Beating the Ultra - Handy Tips

I'm going to be running my third Bangalore Ultra tomorrow, but it's going to be my longest distance ever. My last outing was a disaster - I took 3 hours and 40 mins to cover 25 kilometers. Pathetic right? Pretty bad!! So here's a bunch of lessons I learnt from my previous run. I hope to implement them to beat the ultra. These tips are specific to Bangalore Ultra - I've not covered common running tips.

Keep your eyes on the trail
The new trail is rockier than the last one and meanders quite a bit. It's also pretty narrow in places. So keep your eyes on the trail. I fell during the mock run and twisted my foot last time.

Ignore the legs
Pretty women in shorts is a common site. Avoid pacing with the ones with great legs - you'll die!! Last time I ran behind this hottie in pink running shorts and legs that extended to infinity. The first 16 kilometers were great, but I hit the wall soon after. She was running at an cool 7 minutes per kilometer!

Respect the weather
The weather promises to be sunny this time too. Even as I write, the weather outside is bright and sunny AND HOT. Make sure to carry salt pills and eat well during the run. Don't overdo the water bit.

Sleep well
This is a common tip, but very relevant for the Ultra. The venue is more than 30 kilometers from Bangalore and the first race starts at 5:00 AM. So do the math. Unlike most other races, this one happens in Hesaragetta - no good hotels nearby.

So, have a blast folks, run easy, run safe.