually to competing in some of the local trail races in the parks where I live.
It's sad how common this one is: I really hope to show with my channel that this isn't the case at all, and the sport is accessible to all - not just top elite athletes
For myself having gotten back into running this year at 49, it’s been incredibly hard on my knees and calves. That being said, that’s mainly because the muscles in my lower body had been relatively inactive for a long period and the body wasn’t acclimated to absorbing the load. It’s been a challenge to say the least but also seeing noticeable improvements and my mile times are effortlessly 2 mins faster than they were when I began in January. Biggest challenge has been staying positive when injured and unable to run as well as knowing when the knee(s) have been good enough to get back on the trail without further injuring them. I rushed it early on when I had soreness and sidelined me for almost a month.
I don't know if you've added strengthening exercises to your routine, but it can help a lot. Because for sure, running is hard on knees - especially coming in 'cold'. But hopefully with time, that's actually going to be beneficial as you strengthen muscles and your legs are better able to absorb the impact.
@@runningwithsimon Thanks for the reply. Going in cold forced me into doing strength exercises during times I was unable to run and indeed, they have been a great help. My sister is an ultra athlete and that’s the exact advice she gave me. It’s funny actually how having no routine at all resulted in putting together a very specific one based off initial results (failures), ha.
One observation about the knee thing. I've also had several knee related injuries. My physical therapist (who incidentally fixed me prior to my running of the Grindstone 100k) pointed out that my limited ankle and hip mobility was a likely cause of my troubles (in addition to overuse). I'm still working on improving this, but I suspect I'm not alone in taking up the sport with limited mobility. There's no quick fix for that.
@@runningwithsimon He didn't explain the mechanism (well, he might have but I didn't follow it or remember it). I can say anecdotally that it does limit my ability to open my stride, get a decent kick back. I'm a decent downhill runner, but I imagine it has an impact there as well. But I think the injuries had more to do with muscle contraction and tendon elasticity. Also when I told him I was also a trail runner, he did talk about the demands of changing surfaces. I wish I had listened closer ... but I had a race coming up and just wanted the magic bullets.
@@eric-running-to-chamonix I felt it particularly in my ankle when I went from pure road to trail. I guess it's the same at the knee level where you need to balance more, so lateral/stabilization muscle need to get used to it.. lol and I totally relate to the magic bullet thing. Shortly before my first leadville I was struggling, so I got to chat with a friend PT. She gave me a long list of exercise, which I was very grateful for and did. But at the end, I was like "that's awesome thanks! ... but...do you have any 'duct tape' kind of solution?". Which she helped too. But for sure the more 'long term' solution which has helped me get rid of the problem was the better one, and worth the patience and effort
The thing you said about a longer distance not necessarily making it harder is so true. I'll be running my first 53k in a month, and tbh that seems like a very long distance and very difficult to me right now. There will also be about 1200m of elevation gain which I'm a bit scared of but am training for. I have only run a marathon during training so far, so I don't really even know if I can finish the 53k, but the hardest distance I can think of right now is a 5k 😀 If I want a good (for myself) time in a 5k, that's just all pain basically from the start, and even though it's a relatively short distance in the grand scheme of things, it is not nearly short enough for the amount of pain I'm in the entire time.
Good luck on your 53k!! If you ran a marathon in training, you CAN run 53k (but doesn't mean it'll be easy the whole way...) Ah totally, no fast 5k for me. Even worse for me is a fast mile...oh the pain!
Thank you for dispelling some of these myths. I am 16 weeks away from my first ultra marathon and your videos help give me the encouragement I need to know I can meet my goal.
Hey Simon, i often heard that you can't be an Ultra Runner if you have kids because the training is too intense and time consuming for the wellbeing of the family. I do not believe it but i heard it. Cheers Simon!
