Geoff Roes: Ultrarunning is Dead (Read 852 times)


Dream Maker

    Trail or road I am in it for the miles rather than an opportunity to play in the wilds.

     

    I couldn't care less about running in the woods, fields or mountains.  Not that it isn't pleasant,

    it's just not important to me.

     

    Also, I very much hate falling on my face.  So, given a choice, I would take a road ultra over a trail

    if the trail was a very technical one.

     

    I do enjoy paved or packed dirt runs through the woods but I'd rather stay upright than anything else.   And I very much enjoy zoning out while I run.

     

    I wish there were more road ultras!  I do think the distance is awesome.

     

    I've always thought it funny because I love hiking.  I love running. But I can't seem to really get into trail running.

     

     

    DaBurger


      There's a golf course up in Edgebrook (far NW Chicago) I was thinking of trying.  Isn't the only hazard the errant shanked golf ball?

      (Helmet?)

      There was a track near North Park College's stadium I used to run on.(South of Foster Ave.)  Good for timing miles.  It surrounded a soccer field. The things been closed for remodeling.  Grr.

       

      Get there before tee time,

      Know thyself.

       

        DaBurger says:

         

        There's a golf course up in Edgebrook (far NW Chicago) I was thinking of trying.  Isn't the only hazard the errant shanked golf ball?

        (Helmet?)

        There was a track near North Park College's stadium I used to run on.(South of Foster Ave.)  Good for timing miles.  It surrounded a soccer field. The things been closed for remodeling.  Grr.

         

        The only hazards I've encountered were an errant golfers. Irate golfers, rather, one brandishing a 4 wood like he meant business.

        "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus

           

          The only hazards I've encountered were an errant golfers. Irate golfers, rather, one brandishing a 4 wood like he meant business.

           

          Once I was running on a designated "fitness" trail that at one point went alongside a golf course at a hotel/resort complex.  A golfer that was putting on the green as I approached along the trail suddenly went beserk, briefly pursuing me while waving his putter, swearing and saying, among other unmentionables, that I "messed up his putt."  When I complained to management, they told me that runners using the fitness trail should stop and wait until all golfers are off the green before continuing running down the trail.  So it was all my fault!  Annoying.

             

            Once I was running on a designated "fitness" trail that at one point went alongside a golf course at a hotel/resort complex.  A golfer that was putting on the green as I approached along the trail suddenly went beserk, briefly pursuing me while waving his putter, swearing and saying, among other unmentionables, that I "messed up his putt."  When I complained to management, they told me that runners using the fitness trail should stop and wait until all golfers are off the green before continuing running down the trail.  So it was all my fault!  Annoying.

             

            I am glad you messed up his putt.

            "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus

              He was mentally weak if a runner going by messed up his put. He probably sucks at golf and life. You did him a favor by not stopping and beating the snot out of him with his own putter.

              Runners run

              JPF


                DaBurger says:

                 

                There's a golf course up in Edgebrook (far NW Chicago) I was thinking of trying.  Isn't the only hazard the errant shanked golf ball?

                (Helmet?)

                There was a track near North Park College's stadium I used to run on.(South of Foster Ave.)  Good for timing miles.  It surrounded a soccer field. The things been closed for remodeling.  Grr.

                 

                Have you tried running next to the train tracks?  I've heard that works pretty well.  Evil

                   

                  Just read the trail description, wow.  I like trail running, but that makes me wonder whether there are some trails that are simply meant to be hiked, not run.

                   

                   And climbed.

                   

                  My friend John sent that to me. He was 12OA, having been edged out by a 2:39 marathoner. Not bad.

                  "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus


                  Will run for scenery.

                    My point about racing vs. enjoying running is that for a whole lot of people racing involves pushing to, through, beyond (?) pain, often extreme pain.  I see (from a distance) how that can be rewarding, but its not for me.  Maybe if I were closer to the front of the pack I would feel differently.

                     

                    Sure, I keep an eye on my times and like to see progress, but at mile 3, 16, 22 etc.,  I'd rather be thinking "This is so awesome" instead of "How soon will this be over?"  And for me, I get more of that awesome feeling on trails.  Some, but not as much on the road.  And some, but even less on the TM.  But I still run on all three.

