How To Run A Lapped Ultramarathon (...and do it well!): Part 2

Welcome back to our two-part series in how to run a lapped ultra (...and do it well!).

If you missed Part 1, you can check it out here.

We teamed up with Joe Baker, Endurance Athlete and Coach, who shared his lapped ultra expertise to help us bring you this guide.

During Your Lapped Ultra Event

The week of your lapped ultra should be all about rest, especially if you're tackling a 24-hour event. If you're arriving the day before, resist the urge to recce the course. Save that energy. Your first lap can double as your recce. Go slow, take it all in, and start making mental notes.

Ultra running isn’t about running the whole thing. It's about managing your energy. From lap one, get used to walking any hills, even if you feel fresh. Think of yourself as a battery. You want to start the race fully charged and finish on empty, not the other way around. It’s common to go too hard early on when you feel great, but you’ll pay for it later.

You can use heart rate zones to guide your effort - aim for Zone 2 to sustain your pace. Not into gadgets? No worries. If you can hold a conversation, you're probably in the right zone.

Buddying up with other runners can help with that, as well as keeping your mind busy - but don't get pulled into running faster than you should. Match the slowest person’s pace.

Running to the Conditions

Conditions will change throughout a long event. Run slower during the hottest part of the day and protect against the overnight cold with layers. Look after yourself and you'll be ready to move well when things shift.

Running poles can also help, especially in later laps when the hills feel steeper than they are. Just make sure your event allows them.

When it comes to running through the night, you’ll already know the route. Revise any tree roots, uneven surfaces, and points of interest. Get yourself out of the other side of darkness unscathed, and the daylight will bring a renewed energy.

Just Keep Moving

Sure, that camp chair looks inviting, but don’t give in to temptation! A 10-minute sit-down won’t recharge your legs. Keep moving. Walk and eat. Walk and drink. Keep your engine ticking.

Fuelling and Hydration

If you're constantly moving, you should be constantly fuelling. The moment you feel hungry or thirsty, you’ve already dipped into a deficit.

Aim to eat every 30–60 minutes. Over long events, your appetite might fluctuate, so give yourself options. Bring a mix of real food and sports nutrition: like tortilla wraps with sandwich paste and jelly tubes. Anything you can grab and go.

Think of your energy like your phone battery. If you let it go flat, it takes time to come back. Same with your body. If you hit empty, the recovery is slow. Eating little and often is like staying plugged in while running.

Portion your food based on loop length and stash it where you can access it easily, like your waist belt, vest, or your aid station table. Soft bottles are handy too; when empty, you can stuff them in your pocket until the next lap. If there’s a mid-loop station, carry a soft cup on a lanyard so you don’t drop it.

Don’t forget!

Practise eating just before training runs to teach your body to digest while moving. Then, when it comes to race day, track what you eat lap by lap - especially if you don’t have a support crew. When you’re tired, it’s easy to forget and mess up your fueling.

Master the Mental Game

You're going to hit a low at some point. You’ve got to get comfortable being uncomfortable.

Fatigue-induced aches will likely come and go. When it happens, try Joe Baker’s method of naming the pain. When his adductor flared up in a 24-hour race, he called it “Magnus.” He welcomed Magnus to the party, told him he wasn’t going to win the mind game, and kept going. A couple of laps later, Magnus was gone.

Getting Your Kit Right

Mental lows can often be tied to the weather. Over 24 hours, you’ll likely experience all four seasons. The beauty of a lapped race? You don’t have to carry everything. Bring kit for every eventuality - warm layers for the night (even in summer), a waterproof jacket that fits over your vest, and something you can throw on quickly if a storm rolls in. A woolly hat in July? If it helps, wear it.

And don’t underestimate the power of a bit of self-care:

• Fresh socks can feel magical after hours on your feet. Even if it takes a couple of minutes to change them - it’s worth it!

• Swapping out a wet t-shirt or even your shoes can shift your mindset completely.

• Bask in the sunrise after surviving the night.

• Sip that midnight caffeine and lean into the weirdness.

Hang in there. It’s all part of it.

Get Your Crew in Gear

A strong support crew can be the difference between cruising through a low patch and quitting too soon. When you're tired, your ability to make decisions drops, so let your crew do the thinking.

Brief them properly before race day. Talk through:

• Your fuelling strategy and how often you need reminders

• Tech essentials: music, torch swaps, watch charging

• Clothes for temperature changes or quick pick-me-ups

• How to spot when you need encouragement or just a snack

• Your "rules of failure" - what truly warrants a DNF

The best crews know when to back off and when to step in. When you’re low, a good crew will help you push through safely. Discomfort is temporary. Regret can last a lot longer.

For extra prep, check out our Harrier How to Run an Ultra Guide, where Ronnie Stanton provides tips on managing those tough moments.

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Lapped ultras aren't about spectacular views or summit photos. They're about grit, rhythm, and finding flow in the familiar.

Every lap gets you closer. Every loop teaches you something. And when the sun comes up after a long night of grinding it out, you’ll know you’ve done something special.

See you on the start line - again, and again, and again.