Trail Running Surprises: What I Learned Training for Ultras

When I first started training for ultra running, I thought it was going to be about the miles. Run more, eat more, maybe get a little stronger — simple enough, right?

Except, nope. Training for trail running and ultras came with surprises. Some hilarious, some humbling, some that had me side-eyeing my life choices at mile 27 while eating a soggy PBJ like it was the best meal of my life.

The weird, messy stuff nobody warns you about when you become a trail runner

First of all, the aid stations. Nobody told me I’d roll up to what basically looks like a gas station mini-mart in the middle of the woods. Sweaty handfuls of M&Ms. Pickles floating in questionable juice. Potatoes dipped in salt. And yes — someone handing out Fireball shots like it’s a frat party. The sad mashed PBJ you’d never pack for yourself? At mile 22, it tastes like Michelin-star dining. (And you’ll probably go back for seconds.)

Then there’s hiking. Oh, friend. I used to think walking meant failure. Like, if I didn’t “run every step,” I wasn’t legit. Turns out hiking steep climbs isn’t giving up — it’s strategy. It’s the reason you actually have legs left at mile 40 instead of waddling back to your car questioning all your life choices. (I mean, you will be waddling back to your car — but it’ll be after you’ve got your finisher’s medal in hand.)

And don’t even get me started on trail math. Somewhere around mile 30 your brain just… loses it. “Only 20 miles left! That’s just four 5-milers. Easy!” Like, excuse me?? Who in their right mind calls 20 miles left “easy”? Or you’ll cut deals with yourself: “Okay, if I run to that random cactus, I get 37 steps of walking.” (Why 37? No one knows. Ultra brain makes up its own rules.) None of it makes sense, but somehow it gets you through.

The real stuff that caught me off guard

The snacks are funny, but what really surprised me wasn’t food or math. It was this:

• Your brain gets trained more than your legs. Sure, your quads get stronger. But the bigger win? Learning how to sit with discomfort. How to talk yourself into the next mile when everything in you screams “stop.” How to keep moving when you’re sweaty, cranky, and your stomach is staging a protest.

• Training moves in waves. One day you feel unstoppable. The next you’re dragging yourself out the door, muttering under your breath about why you ever signed up. Both days count. Both days matter. Both days make you the athlete who toes the line.

• The people change you. Hours in the dirt strip away the small talk. You find yourself talking about real stuff — the kind of conversations you didn’t even know you needed. And suddenly, these running buddies become your people.

• Your body learns to do weird, amazing things. Like craving a crisp Coke even though you don’t drink soda in real life. Like scarfing down tepid burgers, bean wraps, or vegan cheese quesadillas at mile 40 and somehow keeping your legs moving. Like staying awake for 24+ hours and still finding another gear. It’s wild what your body adapts to.

• You stop caring about “looking like a runner.” At some point it’s just dirt, sweat, salt crust, and whatever snack you’ve smashed in your pack. And somehow — that’s when you finally feel like you are one.

  
  

Why this matters (even if you never run an ultra)

Here’s the thing: ultra running isn’t just about running. It sneaks in life lessons whether you signed up for them or not.

Because life is full of “aid station surprises” too. The curveballs you didn’t see coming. The detours that feel inconvenient but end up teaching you something you couldn’t have learned otherwise.

And just like ultras, life isn’t about being perfect every step of the way. It’s about knowing when to run, when to hike, when to laugh at the nonsense math your brain invents — and just keep moving forward anyway.

So whether your “ultra” is actually a 50K, or it’s finally committing to strength training, or just carving out 30 minutes a day that’s yours — the lesson is the same. You’ll be surprised. It won’t go exactly as planned. And you’ll come out stronger, more resilient, and proud of yourself in ways you didn’t expect.

The bottom line

Trail running and ultra training will surprise you. Some of those surprises will make you laugh, some will make you cry, and some will make you question why you’re out there at all.

But every single one is shaping you into the kind of woman who can do hard things — on the trail and off of it.

And friend, if you’ve been waiting until you “feel ready”? Stop. You’ll never be fully ready. That’s the point. The trail (and life) teaches you along the way.

Good effort. Positive attitude. 💛🧡⛰️