If a team has gained more than 3 yards per play, they are ahead of the sticks… and if they have gained less, they are behind the sticks. The “sticks” is slang for the yard markers that indicate where the team stands in relation to the first down goal. Therefore, it takes 3.3 yards per play to reach first down yardage. Most teams look at this as actually comprising 3 downs to make the 10 yards, or else punt on the 4 th down. In football, the offense has 4 downs to make 10 yards, in order to get a fresh set of downs. “Behind the sticks” is a football term that I have borrowed, because it applies so well to a situation that we all eventually face running ultras. They are equally, if not more, vital when the ultramarathoner finds him (or her) self “behind the sticks.” The same tools can be applied to more advanced issues than just finishing. However, like any fundamental skill, these mental tools are not just the stuff of beginners. These are the basic fundamentals that go in our ultra toolbox. When we find ourselves struggling, it is generally just a matter of hanging on until things cycle up, and we will find ourselves running well again.Īrmed only with these two bits of wisdom, any of us can complete an ultra. Everyone’s race will go through cycles of good and bad periods. During an ultra, the time frame is completely different. What starts out bad will almost certainly only get worse. During a mile run, a 10k, or even a marathon if the race goes south because we have gone out too fast, or made some other error, the race is doomed. “It never always gets worse.” When it comes to the decline caused by fatigue, the ultra differs from shorter races. This is where the second good advice an ultramarathon runner receives comes into play. Once again, it becomes too easy to drop from a race, when the finish is easily within reach…īy this point, you should recognize that I am using the term “easily” in its ultra sense meaning that something can be done, although undoubtedly most people would not describe the process as “easily.” There might be some discomfort involved. What is a productive approach to the game, can become counterproductive, when the moment, itself, is intolerable. Living in the moment works best when the moment is tolerable. However, no rule is without its exceptions. Once the discomfort starts to take hold, it can be quite overwhelming to think about all that remains, and runners will quit, when a finish is easily within reach. The first good advice that most of us receive, regarding the running of an ultramarathon, is to “break it down” into manageable pieces.
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