What is the difference between a marathon and a ultra-marathon?
Public service announcement here: ultra-marathons are not just for elite athletes.
Were you one of the 37,000 runners who took part in the first ever virtual Virgin Money London Marathon when it was held in 2020? One of the 80,000 who took part the following year when it returned to the streets of London alongside the virtual race? Or maybe you were one of the 16 million who have been inspired from someone you knew taking part over the last few years?
Either way there is no denying that participation in endurance events is on the rise. There has been a 1,676% increase in participation in ultra-running in the last 23 years and 345% in the last 10 years. The number of ultra-marathon races taking place in the last decade has skyrocketed.
It is safe to say there has never been more ultra runners and more women in ultra running so what better time to enter the space than right now.
However, numbers are still small in comparison to mass participation road marathons such as the Virgin Money London Marathon. Whilst big city marathons have their appeal there is something unique and special about the ultra-running community, something you can’t quite put you finger on. If you’ve ever step foot on the start like of an ultra running event you know exactly what I am talking about. Am I right?!
I see so many women getting sucked into marathon training because they think it’s the logical next step. But I am here to remind you that ultras are basically just longer slower marathons where you are practically encouraged to walk and eat a lot. You know my choice.
Sound good?
The reality is you absolutely don’t need to complete a marathon before you sign up for your first ultra marathon.
Many of the women I work with don’t and in fact I’ve coached women through my Project: Breaking 250 programme who would consider themselves ‘casual’ runners only completing a half marathon before them embark the journey to the start line of their first 250km multi-stage ultra marathon. The truth is we are all just a little crazy.
Training for an ultramarathon versus a road marathon is wildly different but not necessarily any harder (obviously depending on what type of ultra marathon you decide to sign up for). Training will look very different and there is a boat load of things to consider that you don’t need to spend a moment thinking about when it comes to big city marathons.
If you’ve ever wondered what the difference is between a marathon and an ultra-marathon, I’ve got you covered. Read below to find out more.
1. Distance
All marathons have a standard set distance of 42.195 kilometres (26.219 miles). An ultramarathon is any event that is longer than that 26.219 miles so in theory anything above this would be considered an ultra, however typical distances start at 50km.
The most common distances for ultramarathons are 50km (31 miles), 81km (50 miles), 100km (62 miles) or 161km (100 miles) but some are much longer. The Self-Transcendence 5,000km (3,100 mile) is the world’s longest certified road race in Queens, New York and it takes participants ~40-50 days to complete.
They can be in a single stage like the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) or Comrades Marathon; this means you tackle the distance all in one go and in some cases with the longer distances you will go through one or even two nights. You’ve got to love the momentary blankness behind the eyes when you say ‘yes…all in one go’.
Or they can be multistage like the Marathon des Sables (MdS); this means you tackle the distance over a series of days usually ranging from 2-7 days.
2. Training
Marathon training usually involves plenty of speed work and tempo runs whilst balancing the mileage build of your long slow run, all taking place on the road.
Ultra training is very individual and will include some of these components, but I like to focus much more on time spent on feet or endurance rather than speed, especially if you are just getting started. Weekend training runs are typically spent on the trails, getting in lots of practice of the type of terrain you will be running on come race day.
Depending on the ultramarathon you choose, training usually includes some back-to-back training sessions where you’ll do a big session on a Saturday followed by the same again on a Sunday.
3. Pace
In marathons every single second counts and the primary goal is usually to finish in a certain time whether that’s sub-4, 5 or 6 hours. You’ll rarely see runners at the side of a marathon taking long breaks to eat peanut butter and jam sandwiches, have a good chat with the runner next to them or take a moment to pet the dog that’s just passed by.
Ultras are done at a much slower pace and the longer your distance the slower the pace. You’re practically encouraged to walk, even the pros do it.
In the ultra marathon world, the focus is less on pace and more about enjoying the experience. In fact, you don’t have to run them at all, many events have generous cut off times of none at all and allow you to walk the whole way around.