It's certainly not true - I have plenty of friends with kids of all age that kept going (e.g., Coach Brian from our Buckle podcast - we briefly talk about this with our guest See Chad Run in episode 5). They're both have very healthy life balance with their family which is great to see. That said, you need to prioritize and it changes many things. When we'll have kids, I definitely won't be able to train and race 100 miles monthly, produce a movie every 1-2 weeks, and work 50-60 hr/week. I'll dial down the race frequency, try to stay more local, tell my boss 'no' more often, and probably cut down on youtube. It'll be about finding the 'new balance', but doesn't mean i need to 100% stop
Two channels I watch, Ultratrail Steven and Motivation Theory Running, both have 4 kids. And Steven's wife is an ultra runner too! It's all about how supportive and flexible both partners are to each other. If one has a hobby that takes 6-10 hours a week, they'd darn well better be willing to take the kids, laundry, cleaning etc while the partner goes off for a few hours for their own interests.
This was excellent, thanks! I mentioned a knee study under another comment. As a (slow) ultra runner and horse owner, I was joking with a triathalete neighbor that I had enough expensive time consuming hobbies. Then she told me she'd just finished paying off her $7,000 bike, and I felt much better!! 😮😂😂😂
And next thing you know, they pee all over it... Still, I felt somewhat silly on my road bike during my ironman. It felt like driving a Toyota Yaris during a F1 race.
Hope everyone hitting like and subscribe. Love this channel, it deserves to grow. Aiming for a 50k in summer and this content helping with the mindshift from doing marathons.
Love to hear you elaborare more on the shoe topic in a future video. 10 pair of shoes in a year is quite the cost. Personally I use my shoes a long time. My last pair I used for ~5k km with ~50/50 running/walking. This was extreme though, last couple of years leading up to start of last fall I never really trained consistent and I have this mental thing where I need to "earn" my running gear. So 2 months ago, after 4 months of consistent running I decided to treat myself new shoes. With new shoes I got issue with a calf muscle within a week and still having some issues with it. Have had same experience before, I typically used my shoes for 2k-3k km and when I finally swap I always get some issues. I never really struggled with blisters but muscle wise it feels like I always need to "break-in" each new pair even if I stick to same brand and a new version of same model. For me, another cost sink that I have a hard time to swallow is the special nutrition needs. Gels, bars, electrolytes are really expensive where I live but kind of hard to pass up on for the long runs.
2-3k on a single pair? Wow that's a lot! For me I go about 300-400 miles (600k) give or take. I don't really track it. Depends also on surface. What I do know is it does the opposite for me. If I do a bunch of high impact (aka intervals) and use older-ish shoes, I can get mild shin splint. So I often also reserve my 'good' ones for those, and my slower/low mileage run with old ones. And yes! Nutrition can get pricey. I honestly don't use gel in training all that much anymore exactly because of that. And in race, I grap what I need at A/S as much as possible.
A fellow Quebecor, JF Esculier working out of BC has a doctorate studies on Knee injuries in running. He might be a good interview guest to discuss and explore that topic.
running is def expensive. this may not be true everywhere, but where i live, i got shoes for the heat, shoes for the mud, shoes for the snow, shoes for the ice, shoes for running on wet rocks and like simon said, i buy them on sale and stock up cuz i go through them. clothes for -20 all the way to 100 and you can get most of them at goodwill for $5, but when you are running in the back country in severe weather for very long distance you want to have the best clothes for your situation. i got $300 into hydration, $200 in lights, $200 in backpacks, $200 in poles, i probably spend $20/run in shoes and fuel, gas to drive to the best trails in the area, supplements are expensive. and i think running is good for your body as long as you dont over-train and have decent form. i see a lot of people running (hopefully only a couple miles) who look like their knees and ankles will be destroyed in the future
Nice one. Thanks Simon. My perception was always that it must be way harder than a road 50k or a marathon, so your words are encouraging on that score. I've done a few marathons, a couple of 50-60k solo road runs with significant elevation, half IM (both flat and hilly), and now chasing a BQ time (can't get to the race, but to just qualify on paper will do for me); however, the thought of running a 100k has always been daunting. I fall into that trap you mentioned of thinking like a "runner", whereas ultra distances will naturally include considerable amounts of walking. Having only ever ran 100% of every event I've done, I need a lateral mental shift most probably before considering longer distance ultras.
