Ultramarathon
An ultramarathon is any running event longer than the traditional marathon length of 42.195 kilometers (26.21875 miles, 46,145 yards).
There are generally two types of ultramarathon runs: events that cover a specified distance, and events that take place during a specified time frame (with the winner covering the most distance in that time). The most common distances run are 50 and 100 miles, or 50 and 100 kilometers, though several other distances, e.g., double marathons, 24 hour runs, or multiday races of 1000 miles or even longer are also contested. The format of these events and the courses covered are quite variable, ranging from single or multiple loops (some as short as a 400 meter track), to point-to-point road or trail races. Many ultrarunning events, especially trail challenges, are characterized by severe course obstacles, such as inclement weather, elevation change, or rugged terrain. Many of these races are run on dirt roads or mountain paths, though some are run on paved roads as well. Usually, there are aid stations every five to fifteen km apart, where runners can replenish food and drink supplies or take a short break.
Timed events range from six, twelve or 24 hours, to two, three and six days (known as 'multi-day' events). Timed events are generally run on a track or a short road course, often one mile or less.
The International Association of Ultra Runners (IAU) organises the World Championships for various ultramarathon distances, including 50K, 100K, 24 hours and 48 hours. These events are sanctioned by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the world governing body of track and field. Many countries around the world have their own ultrarunning organization, often the national athletics federation of that country, or are sanctioned by such national athletics organizations. World records for distances, times and ages are tracked by the IAU.
Ultramarathons over the world
Ultramarathons are run all over the world, and over 70,000 people complete an ultramarathon every year. A list of the most popular ultra marathons can be found under the subsection "Well-known ultramarathons" below.
Ultrarunning in Africa
Several ultra distance events are held in Africa. South Africa hosts the world's oldest and largest ultramarathon, the 89km Comrades Marathon. Approximately 12,000 runners complete Comrades each year, with approximately 20,000 in 2000. It also hosts the 56 kilometer long Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town in the southern autumn which attracts approximately 7,000 runners.
Ultrarunning in Asia
Ultrarunning has become quite popular in Asia recently, and countries and regions such as Taiwan, Japan, and Korea have hosted IAU World Championships in the last few years.
Ultrarunning in Australia and New Zealand
The first ultramarathon held in Australia and New Zealand was likely a track 100km in New Zealand. Today, Australia and New Zealand are host to approximately 100 ultramarathons each year. One of the most famous Australian ultra Marathons was the Westfield Ultra Marathon, an annual race between Sydney and Melbourne which was contested between 1983 and 1991. Greek runner Yiannis Kouros won the event five times during that period. Australia is also the home of one of the oldest six-day races in the world, the Cliff Young Australian 6-day race, held in Colac, Victoria. The race is held on a 400 meter circuit at the Memorial Square in the centre of Colac, and has seen many epic battles since its inception in 1984. The 20th Cliff Young Australian 6-day race was held between the 20-26 Nov 2005. Kouros rewrote the record book in that event when he beat his existing world 6-day track mark and set a new mark of 1036.851 km.
Ultrarunning in Europe
Ultrarunning is also quite popular in Europe, where over 200 ultramarathons are held each year, among the biggest the 100k of Bienne and the 72.7k Rennsteiglauf in the Thuringian Forest. The second oldest ultramarathon in the world, London to Brighton, was widely considered to be among the most prestigious titles until its retirement in 2005. The earliest written documentation of ultrarunners came from Icelandic sagas. The history of ultrarunners and walkers from the Victorian Era has also been documented. The IAU hosts annual European Championships for the 50k, 100k and 24 hours. The European Ultramarathon Cup (ECU) is an annual series covering several of the biggest races in different European Countries. An extreme challenge in Germany is the annually multiday Deutschlandlauf (German Run) over 1200km
Ultrarunning in Antarctica
In January 2006, Scott Smith of the United States, won the first ultramarathon on the Antarctic continent by winning the The Last Desert. On December 17, 2006, Ultramarathoner Mike Pierce completed one of the most difficult races on Earth, a 100K (62.1 miles) marathon in Antarctica. Pierce completed the race in 17 hours and 15 minutes.
