Running Your First Ultra: Customizable Training Plans for Your First 50K to 100-mile Race

Updated Review. This book has a high quality binding with many attractive pictures, training plans, and charts. Tables are used for the training plans and training log, budget worksheet, and fuel chart - all of which use color. As such the book version is superior to the Kindle version as the plans, tables, and charts loose presentation clarity and readability. Similarly, the pictures are quite nice and would be lost on a black and white Kindle. The content is well written and logically presented. This is not a book about an author's ego trip but a solid knowledge transfer. There are distinct efforts to address people new to the sport, injury prevention, and women's issues. The main areas that keeps me from providing a 5 star review are presented subsequently. The first thing that jumped out at me is that the font is very small. The general text perhaps three-quarters the size of text in most books and the text in the training plans and illustrations tends to run smaller than that. Given that a large portion of people running ultras are older this is a significant oversight. I'm the kind of person that would knock out a well written book like this in a day or two. However, because of the small font I can't read it for 'ultra' or even 'marathon' reading sessions. After a fairly short period of time I have to put the book down for my eyes to rest. Even with reading glasses I find this harder to read that pretty much any other book that I can think of - and I read pretty much every night. The Kindle version can allow you to adjust the general text font, but tables and charts typically do not accept font adjustments properly if at all. Some books provide a reduced hard copy/Kindle combo but this does not.The book starts with a 6 question quiz as a way to assist the reader to determine if they should start with a 50k plan, 50 mile/100k plan, or a 100 mile plan. The interpretation of the results is if the most answers are an 'a' then 50k, answered with mostly 'b' then 50m/100k, answered mostly with 'c' then 100, and if at least two 'd' answers then a mountainous course is in play. I answered with the same number of two of the answers, so it is unclear from the key which plan fits best.The main content of the book starts with chapter 2 on page 13, and chapter 3 starting on page 17 contains useful information on things such as foot care, body care, hydration, and night running. Chapter 4 starts on page 33 and covers mental aspects such as visualization and injury. The overview of the training plans starts on page 45, with the actual plans beginning on page 50. Basically each week is a full page and workouts are color coded as green (easy or rest), blue (steady effort), and yellow (speed/hill/harder effort). Since each week of the plans is on a full page they take up to page 161. The overview of the plans does not provide much detail with regard to pace. Books such as Pete Pfitzinger's Advanced Marathon and Luke Humphrey's Hanson Marathon Method provide charts that provide detailed charts of paces for everything ranging from 400 meter intervals to long runs in many increments. Rather than using a page for each week of a training plan these books use single tables that contain full 18 week marathon training plans in 2 pages. The Running Your First Ultra (RYFU) training plans can be up to 48 weeks (and pages). Personally I find the pacing charts from Pfitzinger and Humphrey very useful and would like to see something similar in RYFU. Similarly, I find the condensed single table training plans easier to adapt to some of the online resources for tracking progress using something like a Garmin GPS watch.Where I was really hoping to find guidance in RYFU was the long run. Marathon training in general keeps this to 16 miles or less (Hanson Method) or 20 to 22 (Pfitzinger). Particular attention is paid to recovery after the long run and not too many long runs/hard workouts in succession. This is pretty much at odds when juxtapose to Ultra training where back to back long runs are common (some cases even back to back to back long runs). A large portion of ultra runners have previously been marathon runners so this seems to be a contradiction to what many runners know. Ultra runners often include a lot of walking strategies in their long runs and races, and this is not unheard of in marathon running, but the best way to utilize things like walking strategies in the back to back to back ultra training long runs to prevent injury and promote the best fitness level for ultra racing are not adequately addressed in RYFU.Chapter 6 begins on page 163 and describes injury management and prevention. There is a list of questions to ask yourself but not necessarily corresponding answers. There are five common runner injuries described by symptoms but there is no treatment or prevention plan with any of them. Chapter 7 begins on page 169 and describes your ultra 'team' or crew. This includes a captain, pacer, and potentially aid people. I'm not sure how many beginning ultra runners would have the luxury to have a crew but alternatives to a crew are not discussed. Chapter begins on page 181 and covers gear. Some areas are covered in detail and the list of things covered is well done. Chapter 9 on page 189 is entitled 'Run Like A Girl' - not too many running books cover these woman specific things. Chapter 10 is two pages of running wisdom and chapter 11 is six pages of race prep with the race checklist in the appendix. Chapter 12 is a few sentences on things to remember while racing. Chapter 13 is two pages entitled 'Recovery' that can be summarized as celebrate, take 10 days to two weeks off before making training decisions, and remember that it can take a few months to recover from an ultra. Chapter 14 - 'What is Next?' is three pages that include a two page list of questions to answer to recap and learn from an ultra race - a post race report if you will. In addition to the race packing list the appendix also includes a race budget worksheet, a fuel chart (like a collection of nutrition labels for GU, Cliff Bars, etc.), an athlete log template, and a description of some recovery/stretching movements.Overall I think this is a good book but it isn't a stand alone book. It has few external references/footnotes or research to confirm the author's position. The book is a little like Meb Keflezighi's 'Run like Meb' in that the author presents more from her experience. Pfitzinger, Humphries, and to an extent Keflezighi present from experience but support with far more research and other sources. The author is free to do whatever she likes, but the reader should understand that it is somewhat one dimensional. Supplementing RYFU with other books that have more detail on actual training such as pacing, the long run back to back to back issue described earlier, and coverage of things such as age and how a reader's running background may be leveraged to help determine potential targets and potential for success would help round things out.

