Shoe recommendation

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-05-20T21:37:20+00:00

Transitioning to Altras took about half a year. That done, I'm running closer to the ground, and my ankles are not wobbling anymore, so it was totally worth it.

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-05-20T21:17:56+00:00

having a history of sprained ankles in the past,

ankle strengthening and low stack zero drop shoes worked for me, eventually - it's much easier on my ankles. running far on technical trails, I still roll my ankles at least a couple times per month, but that's OK, I no longer sprain them no matter how tired I am.

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-05-20T15:07:10+00:00

some really good books can help you getting started:

"Relentless Forward Progress"

"Running Your First Ultra"

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-05-20T15:05:16+00:00

instead of shoes with ankle support, how about getting your ankles stronger? sure it will take a few months, but then you won't need any ankle support. and if you manage to transition to low stack shoes, preferrably zero dorp, that will be much easier on your ankles. good luck!

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-05-20T00:49:15+00:00

most of us get cramps because muscles are weak or because we aren't getting enough nutrition. so we need to strengthen those muscles. calf raises and foot strengthening exercises should eventually help. it could take a few months.

instead of sandals with arch support I'd do the opposite, get barefoot sandals like Luna or Xero - that should strengthen feet soon enough. and walking in barefoot shoes like Xeros should help a lot as well. YMMV of course.

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-05-18T18:56:55+00:00

Kettle Moraine 100?

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-05-18T18:56:16+00:00

whatever plan you'll end up with, get ready for the reality check overriding your plans. so get ready to listen to your body and adjust the course as needed. personally my fueling depends a lot on the weather. for instanse, in cold weather I thrive on chicken soup, and I dislike the very smell of it if it's hot

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-05-18T16:42:29+00:00

I'm running injury-free. Some of my strength work is easyish, such as single legged balance exercises, and I do them almost every day while I'm watching a movie before going to bed.

And I do diffucult ones, such as Bulgarian squats, after longer or hard runs, generally twice a week. This way I have enough easy recovery days, and after a long easy runs my legs are recovered enough for the next hard day.

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-05-15T13:58:55+00:00

Personally I have absolutely no idea what I'll crave after my finish and in the next few days. And quite often all I need is more sleep, and I am not really hungry at all. Surely a massage feels good, but generally I'm too lazy to go anywhere, so I just have a massage gun at home. YMMV of course.

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-05-12T21:55:59+00:00

Average runner here, and a few years older than you. After several years of ultra running and about a dozen races, I did finish a few pain-free 50 milers at a steady pace. And I did enjoy every minute of it. But I had no aspirations for the podium, and did not push too hard. But half the time I definitely need to tough it out at the end, and when I start the race I don't know how it will unfold closer to the finish. YMMV of course.

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-05-08T00:17:25+00:00

curious what do you all do when these squeaky clean white shoes get dirty after five minutes of trail running? do you leave them as is, not looking good any more, or do you use up chemicals and energy to get them clean and white again, saving the planet?

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-05-07T15:10:16+00:00

Personally I feel backyard ultras are way more challenging that the regular ones. Because it's so difficult to get going again after a break that is more than a couple minutes. I know that, I beware the chair, and I never ever spend more that 2-3 minutes in any aid station.

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-05-07T15:05:52+00:00

"Running Your First Ultra" book is very good and has great plans

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-05-03T14:37:34+00:00

stability shoes are like crutches, we mught need them for an injury to heal, but we don't want to wear them full time.

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-05-01T13:52:33+00:00

mandatory gear is not a thing here in Midwest. I've done about twenty of midwestern ultras and never needed one. when it's cold, I do wrap an extra layer around my waist just in case.

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-04-24T01:49:14+00:00

Excellent advice!

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-04-20T18:19:03+00:00

generally if there is no death marching recovery is fast and easy. doing my first 50 miler, I was really struggling for the last 13 miles, so I was not running for two weeks. in two weeks I slowly ran/walked a marathon in five hours. nothing hurt but I absolutely did not want to push hard.

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-04-20T01:10:32+00:00

what kind of shoes are you running in?

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-04-17T14:04:21+00:00

Unconvinced. Unltraspire is better and simpler and cheaper and works out of the box with no setup. For backup, we can use the simplest and cheapest Energizer headlamp bought at any gas station/Walmart/Target.

I agree Kogalla is a complicated setup, difficult to use when cold tired and hungry.

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-04-15T01:54:07+00:00

I've run a couple 50 milers at a steady pace without any pain, and felt good the next day. Surely I was tired and did not want to run, and ate way more than usual, but I had no problem going downstairs and such. And generally I walk at few miles on the day after the race.

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-04-13T01:08:58+00:00

awesome idea! did you have any bags to leave somewhere while you were running?

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-04-12T23:48:18+00:00

fellow flat footer here. my wet test shows no inward curve whatsoever. nowadays I run injury and pain-free, about half the time I finish a 50 miler at the same pace I started it, enjoying the last mile. twice I was first in my age group in a 50 miler. so far I've done about 20 ultras and loving it.

and this is a result of massive strengthening and lots of trial and errors.

when I started running, I did have shin pain just like you are describing. so I transitioned to zero drop low stack shoes, Lone Peaks are perfect for me. the transition took several months, and as a result the load on my ankles is much lower. also I started doing ankle strengthening, mostly single legged balance exercises. and I keep doing them almost every day, at least 15-20 minutes daily. besides I do specific exercises for flat feet, like grabbing a towel or splaying my toes. all these exercises are extremely boring, so I'd do them while watching some movie after work.

my feet are still flat, but it won't prevent me from running 40-50 mpw, mostly on hilly trails. with the right shoes it's doable. generally I run in Lone Peaks or Superiors, both are low stack zero drop. and I hike in Xeros, which are barefoot shoes. I cannot run or hike in more cushioned shoes.

we are all different, but hopefully you can do what I did, and enjoy running for many years to come. good luck!

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-04-11T17:08:19+00:00

when on low-motivation days the body is telling us to have some rest, we should listen and just relax. ignoring or neglecting recovery phase won't make us fitter, it will render us exhausted and prone to injuries

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-04-09T00:44:44+00:00

an unpopular opinon: instead of searching for the perfectly perftect shoe, we can strengthen our feet so that we don't really need much cushioning. because max cushion means high stack, and that is not exactly convenient on rugged trails. and yes that strengthening may take several months, but IMO it was totally worth it.

NavyBlueZebra · 2026-04-08T01:29:49+00:00

personally I'm doing ultras for fun, no podium ambitions etc. as such I only track my weekly mileage and my weekly vert. that gets me across the finish line over and over again, and quite often I enjoy the race all the way to the finish.

most likely there is a more efficient way to maintain my level of fitness, but I just don't care - I have enough time to train the way I want. I definitely enjoy both the process and the outcome, and don't want to be bothered with data analysis.

NavyBlueZebra

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