Trail Note

This Trail Note explores how women’s physiology and psychology shape pacing in trail and ultra events, and offers practical prompts to build strategies that suit both first‑timers and experienced returnees.

Pacing, Psychology and Women’s Strengths in Trail and Ultra Events

The longer and rougher the course, the more pacing and psychology matter. Ultras and technical trail races are rarely about who is fastest for ten minutes; they’re about who slows down the least across many hours.

Women often bring real advantages to that kind of racing: steadier pacing, strong reasons for being out there, and a physiology that supports all‑day effort when it’s respected. This Trail Note helps you turn those strengths into strategy, whether you’re lining up for your first trail event or your fifth ultra.

Why women are well‑suited to long, uneven days

Across studies of endurance and ultra‑endurance events, women tend to pace more evenly, are less likely to go out aggressively fast, and often maintain performance relatively better as distance increases. At sub‑maximal intensities they usually rely more on fat as a fuel, preserving glycogen for later and supporting steady output.

Psychologically, many women report motivations around growth, meaning, health and connection, and score highly on traits like persistence, emotional regulation and “task‑focused” attention. These patterns don’t guarantee an easy day, but they are raw material you can shape into a clear pacing and mindset plan.

1. Strategic pacing for trail and ultra events

Pacing is less about chasing a perfect split and more about matching effort to terrain, time and your own history. The questions you ask yourself will differ slightly if you’re a first‑timer or a returnee.

First‑timers: build a “finish well” strategy

If it’s your first trail race or ultra, your primary job is to learn your all‑day effort and finish with enough left that you want to come back. You don’t need a complex spreadsheet; you need a few honest prompts.

• Start‑line check‑in: “On a 1–10 scale, where is my energy and stress today?” If the number is high, commit to an even gentler first 30–40 minutes.
• First‑hour rule: If you’re on trail, hike the steeper hills early, even if everyone around you is running. Ask, “Could I chat in full sentences right now?” If not, ease off.
• Chunking the course: Break the day into 3–4 sections (for example, aid‑station to aid‑station or climb to climb) and set one intention per section: “curious”, “protect my quads”, “fuel on time”, “hold form to the finish”.

Returnees: design pacing from your own history

If you’ve already finished trail events or ultras, you’re not starting from zero - you have data on where things tended to unravel. Instead of guessing, use that history to refine your pacing story.

• Look back first: Where did you slow down most last time - early climbs, exposed flats, late descents? What were you thinking just before that?
• Write one “never again” rule: For example, “I will hike any climb that takes longer than 60–90 seconds” or “I won’t chase anyone in the first third of the race.”
• Plan a late‑race “green light”: Choose a section in the final third where, if you feel good, you’ll allow yourself to gently press. This helps women who habitually finish with too much left trust their strength at the end.

After each big event, jot down two lines: “Where did my pacing serve me?” and “Where did it work against me?” Over time, those notes become your most accurate pacing guide.

2. Training that builds women’s psychological resilience

In studies of ultra runners, the mental traits that predict success are surprisingly consistent: belief you can handle problems as they arise, the ability to regulate emotion, flexible coping and a strong sense of purpose. Many women already lean this way; training can sharpen it further.

• Practise “showing up” on imperfect days: Include some easy runs when you’re mildly tired, the weather’s average or motivation is low. The goal isn’t heroics; it’s proving to yourself you can move kindly through discomfort without drama.
• Build decision reps: On technical or hilly routes, practise choosing when to hike, when to run, when to fuel. Afterwards, note one decision you’re proud of and one you’d handle differently next time.
• Anchor to values, not just outcomes: Clarify why you’re doing this - for example “to see what I’m capable of with care,” “to model courage to my kids,” or “for community.” On hard efforts, ask “What would acting from that value look like right now?”
• Use people as a resource: For many women, running with a trusted friend or group reduces anxiety and helps effort stay in the right zone. Plan some key long efforts with one person who helps you stay honest and calm.

3. Physiological advantages you can lean into

Women generally burn a higher proportion of fat than men at the same relative intensity and conserve glycogen better over long durations. Combined with a higher share of fatigue‑resistant muscle fibres, that makes steady, all‑day effort a realistic strength - especially in events lasting many hours.

The key is to work with that physiology, not fight it. Most of your long and moderate sessions should sit at a genuinely aerobic effort where you can speak in full sentences. Extreme low‑carb or chronically under‑fuelled patterns may boost fat use in the short term but can undermine hormones, bone health and long‑term performance.

• Trust easy effort: If a pace feels sustainable and conversational, that’s where your fat‑use machinery does its best work. It may look slow on a watch; it often looks strong in the final hours.
• Fuel consistently: Use your fat‑use advantage to stay smooth, not to justify under‑eating. Steady carbohydrate intake keeps your brain and mood stable so your psychological strengths can actually show up.
• Notice stability, not speed: After longer efforts, ask “How stable did my energy feel?” as well as “How fast did I go?” Stable often beats spectacular in ultra settings.

4. What we learn when women match or beat men

In very long events: 24‑hour races, multi‑day efforts, technical ultras - the performance gap between women and men often narrows, and in some cases women win outright. Analyses of those races highlight familiar patterns: more even pacing, fewer early surges, strong self‑belief and the ability to keep problem‑solving when things go sideways.

Psychological studies echo this. Successful ultrarunners, and many women in particular, score highly on self‑efficacy, task‑focused attention, flexible coping strategies and the willingness to adjust goals without abandoning the race. They expect rough patches and treat them as information, not as proof they don’t belong.

• Self‑efficacy: “Whatever shows up, I can work with it.” You can train this by rehearsing small problems in training: a missed gel, an unexpected hill, a mood dip – and consciously choosing a constructive response.
• Task‑focus: Instead of obsessing over placing or distance left, bring attention back to actions: “eat now”, “run smooth to the next turn”, “hike tall up this hill.”
• Flexible goals: Go in with an A/B/C goal and permission to slide between them based on conditions, not self‑worth. This keeps you engaged even when Plan A is gone.
• Emotional regulation: When fear, anger or despair spikes, notice it, breathe, and choose one tiny action from your plan. The feeling doesn’t have to disappear for you to move well.

You don’t need to copy anyone else’s splits or racing persona to succeed in trail and ultra events. You can use what’s already true about women’s physiology and psychology - steady effort, strong reasons, social strength and thoughtful pacing - and sharpen it with a few simple questions and habits. The goal isn’t to be the loudest or the fastest early; it’s to be the athlete who is still making good decisions when the day gets long.