Ultrarunners

Ultrarunners are athletes who compete in ultramarathons, races longer than the marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers. The field includes runners who race on roads, trails, or mixed terrain, and who may pursue single-day events or multiday formats. Ultramarathons emphasize endurance, consistency, and recovery, often requiring meticulous planning around nutrition, pacing, and terrain.

Common formats range from 50 kilometers and 50 miles to 100 kilometers and 100 miles. In addition, multiday stage races and high-altitude or ultratrail events test longer-term stamina. The sport has prominent races such as Western States 100, Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, Badwater, and Spartathlon, as well as many regional events.

Training for ultrarunning typically involves sustained high mileage, frequent long runs, back-to-back running days, and strength work to handle hills and uneven surfaces. Runners focus on fueling and hydration plans, electrolyte management, sleep strategies, and recovery between hard efforts. Pacing tends to be conservative at the start of long races, with adjustments for terrain and conditions; many ultrarunners rely on aid stations, crews, and sometimes pacers.

Safety and risk are considerations, including injuries, heat or cold exposure, sleep deprivation in multiday events, and environmental hazards. Equipment usually includes lightweight trail shoes, hydration systems, headlamps for night running, and, in some races, trekking poles.

Governing and community structures exist worldwide, with the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) coordinating world-level ultrarunning activities alongside national and regional bodies. The sport has grown since the late 20th century, attracting participants from diverse backgrounds and disciplines who seek testing of endurance beyond the marathon.