Or, 80.47 kilometers, which it is actually never referred to as, at least not here in the United States. You more thank likely won’t need to worry about drop bags, crew check points, or overnight running. Not simply because it’s the “shortest” distance ultra (distance, of course, being incredibly relative!) but because this distance is typically logistically less complex. The 50K distance is a great place for a beginner ultramarathoner to start. 9 Ultramarathon Race Formats & Ultra Distance ExplainedRiver crossing at Table Rock 50K.

Personally, I’ll argue that a 50K on trail is significantly easier than a marathon on the pavement, but that just may be my dirt loving bias. The “intro” ultra distance, but still downright terrifying when you remember how hard a full 26.2 marathon can be.

So that 26.7 mile marathon – because you didn’t run the tangents -doesn’t count for ultra status.Ĭommon ultramarathon distances include: 50Kģ1 miles. That said, most people will tell you that an official “ultra” starts at the 50K mark. Let’s start with the easy part: discussing the most frequently seen distances offered as organized ultra events.Īs you probably already know, an ultramarathon, or an ultra for short, is technically any race longer than a marathon, or 26.2 miles. (That’s right, I’m sharing more than just my own opinions this time…) Common Ultramarathon Distances: Lastly, we’ll hear from some ultra runners as to why they love – or hate – these formats. We’ll talk about the pros and cons of each style or distance.

In this post, we discuss 8 different ultramarathon race formats, as well as common ultra distances.

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