Articles by Ian Sharman

The longer a race is, the more things can go wrong. Especially when there’s at least a second night of racing. The 200-mile races have grown in popularity, and many runners are moving up from 100-milers to take on a new challenge.

Power-hiking with weighted vests has become popular, even among non-runners, as a way to get a little more fitness while walking. It’s also been a key training modality for elites at some of the major world ultras over t...

In a world full of online influencers and brands pedaling expensive products to fix all of our problems, how can you determine which sources are providing reliable advice? A good starting principle is that, for running,...

When I first got into ultrarunning, I quickly learned that commitment is essential to navigate through tough spots in both training and racing. Being committed means taking away some of your freedom of choice and forcing...

What separates runners who slowly fade at the end of a race from those who finish strong? It’s not just genetics or training volume; it is the subtle art of pacing through perceived effort. The better you get at reading...

We all have our favorite places to run – spots with deep, personal meaning and memories. In fact, I’d argue that the purpose of ultrarunning is chasing that meaning through new experiences. It’s about meeting people who...

Over the years, I’ve found one of the simplest and most useful methods to improve race strategy is to split mileage into thirds. This applies to both shorter and longer races, except for maybe a professional track event...

Do you ever feel like you are your own worst enemy during a race? You have a plan, you know what mistakes you’ve made in the past and yet, similar errors always find a way to pop up.What causes you to ignore your hard-ea...

Over the last four years, we have seen a noticeable increase of fast times in elite ultrarunning. What’s behind these improvements? Are there key factors that could help all runners run faster and longer, or finish races that were previously out of their grasp?

Over the last four years, we have seen a noticeable increase of fast times in elite ultrarunning. This year, the Leadville Trail 100 saw the fastest men's podium in the race's history – including a new men's course recor...

Ultras are often focused on endurance, but an under-appreciated element is durability: the capacity to perform at a similar level after fatiguing, and to withstand physical wear and tear. Think about durability in terms...

Runners are always looking for the extra edge that will catapult their fitness forward. This could involve the latest training tactics of elite ultrarunners, Norwegian Olympians or new tech devices, just to name a few. A...

I’ve noticed most runners identify as either a road or trail runner with their event choices falling into one of these two categories. Throughout your career, you’re likely to have goals that change over time and there’s no need to stick to one type of race just because it’s what you “always” do. Trying something new could spark excitement and a new love for the sport.

Over the years, I’ve noticed most runners identify as either a road or trail runner with their event choices falling into one of these two categories. I’ve always loved both and have run well over 100 marathons and ultra...

Seeing improvement in running ability takes time and consistency. Gaining endurance and skill on the trails, plus increased experience in coping with the numerous obstacles that can derail an u...

The end of the season is an ideal time to review what can be learned from the previous year. Since ultrarunning is inherently tough, it means there’s usually plenty to adjust, and there’s always some degree of failure. I...

Many people stick to their comfort zone in training. There’s an understandable bias toward focusing on your strengths since it’s fun and satisfying. Who doesn’t want to perform with skill and expertise in their comfort z...

As a coach, I’ve found three words that provide a useful, practical mantra for distance running: patience, discipline and confidence. Ultra success involves putting in the work day-by-day for a payoff that could be mo...

One of the most enjoyable aspects in any pursuit is the satisfaction from learning and improving. This is a core part of ultrarunning, but it’s not easy – just think of friends who’ve had a repetitive issue ruin race aft...

Most athletes are familiar with the main concept behind training where once a stress is placed on the body, the body then rebuilds and improves during a recovery period. However, there’s a lot of room for interpretation...

If you run, you’re a runner. It doesn’t matter how fast or how far. Being a runner is more a state of mind than some minimum athletic threshold. This applies if you’re injured and can’t currently run, or if you’re super...

A high-level overview which aims to prepare runners for the specifics of dealing with high altitude races. In particular, I’ve used Leadville Trail 100-miler as an example since it’s one of the most historic ultras, and a personal favorite where I’ve enjoyed battling for wins and coached two other winners and numerous finishers.

Running is a basic activity, even when you add in technical trails and gear. However, I see a lot of runners struggling when they add more than necessary. Technology was designed to make things...

People who’ve lived at altitude for generations, like Tibetans and Andeans, show genetic adaptations to altitude to overcome the lower barometric pressure and corresponding lower oxygen density in the air. However, th...

In Matt Fitzgerald’s new book, The Comeback Quotient, he delves into the psychological side of sports performance. He articulates multiple core concepts needed for success in both training and racing, and I spend much...

