KillJoyFuckStick
As I volunteered for this past weekend's Javelina Jundred I knew several of the people who had entered. I don't quite get why people enter an event that they are so unlikely to finish. I mean this past weekend's weather was damn near perfect (partially cloudy, high mid 70s unlike years past) so no built in weather excuse. I know JJ is supposed to be one of the "easier" trail 100s (and 100ks) but still a 100 (miles or k) is never easy. I just kind of shake my head.
The people I know are new to running (a little over a year) or never completed anything longer than a 30K or DNFd 5 out of the past 6 ultra events they enter or struggle to keep 15 min pace in much shorter events And, there are many others that I didn't personally know that were taking 4+ hours to get their first 15 mile loop.
Do they have:
delusions of grandeur?
more time/money than they know what to do with?
"issues"?
I just don't get it.
/rant
You people have issues
As I volunteered for this past weekend's Javelina Jundred I knew several of the people who had entered. I don't quite get why people enter an event that they are so unlikely to finish. I mean this past weekend's weather was damn near perfect (partially cloudy, high mid 70s unlike years past) so no built in weather excuse. I know JJ is supposed to be one of the "easier" trail 100s (and 100ks) but still a 100 (miles or k) is never easy. I just kind of shake my head. The people I know are new to running (a little over a year) or never completed anything longer than a 30K or DNFd 5 out of the past 6 ultra events they enter or struggle to keep 15 min pace in much shorter events And, there are many others that I didn't personally know that were taking 4+ hours to get their first 15 mile loop. Do they have: delusions of grandeur? more time/money than they know what to do with? "issues"? I just don't get it. /rant
Hey, you could be talking about me! I entered the 100 mile but dropped down to the 100km. Did I have some excuses (see my upcoming "report")? Maybe, but I was also not prepared adequately. My time for the 100km (4 laps) was 12:20. I definitely have issues, by the way. Some of them ended up being more important than running or a WS qualifier.
Are we there, yet?
Probably delusions of grandeur. Running 15:00 miles doesn't sound hard until you try holding that pace for a long, long time. Looking back I think I jumped in well over my head when I decided to start running ultras. At least I chose fixed time events where a DNF is hard to get. I had hoped to run my first 100M next year (you may recall my post about good ones for a first timer), but a couple 24-hour races have convinced me I don't want to be in that group you describe. Once I get in my first 50M and first 100K, then I'll rethink running a 100M.
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
Tim
CrossFitters
“Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway!
LOL. Probably.
One of the strangest things I have ever seen was at this year's Rocky Raccoon. This guy who was every bit of 400 pounds showed up to the race, late, to run 100 miles. His first 20 mile loop was around 8 hours; he dropped sometime after that. I found it odd that some people were encouraging him. I was working the start/finish, and I was talking to an older gentleman who was a doctor. He was extremely concerned for this guy's health. And one of the other aid station workers was just beside herself about it. We just couldn't imagine why he would have signed up for any type of race, much less a 100 mile race.
LB2
No. I don't do that.
For races with field limits it's actually sort of annoying otherwise I don't care.
In dog beers, I've only had one.
Occasional Runner
That's the part that really bothers me, hence my "elitist prick" attitude about qualifiers for certain races.
Here's an example of a typical Facebook post that makes me want to pull my hair out:
"OMG!!! I got into (some 100 mile lottery)!!! I guess I need help training for my first 100 miler!!! LOL!!!"
BTW...the lack of qualifiers for the Leadville 100 is the only reason the DNF rate is so high there, too.
Faster Than Your Couch!
There are two ways of looking at ultras: As a sport, with a somewhat competitive, challenging attitude, or as a recreational activity, with focus on covering a certain distance, and just trying, no matter what the outcome. Both are valid and justified.
I am more the sportsy type, and I'm a competitive by nature, so I look into covering the distance as fast as possible, and putting in the maximum effort, which satisfies me and gives me a sense of accomplishment.
But on the other hand, I know several people who are just trying to manage to get through a certain distance, and they usually know that they are likely to "fail" at their attempt. That does not discourage them. Like Lisa Bliss said, there's no failure in trying.
They put in a reasonable effort, maybe their most (or sometimes not, just what they feel comfortable with), and see how far they get.
I do sometimes feel cheated when I don't get into a race and it seems that some spots have been taken up by people who don't take the sport as seriously as I do, or when I see people finish who I know have not trained at least a fair amount (I know a marathon "runner" who did not train, or run, at all, her finish time was around 7 hours on a flat road course), but I know I have no right to judge them or their attempt. To each their own. Whatever their goal is, it is not up to me to decide whether it's justified or not.
By the way, a 15-minute pace can be very hard to achieve, let alone maintain, on certain courses.
Run for fun.
Not necessarily. ES100 required reasonable qualifiers, and the DNF rate was around 55%. And it was not the weather that did it.
Uh oh... now what?
Naw, it's the idea of running back from Winfield . It has probably changed by now (I ran preWWII), but Winfield looked like a finish line.
I fully agree with the newbies (new to ultras, not just to the 100-mile distance) that enter as a rite of passage being unaware of the feat at hand, rude to the folks that are aware and will train as needed, and other babbling.
rgot
ES100 is a much harder race, with the exception of altitude, which people react to differently.
It's still like that, John. But I think more people fall victim to the cutoffs than drop voluntarily at Winfield.
That's the thing I'm really not even talking about the competitive/non-competitive aspect. I mean if someone wants to go slog away for a 10 hour 50K, go for it. Not my time/money. But if there's a 6 hour cut-off for the 50K and your fastest 50K is 9 hours on a similar course why would someone even enter? That's the part that blows my mind.
Wait. These are people you know? You should have this talk with them and post back with their reasoning (or lack thereof).
flashlight and sidewalk
It's pretty tough to know whether or not you can do something you never tried before. As far as signing up for 100 miler with no real ultra experience...I was more confident that I could complete 100 miles back before completing 50 miles...after doing 50, I'm pretty sure I couldn't complete 100. These "unlikely to finish" types should really get steered into timed events.
**Ask me about streaking**