💪 Ultramarathon Training for All Bodies: How to Start Strong and Prevent Injuries

💪 Ultramarathon Training for All Bodies: How to Start Strong and Prevent Injuries

Embarking on an ultramarathon is an incredible journey, and it's a journey that's open to everyone, regardless of body size. As the founder of Conscious-Gear.com and the innovator behind VestaPak, the author has been on their own ultramarathon journey and created a space where runners of all body types can feel seen, supported, and celebrated. Despite the lack of representation for bigger bodies in the ultrarunning world, it's important to remember that bigger bodies belong in ultramarathons. You are strong, resilient, and capable of achieving greatness.

This lesson focuses on empowering you to embrace where you are right now and equipping you with the tools needed to move forward confidently.

Prioritizing Health and Preventing Injuries

Before diving into ultramarathon training, consulting with a healthcare provider or sports physician is essential, especially if you’re carrying extra weight or have pre-existing conditions like joint pain or high blood pressure. While bigger bodies can thrive in ultrarunning, proactive injury prevention is the key to longevity.

Joint Health: Long distances put stress on your joints. Strengthening the muscles around your knees, hips, and ankles helps to absorb impact forces during training and races.

Shoes: Investing in running shoes that support your unique biomechanics is key. Some of you will want lots of cushion, wider toe box, and various thicknesses. Make sure you go to a running store, have them do your measurements and then experiment until you find what you want because it's not worth it to settle for gear that doesn’t fit or work for you.

  • Listen to Your Body
Injuries are inevitable for all runners including us with bigger bodies. With proper training volume and self-care, you can avoid many common issues. It will take time to trust yourself but you have everything you need to know when to go and when to stop, so tap into that inner voice, it will guide you.

  • Assessing Your Current Fitness Level
Understanding your starting point is critical because ultramarathon training isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s about building a plan that works for you. Also, you will appreciate the gains you made over the days, weeks, months and years, this the kind of information that keeps you motivated and consistent.

  • Baseline Tests
Walking or running a timed mile at an easy pace can provide insights into your aerobic capacity and endurance baseline. You can measure the number of pushups, situps, or pull-ups and seeing how long you jump rope or do shuffles.

  • Strength Check

Assessing whether you can hold a plank for 30 seconds or do bodyweight squats without discomfort can reveal areas where you might need more strength training.


  • Mental Readiness

Ultramarathons are as much about mindset as physical ability. Ask yourself if you are ready to commit to consistent training and prepared for setbacks. Remember, fitness is about durability and consistency, not just speed or weight. Studies show that training volume and pacing matter far more than body size when it comes to ultramarathon success.  And on on need to put a timer on when you do your first or next. race, just trust that you will be ready when you're ready.

Debunking Myths: Why Bigger Bodies Excel in Ultramarathons
The notion that only lean runners can succeed in ultras is far from the truth. In fact, stronger bodies often have an advantage when it comes to enduring long races.

Strength Over Fragility: Bigger runners tend to have stronger muscles that can better absorb impact forces during long descents or technical terrain.

Resilience: Carrying extra weight means you’re already accustomed to working harder during training, which builds mental toughness for race day

Representation Matters: Showing up at starting lines inspires others who’ve been told they don’t belong in this space.

Injury Prevention Strategies

To stay injury-free as you train, incorporate these practical tips:
  • Warm-Up Properly: Start every run with dynamic stretches like leg swings or lunges to loosen up tight muscles.
  • Strength Train Weekly: Focus on exercises like squats, deadlifts, and planks to build stability in your core and lower body;
  • Rest Days Are Non-Negotiable: Recovery is where the magic happens! Take at least one full rest day each week and listen to your body if it needs more.
Injury prevention isn’t about avoiding challenges but about preparing your body to handle them.
Ultramarathon training is a journey that starts with understanding where you are today—physically, mentally, and emotionally—and building from there. There’s room for all of us in ultrarunning. Every step forward is progress—no matter how big or small.
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