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You don't necessarily need a high level of skill to compete in ultra-marathons, to be a successful you simply need exceptional endurance and mental toughness! Of all the abilities, which are more important? Below is a discussion about the fitness requirements for Ultra-Marathons, which can help with developing training programs for this sport, and for interpreting fitness testing results and determining the relative strengths and weaknesses of a competitor.

You Need Endurance!

We have a poll about the component of fitness most important for success in Ultra-Marathons. Out of the options of Body Size and Composition, Muscle Strength, Muscular Endurance, Power, Speed / Quickness, Agility, Flexibility, Balance and Coordination, and Cardiovascular Endurance, the factors which are considered most important by the readers of this site are Cardiovascular and Muscular Endurance. Not much else is needed to be successful. You can add your vote too, and see the latest results.

You Need to be Flexible?

In a similar poll, we have asked people to rate the 12 factors of success for sports. Visitors to this site have rated each of these factors for the sport of Ultra-Marathons, and the most important according to them are surprisingly Body Size and Composition, Strength & Power, Speed / Quickness, Flexibility and Coping with Pressure Situations. All of these, body composition and coping with pressure, are abilities that I would not consider important for successful ultra-marathon performance. The primary physical ability for this sport, endurance, was ranked lower than these. It just shows you can't believed everything you read online. You can also add your ratings of Which Factors Make Successful Marathon Runners, and see the latest results.

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Most Important Factors for Success in Order of Importance (data from 2018)

1. Body Size and Composition
2. Strength & Power
3. Speed / Quickness
4. Flexibility
5. Coping with Pressure Situations
6. Reaction Time
7. Analytic & Tactical Ability
8. Aerobic Endurance
9. Balance & Coordination
10. Skill and Technique
11. Agility
12. Motivation & Self Confidence

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Related Pages

• Adventure Sports Polls
• Marathon Races
• Ultra-Marathon Races