Months of training have flown by, and suddenly, you are less than a week away from the start line. You’ve put in the hard graft, stuck to the plan, and watched your fitness soar. Now is the time to execute your strategy and achieve the goals you’ve set for yourself.

The last and probably most important part of success in an ultra is mental resilience. Even though it is vital, it is usually the part of training people talk about the least.

It is very common for runners to get injured while training for an ultramarathon. This can happen for many reasons, from the way you move to doing too much too soon or just slipping and twisting an ankle. Every runner will go through this and knows how annoying it is, especially when you are right in the middle of hard training. Often, it is actually harder on your mind to deal with an injury than it is to physically get better.

The second pillar of ultramarathon success is Endurance Nutrition. What you consume before, during, and after a race determines not only your performance on the day but how quickly you bounce back afterward.

Arguably the most important pillar for success in ultramarathons. Everything stems from your aerobic engine. If you have a well established ‘base’ and are considered ‘efficient’ you will be in the best possible position to complete an ultramarathon.

Ultra running is as much about the mind as it is about the miles. It’s about balance — between endurance, nutrition, and mental strength. Over years of training, racing, I found that most runners only focus on one or two of these areas. But to truly perform at your best, you need all three working together.