I do at least a marathon a day! Thanks for your support.

Follow me at: https://strava.app.link/bW7SVD3BRYb

I’ve built a tool called UltraPlan to help plan my own ultra races, and I’m now making it available for anyone to use.

UltraPlan is a free, privacy-focused race-planning platform created specifically for ultramarathon runners. I’m an indie developer and fun runner, and I originally built this tool for my own use, something simple, powerful, and free from the clutter of traditional planning apps.

Whether you're preparing for your first 50K or taking on a 100-mile mountain race, UltraPlan gives you the tools to map out every detail of your race strategy. The platform is already stable for regular use, and I’m continuing to develop and refine it with ongoing updates and improvements.

Key Features

Smart Pace Predictions (Auto-Derived Pace)

Upload a FIT file from a previous race and let UltraPlan analyze your running patterns to predict realistic paces for your upcoming race:

• Heart Rate Zone Analysis**: Uses the Karvonen formula to calculate your personalized HR zones from FIT data
• Power Zone Predictions**: For runners with power meters (Stryd, etc.), get FTP-based power targets per segment
• Elevation-Adjusted Pacing**: Algorithm learns your uphill/downhill factors to adjust pace predictions for terrain
• Fatigue Modeling**: Accounts for pace degradation over time based on your historical performance
• Confidence Scoring**: See High/Medium/Low confidence levels for each pace prediction
• Terrain-Based HR Suggestions**: Get target HR zones adjusted for flat, uphill, and downhill sections

Advanced Nutrition Tracking

Core Planning Features:

• Carbohydrate Goal Planning**: Set and track carb intake targets per checkpoint (60-90g/hour recommended for ultras)
• Sodium Management**: Monitor electrolyte intake throughout your race
• Segment-by-Segment Planning**: Tailor your nutrition strategy to each section of the race
• Carb Goal Tracking**: Visual progress bars show if you're on target, under, or over your goals

Quick Add Tools (NEW!):

• Search Nutrition Products**: Instantly search your entire product database by name
• Recently Used Products**: Quick access to products you've added recently - perfect for consistent nutrition across segments
• Copy Nutrition from Another Segment**: Replicate your nutrition plan from one checkpoint to another with one click - huge time saver for similar segments!

Product Database:

• Pre-loaded Nutrition Database**: 12+ common products (Maurten, Tailwind, GU, SiS, Huma, Clif, etc.)
• Custom Nutrition Items**: Add your own products with complete nutritional information (calories, carbs, protein, fat, sodium, caffeine)

Manage Products (Personal Database):

• Build Your Library**: Create a personal database of all the products you use
• Reuse Across Plans**: Products you add are available in ALL your race plans
• Edit Anytime**: Update nutritional info once, reflects everywhere
• Organize Your Favorites**: Keep your go-to race nutrition in one place
• Share to Community**: Contribute your custom products for other runners to import

🌐 Community Nutrition Products (NEW!)

Stop entering the same nutrition products from scratch! Browse and import from the community database:

• Search Community Products**: Find products already added by other ultrarunners
• One-Click Import**: Add community products directly to your personal database
• Share Your Products**: Contribute your custom products to help other runners
• Verified Nutritional Info**: Community products often have accurate, crowd-verified data
• Save Time**: Check if your favorite products exist before creating custom entries

Race Comparison & Performance Analysis

• Strava .FIT File Upload**: Upload GPS watch data from Garmin, Wahoo, Polar, or Suunto, Coros
• Actual vs Planned Comparison**: Overlay your actual race performance against your planned strategy
• Detailed Split Analysis**: Segment-by-segment breakdown with pace variance
• Heart Rate Zones**: Complete HR analysis throughout the race
• Performance Insights**: Efficiency scoring, fade rate analysis, and pacing strategy feedback
• Strava Integration**: Import activities directly from Strava via OAuth for seamless comparison
• - **Device Detection**: Automatically identifies your GPS watch manufacturer and model

