5 Resources for Ultrarunners

by Morgan deBoer Jan 19, 2011

Image Via :WikiCommons

Ultrarunners push distance running beyond the traditional limits of the marathon, racing for 50 or 100 miles at a time. That takes some serious preparation. Morgan deBoer checks out five websites to help runners get ready for the punishment:
1. Ultrarunner.net

THE BEST THING about this website for Ultrarunners in the United States is the long lists of races organized by region. I was disappointed at first to see that the Race Listings page hadn’t been updated since last year, but I found 2011 updates after testing the info buttons for a few races with 2010 dates.

Ultrarunner also hosts a series of races in Northern California and Nevada, including 10K, 50-mile, 12-hour, and 24-hour races.

2. Run100s.com

Run100s.com is not that pretty, but it links to so much reading material that I could stay on the site all day. I liked checking out blogs and websites for different
runners, coaches, races, and clubs. I also enjoyed the reports page, which contains over 500 runner-written write-ups of different races.

Image By:Jon Roig

3. Map My Run

I use Map My Run to look up new runs in my area and see how long the loops I run around my neighborhood are. While I won’t be running a 50K anytime soon, I did a search for long runs near me and found more than 100 public runs over 25 miles long. Creating new routes with the tools on the site is easy too.

Paying members get extra benefits like fitness reports, training plans, and the ability to print maps.

4. Ultrarunning Magazine

Ultrarunning Magazine is a print publication that gives out peeks at some of its content on its website. You won’t see all of the articles and photos if you don’t subscribe, but they do post some features from the monthly print magazine in sections like “Around the World” and “Ultra 101: Tips for New Ultra Runners.”

My favorite parts are the photos and essays by athletes describing specific race experiences. The site also includes articles on training, nutrition, and running advice.

5. Kickrunners.com

Kickrunners.com is an online community for runners that includes a forum on ultra and trail running. Runners who sign up for the network can participate in the forums and get access to training programs. The site’s user population is small but active.

As a non-member, my favorite feature was the gear review section, which has user-written reviews of clothing and other equipment. I’m in the market for a new pair of running shoes, so I used the site to check out member recommendations on sneakers. The page could be excellent, if more members reviewed the gear they use.

Community Connection

What websites do you use to train? Share your picks in the comments.

Discover Matador