Running 66km as My First Ultra Marathon
The idea came from a close German friend of mine who, after losing his mum, ran 50km in honour of her 50th birthday in Feb. For me, it’s been 14 years since I lost my mum and I thought why not celebrate her birthday by running my first mara and ultra dedicated to her?
The Gear
Rotated shoes between @altrarunningau Olympus 6 Trail Runners & my beat up Nike Infinity Reacts
@creeperssocks merino toe socks. I was skeptical at first but these are literal game-changers. Zero blisters and my feet are just as fresh.
@salomonausnz Adv Skin 12 hydration vest
@squirrelsnutbutteraustralia to prevent chafing
Nike tights & running shorts
Black UV arm sleeves
Trimob hat
The Run
Quasi backyard ultra-style of 12x 5.5km loops around Braeside Park, on Bunurong Land.
Between each lap I would fuel, have a drink, and rest if needed.
Nutrition & Drinks
Nothing new on race day" is also typical advice. But I'm stubborn and didn't test my nutrition plan. Thankfully I learnt from my Full Moon 70.3 Half Ironman Tri (113km) managed to keep my stomach relatively happy the entire run alternating carbohydrate sources. Aim was for around 50-60g of carbs each hour but should be higher. Carb breakdown:
3x @clifbar Clif Bars: Chocolate brownie 37.8g, Peanut butter banana 35.4g, White Chocolate Macadamia Nut 37.4g
3x @clifbar Bloks Energy Chews: salted watermelon & black cherry with caffeine 22.8g each
4x bananas ~26g each
2x @maplemovement SAP fuel 27g each
8x Endura Sports Energy Gel Raspberry & Citrus 26g
Mix of orange juice/water and ON BCAAs Grape with added table salt
Music
Ocean Alley got me through the first stint
Podcast: Ross Edgley on the Modern Wisdom Podcast (317 Miles: Pushing The Limits Of Possibility)
Podcast: Simon Sinek with Matthew Hussey on the A Bit of Optimism Podcast (The First Steps to Find Love)
YT: Dom Dolla b2b Solomun Live @ The Wool Store Melbourne, 2024
Mental thoughts
My mantra during the Run was "It's just a long day"
I knew I could rely on my brother @nathabello as support crew. After each lap I would tell him my percentage of pain which never exceeded 30%. Then he would say he was surprised that I stayed in high spirits.
Over the years I would say one of my biggest strengths is my ability to tolerate pain.
Family has always meant so much to me, and choosing to walk the last lap with my brother reminiscing was a nice way to finish.
💜 66km Ultra Marathon for Mum's 66th Birthday