I think you're spot on. It's a lot about having that switch in your head. I feel that marathon are something you need to 'optimize'. Running a BQ needs you to execute very precisely on a plan. And you don't really have room for anything to go wrong if you want to be done in time. And physically that's very hard because you have this time pressure. I'm sure a pro like Jim trying to break the 100k world record felt that way. But for anyone else, 100k gives you room for error. And not just error, but because you push to the limit of what you can physically do, it's about understanding these limits. Accepting that we are not superman. But still, somehow, finding ways to keep moving. And it's much more about getting it done despite anything that can be thrown at you (oh so it's raining? Ok no problem! Mud? Bring it on!, etc). These things will slow you down, but they will NOT stop you. It feels more like a 'survival' thing -crossing that line no matter what - than an optimization and carefully executed plan - if that makes sense. And in that sense, it makes it more achievable
@@runningwithsimon - BQ done last week in İzmir, Türkiye (03:28:55 @57 and M55-59 AG 1st), so now to slow right back down for something totally different; time to prep the mind and body for an 80k midsummer salt flats run in August.
Runners do indeed often get sore knees. Shit, we probably feel more soreness in our knees after a run than the average person does on a regular day. Knowing that, you can have sore knees that have nothing to do with running. Any injuries you might get during your life that occur in your legs don't have to be connected to your running.
@runningwithsimon I've got a sore left knee and I know it has nothing to do with me running. Most likely from a physical therapy session I had a few years ago.
I injured both knees in a bar accident as a child. When I start running after a break, or change my running to include more incline/ decline, I get mild knee soreness. Once I'm fit again, I have FAR LESS knee pain than when I'm being a couch potato. Seriously, my knees feel better running ultras than not running at all.
Thanks a lot for another great video! I’m getting ready for my first ultra in a couple of months and really enjoying your work. Thanks again and stay well! 🙏👍🔥
There's certainly some example of muscular guys running ultras! So it's definitely possible. Although a buddy of mine who's into bodybuilding says some of them are probably on steroids. I don't know enough about it to have an opinion, but I'd struggle myself having enough time (and energy) to both bulk up and run so much...
@@allenvilleendurance Congrats! And to be clear, I'm not saying it's not possible. More that the physique of some more visible ones made my bodybuilding friend a bit skeptical. I don't know much about this
@@runningwithsimon Simon, trust me you never come off negative. It’s a lot harder let’s be honest. More lbs = more effort needed. I wish I could drop the lbs and maybe one day but I also like my stature lol
Hey brother, just a follow up . A while ago i was looking for advice running my first 50 miler and i did in fact complete the race. I encountered no issues, no blisters,chaffing,cramps I had more pain in my feet wearing the wrong size shoes during a 10 mile run 😂
I was very overweight when I started running. I managed to slowly build up my distances along with strength training and steady weight loss, and my knees have been absolutely fine :) I focused quite early on running form as I was terrified of my extra weight causing injuries, so that might have helped too although I did that gradually as well, slow and steady is the name of the game :D Currently training for my first ultra - I'm definitely not an elite athlete, was never a sporty kid and didn't start running until my 30s after years of being sedentary... it's just about being patient and putting in the work :)
Great video, thanks for sharing! I mostly hike and backpack in the mountains where I live (Montana), but I've also been doing a bit of trail running. Would like to increase what I can do. I subscribed to your channel and will check out more of your videos. :)
2:30 Did the 50 miler at antelope canyon (dropped at mile 43 - too much elevation for this florida boy) and watched you blow by me around sunset on page rim.
@@runningwithsimon ended up proposing to my GF at the Lake Powell aid station instead of the finish line sooo silver linings. Pretty view at sunset vs a baseball field in the dark...
