Running My First Ultra Marathon: Lessons from Ultra X Scotland 50km
If you’re thinking about your first ultra, this isn’t a perfect training guide. It’s simply what I learned from getting to the start line, managing the day, and reaching the finish feeling stronger than expected.
This has been an itch I’ve wanted to scratch for a long time. I’ve run my fair share of 10k, Half and full Marathons, and loads more cycling events, but the legendary runners of Ultra running have long inspired me.Last year, there wasn’t time for much, and I managed to get away for a few days of bikepacking, but that was when I wasn't as fit as I’d like to be.
This year, I wanted a true challenge, something where missing training out was not an option, and I’d have to work hard just to complete it. Also, my good lady, Laura, and her friend had signed up for their first Hyrox, so I’d have someone close also training in the house - helps with motivation, not to mention logistics!
Why the Ultra X Scotland?
This has a fair bit to do with timing, to be honest. Working family life, kids' school holidays and running your own business take up a fair bit of time; it can be a juggle and adding to that doesn’t always seem like the right thing to do. But what I’ve come to realise is that if you don’t do it now, you never will. So take the action (in this case, pick a free date and then pay the fee to commit!) and plan out the rest as best you can.
Apart from this, in 2024, a couple of mates and I completed the Rat Race Coast to Coast, which came down the same side of Loch Ness, so I was familiar with the terrain. This race goes the opposite way, up the east side of Loch Ness. Starting from the picturesque town of Fort Augustus, at the southern end, all the way up to the north shore to the beach at Dores. It looked like a great route, taking you up the trails along the ridge and finally back down to the views over the loch. You would also climb about 4’500ft over the course of the day, with a steep 7km climb to get you started!
Apart from this, in 2024, a couple of mates and I completed the Rat Race Coast to Coast, which came down the same side of Loch Ness, so I was familiar with the terrain. This race goes the opposite way, up the east side of Loch Ness. Starting from the picturesque town of Fort Augustus, at the southern end, all the way up to the north shore to the beach at Dores. It looked like a great route, taking you up the trails along the ridge and finally back down to the views over the loch. You would also climb about 4’500ft over the course of the day, with a steep 7km climb to get you started!
Training for your first Ultra
You won’t need me to tell you, but this is what will make or break your experience. I didn’t have a time in mind or anything, really; my goal was to finish strong and, if possible, enjoy myself.
With Laura already booked in for the Hyrox, her training days were set, as she wanted to be at the gym for certain classes. This left Tuesday, Wednesday mornings, and either a Thursday/Friday evening (depending on what the kids were doing) free for me, along with a weekend morning. The reason I mention this is becuase it shows that you can actually train for this kind of stuff, even when time poor.
My rough structure looked like this (thanks, Garmin, for sorting me out with a rough guide!):-
Tuesday AM
With Laura already booked in for the Hyrox, her training days were set, as she wanted to be at the gym for certain classes. This left Tuesday, Wednesday mornings, and either a Thursday/Friday evening (depending on what the kids were doing) free for me, along with a weekend morning. The reason I mention this is becuase it shows that you can actually train for this kind of stuff, even when time poor.
My rough structure looked like this (thanks, Garmin, for sorting me out with a rough guide!):-
Tuesday AM
Interval Efforts - This started on the flat in January, by March I took it to the nearest hills and did it there - much better results
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- Warm up 10/15 mins light run
- 1/5th of a mile flat out pace (takes about 90 seconds for me)
- 90 seconds rest
- 8 x Intervals
- 10 Minute Cooldown run home
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Wednesday AM
Tempo Run - I would leave from home, start small, and do bigger loops as time went on.
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- Warm up 10/15 mins, light run
- Run Miles at tempo pace - I kept this where I was comfortable, talking pace,probably around 75% of max effort.
- In January, this was about 4 miles.
- February 6 Miles.
- March 9 Miles.
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Thursday/Friday PM
Recovery Run - Legs could be a bit tired by now. So this was just about ‘time on feet’. You're going to have to get used to having tired legs and feet when doing your first ultra.
