an ultramarathon pie with doge glazeudls/slides/2019-nico-ultramarathons.pdf · self-transcendence...

An Ultramarathon Pie with Doge Glaze

Marathon: The Summary

Ultramarathons

• Anyfootracelongerthan42.195km• 50km• 50miles• 100km• 100miles• 6hours• 12hours• 24hours• 48hours• …

Ultramarathons

• Anyfootracelongerthan42.195km

Ultramarathons

• Anyfootracelongerthan42.195km• Subset:Multi-dayraces• Notcontinuous• Runnerscantakebreaks,eat,sleep,sometimesevenleavetrack• Usuallystillrequireveryhighrunningvolumeperday

Ultramarathons


• “Normal”roadraceslesscommonthanformarathons

Ultramarathons


• “Normal”roadraceslesscommonthanformarathons• Two(unofficial)categories• “Loopy”runs• Start-to-finishruns

Some (Sparse) History

• Ultramarathonsareasoldasmarathons• Soabout120yearsintheirmodernform



• Lessthan20racesperyeargloballyin1970s



• Lessthan20racesperyeargloballyin1970s• Approximatelydoubledeverydecadesincethen• Bigboostinpopularityaround2005-2015• Nowmorethan100eventsperyearjustinCanada



• Lessthan20racesperyeargloballyin1970s• Approximatelydoubledeverydecadesincethen• Bigboostinpopularityaround2005-2015• Nowmorethan100eventsperyearjustinCanada

• Interestinmulti-dayracesandmoreextremedistances(1000milesandmore)startedin1980s

Are These People Crazy?

• Someareforsure• …andtheywillbesignificantlyoverrepresentedinthistalk



• Morefocusonenduranceoverfastpace• Moreaccessibleforolderpeople



• Morefocusonenduranceoverfastpace• Moreaccessibleforolderpeople

• Lesscrowded,commercialized,mainstream• Oftenmoreinteresting/uniqueevents• Lessoptimized,thereforean“easier”targetfornotableaccomplishments• Moretight-knitcommunityofrunners

“Loopy” Runs

• Fixedtrack• Sometimesevenindoor• Certainnumberofrequiredlaps

“Loopy” Runs

• Fixedtrack• Sometimesevenindoor• Certainnumberofrequiredlaps

• Oftenverycompetitive• Theseareusuallywhereworldrecordsaremade• Notveryappealingfor“casual”runners

Backyard Ultra

• Unlimitedtimeavailable• But:Runnersmustcontinuouslyrun6706m/hourtostayintherace• That’s100milesin24hrs• Excessdistancecanbeusedtorecoverlater

• Record:68laps(283miles/456km) byJohanSteenein2018

Intermission: Running Vests

• Thefrontpartofabackpack• Mostlydesignedtotransportwaterorsmallfooditems(e.g.energybars)• Runningconsumesabout1lofwater/hr

Intermission: Running Vests

• Thefrontpartofabackpack• Mostlydesignedtotransportwaterorsmallfooditems(e.g.energybars)• Runningconsumesabout1lofwater/hr

• Notnecessaryforloopyrunsbut trail/terrainrunscanhaveupto 50kmbetweenwaterstations

Self-Transcendence 6/10 Day Race

• AnnualraceinNewYorksince1977• 1.28kmlongcourse• Records:• 821kmin6days,2001byDipaliCunningham• 1330kmin10days,2018byAshprihanalAalto

• Remarkable:• TedCorbitt,age81,ran380kmin6daysin2001

Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race

• Longestfootraceoftheworld• 5649lapsof883marounda singleblockinNewYork• Cut-offtimeis52days(96kmperday)• Record:40days,9hoursbyAshprihanalAaltoin2015 • His13thtimefinishingtherace

Start-to-Finish Runs


• One-wayoutdoorcourse• Oftennotpaved(trailrunning)• Terrainconditionsandelevationmay makeraceeasierorharder• Sometimeshardtocomparedifferentracesorevenmultipleinstancesofthesamerace



• Forcertainrunstheexactrouteisn’tfixed• Findingagoodpathispartofthechallenge



• Forcertainrunstheexactrouteisn’tfixed• Findingagoodpathispartofthechallenge

• Oftenlesscompetitive,moreabouttheexperience

Two Oceans Marathon

• 56kmcoursethroughCapeTown• Half-marathon(21k)availableaswell

• Consideredtheworld’smostbeautifulmarathon• 11,000runners(+16,000for21k)• Asmainstreamasultramarathonsget

• Record:3:03:44, 2018byThompsonMagawana

The Kepler Challenge

• 60kmtrailruninNewZealand• 1350melevationgain• Around500participantsperyear• Record:4:33:37 byMartinDent

Spartathlon

• 246kmfromAthenstoSparti• 1200meterselevationgain• Cappedto400participants• Lottery-basedandverystrictminimumentryrequirements

• Record:20:49:04byYiannisKouros• AchievedduringthefirstSpartathlonin1990

4 Deserts

• Seriesof4annual250kmraceswithextremeconditions• Non-continuouswith7fixedstages• Onlypurerace-timebetweenstagescounts• Runnersneedtocarrygearforthewholeduration

4 Deserts

• Seriesof4annual250kmraceswithextremeconditions• AtacamaCrossing• Driestplaceonearth• Highaltitude• Difficultterrain

4 Deserts

• Seriesof4annual250kmraceswithextremeconditions• AtacamaCrossing• GobiMarch• Difficultterrain• Temperaturechanges

4 Deserts

• Seriesof4annual250kmraceswithextremeconditions• AtacamaCrossing• GobiMarch• SaharaRace• 50°Cduringtheday• Mostlyonsand• 100-meter-highdunes

4 Deserts

• Seriesof4annual250kmraceswithextremeconditions• AtacamaCrossing• GobiMarch• SaharaRace• TheLastDesert• -20°C• Iceandsnow• Blizzards

6633 Arctic Ultra

• 611kmthroughYukon,Canada• ”Casual”190kmversionalsoexists

• Participantsneedtocarrytheirown gearforthewholewayinsleds• Around25participantsperyear• approx.5finish

• Record:172hrs,2018byTiberiuUseriu

Trans-American Footrace

• FromLosAngelestoNewYork• Multi-dayraceover80+days• Routechangeseveryiteration(butalwaysapprox.5400km)• Started1928with199runners• Only55finishedbackthen• Nowadaysonlyasinglerunnerperiteration• Finishingtimesvaryfrom 550to750hoursontrail

Marathon of Hope

• TerryFoxran5373kmthroughCanada afterlosingalegtocancer• Originallywantedtorunfromcoasttocoasttoraisemoneyforcancerresearch• Ranaboutamarathonperday• Hadtostopafter143daysbecausehiscancerspreadandhealthdeclined

• Died9monthslater• ConsideredaCanadiannationalhero

an ultramarathon pie with doge glazeudls/slides/2019-nico-ultramarathons.pdf · self-transcendence...

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