I know it not bad for your knees but man iv been struggling hard with bad knee pain during running. Cant do anything over an hour, with is goal of 50k this is a problem haha. Iv tried PT, lifting, rest all to some success but nothing permanent.
Yes exactly, I think that's the nuance here. Running is hard on knees. Does it mean it causes damage them long term? Doesn't seem that way. Are we struggling with knee pain associated to running because of the running, or is it because there was already some issue, and running sheds light on it? For me PT has helped, but I know it's not always such a straightforward road unfortunately.
Fun (short) story with this hat! I was translating for iRunFar pre and post-race interviews with Benat at Hardrock last summer. And none other than Zach Miller comes by to say hi, looks at my hat and is like "Dude that's an awesome hat!" So now it's my lucky hat :)
Yes but it’s much less common. Check out my Badwater 135 race ua-cam.com/video/wBPaAJ3MLkQ/v-deo.htmlsi=CsYxeyjgPpy6CKuK You also have ultras that are run around a track. Either way, much less common
@Kelly_Ben Thanks! Few videos put together helped. Key ideas were: How to put together running plan. Typical weekly mileage for 50k distance (although I was at the lower side of it). Finally using long runs as dress rehearsals, even if one might not need to eat/drink/etc. And most importantly, doing it in similar type of terrain if possible. This last one was very useful especially as I couldnt reccy the route. All the best.
The myth I've heard the most: "Looking good! You're almost there!"
lol!
That, or "Looking strong!" while dying,,, but I will take it!
YESSS 😂
I have a running vest with a skull and crossbones on that says ..no I am not nearly there .. 😂
Amazing 😂
Lol'ed at your first myth. I'm old, overweight and not very fit and I love ultras. (I like to say over-confident, overweight and over the hill!)
Love it!
It definitely is for everyone. Started training for Ultras at 240lbs and with no cardio training history. Did 2 50ks and a 50 miler a year and a half later. Not fast…but finished.
Exactly! Winning is definitely not for everyone. But working on ourselves, pushing our limit, and finishing? Yup!
Totally, when I realised I was bored with half's and had done enough 10ks I decided on a marathon, chatted about it to an ultra runner /triathlete who gave me top advice.. He said.. Skip the marathon and go ultra first... Best advice ever to my mind.. I have now done both and I find marathons mentally more traumatic, all the hoo ha.. The expos.. The bells and the crowding... Yup the ultra crowd are IMHO more peaceful xx
@@emmarunyeard6832 I have never run more than a 5K on the road (for a race). Running a road marathon intimidates me so much more than Ultras of longer distances. Lol
@@dustinmills7296 congrats on changing your life around. ya i agree, running in a city with a crowd? why when i can be in the woods with just a few people? also i HATE running on pavement
I remember reading an article awhile ago about the runner's knee myth. The author's belief was that when the myth came about decades ago, runners were going to the doctor to get checked out. While nonrunners were not. Hence everyone thought running was bad for you. It pointed out that now that more people are getting regular check ups, there's really no difference in bad knees between runners and nonrunners. At least that's how I remember the article.
Interesting - I had never heard that.
Makes sense! I read an article a few months back about a study showing that running actually strengthens the ends of the bones, which helps hold off degenerative wear and tear. I don't recall who did the study though.
@@Kelly_Ben I'd be curious to read that. But it makes sense - impact and pressure will increase bone density. I think they showed that with skiing (although didn't read the actual study). Adding how running will also strengthen stabilization muscles and all - the whole thing make sense to me
Well, this sport has done more to help me focus on being grateful and gratitude then really anything in my life no matter how bad I’m doing sometimes I can usually say well there’s somebody having a worse time than me even if it’s maybe not true my very first 50 K coming in from after doing a couple marathons. I was shocked at the difference a man on the coursehad a heart attack and everybody like stopped their race to run over and to see if there’s anything they could do and help the paramedics get in in the whole bit and that started to teach me and so did ultramarathons really work on my gratitude unless I’m injured and I can’t race then I don’t got much gratitude
Gratitude is important!