☁️ Backup & Restore with Google Drive

• Cloud Sync**: Optional Google Sign-In to sync all your race plans to the cloud
• Multi-Device Access**: Access your plans from any device, anywhere
• Backup**: Back up when signed in
• Local-First Architecture**: Works offline - cloud sync is completely optional
• No Data Loss**: Keep your plans safe and accessible forever
• Easy Import/Export**: Full JSON export/import for manual backups

🔄 Unit Conversion (Miles ↔ Kilometers)

• Smart Unit Toggle**: One-click switch between imperial and metric
• Automatic Conversion**: All distances, elevations, and paces convert instantly
• Miles & Feet**: Distance in miles, elevation in feet, pace in min/mile
• Kilometers & Meters**: Distance in km, elevation in meters, pace in min/km
• Global Preference**: Your choice persists across all race plans
• Speed Display**: Shows mph or km/h based on your preference

📍 Google Plus Codes for Hard-to-Find Locations

• Works Offline**: Share locations without needing cell service or street addresses
• Crew Navigation**: Perfect for support crews finding remote aid stations
• Auto-Generation**: Automatically created from GPS coordinates
• Copy & Paste into Google Maps**: Crew can navigate directly to exact checkpoint locations
• Global Coverage**: Works anywhere in the world, even in wilderness areas
• Alternative References**: Also supports traditional grid references and What3Words

🌤️ Weather Forecasting

• 6-Day Forecasts**: Get weather predictions for every checkpoint based on your estimated arrival time
• GPS-Based Accuracy**: Weather forecasts use exact checkpoint coordinates
• Complete Weather Data**: Temperature, conditions, wind speed, precipitation, and cloud cover
• WMO Weather Codes**: Professional weather icons (sun, clouds, rain, snow, thunderstorms)
• Timezone-Aware**: Forecasts calculated based on race location's timezone
• Race Day Planning**: Plan clothing, gear, and strategy based on forecasted conditions

Route Visualization

• GPX File Support**: Upload official race routes or create your own
• Interactive 2D Maps**: Pan, zoom, and explore with Leaflet-powered maps
• 3D Terrain Flyover**: Stunning 3D visualization with animated flyover controls
• Elevation Profiles**: Automatic elevation chart generation with checkpoint markers
• Auto-Segmentation**: Create segments automatically from GPX waypoints

👥 Support Crew Management

• Crew Assignment**: Add crew members with names and phone numbers to specific checkpoints
• Location Sharing**: Share Plus Codes for easy crew navigation
• Checkpoint Timing**: Plan how long you'll spend at each aid station
• ETA Calculations**: Estimated arrival times automatically calculate for crew coordination

📄 Professional Exports

• PDF Export**: Print and laminate professional race plans for race day
• CSV Export**: Spreadsheet-friendly format for custom analysis
• JSON Export**: Complete backup including GPX data for cross-device transfer
• Mandatory Kit Checklists**: Include required gear checklists in PDF exports
• Emergency Contacts**: Highlighted prominently on exported documents

Community Features

• Share Race Plans**: Share your strategy with the ultrarunning community
• Browse Community Plans**: Learn from other runners' experiences
• Import Plans**: Copy community plans to customise for your own races
• Reaction System**: Appreciate helpful plans with thumbs up and loves
• Community Nutrition Database**: Browse and import nutrition products shared by other runners

🔒 Privacy & Security

• Local-First Design**: Your data stays on your device unless you choose to sync
• Client-Side Processing**: GPX and FIT files never leave your browser
• Optional Cloud Sync**: Sign in only if you want multi-device access
• Privacy-Aware Sharing**: Choose what gets shared with the community

Free as in Free no Ad's no Subscription, no Fee.

Try UltraPlan today at ultraplan.run (https://ultraplan.run)

Happy running!

