One of the biggest mistakes ultrarunners make has nothing to do with pace, nutrition, or gear. It begins in the mind.
We start thinking too far ahead.
When you’re standing at mile 30 of a 100-mile race, the finish line can feel impossibly distant. If you spend your energy calculating how many miles remain, the distance quickly becomes overwhelming.
Over the years, I’ve learned something that completely changed the way I race.
The best way to finish an ultramarathon is to stop trying to finish it.
Instead, focus on reaching the next aid station.
Stay Where Your Feet Are
Years ago, during a long race, I noticed something about my own thinking. Every time I imagined the finish line, it felt impossibly far away. In my most exhausted moments, it almost seemed unreachable.
That’s often when doubt shows up.
Your mind begins asking questions your body doesn’t need answered.
“How am I supposed to run another 70 miles?”
Those thoughts rarely help.
Everything changed when I made one simple decision: my only goal was to reach the next aid station.
Suddenly, the race became manageable.
Around that same time, I took my watch off during a race. I realized I no longer wanted to chase splits or constantly monitor my pace. I wanted to run by feel instead of numbers.
That watch has never gone back on my wrist.
Since then, I’ve learned to stay on the edge of the present moment, focusing only on what’s directly ahead. One aid station replaces one overwhelming finish line. Then another. Then another.
Eventually, those small victories become 100 miles.
They still do today.
RELATED: How To Fuel Your First Ultramarathon Without Guessing
Break the Race Into Small Victories
Ultrarunning teaches us that extraordinary accomplishments are almost never completed all at once. They’re built one small decision at a time.
One climb. One descent. One mile. One aid station.
Life works much the same way.
We often become anxious because we’re trying to solve tomorrow’s problems while standing in today. The future has a way of stealing both the joy and the strength we need for the present moment.
I’ve found that when you stay fully present, time almost loses its grip. The miles stop feeling endless, and you’re free to run from a place of possibility instead of pressure.
Don’t Miss the Trail
Some runners spend an entire race thinking about the finish line. In doing so, they miss the very experience they came for.
The quiet forest. The sunrise breaking over the mountains. The laughter around an aid station. The volunteers who encourage every runner like they’ve known them for years. The unexpected beauty found somewhere between the start and the finish.
If you’re always chasing what’s next, it’s easy to overlook what’s right in front of you.
When you’re always there, you’re never truly here.
Run to the Next Landmark
One technique I’ve used for years is incredibly simple.
I pick something in the distance—a tree, a bend in the trail, a rock, or a trail marker—and I run to it.
When I get there, I choose another. Then another.
Eventually, the finish line takes care of itself.
I’ve found the same principle applies outside of running. You don’t need to have your entire life figured out today. You simply need to take the next faithful step.
Then take another.
Final Thoughts
The finish line will always be there. There’s no need to carry its weight through every mile.
Stay where your feet are. Focus on the next step. The next hill. The next aid station.
Because the runners who finish ultramarathons—and often the people who navigate life with the greatest peace—aren’t the ones constantly looking ahead.
They’re the ones who learn to be fully present in the mile they’re already running.
Ready for Your First Ultramarathon?
If you’re looking for a simple, step-by-step guide to training for your first 50K, check out Long Run Academy: Your First Ultramarathon.
Inside, you’ll learn how to choose your race, train with confidence, fuel properly, and prepare for race day—without overcomplicating the process.
About Long Run Academy
Long Run Academy is the educational platform of LongRunLiving, helping runners build endurance, confidence, and a lifelong love for running—from the first mile to the first ultramarathon.