My biggest misconception about trail marathons was that I always thought I was in nowhere close to good enough shape for one. Then I learned that nobody runs the entire thing, they go at all sorts of paces and they don't stick to just one. So basically it was how I already was hiking. Getting rid of that misconception helped me mentally bridge the gap between simply hiking for fun and fitness to trying to increase my pace and mileage, and eventually to competing in some of the local trail races in the parks where I live.
It's sad how common this one is: I really hope to show with my channel that this isn't the case at all, and the sport is accessible to all - not just top elite athletes
For myself having gotten back into running this year at 49, it’s been incredibly hard on my knees and calves. That being said, that’s mainly because the muscles in my lower body had been relatively inactive for a long period and the body wasn’t acclimated to absorbing the load. It’s been a challenge to say the least but also seeing noticeable improvements and my mile times are effortlessly 2 mins faster than they were when I began in January. Biggest challenge has been staying positive when injured and unable to run as well as knowing when the knee(s) have been good enough to get back on the trail without further injuring them. I rushed it early on when I had soreness and sidelined me for almost a month.
I don't know if you've added strengthening exercises to your routine, but it can help a lot. Because for sure, running is hard on knees - especially coming in 'cold'. But hopefully with time, that's actually going to be beneficial as you strengthen muscles and your legs are better able to absorb the impact.
@@runningwithsimon Thanks for the reply. Going in cold forced me into doing strength exercises during times I was unable to run and indeed, they have been a great help. My sister is an ultra athlete and that’s the exact advice she gave me. It’s funny actually how having no routine at all resulted in putting together a very specific one based off initial results (failures), ha.
One observation about the knee thing. I've also had several knee related injuries. My physical therapist (who incidentally fixed me prior to my running of the Grindstone 100k) pointed out that my limited ankle and hip mobility was a likely cause of my troubles (in addition to overuse). I'm still working on improving this, but I suspect I'm not alone in taking up the sport with limited mobility. There's no quick fix for that.
Do you know if your limited mobility in those areas affect (negatively) your running form/gait?
@@runningwithsimon He didn't explain the mechanism (well, he might have but I didn't follow it or remember it). I can say anecdotally that it does limit my ability to open my stride, get a decent kick back. I'm a decent downhill runner, but I imagine it has an impact there as well. But I think the injuries had more to do with muscle contraction and tendon elasticity. Also when I told him I was also a trail runner, he did talk about the demands of changing surfaces. I wish I had listened closer ... but I had a race coming up and just wanted the magic bullets.
@@eric-running-to-chamonix I felt it particularly in my ankle when I went from pure road to trail. I guess it's the same at the knee level where you need to balance more, so lateral/stabilization muscle need to get used to it..
lol and I totally relate to the magic bullet thing. Shortly before my first leadville I was struggling, so I got to chat with a friend PT. She gave me a long list of exercise, which I was very grateful for and did. But at the end, I was like "that's awesome thanks! ... but...do you have any 'duct tape' kind of solution?". Which she helped too. But for sure the more 'long term' solution which has helped me get rid of the problem was the better one, and worth the patience and effort
The thing you said about a longer distance not necessarily making it harder is so true. I'll be running my first 53k in a month, and tbh that seems like a very long distance and very difficult to me right now. There will also be about 1200m of elevation gain which I'm a bit scared of but am training for. I have only run a marathon during training so far, so I don't really even know if I can finish the 53k, but the hardest distance I can think of right now is a 5k 😀 If I want a good (for myself) time in a 5k, that's just all pain basically from the start, and even though it's a relatively short distance in the grand scheme of things, it is not nearly short enough for the amount of pain I'm in the entire time.
Good luck on your 53k!! If you ran a marathon in training, you CAN run 53k (but doesn't mean it'll be easy the whole way...)
Ah totally, no fast 5k for me. Even worse for me is a fast mile...oh the pain!