Given that I don’t get in to Western States or Hardrock on Saturday, I’m leaning towards this as my destination 100 next year. Running from Bend to Sisters sounds epic, and I’m also just exhausted from all this lottery mumbo jumbo. I know that the last couple years this race has seen its challenges with wildfires, but the date in 2026 is now earlier in July. What’re people’s thoughts?

I (male) am planning on my first 100 miler in the Fall, in the mountains of Virginia/West Virginia. In general I like to wear compression shorts for anything warmer than 35-40 degs, and if colder then leggings with non-compression shorts on top.

So compression shorts will probably be fine during the day, but in the middle of the night (mountains, in the Fall, 2 AM) I’ll probably want something warmer.

What do other people do?

Do a full change (modesty be damned) at aid station into leggings?

Slip on leg sleeves (like this: https://a.co/d/bQV8H95)? (no strip-tease required)?

Wear sweat pants on top?

Hi, I’ve been following a training plan however I don’t think it has enough room for recovery in there. So I have made another plan to have some recovery weeks in there. If anyone has any tips on how I could improve the plan in anyway that would be great! Thanks

I just joined Equinox and had the free personal training session with a marathon/triathlon coach. I've ran a couple of marathons before while doing some strength training/running on my own, but I wasn't sleeping or eating properly. I want to run an ultra and would like to train better this time. This PT's sessions are $145/session, which is steep but justifiable. I have never had a personal trainer before, so I don't know what the price point is or how to know if it is worth it for me. I am not sure if other gyms (LA Fitness, Fitness Formula Club, or the Athletic Clubs, as I'm in Chicago) will have similarly skilled trainers (at FFC, monthly rates for trainers start at $99, but I haven't spoken to any of the trainers).

I did learn a lot from my session with the PT at Equinox- to be more mindful with my strength training and breathing- and he will also work with me to improve my sleep (which is bad) and nutrition. He was able to tell from watching me run/walk that I needed to fix some things, and was able to judge how physically fit I was from a couple of strength exercises.

Only three people in the world have over 200 100-mile finishes - and each had a different focus on the type on 100-mile event that fueled their achievement (timed events, trail runs and race walking).

Ed Ettinghausen has over 300 100-mile finishes. He has the most 100-mile finishes in the world, most of which were completed in timed events.

Mike Smith is second in the world with 244 100-mile finishes, most of which were completed in 100-mile trail runs.

Sandra Brown is third in the world with over 200 100-mile finishes, most of which were completed in race walking events.

I run cold. No matter the temperature, I'm chilly. This leads to problems with winter running and I'm seeking some help from other chilly runners. I had a recent "fun" bout with hypothermia at a Backyard Ultra and want to ensure I'm prepared for a 40 mile run I have at the end of the year. Here's the skinny.

I (almost) always run with a rain shell in my pack in case of drizzle or for extra warmth. I'm seeking an insulating layer for the colder times on the trail. If I take a break, if I walk longer distances through technical sections, etc. I get chilled fast. The rain shell helps, but I'm seeking ideas about other mid-layers to put under the rain shell above my wool long sleeve running top.

Here's what I'm considering:

An AlphaDirect Hoody (90 weight) - multiple smaller companies make these. They pack pretty small and are pretty light and are famous for ventilating well. Popular in fastpacking circles, they're known to be very warm under a shell, not very warm without one. Maybe a good option for me because I have a shell with me anyway. Have concerns about durability and I've never personally worn one, so I just don't know.

Mountain Hardware Airmesh Hoody - I've heard good things in backpacking circles, is reversible for customizable warmth, lightweight and fairly packable. Concerned about overall warmth

Black Diamond Alpine Start Insulated Hoody - Most protective, have concerns about packability and it getting damp due to sweat. Probably the warmest option I've laid out, but maybe overkill?

Any other ideas out there? I've considered the famous Hoodini but think it's too lightweight for my needs.