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- Warm up, a good stretch, then a gentle jog, keeping effort below 60% for the majority of the run. I would typically do about four miles here, not much more.
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Sunday AM
Long Run - This is where the effort/reward lies. Get all the kit on, running vest, bottles and bladders, try out your fuel and go long! Keeping your heart rate down here, it’s more about base building, getting used to moving for longer periods, and training your legs, muscles, and tendons for the repetition. It’s less about out-and-out cardio.
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- Ok, not that long. In January, a long run for me was 6 miles/10km.
- Come February, still only 9/10 miles, about 16km. Trying not to panic as it didn’t seem like much compared to what I’d have to do.
- March began to increase, 15 miles and 17 miles. These get tougher as fuel becomes more important in getting you done.
- April saw two longer runs over 20 miles each, and getting out into the hilly areas - hills are your friends! As is your fuel, you should by now be dialled into what works for you to keep you moving over time.
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Another thing to add is stretching, or more specifically, Yoga. I would try to do a runner's yoga (Yoga with Adrianne on YouTube, ace for this kind of thing) once or twice a week, as I felt like the hip stretching was exactly what I needed. Literally takes about 25 minutes. It really helps with your stride/posture when covering the miles.
As you can see, I’m hardly scientific when it comes to training. For me, it’s just enjoying being outdoors and moving, but doing it regularly and having a purpose in mind for each session. Some days I felt genuinely amazing. There is nothing better than feeling fit and letting your feet fly. Other days, it was a dark, wet January in Glasgow, and I had to stop to catch my breath moving up a hill - but I do always feel better for having done another session.
The other reality is injury. Being of an age means you need to align your expectations with what your body can cope with. I had a niggling Achilles tendon for most of this training. So, changed things up, can’t run, can I bike, get to the gym, or even stretch or do some Yoga? This just lets things settle down while keeping you mobile/fit/flexible.
The other reality is injury. Being of an age means you need to align your expectations with what your body can cope with. I had a niggling Achilles tendon for most of this training. So, changed things up, can’t run, can I bike, get to the gym, or even stretch or do some Yoga? This just lets things settle down while keeping you mobile/fit/flexible.
Let’s Race!
It’s 7am, the piper is piping, a nice surprise, and it’s time to move! It’s a bit cool, and overcast, but it’s not to rain, and there is very little wind. So, after months of training, it’s finally time to see if I can complete my first Ultra Marathon. The MC is full of laughs, keeping the motivation coming, mentions that there is a bridge down and a 4-mile diversion onto the road,and everyone is gathering, rather sleepily to the start line.
I can’t help but notice what an international event the Ultra X Scotland really is.
Arriving in a quaint Scottish town, people from all over the UK, Denmark, France, Germany, the USA, and Japan are here and ready to see the Highlands. It adds to the excitement that people from all over are here to run in our small country.
Like a lot of these events, the beginning is a muted affair after the noise of the start line. People fall into line, and eventually there is a stream of people moving behind one another on a little path that leaves the village and up into the countryside for the next few KM’s. It’s good to listen to the chat and settle into an early rhythm.
Then we go up about 1’300ft into the mist, and when we reach the top, the path eventually widens, allowing the quicker runners to move on. There is a lovely loch with a flat section of trail leading to the first aid station.
One neat thing that strikes me is that everyone (at least initially) runs to a beat together. Walk the hills, run the flats and downhills. And keep that rhythm, run at your own pace, but you don’t have to think, just match the others. Run, walk, jog, run, walk, etc., etc.
Then we go up about 1’300ft into the mist, and when we reach the top, the path eventually widens, allowing the quicker runners to move on. There is a lovely loch with a flat section of trail leading to the first aid station.
One neat thing that strikes me is that everyone (at least initially) runs to a beat together. Walk the hills, run the flats and downhills. And keep that rhythm, run at your own pace, but you don’t have to think, just match the others. Run, walk, jog, run, walk, etc., etc.
What Worked
The good stuff first! Well, of course, all that training paid off right off the bat. Running and walking lots of uphill paid off the most, I would say.
