5 Science‑Backed Pacing Rules for Ultras

🔥 Want to finish your next ultra stronger and avoid the dreaded late-race fade? This episode breaks down five science-backed pacing strategies every runner can use—whether you’re lining up for your first 50K or chasing a 100-mile PR. Drawing on data from UTMB, Western States, and Ultra-Trail Cape Town, Coaches Zoë and TJ share the training and mindset tools that separate strong finishers from blow-ups.

🎙️ In this episode, we cover:

• Hot or Not: stacking two ultras close together, GPS watches vs. RPE, and sodium pre-loading

• The science behind interval design: VO₂ max, threshold, steady state, and strides—made simple

• Five proven pacing strategies, including why uphill pace predicts finish time, how to keep pace variation small, and why “don’t bank time, build it” is the rule that saves races

• Practical training takeaways: back-to-back long runs, uphill workouts, durability training, and how to pace climbs smarter

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – Intro & Boot Camp recap
08:20 – Hot or Not: racing back-to-back, GPS watches, sodium pre-loading
29:15 – Listener question: Is interval design random or scientific?
44:10 – The science of pacing ultras: five strategies that work
1:13:00 – Training takeaways + coaching insights

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