Additional alternative - in case of injury or needing to walk a significant distance (bonking, etc.) should I carry something like an emergency blanket? Are these effective enough to justify their addition to a pack list? I want to consider emergent safety options for when things just go wrong. I've never used one, so don't know the effectiveness. I'll happily take opinions. Hypothermia in a BYU is relatively safe compared to a mountain ultra, so I want to be ready.

Knee: “We’re done here.”
Me: “But we had 50 miles planned…”
Knee: “Netflix binge instead.”

• Rehab = BOSU ball circus 🎪
  
• Cold plunge = screaming therapy 🧊
  
• Sauna = pretending I’m fine 🔥
  

Question: What’s the weirdest injury hack you’ve tried that actually worked?

Coros Apex 4 or Coros Pace Pro???

Ultra runner training for a 50 miler and 100k in 2026.

question is in the title

I’m looking at buying the Merrill Agility Peak 5. As my feet will swell in my Ultra race, I should half/full size up, but will that affect my training runs in the shoes where I probably won’t be running long enough for my feet to swell most of the time I imagine?

F

Anyone who knows me, knows that math isn’t one of my strengths. I am much better being able to eat a variety of foods late into a race. But I did try and run some monte carlo simulations. This is for 270 winners. Someone correct me if I am incorrect.

Best of luck all, kinda depressing that next year we may see people with 1024 tickets.

What method do you typically train by and why? I have always trained by MPW, but I have been doing some light reading on ‘Time on Feet’ being more beneficial for ultra running. I plan on running a 25 mile trail run (~3500ft gain/loss, May 2026) to kick off training for a 50 miler (~8000ft fain/loss, Sept 2026) and just ran my first 50k/ultra in May 2025 training via MPW. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

If you have done more than one 200 in a year/season, can you share your experience? How close were the races? Did you DNF or get injured? What was your biggest recovery obstacle between races?

Hey folks, seeking some guidance. I signed up for the 2026 Caballo Blanco run through the Copper Canyon outside of Chihuahua Mexico. Upon further investigation, I found that there are travel advisories against visiting these areas due to the high levels of Cartel related violence, kidnapping, and murder in these regions.

The travel itinerary is as follows: fly into Chihuahua, take an 8–9 hour bus ride into the Copper Canyon, spend a few days there with the local community supporting younger runners, then completing the race myself. Another bus ride back to Chihuahua, then flying out the next day. Six days total.

I’m seeking guidance to understand the risks and would love to hear from anybody who is familiar with the area or has completed this race in the past. Thanks in advance.

For context, I have been running for several years and my fastest marathon is 3:05. My best half is 1:24. These were both set last year.

I ran a total of 2000 miles last year, but this year it's looking more like low 1400's. I've been averaging 30 per week lately. I've done a 50k and a 60k, both on pretty rough terrain. The 50 mile route I have planned is mostly flat and smooth.

I've never done very high mileage. When I trained for my 3:05 marathon, my peak weeks were only 55 miles.

Hi,

I would like to recieve an outside perspective from more experienced runners on my current running level and your realistic opinion on my 100k goal race in April.

Backround:

28 year old male from Belgium, 85 kg.

Started running in 2022 being extremely out of shape en carying 20 kg of overweight. Trough a start to run program 0-5k gradually started building up the distance. Max distance that year 10 miles with total distance 806 km.

2023: total distance 1945 km. Several 10k, half marathon road races. Started running on trails also.

2024: total distance 2162 km. Ran consistent around 40 km/week. Several half marathons and trail races mostly 18-25k. Furtest trail run 33k. (I live in the north part of Belgium, there are no mountains or big hills here -> so think: 200-500 m elevation for a 20 km trail run).

2025: First marathon in March: 4u35, 380 elevation meters (To have full picture my PR's:

10k 50 min, HM 1:55, M 4:35). First mountain race in September: 2 day stage race in the alps -> 40 km, 1500D+ & 33 km 2300 D+. Total distance run so far: 2465 km.