Gravity is really your friend; it helps you improve your fitness quickly. The more hills you can do, the fitter you become. If you don’t live near any good hills, find a gym with a treadmill you can raise the incline on and walk.
Another obvious win was actually using my kit when training, so that I knew where to quickly find gels, energy bars, sunglasses, layers, etc. But I’d also worked out that I would need 1.2 litres of fluid in my backpack and 500ml of water in one soft flask. Although there is a mandatory kit list, with essential safety equipment, it really pays to keep the weight to a MINIMUM.
Invariably, there is a lot of climbing, so you don’t want to haul anything up that you don’t really need to.
Understand where the aid stations are, and lean into that. I saw some people do the 25KM event, and it looked like they were going camping for a week!
Gravity is really your friend; it helps you improve your fitness quickly. The more hills you can do, the fitter you become. If you don’t live near any good hills, find a gym with a treadmill you can raise the incline on and walk.
Another obvious win was actually using my kit when training, so that I knew where to quickly find gels, energy bars, sunglasses, layers, etc. But I’d also worked out that I would need 1.2 litres of fluid in my backpack and 500ml of water in one soft flask. Although there is a mandatory kit list, with essential safety equipment, it really pays to keep the weight to a MINIMUM.
Invariably, there is a lot of climbing, so you don’t want to haul anything up that you don’t really need to.
Understand where the aid stations are, and lean into that. I saw some people do the 25KM event, and it looked like they were going camping for a week!
Kit
Don’t be reckless, take all the essentials you need and of course, the mandatory equipment, but be sensible about it!
Here are some of my choices, I’m sure it’s far from perfect but might give you an idea:-
Mini First Aid - Crepe bandages, pins, paracetamol, small sachet of suncream, antiseptic wipes.
Compeed - Blister plasters could be the difference between finishing and not.
Chewing gum - I watch the Random Runner on YouTube, and Paul always seems to find time to do a full brush and dental floss at the roadside, no, I’m only kidding, but it makes a lot of sense. So for this little run, I figured a couple of bits of gum would be good, and it was! Actually, it’s a total lifesaver when you’re eating sugar all day.
Earphones - After about 5 hours of running and chatting with everyone, a little boost was needed. I’d made a playlist up, and it was good to crank some tunes and forget about my legs. Just settle down and get the beats on.
Buff - Trusty buff. You know why you need one; it does so much and asks so little in return.
Cap/Sun Glasses - Even in Scotland, it’s handy you’re out all day; a cap is good for keeping sweat out of your eyes and for sun, wind, and rain. Glasses? Just to look cool.
Toilet Roll - Actually, in a ziplock bag. It’s a long way; you don’t want to be caught short. We can’t have an Ultra blog post without talking about the toilet.
Toilet Roll - Actually, in a ziplock bag. It’s a long way; you don’t want to be caught short. We can’t have an Ultra blog post without talking about the toilet.
Garmin Watch - One for the gadget geeks. I’ve used Garmin for years. But it really came into it’s own during this event. I had the screens set up to show my route on the map, the finish ETA, and how long was left to run. Then simple stats, like the elevation, and a plot graph showing where I was in relation to the day's climbs (it even tells you how many there are - 11 on the day, and how many you had completed). All nice and easy, everything I needed and nothing I didn't.
Mandatory Kit - Things we were required to carry on the day.
Waterproof jacket with taped seams (I use OMM; it’s not the lightest, but it's been reliable when the heavens open)
First-aid kit. - As mentioned above, mine is from Lifesystems.
Headtorch (I have a Petzl, and it's really good)
Whistle - My Rab Veil Running Vest comes with one integrated)
Bivvy bag- Not a foil blanket, but something you could crawl into if you had to.
Waterproof jacket with taped seams (I use OMM; it’s not the lightest, but it's been reliable when the heavens open)
First-aid kit. - As mentioned above, mine is from Lifesystems.
Headtorch (I have a Petzl, and it's really good)
Whistle - My Rab Veil Running Vest comes with one integrated)
Bivvy bag- Not a foil blanket, but something you could crawl into if you had to.
