Forums > General Running > Can anyone run an ultra?
Authentic Athletic
monkey groovy
Almost all runners stop -- for what length of time depends on the runner, though. For many events, the runner must be weighed occasionally (100M+). If it's discovered that you lost a high percentage of your overall weight, you either are pulled from the event or kept at the aid station until you recover adequately.
Refueling is huge in at an ultra event -- aid stations are like BBQ parties. Kind of not joking.
Here's a great blog about a guy who finished Western States recently: Scott's Western States RR
Maybe it's about time for one of my favorite quotes (which I just used in another thread...)
"Before you run a marathon, you should run an ultramarathon. Before you run an ultramarathon you should walk one."
- Ernst vanAaken
buzz
Back in OH:-( Snow Sucks
One of fathers in our baseball league just ran a 50 miler and he knows I run so when playing each other we discuss running and he just ran 50 miler and was pretty proud of 12.5 hrs. Doing the math thats 4 pmh and for a < marathoner probably a walk. But hey farthest I have gone is 26.2 so I am not going to judge.
But from what I have heard / read of the ultra/trail runners its more the journey than the time that matters.
Given the times that ultras occur in, IMHO I think it is possible, so I disagree once with SRL. Just becuase one chooses not to do something does not make it impossible (Boy sounds like something from Kung Fu!).
I would say ultras and especially 100 milers are more ... why would anyone want to do it versus if anyone could do it. But to the non runners, us runners are nuts .. but when runners think your nuts ... then you are nuts!!! that being said I hope to be an ultra nut someday??
Goofy 2010
I'll let you know. I would classify myself as part of an "anyone" label.
I was 270ish pounds at the beginning of 2004, had never run a distance longer than a 1/2 mile (maybe even less). Started treadmill running and lost 110 pounds in 9 months (unfortunately before the Biggest Loser Season 1 aired)
Since then I've done mainly 5ks, a couple of 13.1s, and ran/walked a marathon.
This year I'm 190 (yeah, gained back a few, some muscle, some over indulgences), have finished running (every step) of a Marathon, finishing just barely under 4 hours.
I'm currently focusing on the 2010 Goofy, but after that my plan is to target the 2013 ET midnight 51k outside of Vegas.
"Anyone" else up for it?
Run Stupider
But that's gonna be tough, after you finish the 50K, to go run that extra 1K.
I remember reading a quote somewhere from an experienced marathoner that went something like this...
"Finishing a marathon is the most over-rated personal accomplishment in sports. Anyone can get off of their couch and finish a marathon. It's simply a matter of how much you are willing to suffer to get it done. It will take you twelve hours and you will be walking 24 of those 26.2 miles, but, if you are willing to be miserable for twelve hours you can do it. The point of all the work and the hours and the training is to mitigate the suffering. You go from twelve hours of misery to three hours of hard exercise. That's what distance running is about. it's about working hard enough and long enough that you dramatically change the experience. That's the most amazing thing, that we have the ability to transform twelve hours of suffering into a three hour celebration of our strength."
Now, I've never run a marathon. My outer limit is still around 30k. But I have to believe that there is a lot of truth to what she says. I also believe that the same is probably true of an ultra. Don't make it about finishing. Make it about showing up so well prepared that the race is a celebration of everything you've worked so hard to acheive.
MTA: Because I lost the ability to speak English momentarily.
"...
I dunno--I thought I trained a lot, and I ran three marathons this spring, and the one I ran to PR (successfully) seemed to have plenty of suffering. The other two were fun (one to pace, and one to see how far I could keep going afterward) -- but the one I raced for time, well, I didn't notice any lack of suffering, at least after about the first 10-13 miles.
Yeah, well, that's the best thing about this sport. No matter how far you run, you take one step more and you've just outdone yourself
They just added the 51k this year, so when I first read it, I was "huh?, why 51 and not 50", then "oh yeah, Area 51"
Later, talking to someone about possibly running it with me, they asked the same question. I'm glad to not be the only brainfarter.
Marathon Maniac #1109
Yes. You have to be the boy or girl with something extra.
and that extra is to have a friend whom you admire dearly to invite you to do an ultra at the last minute and for you to have the guts to say...I CAN!!!!!!!!! and do it.. do it and in the process get lots of hugs in return..(well my ultra was only a 50k )
...(well my ultra was only a 50k )
Ahhh, now I see the genius of adding the extra 1K -- to force everyone who runs a 50K to have to say "well mine was only 50K" when they talk about yours
amores perros, your handle name should be amores alas...you are so smart
but....you still got to have a crazy ultra friend to lure you into this ultra thingie.