There are many reasons why athletes take on ultras, whether it’s looking for a new challenge, different terrain or reading an inspirational book. One of the key components underlying all those reasons is the need for adventure, especially in a world of sedentary office jobs. Normal life can seem dull in comparison to traveling to an exotic location, making new friends and doing something genuinely hard. Yet, this year, monotony and frustration with lock-downs has been especially difficult to cope with for our mental and physical well-being.

After a year of severely reduced racing opportunities, 2021 is a chance for a fresh slate. Routines have been upended, kids are schooling at home, and there’s still plenty of time before we get back to normal. Yet, th...

It’s safe to say that the 2020 running season didn’t go as expected. However, winter is the ideal time to work on consistent speed work without the interruption of races. In some cases, it makes perfect sense to back...

There are many reasons why athletes take on ultras, whether it’s looking for a new challenge, different terrain or reading an inspirational book. One of the key components underlying all those reasons is the need for adv...

In recent years, the variety of ultra races has moved beyond just distance or time. For example, the Piece of String Fun Run in the UK is an event with a concept where the length is a mystery, along the lines of the age...

Odds are that for the really long distances, like 100 miles, almost everyone will need to power-hike at some point during a race. To put it in context, each time I won the Leadville Trail 100, I typically power-hiked around 25 miles

Odds are that for the really long distances, like 100 miles, almost everyone will need to power-hike at some point during a race. To put it in context, each time I won the Leadville Trail 100, I typically power-hiked aro...

Something recently happened that made me wonder how a sharp rise in stress affects running. I almost ended up in a high-speed car crash on the way to a race start, and with the pandemic causing overwhelming stress for ma...

As much as we love races, I’d like to suggest another option. Why not try running an epic route that inspires you? Ideally, a trail that may not be available as a race or an adventure relating to an event that’s very dif...

When life or health issues get in the way, one of the hardest choices runners must make is whether or not to run a race. Sometimes it’s for logistical reasons that are out of your control, such as starting a new job or the timing of a new baby. But when it’s due to injury or not being well-prepared, it’s tough to make the right call.

I often get asked if there’s a secret to maintaining consistency. This question usually has the undertone of having your cake and eating it too, i.e. doing excessive training and getting away with it. Yet, it’s a fairly simple formula that I instill in those I coach, as well as in my own racing.

At the end of the year, most of us back off training and allow for a little downtime and reflection, plus, family commitments are especially time consuming (and fun) during the holidays. What should you consider when thinking ahead to next year to allow yourself to keep progressing and improving your running?

I’ll admit I have a bias on this topic, since when I first started running ultras in 2005, I also got hooked on road marathons. However, one thing I noticed was how effectively sub-ultra road races prepared me for many aspects of longer races.

As we get into the middle of summer, many races involve running in severely hot weather. The most experienced runners use several tricks to deal with this, which are most evident at two Californian races renowned for their searing heat—Western States 100 and Badwater 135.

Summertime means the mountains are open for runners and hikers, and the majority of the high alpine races are during this time of year. However, many runners, especially city slickers, don’t have equivalent climbs where they can train. Fortunately, there are ways to prepare for the more mountainous races no matter where you live.

One of the simplest improvements a runner can make to his or her training is to approach every run with a simple question: “What am I trying to achieve today?” It sounds obvious, but it’s all too easy to get caught up aiming for weekly mileage targets for no better reason than because they sound impressive.

Do you find your running mojo runs low sometimes? That every run feels the same and you’re pounding familiar paths again and again? It can be easy to get stuck…

Around the end of the year we all look forward to a little downtime from running. Then after about five minutes, we get itchy feet and want to get right…

No matter what mileage you run per week or how many races you have in a year, it’s helpful to have an off-season, and this is the time of year to consider how to get the most from this phase of training. This article lists some of the advantages of down-time, plus tips for getting the most from it.

One thing I’m frequently asked about is how I incorporate weight vests into training, since it’s a tool I use for myself and for those I coach. It was especially key to my attempt at the 2013 Grand Slam of Ultrarunning, where I ran 100-milers close together and had to get the most out of training while focusing on recovery.

Races can be very useful training arenas as alternatives to solo long runs. There’s certainly a tendency for ultrarunners to race a lot more frequently than the traditional spring and fall marathon, so what’s the best way to incorporate races for training purposes?

Through winter we all struggle to fit in any type of run with less daylight, icy roads and snowy trails. This becomes even more difficult for city dwellers in cold…

At the end of the year most runners think about their plans for the following year, including their target races. This early planning is exacerbated by the number of lotteries…

Ian lays out tactics for optimizing your performance for racing multiple ultras with less than a month between.