What ultra-running athletes need to track
Ultra-running is distinct from road marathon training in almost every way that matters for data analysis. The distances are longer (50K to 100+ miles), the terrain is variable (trail, mountain, technical), the duration means you'll see multiple states of physiological stress - bonking, chafing, sleep deprivation, and mental fatigue - and the training structure is less formulaic. A marathon plan follows a predictable 12-20 week block; an ultra plan might span 24-40 weeks with cycles of base building, vert accumulation, back-to-back long runs, and event-specific terrain preparation.
Baseline gives ultra-runners a dashboard that handles the complexity. Instead of looking at pace in isolation - which is meaningless on technical trail - you get grade-adjusted pace, elevation load, heart rate drift over multi-hour efforts, and recovery trends that account for the extreme duration of your training. The key metrics for ultra-running are your grade-adjusted pace trends, your elevation load (vert per week and cumulative), your heart rate decoupling during 3+ hour efforts, how your power-hiking efficiency changes over a season, and your recovery readiness after back-to-back long runs. These numbers turn the chaos of trail running into actionable insight: is your endurance improving, or are you just accumulating vert?
Goal-specific KPIs Baseline surfaces
Grade-Adjusted Pace (GAP). Pace on trail is meaningless without terrain context. A 10:00/km pace uphill at 10% grade is a heroic effort; a 10:00/km pace on flat fire road is a recovery jog. Baseline calculates GAP for every run segment, adjusting for elevation gain and loss, so you can compare effort across different routes. For ultra-runners, GAP trends by terrain type (steep climb, rolling single-track, descent) reveal which parts of your running need work.
Elevation load (vert accumulation). Ultra-running success depends on your ability to handle elevation gain, not just distance. Baseline tracks your elevation gain per week, per run, and cumulatively over your training block. It also surfaces your vertical-to-horizontal ratio - the average vert per kilometre of your long runs. If your goal race has 3000m of gain and your training averages 500m per long run, you're under-prepared. Baseline shows the gap.
Heart rate decoupling during long efforts. In ultra-running, the ability to maintain a low heart rate over many hours is the most useful physiological signal. Baseline tracks your heart rate drift - decoupling - across your long runs. If your pace-adjusted heart rate rises more than 8-10% after 3 hours, your fueling or aerobic base needs attention. Ultra-runners should see their decoupling rate decrease over a training block as their endurance improves.
Power-hiking efficiency. Ultra-runners hike steep sections to save energy. But is your hiking efficient? Baseline tracks your heart rate and speed on steep climbs to calculate your hiking economy - how fast you ascend at a given heart rate. As your ultra fitness improves, you should hike faster at the same heart rate. Baseline surfaces this trend across your training history.
Back-to-back long run recovery. The signature ultra workout is the back-to-back long run - 4 hours on Saturday, 3 hours on Sunday. Baseline tracks your performance on day two compared to day one: how much slower, how much higher your heart rate, and how long it takes for your HRV to return to baseline afterward. Improving back-to-back performance is the most specific ultra-running adaptation.
Recovery readiness (HRV, resting HR, sleep). Ultra-running produces more systemic fatigue than any other endurance discipline because of the sheer duration. Baseline surfaces your overnight HRV and resting heart rate trends from WHOOP, Oura, Garmin, or Apple Health. After a 5-hour training run, it's normal for HRV to drop 10-15%. If it hasn't recovered after 48 hours, you need more recovery before your next long run. Baseline shows these trends automatically.
Weekly training load (CTL/ATL/TSB with rTSS). Baseline calculates your running-specific Training Stress Score (rTSS) from pace and heart rate, then accumulates it into CTL, ATL, and TSB. For ultra-runners, a CTL of 80-120 rTSS/day is typical during peak training. Baseline shows whether your load trend is building sustainably or spiking into overtraining territory.
Recommended pricing tier for this goal
Ultra-runners typically have multiple devices - a GPS watch, a heart rate strap, and often a recovery wearable or ring. The best plan is Baseline Pro at $12/month or $249 lifetime, which unlocks unlimited device integrations, AI-powered daily insights, the full-resolution heatmap with bleed rendering to review your trail routes, geographic stats by state and country, trip detection, the achievement system with 50+ badges, and the race time predictor. Compared to the cost of a single pair of trail shoes, Baseline Pro is a minimal investment in your training intelligence.