Fuel and Hydration
This will vary for every person. Which is why you need to experiment early in the training. Your size, effort and what your gut can tolerate play a big role in how you fuel your run.
For me, I noticed that as the miles crept above 15 (24km), I could get sluggish and dizzy, and later in the day, I could get really sore heads. I think I’ve said as much on social media. It wasn’t so much the fuel; I was eating enough, it was the electrolytes I wasn’t getting enough of.
My strategy looked like this:
Fuel/Hydration
Veloforte Tempo Gel x 3
Veloforte Doppio Gel (with caffeine) x 3
Veloforte Zenzero Bar (Lemon and Pistachio is amazing) x 2
Precision Mint & Lemon Chews x 2 - Lightweight, small and good as backup.
Precision Drink Mix with Carbs & Electrolytes - In my drink bladder, with 1.2L of water.
Precision 1500 Electrolyte Sachets x 2 - Plus one in my 500ml soft flask to begin.
Tailwind Dauwaltermelon sachets x 4 - For topping up fluids on the way round.
Timing
Every 15 minutes, take a sip of drink mix (carbs). Every second time, I would also take some electrolytes, since my training showed I really need them.
Every 30 minutes, eat. I began with the bars. A decent bite every time. The two bars were gone in the first two hours. Then I switched over to the gels. I really like Veloforte's stuff. It tastes amazing and is made with all-natural ingredients, so it plays nice with my gut!
TOP TIP
TOP TIP
If you have a Garmin watch, it will let you set reminders for the above - takes the pain and guessing (especially when you are tired and don’t want to take another bite) away from fuelling. Just set and do what it says when it says it. I’m sure other sports watches probably have a similar feature. A simple thing that works really well.
What didn’t work
Honestly, not much. But I think that’s partly because I went into the day with the right mindset. I wasn’t chasing a time or racing anyone. I just wanted to enjoy the experience, manage myself well and get to the finish line feeling strong. Framed like that, it was a brilliant day out. The weather definitely helped too. If it had been torrential rain and Highland winds all day, I’m sure I’d have a different story.
One thing I did get wrong was clothing at the start. At 7am in the Highlands in spring, it was cold enough standing around waiting to begin, so I put on a long-sleeved top. Fifteen minutes later, after climbing the first 1,000ft of the day, I was overheating. Thankfully, I had a short-sleeve top in my pack and could change, but arm warmers would probably have been the smarter option and much easier to adjust on the move.
In terms of pacing, I think I probably could have gone quicker in places. I crossed the line in 6 hours and 58 minutes. About a 12-minute mile pace, and with the climbing, I felt that wasn’t too bad going for the first one. But when you’re stepping into something unknown, it’s difficult to judge where the line is. I’d heard a few people afterwards say they went out too hard early on and paid for it later. I was determined not to burn myself out chasing a time. There’s probably a balance there that only comes with experience, but for a first ultra, I was more than happy to take the finish line and still feel strong at the end.
My take on the Ultra X Scotland
What can I say that I haven’t already? It was a great day out, an achievement to cover the distance and do it well. I will definitely be doing another, and sooner rather than later.
Although I might need my quads to calm down a bit first. The descent on the way to the end was a bit too much ‘fun’, and it cooked my legs. I’m really looking forward to getting back out, but for now, it’s back to the Yoga, the trusty massage gun, and eating well. Then it will be nice to get moving again once I’ve had time to heal.
Although I might need my quads to calm down a bit first. The descent on the way to the end was a bit too much ‘fun’, and it cooked my legs. I’m really looking forward to getting back out, but for now, it’s back to the Yoga, the trusty massage gun, and eating well. Then it will be nice to get moving again once I’ve had time to heal.
Even if you never run an ultramarathon, the training itself is worth it. Running regularly, getting outdoors and starting the day with a clear head genuinely improves how I feel physically and mentally. But having an event on the horizon gives that training purpose, and for me, Ultra X Scotland was the perfect first ultra.
Note: This is a personal race experience written by Ready Sweat Go. It is not sponsored by, affiliated with, or endorsed by Ultra X. Any views, kit choices or product mentions are based on my own experience.
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