5 Ways to Stay Motivated During Ultra Training

You decided you were interested in an ultramarathon. The excitement was real. You told everyone. You were PUMPED. Then week three of training hit. Or week ten. Or that random Tuesday in March when it's raining, you're tired, and your training plan says you need to do 90 minutes on your feet.

Suddenly, that initial excitement feels very far away.

For even the most veteran runners or in anything in life, motivation isn't a constant. It ebbs and flows, and every single ultra runner (from first-timers to veterans with dozens of finishes) faces moments when they'd rather do literally anything other than lace up their shoes.

Whether you're training for the Sparks Backyard Ultra in June or the Biggest Little Ultra in October, staying motivated over months of training requires strategy. Here are five proven ways to keep your fire burning when the initial excitement fades.

1. Remember Why You're Training for an Ultra (Not Just Any Race)

On hard days, reconnect with your "why." And if your why is just "to finish an ultra," dig deeper.

Maybe it's to prove to yourself that you can do hard things. Maybe it's to inspire your kids to see their parent challenge themselves. Maybe it's to reclaim your identity as an athlete after years of putting it aside. Maybe it's simply to find out what you're truly capable of when you refuse to quit.

Write down your real reason. Put it somewhere you'll see it: on your bathroom mirror, in your phone notes, on a sticky note by your running shoes. On the mornings when motivation is nowhere to be found, read it. Remember why you started this journey.

The Sparks Backyard Ultra asks you to keep going when everything in you wants to stop.

The Biggest Little Ultra asks you to push further than you've ever gone before. These aren't just races. They're opportunities to discover who you become when you don't give up on yourself.

That's worth remembering on the hard days.

2. Find Your People (Training is Better Together)

Solo training has its place, but months of running alone can wear down even the most self-motivated athlete. Finding your community changes everything.

Connect with other registered runners through social media. Join local running clubs in the Sparks or Reno area. Recruit a friend to train with you, even if they're not racing. Follow our race Instagram and Facebook pages to see others in the same journey.

When you're part of a community, you show up differently. On the days you don't feel like training, knowing someone else is counting on you gets you out the door. Seeing others push through their struggles reminds you that everyone has hard days. You're not alone in this.

Plus, the ultra community is uniquely supportive. Veterans remember what it was like to be beginners. First-timers bring fresh enthusiasm that reminds veterans why they love this sport. Everyone lifts everyone up.

You don't have to train alone. And honestly? For a variety of reasons, you shouldn't. So try to find others to join you for running and training.

3. Escape the Chaos: Fresh Air as Mental Reset

In our chaotic, overstimulated world, your training runs can become something sacred: a daily escape where the noise finally stops.

It is a chance to turn it all off: No emails. No notifications. No news alerts. No demands from work, family, or the endless scroll of social media. Just you, your breath, and the rhythm of your feet.

Whether you're walking or running, moving your body outdoors provides something increasingly rare: genuine mental space. The fresh air clears your head. The movement processes stress. The solitude (or companionship, if you're training with others) gives you room to think, or not think at all.

Many ultra runners say their long training sessions become moving meditation. Problems that seemed overwhelming before the run become manageable after. Stress melts away mile by mile. The mental clarity you gain is worth the physical effort.

When motivation is low, reframe your training session: you're not just preparing for a race.

You're giving yourself a mental health break from the chaos of modern life. You're creating space to breathe, to process, to simply be present in your body.

In a world that constantly demands your attention, your training runs can be an act of self-care and rebellion. That's powerful motivation.

4. Break It Down (Don't Think About October in February)

Thinking about running an ultra six months from now can be overwhelming. Your brain can't comprehend that kind of distance or time commitment yet. So don't try.

Instead, focus on this week's training. Today's run. The next interval. The current mile.

Set micro-goals throughout your training:

• Complete four training weeks in a row

• Run your first back-to-back long weekend

• Hit a new longest distance

• Nail your nutrition strategy on a training run

• Finish a month without missing any key sessions

Each small victory builds confidence and momentum. Each completed week proves you're capable. Each new milestone brings race day a little closer.

For Backyard Ultra participants, this approach mirrors race strategy perfectly. You're not trying to run 100 miles, you're just trying to complete one more loop. Train your brain to think that way now.

For Biggest Little Ultra runners, breaking training into phases (base building, long run progression, taper) makes the journey feel less daunting and more achievable.

Don't worry about October when it's still February. Just show up for today.

5. Mix It Up (Boredom is Motivation's Enemy)

Running the same route at the same pace every single time is a recipe for burnout. Your body adapts, your mind zones out, and training becomes a chore instead of an adventure.

Shake things up:

• Explore new trails or routes around Sparks and Reno, or wherever you live

• Try different times of day (sunrise runs hit differently than evening sessions)

• Vary your pace: some days easy, some days with intervals

• Add cross-training like cycling, swimming, hiking, or yoga

• Listen to different music, podcasts, or run in silence

• Run with different people or groups

• Set fun challenges (run to a specific landmark, try a new trail)

The Sparks Marina loop that you'll race on is beautiful, but you don't have to train exclusively there. Explore the area. Make your training runs an adventure.

Variety keeps training fresh. Fresh training keeps you motivated. Motivated training leads to race day success.

The Long Game

Ultra training is a marathon, not a sprint. 😉 You'll have amazing weeks where everything clicks. You'll have terrible weeks where nothing goes right. You'll have injuries, setbacks, weather delays, and days when you question why you ever signed up for this.

That's normal. That's part of the journey.

The runners who make it to the starting line (and more importantly, to the finish line) aren't the ones who never struggled. They're the ones who found ways to keep going when it got hard.

And on race day, whether it's June at the Backyard Ultra or October at the Biggest Little Ultra, you'll stand at that starting line knowing you showed up for yourself over and over again for months. That's the real victory. The race is just the celebration.

Ready to commit?

• Register for the Sparks Backyard Ultra (June) or Biggest Little Ultra (October)

  
  

Your journey starts now. We'll see you at the starting line.