Hal Koerner's Field Guide to Ultrarunning

Writer's Note Foreword by Scott Jurek Preface Acknowledgments

1 GETTING STARTED Why run an ultra? Who can do an ultra? You Know You Are an Ultrarunner If...; Tackling the distance: 50K, 50 miles to 100K, and 100 miles; 50K-steps to increase the 26.2-mile threshold; 50 miles to 100K-time on feet becomes crucial; 100 Miles-putting it all together; choosing your first race; settting a goal

2 TRAINING FOR ULTRAMARATHON Pace, trail technique, What if I don't live near trails?, ascending, power hiking, trekking poles in ascents, training for ascending, technique tips for the ascent, intensity training, hill training/strength work, speed work, tempo runs, easy runs, long runs, How long is long?, mileage-quantity vs. quality, preparatory races, recovery/rest days, Am I overtraining?, taper, weight training/core work, Crosstraining-Yes or no?, road and trail-mixing it up, stretching, Do I need a coach?

3 ULTRAMARATHON NUTRITION & HYDRATION One guy's fueling strategy, How many calories do I need to run an ultra, What nutrition do I need?, gels, gel alternatives, fat-based chews, fruit-based chews, baby food, energy chews, sports bars, salt, sodium content, a word about whole foods, nutrition-dense and portable whole food options, caffeine, hydration, water vs. sports drinks, recovery drinks, recovery drink ideas, beer

4 ULTRAMARATHON GEAR Shoes, Do I need a trail-specific shoe? Are my shoes worn out? Clothing, performance, a short word about socks, gaiters, compression, hydration: packs vs. water bottles, trekking poles, flashlight/headlamp, choosing a headlamp, watch, GPS, GPS: a caveat, music, Hal's playlist

5 MAINTENANCE, SELF CARE AND FIRST AID FOR ULTRAMARATHON RUNNERS Preventing and caring for small injuries, blisters, blisters-preventive measures, toenails, Hal's Manity Kit, chafing, Should I shave? Rolled ankle, kinesiology tape, cuts and bruising, pain relievers, tummy troubles, vomiting, Why do I feel sick and how should I deal with it during a race? Diarrhea, kidney failure, hyponatremia, cramping, Am I racing too much?

6 DEALING WITH YOUR ENVIRONMENT Technical vs. nontechnical trail, running in mud, running on ice, running in snow, water crossing, running at altititude, tips for better breathing at altitude, altitude sickness, lightning, cold/heat management, cold, hypothermia, heat, heatstroke, going to the bathroom, when you have to go-a few tips, animals, safety tips in the wild, snakes on the trail, watch out for stingers, running with dogs, going off trail, trash on the trail, getting lost, drinking from natural water sources, drinking unfiltered water-a few tips, night running, tips for running at night

7 ULTRAMARATHON RACE DAY Traveling to your race, warming up before the race, preparing your crew and pacers, check the rules, crew, pacers, What makes a good pacer? Muling, Should I go it alone? Drop bags, fueling and hydrating during a race, dining chez aid station, fluid-What, how and when to drink, monitoring weight loss during a race, pace on race day, cutoff times, mental focus on race day-tips and strategies, talking on the run, nasal strips, racing with friends, passing on singletrack, DNF: when enough is enough, tips for how and when to make the call, cooling down after the race, Top 10 Must Do's on Race Day, Top 10 Do Nots on Race Day

8 HAL KOERNER'S TRAINING PLANS FOR ULTRAMARATHON Intensity workouts; tempo runs; fartleks; hill repeats; training races;, the plans: 50K, 50 miles to 100K, and 100 miles; training plans and setbacks

Afterword. What's next? Index About the Author