The truth is that ultra-distance running is not only a challenge of the body but it is also a challenge of the mind and those who have one skill but not the other will struggle. The ability to keep going when your mind is tired, your body is aching and you were all alone with nobody to talk to or even race against is the ultimate challenge. Those who try and run the same race as those who burst ahead at the start of the race are the ones who will suffer in a classic case of “the hare and the tortoise”.

Competition in the sport of ultrarunning is growing all the time and while it will always remain a specialist niche area of sport it is one which is attracting the attention of some big names. There are literally hundreds of high-profile events around the world which are attracting big sponsorship money and even the attention of TV!