Thank you for dispelling some of these myths. I am 16 weeks away from my first ultra marathon and your videos help give me the encouragement I need to know I can meet my goal.
You got this!
Hey Simon, i often heard that you can't be an Ultra Runner if you have kids because the training is too intense and time consuming for the wellbeing of the family. I do not believe it but i heard it. Cheers Simon!
It's certainly not true - I have plenty of friends with kids of all age that kept going (e.g., Coach Brian from our Buckle podcast - we briefly talk about this with our guest See Chad Run in episode 5). They're both have very healthy life balance with their family which is great to see.
That said, you need to prioritize and it changes many things. When we'll have kids, I definitely won't be able to train and race 100 miles monthly, produce a movie every 1-2 weeks, and work 50-60 hr/week. I'll dial down the race frequency, try to stay more local, tell my boss 'no' more often, and probably cut down on youtube. It'll be about finding the 'new balance', but doesn't mean i need to 100% stop
Two channels I watch, Ultratrail Steven and Motivation Theory Running, both have 4 kids. And Steven's wife is an ultra runner too! It's all about how supportive and flexible both partners are to each other. If one has a hobby that takes 6-10 hours a week, they'd darn well better be willing to take the kids, laundry, cleaning etc while the partner goes off for a few hours for their own interests.
This was excellent, thanks! I mentioned a knee study under another comment. As a (slow) ultra runner and horse owner, I was joking with a triathalete neighbor that I had enough expensive time consuming hobbies. Then she told me she'd just finished paying off her $7,000 bike, and I felt much better!! 😮😂😂😂
And next thing you know, they pee all over it...
Still, I felt somewhat silly on my road bike during my ironman. It felt like driving a Toyota Yaris during a F1 race.
Try doing both…..but we don’t talk about cost of bike and actually paid. I don’t want to sleep on the couch! lol
Hope everyone hitting like and subscribe. Love this channel, it deserves to grow. Aiming for a 50k in summer and this content helping with the mindshift from doing marathons.
Good luck with your 50k :)
Love to hear you elaborare more on the shoe topic in a future video. 10 pair of shoes in a year is quite the cost.
Personally I use my shoes a long time. My last pair I used for ~5k km with ~50/50 running/walking. This was extreme though, last couple of years leading up to start of last fall I never really trained consistent and I have this mental thing where I need to "earn" my running gear. So 2 months ago, after 4 months of consistent running I decided to treat myself new shoes. With new shoes I got issue with a calf muscle within a week and still having some issues with it.
Have had same experience before, I typically used my shoes for 2k-3k km and when I finally swap I always get some issues. I never really struggled with blisters but muscle wise it feels like I always need to "break-in" each new pair even if I stick to same brand and a new version of same model.
For me, another cost sink that I have a hard time to swallow is the special nutrition needs. Gels, bars, electrolytes are really expensive where I live but kind of hard to pass up on for the long runs.
2-3k on a single pair? Wow that's a lot! For me I go about 300-400 miles (600k) give or take. I don't really track it. Depends also on surface. What I do know is it does the opposite for me. If I do a bunch of high impact (aka intervals) and use older-ish shoes, I can get mild shin splint. So I often also reserve my 'good' ones for those, and my slower/low mileage run with old ones.
And yes! Nutrition can get pricey. I honestly don't use gel in training all that much anymore exactly because of that. And in race, I grap what I need at A/S as much as possible.
A fellow Quebecor, JF Esculier working out of BC has a doctorate studies on Knee injuries in running. He might be a good interview guest to discuss and explore that topic.
