Mastering Ultramarathon Pacing: Elite Insights for DIY Training
The moment the trail vanished beneath my feet
I still hear the crunch of gravel under the left‑hand shoe, the way the pine‑scented air seemed to thicken just before the first aid station. It was the start of my first 100 km mountain race – a cold‑mist morning, a sky that threatened rain, and a crowd of strangers who would become my temporary family. I remember the nervous grin of the runner ahead of me, the way his shoulders bobbed with each stride, and the sudden, inexplicable urge to just keep going.
Even now, years later, that moment feels like a tiny compass needle pointing toward a deeper question: how do I turn the chaos of an ultra into a controlled, enjoyable experience?
From chaos to cadence – why pacing matters
When I looked back at the race reports of the world’s best ultrarunners – the likes of Ian Sharman, Jonas Buud, and Camille Herron – a pattern emerged. Their success wasn’t just raw talent; it was the ability to run in a rhythm that the body recognises as sustainable. Research from the Journal of Applied Physiology shows that maintaining a steady heart‑rate zone reduces the risk of glycogen depletion and limits the dreaded “hitting the wall”.
A simple way to visualise this is the metronome effect: if you can hear the beat of your own steps, you’re less likely to over‑reach early and crash later. Elite runners often talk about “personalised pace zones” – essentially a set of heart‑rate or perceived‑effort ranges that match their fitness, terrain, and nutrition plan. The science behind it is straightforward:
- Aerobic threshold (Zone 2) – the sweet spot where fat oxidation dominates, preserving glycogen stores.
- Lactate tolerance (Zone 3) – a slightly harder effort that can be used for short surges (e.g., hill climbs) without accumulating excess lactate.
- Recovery (Zone 1) – easy jogs or walk breaks that aid circulation and mental reset.
When you can map a race’s profile onto these zones, you stop guessing and start self‑coaching.
Turning insight into action – a DIY pacing framework
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Map the course in advance
- Grab the elevation profile (most race pages publish a GPX or PDF). Mark long climbs, technical sections, and aid‑station intervals.
- Assign a tentative pace zone to each segment. For a rolling 30 km climb, stay in Zone 2 with a short Zone 3 burst at the summit.
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Create a personal “metronome”
- Use a simple watch or a phone app that can give you a steady cadence cue (e.g., 170 steps per minute). This replaces the need for a fancy device while still providing real‑time feedback.
- If you have a device that supports custom alerts, set a gentle vibration for zone changes – a subtle reminder that you’re slipping into a faster or slower effort.
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Fuel to match the rhythm
- Plan nutrition around your zones. In Zone 2, aim for 60–90 g of carbs per hour; in Zone 3, a short, high‑glycaemic gel can give the extra push.
- Practice this in long training runs; notice how your gut feels when you stay in the “sweet spot”.
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Iterate with adaptive training
- After each long run, review the average heart‑rate and perceived effort. If you consistently drifted into Zone 3 on a flat section, your base may need a little more aerobic work.
- Build a weekly “collection” of runs that target each zone – a 20 km easy run (Zone 2), a 10 km hill repeat (Zone 3), and a 5 km recovery jog (Zone 1). Over time, the body learns the rhythm.
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Embrace community insight
- Share your zone‑based plan with a local running group or an online forum. The feedback you receive often highlights blind spots – for example, a fellow runner might suggest a slightly earlier hydration stop on a steep ascent.
- Even without a branded platform, the principle of community sharing fuels accountability and fresh ideas.
A gentle reminder of the tools that matter
All of the steps above work best when you have personalised pace zones that adapt as you improve, custom workouts that mirror race demands, and real‑time feedback that tells you when you’re slipping. While I won’t name any product, imagine a system that lets you tweak zones on the fly, pull together a week‑long collection of runs, and instantly see how a 5 km hill repeat feels compared to a flat 10 km run. Those capabilities are the quiet engines behind a runner’s self‑coaching journey.
Closing thoughts – run with rhythm, run with purpose
The beauty of ultrarunning is that it rewards patience as much as speed. By learning to listen to the body’s natural cadence, you turn a 100 km ordeal into a series of manageable, enjoyable chapters. Your next step is simple: try the “Pacing‑Smart 20 km” workout below and feel the difference.
Happy running – and if you want to try this, here’s a workout to get you started.
Pacing‑Smart 20 km workout (miles)
| Segment | Distance | Target zone | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warm‑up | 2 km | Zone 1 | Easy jog, focus on steady cadence (≈150 spm) |
| Steady state | 10 km | Zone 2 | Keep heart‑rate ~70 % of max, maintain ~170 spm |
| Hill bursts | 4 km (2 × 2 km) | Zone 3 | On each climb, increase effort for 3 min, then recover back to Zone 2 |
| Cool‑down | 4 km | Zone 1 | Slow jog, enjoy the scenery |
How to use it:
- Mark the hill sections on a familiar trail or a local park with a modest incline.
- During the run, note how your perceived effort changes; adjust the cadence cue if needed.
- After the session, jot down average heart‑rate and how you felt in each zone – this is the data that will shape your next race plan.
Run with curiosity, run with rhythm, and let each step bring you closer to the ultra you’ve always imagined.
References
- Ian Sharman Post-2019 Western States 100 Interview – iRunFar (Blog)
- 2015 IAU 100k World Championships Results – iRunFar (Blog)
- Adam Peterman, 2022 Canyons by UTMB 100k Champion, Interview – iRunFar (Blog)
- Sam McCutcheon Post-2017 Tarawera Ultramarathon Interview – iRunFar (Blog)
- US Men 2nd at 100k World Champs; Incredible Women’s Race – iRunFar (Blog)
- Cameron Clayton Post-2013 UROC 100k Interview – iRunFar (Blog)
- Tim Freriks Pre-2017 The North Face 50 Mile Interview – iRunFar (Blog)
- Sam McCutcheon Pre-2018 Tarawera Ultramarathon Interview – iRunFar (Blog)
Collection - The Ultra Pacing Foundation
The Aerobic Foundation
View workout details
- 15min @ 7'00''/km
- 45min @ 6'00''/km
- 15min @ 7'00''/km
Easy Run
View workout details
- 5min @ 7'00''/km
- 25min @ 6'45''/km
- 5min @ 7'00''/km
Pacing Control Intervals
View workout details
- 15min @ 6'45''/km
- 4 lots of:
- 5min @ 5'22''/km
- 3min rest
- 15min @ 7'00''/km
Recovery Run
View workout details
- 5min @ 7'30''/km
- 20min @ 7'00''/km
- 5min @ 7'30''/km
to import the collection after you install it.