For me through one ultra, passes it on to a friend and now I needed a second copy to train again!

I am a seasoned runner spanning more than 26 years. I am always looking for ways to refine my running and the friends I run with. If you are thinking of a good book to read about running and running well this is it.The topics were well structured, every paragraph was loaded with gems stones of advice, An excellent read. The advice leading up to the training programs and the approach to Training properly was well structured and make absolute sense. No surprise there given the writters background.  There is no question that Krissy captured the essence of what a person interested in running should do. The title does not do the book justice and I am of the opinion that Anyone interested in running should read this. When i talk to beginners their concept of running a 5k or 10k is a ultra to them and when I input some of the points given to the reader, into their running strategy it has a profound positive effect on their ability to finish. Now i can add even more information to their repertoire and make them better runners.    With that in mind i would say a beginner now starting to an experienced runner will have something to learn in this mini bible of experience. You really kept it practical with real life experiences. An Outstanding achievement  that you managed to capture so much information and relate it back to the readers. The beginning subject matter threw me a bit - i thought when i started the book it was a standard, "here is a plan and this is how it works"- at first -  with the questions of whether to do a ultra seemed to belong at the end. The more i read on the better the book became. It was such great reading. The experiences and the build up to the plans were excellent. The plans make absolute sense. The core and the flexibility aspect being an important element. All lessons i have learnt along the way. While the book Born to Run, taught runners to think of the bodies ability to run, your book, "Running your First Ultra Customizable Training Plans for your first 50K to 100 mile race." - genuinely breaks the fundamental concepts down into points that are pure common sense and key to undertaking any distance successfully. It helps the runner understand the art of running and is a real How to do it guide and do it really well - a definite bible in my library.

I recently returned from trail running camp on Orcas Island where Krissy Moehl was a special celebrity guest. I brought along my copy of "Running Your First Ultra," which she generously agreed to sign for me. And yes, I got to run the beautiful Orcas Island Moran State Park Trails with Krissy and her dog "PD," although they are both much faster than I am.I bought the book primarily because Krissy is considered to be one of the best ultra coaches in North America. Her athletic achievements in long distance trail running are legendary, and she is a highly regarded Race Director.After a few 50Ks, I am planning to run my first 50 mile event this fall. The book is centered around training plans for 31, 50/62, and 100 miles. The supporting prose is concise, relevant, important, and interesting reading. I will adopt Krissy's 50 mile plan and see if I am worthy; I have no doubts about her credibility, only my ability to execute her plan.Both in the book and in person Krissy is straight forward, kind, supportive, and not without some humor. Because she is female, she is a better communicator than most men ("Grab your syrup bottle and suck it up!"), so she includes a variety of details that are important to me. But she's also no nonsense. She lays out the plan. But she can't do it for us.Do you enjoy trail running? Are you curious about what's out there? Or what's in there (your heart)?

The book is very good, I really enjoyed it and took a lot of advice from it. Some of the mileage is too high for my capability although I am not the youngest runner out there. The mileage is tough and some of the cross training is difficult to incorporate unless you don't have a job ha ha. But overall I really enjoyed it and she covers all teh essential areas and questions you may have wether a beginner or more advanced runner

Titled slightly wrong, it should be called Racing Your First Ultra. It assumes that if you've never ran a half marathon you should still be running a consistent 25mile per week. It also assumes the only sport you want to ever do is running.Good training schedules though, I've used it for the speed work workouts. Can't give it less than 4 stars because it would be amazing for someone looking to break 100mile records.

There is nothing revolutionary in this book except for a load of common sense and some detailed training plans. I could have got all the info off the internet but this book is concise and easy to use, for this reason 5 stars. Used it for my first ultra and will keep using it

A good book but as with a lot of these it assumes people are already at a very good level of running.I would recommend a read but most of the book is made up of training plans, so you do need some background of what you are talking about.

Excellent and comprehensive guide to training for a first ultra marathon. The training plans cater for most levels of experience / ability, and are explained well. So pleased I ordered this when I did - fingers crossed it gets me across the finishing line!