Oh interesting - yes could be interesting! Thanks for the tip
running is def expensive. this may not be true everywhere, but where i live, i got shoes for the heat, shoes for the mud, shoes for the snow, shoes for the ice, shoes for running on wet rocks and like simon said, i buy them on sale and stock up cuz i go through them. clothes for -20 all the way to 100 and you can get most of them at goodwill for $5, but when you are running in the back country in severe weather for very long distance you want to have the best clothes for your situation. i got $300 into hydration, $200 in lights, $200 in backpacks, $200 in poles, i probably spend $20/run in shoes and fuel, gas to drive to the best trails in the area, supplements are expensive.
and i think running is good for your body as long as you dont over-train and have decent form. i see a lot of people running (hopefully only a couple miles) who look like their knees and ankles will be destroyed in the future
Nice one. Thanks Simon. My perception was always that it must be way harder than a road 50k or a marathon, so your words are encouraging on that score. I've done a few marathons, a couple of 50-60k solo road runs with significant elevation, half IM (both flat and hilly), and now chasing a BQ time (can't get to the race, but to just qualify on paper will do for me); however, the thought of running a 100k has always been daunting. I fall into that trap you mentioned of thinking like a "runner", whereas ultra distances will naturally include considerable amounts of walking. Having only ever ran 100% of every event I've done, I need a lateral mental shift most probably before considering longer distance ultras.
I think you're spot on. It's a lot about having that switch in your head. I feel that marathon are something you need to 'optimize'. Running a BQ needs you to execute very precisely on a plan. And you don't really have room for anything to go wrong if you want to be done in time. And physically that's very hard because you have this time pressure.
I'm sure a pro like Jim trying to break the 100k world record felt that way. But for anyone else, 100k gives you room for error. And not just error, but because you push to the limit of what you can physically do, it's about understanding these limits. Accepting that we are not superman. But still, somehow, finding ways to keep moving. And it's much more about getting it done despite anything that can be thrown at you (oh so it's raining? Ok no problem! Mud? Bring it on!, etc). These things will slow you down, but they will NOT stop you. It feels more like a 'survival' thing -crossing that line no matter what - than an optimization and carefully executed plan - if that makes sense. And in that sense, it makes it more achievable
@@runningwithsimon - BQ done last week in İzmir, Türkiye (03:28:55 @57 and M55-59 AG 1st), so now to slow right back down for something totally different; time to prep the mind and body for an 80k midsummer salt flats run in August.
@@marathoner_Ali Congratulations!!!
Runners do indeed often get sore knees. Shit, we probably feel more soreness in our knees after a run than the average person does on a regular day. Knowing that, you can have sore knees that have nothing to do with running. Any injuries you might get during your life that occur in your legs don't have to be connected to your running.
Yes! And I rarely hear people say "oh skiing is bad for your knees". But most people I know that blew up their knee did so skiing
@runningwithsimon I've got a sore left knee and I know it has nothing to do with me running. Most likely from a physical therapy session I had a few years ago.
I injured both knees in a bar accident as a child. When I start running after a break, or change my running to include more incline/ decline, I get mild knee soreness. Once I'm fit again, I have FAR LESS knee pain than when I'm being a couch potato. Seriously, my knees feel better running ultras than not running at all.
13:51 THANK YOU SIMON :)
And it's so true!
Thanks a lot for another great video! I’m getting ready for my first ultra in a couple of months and really enjoying your work. Thanks again and stay well! 🙏👍🔥
Good luck!
I’ve heard people say that you can’t be muscular and do ultra marathons. I think I disagree though
There's certainly some example of muscular guys running ultras! So it's definitely possible. Although a buddy of mine who's into bodybuilding says some of them are probably on steroids. I don't know enough about it to have an opinion, but I'd struggle myself having enough time (and energy) to both bulk up and run so much...
Well I’m “muscular” and did an ultra, slow as heck, but I got mine in the books lol.
