If you get cocky and think a 20-mile training run on trail is “no biggie,” or that your next 50K will be “a piece of cake”-that is, if you fail to respect and prepare accordingly for the distance and the trail’s unpredictability-you’re almost guaranteed to suffer a comedown. Nothing cures hubris like an ultramarathon or an extra-long training run. Respect and Humility: An ultramarathon often unfolds like a Greek tragedy, in which the runner, as protagonist, pays for the sins of arrogance and pride through suffering. If you do, you’ll likely “blow up” and not finish the distance. You shouldn’t rush either the training or execution of an ultramarathon. To be an ultrarunner, the idea of spending an entire morning-or even, an entire day-in a mellow, steady state of running and hiking through nature, often alone with your thoughts, has to truly appeal to you. Patience: Trail running in general takes time and patience ultrarunning takes even more.

Your ability to suffer through and bounce back from the inevitable periods of discomfort, apathy and fatigue during a run has much more to do with your state of mind than your physical state, unless you are hampered by a genuine, significant injury that impairs your physical ability to run.

Mental Toughness: Put another way, “mental toughness” means tolerance for unpleasant experiences. To become an ultrarunner, you should strive to develop the following nonphysical attributes: The book offers extensive information on developing trail-specific skills, adapting your training for ultra distances and reaching goals on race day. This writing is excerpted from The Trail Runner’s Companion: A Step-by-Step Guide to Trail Running and Racing, From 5Ks to Ultras, by Trail Runner contributing editor Sarah Lavender Smith. Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members!

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