Ultra running is epic and accessible. Let me prove it.

Running has always been one of my greatest passions and I often say running has saved me physically and mentally, but I never thought I would run more than a 26.2 marathon. I soon discovered though that it is one of the most accessible types of races with something for everyone. I will explain the reason behind the accessibility in a minute.

We almost always have a friend to thank for talking us into the crazy adventures, and that is how my ultra marathon journey started. My friend Tiffany is married to Trey who is now my ultra mentor. One day, she told me about an ultra-marathon that her husband was doing. She said it was a one-mile loop, and you run as many loops as you can until you were ready to stop. You could sign up to do 6/12 or 24 hours. An ultra is anything more than 26.2, so to do an ultra, I would do 27 loops.

When I showed up, I was suffering from severe imposter syndrome. I kept waiting for someone to ask how many ultras I had done, and discover I was not prepared to be an ultra-runner. Everyone was talking about races they had done that had terrifying names like Death Canyon 100, and they all seemed to know each other. I decided to do my best and learn how to run an ultra.

I asked a zillion questions, I listened to the conversations as people traded tips, and I watched what people were doing. In the next ten years, Ultra marathons became my favorite distance, and even though I made every mistake possible, I learned from each one, and came back stronger the next race.

I wish more people would take the step out of their running comfort zone and give this distance a try because it has been life-changing for me. Let me tell you what to expect, and how to make it work for you.

There are a lot of different types of ultras. My favorites are the loop ultras where you can set up a spot and you pass by there every lap. The mileage of the loop will vary. I do ones that range from one mile-seven miles. On a loop ultra, you can easily stop and rest and refuel. Unless the ultra has a mileage goal, you can finish whenever you want.

Another type of ultra is point to point. The start and finish will be at different spots, so it’s easiest if you have some people to help you. These people are your crew. There…