4. Nutrition
For a marathon runner you can probably get around on some water and a few energy gels whereas in ultras you will rely more on real food such as sandwiches, dried fruit, and pretzels.
The duration of your event and whether it takes place in a hot or cold climate means nailing the right nutrition strategy can be tricky no matter how beginner or experienced of a runner you are so it’s important to get lots of practice in during training.
I’ve seen it all when it comes to nutrition, pizzas in race vests at the start line of ultras, aid stations resembling kids’ birthday parties, heck one of my runners swears by taking salted boiled potatoes.
Want to know a secret? GI distress is in fact one of the most common causes of DNFs in ultras, it’s not how much or how little training you did. Obviously, you can’t rock up to the start line of an ultra without any training but your ability to physically complete the distance is usually not a limiting factor.
5. Kit
In marathons you can get away without carrying a thing, wearing the shoes on your feet and clothes on your back, you can pick up all the gels and water you need at aid stations along the course.
Ultras, however, usually have some kind of mandatory kit list of things you are required to always have with you inside your running vest. Usually, the longer your event and the more extreme of an environment it takes place in the more comprehensive this list will be. For ultras events in the mountains where you can have all seasons in one day, it’s always safe to take above and beyond what you’re required to take just in case.
And I’ve you’ve signed up for a multi-stage ultra, you’re in luck because you get to go shopping and spend lots of time researching all the fancy kit.
6. Finish times
When you finish a marathon, everyone wants to know what your finishing time was because let’s face it every man and his dog has an opinion on what is a ‘good’ marathon time. It’s not enough to just finish one.
When it comes to ultras, I guarantee no one will ask you what your time was because you just ran a freaking ultra. It’s usually followed by the question ‘all in one go?’.
Since the focus is less on time and more on enjoyment, the atmosphere feels much more supportive and relaxed. There is no racing or pressure and certainly no one is stressing about their mile splits. Alright maybe the speed few at the front are but most people are not.
7. Toilets
In marathons you typically get aid stations every couple of miles. In the Virgin Money London Marathon there is just shy of 30 aid stations. That’s an aid station every couple of kilometres which means there is certainly no shortage of portaloos.
In ultra marathons you don’t have this luxury, aid stations are usually spread much further apart and very rarely have toilets so when you got to go you just must pray, you’re not in the middle of a desert and can find a bush to hide behind.
If Marathon Des Sables is on your bucket list, don’t forget to check out the toilet situation. You get a plastic chair with a hole in the middle, you have a poo-bag and have to pop the bag around the plastic chair, do your business. Welcome to ultra running!
8. Support crew
One of the big wins of entering an ultramarathon is you get to have a support crew who can come along for the ride too. Not all events will allow this but typically the longer the distances do, and you crew can support you throughout the event by providing food, hydration, a quick massage or even some company on the run.
Crewing for an ultra runner friend is a great way to get a feel of an event if it is something you are thinking of but entering. Don’t get me wrong crewing is often harder than actually running the distance. If you have ever crewed for someone in the ultra running community, chances at some point that favour will come right back at you so don’t pass on the opportunity.
9. Race bling
You’ve just finished 50km, 50 miles or 100km and you get handed a belt buckle, pint glass or better still a bottle of cider. Welcome to ultra running, it doesn’t get any better than this.
For some events in the US, you even get an extra bit of bling for coming in DFL, I’ll let you Google that one. That marathon medal you’ve got hanging up on the wall now doesn’t seem as exciting anymore.
10. Pack weight
For a marathon you can get away without carrying a single thing and comply relying on the support from aid stations.
Most ultramarathons, however, have none of few aid stations so you’ll usually carry a running vest which can range between 1-2 kilograms for single stage ultra marathons and anything between 7.5-10 kilograms for multi-stage events.
I would never encourage you to kick off day 1 of you training programme with all of this weight but as training progress you’ll definitely want to start easing into this weight so when it comes to race day it doesn’t come as a shock when you’re carrying a few extra pounds.
So, there you have it those are the top differences between a marathon and a ultra-marathon. Leave me a comment below and let me know which one you would choose or drop me a message on social media.