There’s a famous saying: “90% of ultrarunning is mental, and the rest is just in your head.” Do you agree with that?
I think a lot of it is in the head, but not quite to that degree. The fitter you are physically, the less you need to rely on your head. Still, every ultrarunner needs a degree of mental strength. You’re always going to have painful moments during an ultramarathon. The key is to keep moving during the low moments. Anyone can run well when they’re feeling good. The key is to continue to make ground when you’re feeling like dog shit!
What are some of the mental techniques you can use to make an ultra seem more manageable?
Breaking the distance down. In 24-hour races, which I’ve done a few of, that’s even more important. If I thought about the race in its entirety: 24 hours spent running around a 1.1K loop, I’d cry. You have to think of it as each lap or each hour.
Also, instead of thinking about the future or how far you have to go, get really involved in the moment. Analyse what you’re doing in that moment: how’s my form? Am I eating? Am I drinking?
Are there points during a 50-mile or 100-mile race that tend to be tough to deal with mentally?
A lot of people experience a low moment around the 20-25-mile mark. Your legs can feel a bit tired. That’s normal: you’ve run 20 miles. But I try to look at everything in a positive way. In a 50-mile race, after 25 miles you’re coming home. Count up to 25 miles, then count down from 25 miles.
With winter round the corner, some people might be worried about running an ultra in bad weather. What would you say to that?
With the weather, no one has any control over it. I see it as an opportunity. Everyone is going to be suffering. If you’ve prepared yourself for it mentally and have packed the right kit, you can suffer just a little bit less than everyone else. And if you’re suffering just a little bit less than everyone else, you’re gaining on them. OK, there’s a chance that the course could be muddy, and some of the uphills could be like the travelator in Gladiators. And that will be frustrating at the time, but something you’ll look back on and laugh at. If it is raining, get stuck into the mud. Train in bad weather. If you see it raining in the next few weeks, get out there and run in it.
How important is a sense of humour when it comes to running ultramarathons?
If you haven’t got a sense of humour, there are moments during the race when you will cry. You have to see the funny side of it. We are a weird bunch of people, running around with other weird people. You have to revel in that.
Follow Robbie Britton on Twitter: @ultrabritton