                     

                    In terms of improvement, my two big interests right now are increasing my distance and increasing the variety of terrain (slope, surface, altitude) that I can run (not walk) on.  Both of these are just another way of gauging progress, but also point in the direction of trail ultras.

                     

                    I enjoy road "racing" and every moment of my running.

                     

                    Stupid feet!

                    Stupid elbow!

                    zoom-zoom


                    rectumdamnnearkilledem

                      I like the IDEA of trails...on-foot and on-bike.  The reality is that my worst 2 injuries on-foot and on-bike have taken place on trails.  It took a solid 2 years for my left ankle to feel more-or-less as strong/flexible/pain-free as it did prior to giving myself a grade 2 sprain early in a trail relay (and then finishing all 12ish miles I'd committed to).  I'm >3 years out from that injury and really missing running off-road and considering joining a 2014 team for the race that did me in.

                       

                      8 months out from busting my wrist in 2 spots while mountain biking and I'm still incredibly gun-shy.  I have been on my mountain bike ONCE in 2013 and will likely be selling my entry to what would have been my first serious XC race in Nov.  I think I'm going to give myself all of 2013 off to give my wrist a full year of healing.  Hopefully I'll feel more confident when I have balanced strength and flexibility on both sides.  One thing is for certain, mountain biking with any significant apprehension is recipe for repeated injury, so I really need to be in a better headspace before attempting a return to twisty singletrack.  Oddly enough, impending cyclocross season isn't frightening to me in the least.  I think it's the lack of trees.  I'm not entirely sure how I broke my wrist last Nov., but I vaguely recall pushing off of a tree as I came around a loose corner, not falling on my wrist (and had no dirt on myself to suggest a fall).  It was a root that took out my ankle, too.  F'ing trees!!

                      Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                      remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                           ~ Sarah Kay

                      TeaOlive


                      old woman w/hobby

                         

                         And climbed.

                         

                        My friend John sent that to me. He was 12OA, having been edged out by a 2:39 marathoner. Not bad.

                         

                        Just watching that made my face hurt.

                        steph  

                         

                         

                        Gabequinn


                          I switched from road to trails a few years back. I agree with the statement that trails=longer distances. I've done a 50k and a couple of 25ks on trails and loved it- but would never run 50k on the road. Also, signed up for my first 50 miler (trail) this September. I definitely like trail running better- scenery, the overall vibe of the people that compete in trail runs (not everyone is focused on a PR).

                             

                             And climbed.

                             

                            My friend John sent that to me. He was 12OA, having been edged out by a 2:39 marathoner. Not bad.

                             

                            Whoaaah, that looks rough.  Sort of like something out of the Lord of the Rings.  I half expect to see Gollum crawling up over those rocks saying "My Precious..."

                              Roadrunner vs. trailrunner...not mutually exclusive! They go hand-in-hand. I don't get the need to label oneself as one or the other.

                               

                              In my experience, once a roadrunner lets go of the need to run a daily run at a specific training pace and allows themselves to know that some trails can be 2-4 minutes per mile slower than on roads, depending on the conditions, the enjoyability level goes up exponentially.

                              zoom-zoom


                              rectumdamnnearkilledem

                                Roadrunner vs. trailrunner...not mutually exclusive! They go hand-in-hand. I don't get the need to label oneself as one or the other.

                                 

                                In my experience, once a roadrunner lets go of the need to run a daily run at a specific training pace and allows themselves to know that some trails can be 2-4 minutes per mile slower than on roads, depending on the conditions, the enjoyability level goes up exponentially.

                                 

                                This reminds me...years ago I did a Winter trail race, which included several of us getting lost and running an extra quarter mile of ice and post-holing.  When I told my MIL my finish time her response was "wow, that's really slow" (yeah, she's classy, like that, which is why I have always avoided discussing race times with the broad).  This is a woman who consistently won her age group in every 5k she entered (on rarely more than 10 miles/week) and never ventured off of pavement.

                                Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                                remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                                     ~ Sarah Kay