Ultrarunning in North America
There are several hundred ultramarathons held annually in North America. One of the most popular is the Western States Endurance Run, the world's oldest 100-mile trail run. The race began unofficially in 1974, when local horseman Gordy Ainsleigh's horse for the 100-mile Tevis Cup horse race came up lame. He decided to travel the course on foot, finishing in 23 hours and 47 minutes.
One of the first documented ultramarathons in North America was held in 1926, as part of the Central American Games. Tomas Zafiro and Leonicio San Miguel, both Tarahumara Indians, ran 100K from Puchuca to Mexico City in 9 hours and 37 minutes. At the time, the Mexican government petitioned to include the 100K in the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, however nothing came of these efforts.
In April, 2006, the American Ultrarunning Hall of Fame was established by the American Ultrarunning Association (AUA). Candidates for the Hall of Fame are chosen from the 'modern era' of American ultras, beginning with the New York Road Runners Club 30 Mile race held in 1958. The Inaugural inductees were Ted Corbitt, a former US Olympian, winner of the aforementioned race in 3:04:13, and co-founder of the Road Runners Club of America, and Sandra Kiddy, who kicked off her ultra career at age 42 with a world record at 50 kilometers, 3:36:56, and who went on to set a string of US and world ultra records.
Well-known ultramarathons
Road and dirt paths
- 100 km de Millau
- Biel/Bienne 100 km
- Comrades Marathon
- Grand Union Canal 145 mile Race
- JFK 50 Mile
- London to Brighton (defunct)
- Dartmoor Discovery
- Saintélyon
- Spartathlon
- Two Oceans Marathon
- Way Too Cool 50 Kilometer
Mountain and trails
- American River 50 Mile Endurance Run
- Angeles Crest 100 Mile Endurance Run
- Barkley Marathons
- Bear 100 Mile Endurance Run
- Conquer the Canuck (NB Edition)
- Dick Collins Firetrails 50 Mile
- Grand Raid de la Réunion
- Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance Run
- HUFF 50K Trail Run
- Jay Challenge
- Knee Knackering North Shore Trail Run
- Lake Hodges 50k
- Leadville Trail 100
- Lean Horse Ultramarathon
- Leona Divide 50 Mile Run
- McNaughton Park Trail Runs
- Miwok 100K
- Mohican 100 Trail Run
- Mount Diablo Summer 50K
- Old Dominion 100 Mile Cross Country Run
- Quad Dipsea
- Rennsteiglauf
- Rio Del Lago 100 Mile
- Salt Point 50K
- Scorched Sole
- StumpJump 50k
- Swiss Alpine Marathon
- Ultra Trail Tour du Mont Blanc
- Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run
- Wasatch Front 100 Mile Endurance Run
- Western States Endurance Run
Extreme conditions
Very long events and multidays
- Cape-to-Cairo Run multi
- Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race
- Spreelauf
- Deutschlandlauf 1200km German Run
World or National-record holding or World-championship-winning ultramarathon runners
- Tomoe Abe, 100k female world record holder (6:33:11)
- Eleanor Adams Robinson, female ultrarunning pioneer, holds multiple world records
- Gordy Ansleigh, Western States pioneer, 'inventor' of the trail ultramarathon
- Mario Ardemagni, World 100K champion, 2004
- Sandra Barwick, world record holder, 6 day track
- Suprabha Beckjord 3100 mile race record holder
- Edit Berces, world record holder, 24 hour treadmill; holds several Hungarian records
- Monica Casiraghi, former World 100K champion (2003)
- Rae Clark, holds US records for 24 hours (165.3 miles, 1990) and 100 mile road (12:12:19)
- Dick Collins, San Francisco Bay Area ultra legend, with over 1,000 races run
- Ted Corbitt, "father of American ultrarunning"; 1952 US Olympic team member; former American world record holder at various distances
- Jose Cortez, once held US 100 mile road record
- Mario Fattore, World 100K Champion, 2002 & 2003
