Ultrarunning

[azziria]

The challenge is to run 135 miles. Through Death Valley. In July. These people must be totally nuts.

I've just been reading about the Badwater Ultramarathon, almost certainly the most demanding and extreme ultra held anywhere in the world.

Totally nuts, yes, but I’m also totally in awe of them. I’m fascinated by what drives them. By what makes them both willing and able to face such a huge mental and physical challenge. What they do makes a conventional marathon (26 miles) seem like a stroll in the park.

Very interesting to note, though, that the winner for the last two years has been a woman, a 40-something mother of three, Pam Reed. And that last year 4 of the top 10 finishers were women. And that the contestants are nearly all in their 40s and 50s. So extreme ultrarunning seems to be a leveller of the sexes, and definitely not a young persons game.

So maybe I’m in my prime after all!

Comments

[monkeypuzzle.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it does sound pretty crazy, but you gotta respect them a lot.

It actually makes sense that a woman has won. It's been proven that, while men may be faster and stronger, a woman in the same comparitive shape has better endurence. The female body was just made to take greater punishment than a man's. We also store more water than men do. Not to mention that when removed from culturally taught notions of pain reaction, women on a whole have a higher pain tolerence. ;-)

Really cool about the age; I hadn't known that. Just goes to show once more that life doesn't end at 35.

:-D

[marquesate.livejournal.com]

Call me a cynic or meanie or whatever, but I just don't get it. Why? Where's the point? Sorry, no one who does that is a hero in my eyes, that's a load of cadswallop to me. (I checked the web site and it mentioned heroes) Heroes are people who do something against all odds and their own safety for another or others.

No, sorry, if they want to do this madness, fine, fair enough, but they mustn't expect me to respect them for it, just because it gives them thrills. If they were forced to do this, to save people at the other end or goodness what else, yes, that would be different.

However, I accept them and respect their choice. Same goes for any other extreme sport. Live and let live, but heroes? No.

Anyway, just my tuppence and to me everyone who does the London marathon or any other run or walk sponsored for otehrs who are in need, they are little bits of heroes in all of those. *smile*

[aguynamedrick.livejournal.com]

A hero is someone that people look up to. The people you describe are very deserving to be called heroes.

Unfortunately, some very undeserving people are heroes too. For example, the delinquents on the professional basket ball team in our city. The make a bunch of money, drive their yellow hummers too fast and have a hummer full of drugs when they are pulled over. Unfortunately, they are heroes to some people because the can occasionally get a ball though the hoop.

Are the runners though Death Valley heroes to some people? Probably. Are the more deserving than many of the "professional" athletes? Definitely. Should the world be looking more toward the people you describe for heroes? Yes.

[marquesate.livejournal.com]

A hero is someone that people look up to.

Well, not quite just like that in my definition.

Cuchulainn was a hero. The pastor from the tiny village my mum comes from was a hero when he stood in front of his congregation and let himself be shot to save them. Many named and unnamed people were heroes in my definition, I don't believe that heroism can exist without being outward - without acts for others, without compassion.

However, it's fine, why shouldn't there be slightly different definitions and I couldn't agree more with you, many are called heroes, who certainly are not.

[aguynamedrick.livejournal.com]

The AAA (auto club) doesn't recommend people drive though Death Valley in August. The warning is stamped on their maps. So, with two small children at the time, we opted to skip it. The alternate road was hot enough.

[claidheamhmor]

Wow, that's really scary!

We have the Comrades Marathon here - 90km, usually in quite a heat. For about 10 years in a row, the winner was Bruce Fordyce, with a top time under 5 hours and 30 minutes. When I was in the army, at one point I was the fastest runner over 2.4km in our regiment - I could do it in 8m20s (admittedly, with assault rifle and in boots). I worked out that Fordyce could do the 2.4 a little slower than me - about 8m45s - but he kept that pace for 90km...