You've run the roads, you've done the marathons, and you've even done some trails. And now you're thinking about really pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. If you've ever wondered if you could — now that you're perhaps a little older — this book is for you.
Over the Hill: A Guide to Running Your First Ultramarathon in Your 40s is written for runners in their 40s and beyond who are ready to go further than they ever have, and want honest, practical, expert guidance for doing it at the age they actually are.
It was written by Jane Davies, a copywriter who came back to running in her 40s, ran a couple of road marathons, and then agreed (perhaps too readily) when a friend suggested an ultra. She ran her first at 48. What she couldn't find at any point in that journey was a guide written for someone like her. So she wrote one.
Because she knew she wasn't the expert, she found seven who were — one for each of the book's chapters. A doctor, a coach, a personal trainer, a nutritionist, a running store owner, a podiatrist and a psychologist. Between them they bring over 100 years of practice and a wealth of expertise you would be hard pressed to find anywhere else under one cover. And every one of them has also run an ultra, except the psychologist, who is far too sensible.
Health: What changes as we age, what the science of masters running actually says, and why it's considerably more encouraging than most people assume.
Training: How to structure training for an ultra when you're working with an older body — building smart, not just hard.
Strength Training: Why strength work is non-negotiable for older athletes, and exactly how to integrate it without wrecking your running legs.
Nutrition: Fuelling for ultra distance in your 40s — what's different, what matters, and what to stop worrying about.
Gear: The kit that makes a genuine difference and the kit that doesn't. Honest, practical and specific.
Feet: The most underrated subject in ultrarunning, given a full chapter by a specialist who has seen everything trail running can do to a pair of feet.
Psychology: The mental side of attempting something new and genuinely hard, later in life than most people try it — and how to stay in the race when your own head is the obstacle.
Race Day: Everything that happens in the lead up, what you should and shouldn't do, what could go wrong, and what actually happens from start to finish. Drawn entirely from hard-won personal experience, this is one chapter only the author could write.
Running through every chapter is a collection of exclusive contributions from celebrated figures in the ultrarunning world — including David Roche, Damian Hall, Dean Karnazes, Sophie Power and others. Each was asked the same question: what is the one piece of advice you would give to an older athlete stepping up to the ultra distance for the first time?
Over the Hill takes a clear position: your 40s and beyond are not a reason to scale back what you attempt. With the right preparation, the right guidance and a willingness to be honest with yourself, older athletes can do things that genuinely surprise them.
You don't need to be fast. You don't even need to know where to start. If you're asking yourself 'can I?' — this is the book for you.