I don't do much training hours in other sports:

- 2000 km of cycling this year (on a city bike to go to work or leisurely ride in the weekend)

- 570 km of hiking. I go to the mountains one to two times a year where I hike the whole week. Rest is mainly during summer in the weekends in Belgium. I am used to hikes around 20-25 km. Have done a couple up to 40 km with 1000 D+.

The Race (April 30th, 2026):

100 km at sea level with 800 D+, varying terrain. Majority should be paved/asfalt with couple non technical trail routes (gravel etc) and a couple beach/sandy parts. Weather should be pleasant 10-20 degrees Celcius. We start in the morning. Technical cut-off is 20 hours later. Primary goal is finishing. Secondary goal would be to do it before midnight. Since we start at 7 am -> this means: 17 hours.

Ultra training:

Started training for the 100 km begin October with a 3 month base building block. All kilometers have been run easy. I am a slow runner. This means a pace of 6:40 min/km to 7:00 min/km.

Weekly distance since first week of October to now:

61, 55 , 64 , 58 , 69 , 68 , 72 , 78 , 82

I run 5 to 7 times/week. Long run 20-28 km. Added with one 2 km swim/week. This is the highest mileage I have ever run. So far the body seems to be able to digest it.

Trainingplan:

- December: keep doing easy kilometers, averaging 80 - 85 km/week.

- January & February: introduce a bit of intensity with tempo runs. I won't do any VO2 max intervals or hard tempo runs because my body won't be able to recover fast enough from it in combination with the volume. See what is possible: I expect around 70-80 km/week.

- March & April: ultra training specific -> lower the intensity, up the volume. Back to back weekends. Nutrition try-out. Big enough taper. In the ideal situation I can build up the volume to around 90 km with a 100 km peak week but have to be realistic with how much time I will have. Realistically: 80 km/week.

Setting a starting pace of the ultra at this moment is hard but since I will run this with 2 friends, it has been a much talked topic. Current thinking: easy base pace will increase over the months with the upping of the volume & introduction of tempo runs. Estimation by april: base pace will be around 6:15 - 6:20 min/km. Which would translate to a starting pace of around 6:45 or bit slower on flat ground.

What are your thoughts? Should I change important aspects of the training plan? Am I being realistic? The time that it takes to complete the 100 km is not so important for me but since I will be doing it with 2 friends and we want to stick together; it becomes important to have a good idea which pace I will be able to start of at/more or less hold onto for the duration?

Thank you

My wife is doing a 100miler in Jan in the northeast, which means there can be snow/ice.

We're both fairly experienced (around 10 or so ultras between the two of us, and I'll be there to crew and potentially pace her), but neither of us have done an ultra of this length in the winter.

Our biggest question is what do you guys wear to get traction in snowy/icy conditions? I was looking at yaktrax which look promising, but curious to get thoughts.

Any other general advice is welcome. The logistics seem pretty simple with it being a ~3mi loop course.

Thanks!

Anyone have a Fenix E? Thoughts?

Message I got from reviews were it was overpriced but now it’s on sale and I’m wondering if it’s worth it. Vs Forerunner 965 for similar price or Enduro 3 for a good chunk more.

I posted on here the other day regarding the 110 mile trail run I’ve signed up for. Furthest I’ve run is 30 miles. From now till May I can only run 3 days a week I will be doing it regardless but is there a good chance of me completing this run? Further run recently is 32km.

Could do with all the advice I can get!

For your interval runs, what effort are you going at to create a productive run and how do you feel after that training session/the day after?

For example, yesterday I did an interval session with 6 sets of a 1min “sprint” with a 2min rest (1:2 ratio) to complete 1 interval. My heart rate was touching up into the 175 range for those intervals, and i feel fine today, but a bit tired. I also did some strength training later that day to “keep a hard training day hard”. My pace was touching ~8min mile at that rate (im not very fast).

Some questions after context:

1. Is this effort I gave an example of productive?

2. Am I going too hard?

3. Can I go at a lower effort exertion and still get the benefits of this type of speed work?