Over 29 years I’ve complete 59 full marathons. I ran them all as fast as I could (the fastest 2:36:10 or average sub 6 minutes/mile pace). I’ve made some big mistakes and I can assure you that they were very ugly with terrible pain. Mistakes like: not drinking enough water; eating sugary snack just before the start; running too fast at the start; partying all night before the race. That sort of thing. But sometimes the nature of the course (very hilly) and severe weather (ice storm or heat wave) can make the run very ugly too. But that’s long distance running for you. Then sometimes when all goes right it can also be the a truly beautiful experience. And I suppose that’s what long distance runners are after.

Every long distance runner will hit “The Wall” at some point, a temporary period where your body feels like it wants to stop.
Fortunately, your second wind is not far away.

It’s the point where you run out of glycogen and have not started burning fat yet.

Ok, so I don’t run a lot and can’t really comment, but was quite interested to know the answer to this as I have seen that before as well. But I’m just wondering how you go running and then have a ice cream cone afterwards?? Maybe just me but that also doesn’t make sense…

Seems like a term that has a personal meaning to the people using it. One runner’s “ugly” might be very different to another runner’s “ugly”.
I’d call some miles ugly if I had really struggled to get them done, or if there were some other substantial difficulties that I don’t usually encounter. Could be ugly due to pains (feet, knees, hips) fatigue, tougher-than-usual conditiions…

@Kburger – after a run many runners have expended so many calories that they feel they can have a treat, regardless of calories, as they soak their aching feet in an ice bath or lounge on the couch. (This is after they’ve cooled down, stretched carefully, etc.)
My sister who has run multiple marathons and trained others to run marathons has often said to me: “I ran today, so I can eat whatever I want.”

Immediately after a long distance race, however, most people need a while before enough blood returns to their digestive system (oxygen rich blood gets diverted to runners limbs while they run long distances – so only really simple carbohydrates and liquids like those gel squeeze thingies can be handled by the stomach during the race)...and then they can eat. It depends on the person, but I don’t think most people go for a greasy Big Mac minutes after a race.

When I do my “long” runs on the weekend I do tend to treat myself to a Peanut Butter Milkshake—because I track my nutrition and calories on MyFitnessPal and try to eat the appropriate (not under, not waaay over) calories for me.

@geeky_mama Oh wow, that is quite interesting to know, I really don’t run at all, so I had no idea, but makes sense to me if you explain it like that, thank you.

I think an Ugly Mile is when your body is completely rejecting the idea of continued running.
If you ever see me running, you should run the same way. Something big and ugly is coming.

I’m not going to link it, because it’s TOTALY NSFW, but if you google “runner sh*ts himself” you will see the ugly mile in all its glory. His stomach and entire digestive system tried to tell him to stop running and he kept on going. It’s NOT PRETTY!

@filmfann and @keobooks – you both made me laugh out loud!

AND, @keobooks—my runner friends DO talk about this! It’s not just one guy..it happens pretty, uh, frequently apparently in marathons and ultra marathons. They try to post porta-potties every few miles..but sometimes you just don’t make it apparently!