Your First 100 Mile Race

These tips are intended to provide some advice for your first 100 mile race. Not all tips will be applicable to all racers, but some of them may be useful to you. Some of these are applicable to other ultramarathon distances, but the focus is intended to be 100 miles. As always, if you have tips you'd like to suggest, just let me know.

• Remember the past. Read Essential Ultrarunning Tips and remember that everything you learnt on your shorter races also applies on the 100. Some of these tips are elaborated on here for emphasis.
• Don't go out too fast. At Umstead the typical runner takes 1.3 times as long to complete the second 50 miles compared with the first 50. Many runners slow up more dramatically. The better you can pace yourself in the early stages, the stronger you will be later. Thinking of the 100 miler as a marathon with a 75 mile warm up may help.
• Walk early, walk often. Do not try to run until you can't run any further and then walk. Walking breaks are vital for nearly all runners in a 100 mile race. See Walking Breaks
• Don't walk too slowly. Try to keep up a reasonable pace when walking, rather than a slow stroll. Your overall time may be influenced more by your walking pace than your running pace. Going slower means you are on your feet for a longer period, making the race harder.
• Don't walk too fast. Walking uses different muscles and can have a very different foot strike. You should have practiced your walking in training and have a good idea what pace works for you. Trying to race walk when you have not practiced this is likely to cause problems.
• Remember you can rebuild. If things go badly, but you have time on the clock before the cut off, use that time to rebuild. A little food and rest can restore your body and spirits.
• Beware the aid stations These are wonderful places, but time passes quickly. See Aid Stations
• Stay awake For most runners, the race will last most of the night, making sleep deprivation an issue. I wish there were a cure for this, but the best I can do is covered in Sleep Deprivation in Overnight Events
• Use a pacer. A pacer can help keep you moving and improve your morale. The two things I think are important in a pacer are the ability to cover the paced distance (obviously) and a sense of optimism.
• Don't look down. Do not think about how far you've got to go. Focus on getting to the next aid station. Break down the race into segments and tackle each one in turn.
• Take 2 lights. If your only light fails, being alone in the woods in the dark is no fun. See Running in the Dark
• Blister Management People are far more likely to have blister issues in a 100 than in training or other distances. See Blister Prevention
• Post run clothes Think ahead to after the race and pack a change of comfy clothes and some slippers.
• Depression It is quite likely you will hit a low point in the race, possibly more than one. I've felt overwhelming despair and depression in each of my 100 mile races, and some shorter races as well. Unless you have a specific problem, keep moving and it will pass.
• Caffeine A little caffeine can help a lot, especially at dusk or in the early hours of the morning.
• Second dawn The second dawn on a race brings hope that is hard to describe. I have found it to be a deeply spiritual experience. If your finishing time is going to take you through the second dawn, look forward to it; things do get better when the sun comes up.
• Nightfall The toughest point for many folks is dusk, as the desire to be somewhere warm and light can be overwhelming. Aid stations that are warm and well lit are particularly hard to leave at nightfall. If you can get past this point, the night itself is often not as bad. Hooking up with other runners at this point can help. I met up with a small group for the night at Massanutten and I am deeply grateful for their company and support.
• It gets colder at night Have enough extra clothes with you for when the sun goes down. You are likely to be tiered and depleted, so a little cold can have a big impact. Think ahead, as it may take you longer to reach the next aid station than you project.
• Watch the weather You are out there for a long time, and the weather can change dramatically. Be prepared for these shifts in weather. Thunderstorms on a warm day can trigger rapid hypothermia.
• Drop Bags If you have the option of using drop bags, I would take it unless you have a crew that will be there. See Drop Bags

See Also

• Essential Ultrarunning Tips
• A brief guide to ultramarathon distances
• Training for your first 100 mile race
• Sleep Deprivation in Overnight Events
• Walking Breaks
• Fueling in an Ultra
• Aid Stations