Ultra Runners Chatty Thread

[RelentlessForwardProgress]

If you regularly run ultra, are planning your first or are kinda secretly mulling over the idea of doing one welcome to the party.

also, don't think I've got the upper body strength

I have only done marathons

@54321nought

Has anyone ever tried a Tough Mudder?

toughmudder.co.uk/events/?utm_source=google&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIs4Xk-4PI8gIVUe3tCh1KOA_OEAAYASAAEgI-fPD_BwE

This is my dream

but, expensive, and difficult to access, I don't think its going to happen any time soon

I've done loads of Wolf Runs which are similar but maybe a bit less hair raising. My friend did a Tough Mudder a while back, I think one of the obstacles involved trying to avoid being electrocuted

If you do it you'll find other people on the course will help you up the obstacles and you can skip ones if you need to. Upper body strength is very useful though I won't lie to you!

See I've never wanted to do those kind of tough mudder events. They seem really expensive with not much running.

I'd just whinge about being wet and cold!

@OJandacupoftea

See I've never wanted to do those kind of tough mudder events. They seem really expensive with not much running.

I'd just whinge about being wet and cold!

yes, there are a big expense - maybe I'll ask for it as a birthday present or something, if I do it.

There can be plenty of running though, you can do marathon distances, and half marathon distances, although if I ever try it, my first one will be short

Now I'm looking up wolf runs!

wow! those wold runs look brilliant!

What was it like @TheWholeWorld ?

I'm reading with envy, I've got arthritis in my feet which has got so much worse over the past 18 months, having been a marathon runner my running has dropped right back to 5 or 10k, any more than 10k at a time is just too sore. And 3 runs a week is my absolute limit.
It remains on my bucket list, maybe when I'm 75 I'll do one really slowly then just never walk again in my life.
I've been doing some long distance swimming and other things but it's not the same.
I did a run once with inflatable obstacles and lots of foam, that was much more fun than Tough Mudder where I would just worry about getting mud in my eyes.

@54321nought

wow! those wold runs look brilliant!

What was it like @TheWholeWorld ?

I think they're great fun. They're especially good to do with friends in a group - if you book early and can get 5 people together the 5th entry is free which helps reduce the cost. The best ones to do temperature wise are summer and autumn. You can avoid the lakes if you don't want to swim in open water but the mud is freezing in winter and spring can be very cold too. I've done the winter ones a few times - people sometimes get hypothermia if they're not fit enough to be able to run between obstacles at least some of the way. I don't say that to scare you but some people are very unprepared for being wet in cold weather. You will need trail shoes, ideally one that will cope with mud. You see a lot of inov8s there!

Also their finisher shirts are the best quality ones I've got from any race, I wear mine loads for training.

What trail shoes do people like?

I have big wide feet (clown like!) and now wear Men's ASICS for soft trail and innov8s for heavy trail. I don't really like them though. Very aggressive tread!

I've had so much trouble with trail shoes (although I have very narrow feet), and have struggled to find ones that suit my gait and are comfortable. I have a bone spur at the back of my foot, and a lot of shoes are cut so as not to be comfortable for me. I've currently got some Asics with a pretty hefty tread on them, which I got for a VERY muddy trail race earlier in the year, but most of my off road running would be better in a hybrid shoe really. A friend swears by her Hokas for that. I'm not sure I can justify another pair though - I get through a pair of road shoes every 4-5 months, so the cost mounts up!

I’ve got ASICS gel trabuco for trails- love them and not as hard as some of the others . I tried a Hoka speedgoat and they felt like lumps of concrete had been poured in the sole to me!

@TheWholeWorld

Also their finisher shirts are the best quality ones I've got from any race, I wear mine loads for training.

how deep is the water! You say "swim"

I was expecting "wade"

I get through a pair of road shoes every 4-5 months, so the cost mounts up!

Do you recycle them? I have a growing pile of old running shoes, beyond wearing and giving away, and am trying to find a way to recycle them

Another one with clown feet here.

At the moment for trail I am wearing New Balance Fuel Core Nitrel, in wide fit, and Scott Supertrac (but men's as the womens aren't wide enough).

I run a lot on the Sandstone trail and in winter I really need a more heavy tread for that, I'd been hankering after some Innov8 so its interesting you find the tread too aggressive , OJ.

There are some Salomon Supercross trail on sportsshoes.com at the moment for £70, I'm quite tempted as everything I've ever bought from Salomon has been good gear. Has anyone tried them?

I've always thought the Tough Mudder races ones aren't my cup of tea, I feel like it might be a bit too much like school cross country all over again...and they do seem expensive for what they are. The Wolf run looks less contrived and more 'natural' so I prefer the look of them, had never heard of them before so thanks.

Hello @Teaandakitkat, sorry to hear about your feet.

When you say long distance swimming is that outside, or in a pool?
I read recently that wild swimming most closely resembles trail running if you are looking for cross training or running is becoming too difficult, so I filed that away somewhere in my brain for future reference, but not of course what book I read it in! I have been watching a wild swimmer on youtube talking about it (called everyday athlete rach) and it seems quite full on!

I did the Bob Graham in my early 20s (am 40 now) but despite running regularly ever since in the fells and on road I never fancy much more than 20 miles.

However I am really interested in ultra running so am going to join this thread anyway!

Can I join?
I’ve done a couple of ultras and a few trail marathons.

I much prefer running off road but am also doing London and the road training is sooooo dull. I know the actual race will be amazing though so am sucking it up but never again!

My favourite ever trail shoes were saucony peregrines but they changed something about them and the later ones don’t suit my feet.
I’ve got inov8s Terraultras at the moment but I don’t love them.

My newish road shoes are mizuno and they seem great so far

My main trail shoes are bog standard asics, but I also have a pair of Altra Vibram KingMT for tougher conditions. They suit me very well, but don't suit everyone - no heel drop, and heavy duty lugs which are very uncomfortable if a course has a hard surface anywhere. Like running across lego bricks

I tend to buy new running shoes in July, when the new models come out, and the previous models, which were top-of-the-range a week earlier are suddenly outdated and half price....

@54321nought - I have recycled them at the National Running Show (where there is a stand from a company who re-purposes kit, can't remember who).
Apparently there is a company called Soex who have recycling points, but I've not managed to find out from them where any of their points actually are!

@garlictwist The Bob Graham ...I'm am so impressed. I don't think I could flipping walk the Bob Graham. How long did it take? Did you go through the night?

Hello @Runningforcakes