The Rise of Ultrarunning
Link to web article here.Finishing a marathon is no longer seen as the pinnacle of running achievements. It is a fantastic accomplishment, but increasingly runners are looking beyond 26.2 miles to get that extreme running fix. They are looking for the next challenge. That challenge comes in the shape of an ultra-marathon.
Modern ultra races have been taking place since Victorian times. They have been relatively under the radar until the past five or six years, but since then the trend for ultra-running has really taken off.
So what lies behind this increase of everyday people pushing themselves further than ever before?
Technology is surprisingly crucial in the rise of ultras. On the one hand people have an increasing desire to get back to nature and leave the slog of everyday life behind: out with cars, commuting, and computers and in with trails, hills and the great outdoors. On the other hand the use of technology within running and the rise of the internet, social media and blogging have all increased the audience and accessibility of ultra races.
There are four basic types of ultra; trail, road, timed or multi-day. The majority of new races tend to be trail or mountain based. This supports the idea that most people who run ultras do it because they want to get back to nature, to explore the beautiful countryside. People are looking for adventure, for something new.
There are some runners who do it for the kudos. Glory hunters you might say. Running a marathon isn’t enough because everyone has done that, so they need to go further so they can have more bragging rights.
But the vast majority of runners in the ultra-community do it for themselves, not to get one up on somebody else. Sure there is a competitive side, but there is a special camaraderie in ultra-running. It is a community of runners coming together to do something special.
Races are a lot more relaxed and sociable than shorter ones, and competitors are much more likely to whittle away the hours chatting and supporting each other. Often runners take part simply to finish rather than target a position. Finishing is such an amazing accomplishment. When you run further than you have ever run before you really feel that sense of achievement and wonder what other amazing things you are capable of.
As runners get older they often find it harder to maintain the same pace and to repeat past race results. Many will look to ultras as a new way to race. They find endurance is easier to maintain than speed and they often excel in ultra-races. Some races don’t even have veteran categories as the veteran runners are more often than not at the sharp end of the race anyway.
Ultras have a way laying a runner’s character bare. When you push yourself beyond your known limits you expose your true self. You discover if you have the inner strength to keep going when things get tough, and they always get tough. It is often quoted that “if you are feeling good during an ultra, don’t worry, you’ll get over it.”
Once you go beyond 26.2 miles, once you surpass what you previously believed possible, you achieve something extraordinary. In ultra-running magic happens.