Ultra Running FAQ
Common questions about ultra running, training, and William’s career — answered from decades of experience.
Ultra running is any footrace longer than the standard marathon distance of 26.2 miles (42.195 km). Common ultra distances include 50km, 50 miles, 100km, 100 miles, 24 hours, 48 hours, 6 days, and beyond. The longest certified ultra race is the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race in New York, which William completed in 2014.
Training for an ultra marathon requires building a large aerobic base through consistent mileage, practising race-specific nutrition, training the mind for sustained effort, and incorporating back-to-back long runs. Cross-training and adequate recovery are essential to avoid injury. William’s philosophy centres on consistency over intensity, with age-appropriate training loads.
William Sichel returned to competitive ultra running after hip replacement surgery in 2023, becoming known as The Hip Replacement Runner. With proper medical guidance, rehabilitation, and a methodical return to training, it is possible — but every case is different and medical advice should always come first.
William holds 780 world, British and Scottish ultra distance running records, spanning distances from 30 miles (48 km) on the track to 3,100 miles (4,989 km) on the road. These include world age-group records, British records, and Scottish records across multiple distance and time categories.
The Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race is the longest certified footrace in the world. Runners must complete 3,100 miles (4,989 km) around a single city block in Queens, New York, within a 52-day cutoff — averaging about 60 miles (97 km) per day. William completed it in 50 days, 15 hours and 6 minutes, making him the only person over 60 to finish and the only British athlete inside the cutoff.
Absolutely. Ultra running is one of the few sports where older athletes can remain competitive at the highest level. The demands shift from raw speed to endurance, pacing, experience, and mental resilience — all qualities that can improve with age. William is still competing and setting records at 72.
Ultra marathon nutrition involves eating small amounts frequently: liquid calories, energy gels, and easily digestible foods while running, and solid real food during rest breaks. Electrolyte management is critical. The most important rule: practise your race nutrition during training. Your stomach needs to learn to process food while running.
Mental preparation is as important as physical training. William breaks races into manageable segments, maintains a strong support crew, practises positive self-talk, and focuses on process rather than distance remaining. Having a clear race plan and flexible contingencies helps manage the inevitable low points.
Orkney is an archipelago of about 70 islands off the north coast of Scotland. William has lived in Orkney since 1982 — first on the island of Sanday, then in Kirkwall from 2019. It is remote, windswept, and strikingly beautiful, and has shaped his identity as a runner and his approach to training.
A Head for Running: Inside my ultra-marathon triumphs and disasters is William’s book covering his extraordinary career in ultra distance running. It’s available for £23.49 from the Shop page.
Training in Orkney means adapting to challenging conditions: short daylight hours in winter, strong winds, and limited facilities. William uses treadmill training, weight vest work, and race simulation sessions. He supplements Orkney training with camps in Majorca for warmer-weather, longer-daylight preparation.
Yes. William is fully committed to clean sport and is subject to the anti-doping regulations of UK Athletics, World Athletics, and the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU). He has never used any banned substance or method and supports all anti-doping measures in athletics.