@@allenvilleendurance Congrats! And to be clear, I'm not saying it's not possible. More that the physique of some more visible ones made my bodybuilding friend a bit skeptical. I don't know much about this
@@runningwithsimon Simon, trust me you never come off negative. It’s a lot harder let’s be honest. More lbs = more effort needed. I wish I could drop the lbs and maybe one day but I also like my stature lol
Hey brother, just a follow up . A while ago i was looking for advice running my first 50 miler and i did in fact complete the race. I encountered no issues, no blisters,chaffing,cramps I had more pain in my feet wearing the wrong size shoes during a 10 mile run 😂
Let's go! Congrats :)
@runningwithsimon you know what else, 2 days after that event I found out I got accepted into leadville lol
@@bikerdude6119 Oh let's go! I'll be there again this year. It's a fairly challenging race because of tight cutoff! Hopefully i see you there!
I was very overweight when I started running. I managed to slowly build up my distances along with strength training and steady weight loss, and my knees have been absolutely fine :)
I focused quite early on running form as I was terrified of my extra weight causing injuries, so that might have helped too although I did that gradually as well, slow and steady is the name of the game :D
Currently training for my first ultra - I'm definitely not an elite athlete, was never a sporty kid and didn't start running until my 30s after years of being sedentary... it's just about being patient and putting in the work :)
Exactly - hard and persistent work - and trusting the process!
Great video, Simon! "It's not going to consume your soul." Hmmmmm.... :)
It's not *necessarily going to consume your soul ;)
Shoe selection will have a great impact to my running
Totally! And good fit too. Some people always get injury from bad shoes...
Merci Simon
Another great video Simon! Keep em coming
Thanks!!
Great video, thanks for sharing! I mostly hike and backpack in the mountains where I live (Montana), but I've also been doing a bit of trail running. Would like to increase what I can do. I subscribed to your channel and will check out more of your videos. :)
Montana! The dream - we really have to go there some day to experience the trail. I only ever did The Beaten Path over there - which was really cool!
2:30 Did the 50 miler at antelope canyon (dropped at mile 43 - too much elevation for this florida boy) and watched you blow by me around sunset on page rim.
and after the horror show that my feet became after... I will be starting your foot care routine haha
Sorry to hear that...
Nora's feet were also very beat up from this race because of the sand. It really adds a layer of irritation quickly...
@@runningwithsimon ended up proposing to my GF at the Lake Powell aid station instead of the finish line sooo silver linings. Pretty view at sunset vs a baseball field in the dark...
@@Limegloves Oh congratulations!
Thank you so much. Agree!!!
I know it not bad for your knees but man iv been struggling hard with bad knee pain during running. Cant do anything over an hour, with is goal of 50k this is a problem haha. Iv tried PT, lifting, rest all to some success but nothing permanent.
Yes exactly, I think that's the nuance here. Running is hard on knees. Does it mean it causes damage them long term? Doesn't seem that way. Are we struggling with knee pain associated to running because of the running, or is it because there was already some issue, and running sheds light on it? For me PT has helped, but I know it's not always such a straightforward road unfortunately.
Love the hat. Great place to eat.
Fun (short) story with this hat! I was translating for iRunFar pre and post-race interviews with Benat at Hardrock last summer. And none other than Zach Miller comes by to say hi, looks at my hat and is like "Dude that's an awesome hat!" So now it's my lucky hat :)
@@runningwithsimonLove that. It's the little things that spread joy in others.
Is there a thing as road ultras?
Yes but it’s much less common. Check out my Badwater 135 race ua-cam.com/video/wBPaAJ3MLkQ/v-deo.htmlsi=CsYxeyjgPpy6CKuK
You also have ultras that are run around a track. Either way, much less common
Salut Simon! Just wanted to say that I used all your videos to train and prepare for my first ultra last week. it went very well. Merci beaucoup!! 🦵
Salut! Congratulations!!!
Congratulations!!! Can you share something you learned, or that helped you through?
@Kelly_Ben Thanks! Few videos put together helped. Key ideas were:
How to put together running plan.
Typical weekly mileage for 50k distance (although I was at the lower side of it).
Finally using long runs as dress rehearsals, even if one might not need to eat/drink/etc. And most importantly, doing it in similar type of terrain if possible. This last one was very useful especially as I couldnt reccy the route.
All the best.