- Bruce Fordyce, nine time Comrades Marathon winner; African 100K record holder (6:25:07)
- Wally Hayward, Multiple winner of Comrades Marathon, London to Brighton, many other ultramarathons; set early world records
- Dr. Bernd Heinrich, US 100m track record holder (12:27:01), naturalist
- Carolyn Hunter-Rowe, multiple world record holder, including track 50K, 30M, 40M; two time World 100K champion
- Denis Jalybin, 150km track world record holder
- Tom Johnson, 100k American record holder (6:30:11)
- Andy Jones, Canadian owner of the 100m world record (12:05:43)
- Oleg Kharitonov, 100 mile track world record holder
- Sandra Kiddy, former multiple world and American record holder for various ultra distances
- Nikki Kimball, 2004 USA Outstanding Female Ultrarunner award winner; former member, USA World 100K team
- Vladimir Kotov, former Comrades Marathon winner
- Yiannis Kouros, multi-day race legend, holder of numerous world records and world bests from 24 hours to 1,000m
- Anne Riddle Lundblad, former member, USA World 100k team; 2nd place 2005 World 100K Interview
- Valentina Lyachova , world record holder, track 50m and 6 hours
- Thompson Magawana, world record holder, 30 mile road
- Frith van der Merwe, set Comrades Marathon records for both directions
- Stu Mittleman, US record holder for six day race (578 miles)
- Arthur Newton, 5 times Comrades Marathon winner
- Jesper Olsen, has run around the world in 22 months (2004-'05); won the Australian 6-days race (2004); world record holder for run around the world
- Don Paul, once held unofficial world 50k road record, author, musician
- Jean-Paul Praet, European 100k record holder (6:15:30)
- Don Ritchie, set world records for 50m (4:51:49, 1983) and 100m (11:30:51, 1977); two time winner of the London to Brighton Road Race (1977-'78); current world record holder in four track events: 100k (6:10:20, 1978), 150k (10:36:42, 1978), 50 mile (4:51:49, 1983), and six hours (97.2k, 1978)
- Takahiro Sunada, 100k world record holder: 6:13:33 set in Tokyo, 1998
- Constantin Santalov, three-time World 100K champion; considered to be one of the best 100K runners of all time
- Ann Trason, thirteen time Western States winner; holds numerous world records, including 100 mile (13:47:41 1991), 50m (5:40:18, 1991) , and 12 Hours (147.6k, 1991); American 100k record holder (7:00:48)
- Hilary Walker, female ultrarunning pioneer, holds multiple world records; first female council member of IAU
- Leslie Watson, former world record holder, 50m; former London-Brighton winner; most marathon/ultramarathon wins: 68 of 207 races
- Cavin Woodward, Former World Record Holder 30 mile, Former World Record Holder 50 Mile 100km 150km 100Mile (all in the same race), Winner of London to Brighton, Two Bridges. Legendary for his fast starts
- Cliff Young, former winner Westfield Sydney to Melbourne; holds numerous world age records
- Tatyana Zhyrkova, European 100k world record holder (7:10:32)
Ultracycling
Extra long distance bicycle races are also referred to as "ultramarathons" or "ultracycling" events. In cycling, there is no specific distance that is directly analogous to runners' 26 miles ( 42 km ), so the definition of cycling ultramarathon is not set in stone. Generally, all events that last 12 hours or longer or cover distances of over 200 miles ( so-called "double century" ) can be considered ultramarathons. Some examples of ultramarathons include Race Across America and its qualifying races.
See also
External links
- [1] Alphabetical list of famous ultrarunners and results
- [2] 4 Deserts series
- AmericanUltra.org - American UltraRunning Association
- Australian Ultra Running Association (AURA)
- Comrades Marathon
- CoolRunning.com - Westfield Sydney to Melbourne (links to pdf of book)
- ExtremeUltraRunning.com - Extreme Ultrarunning: Ultrarunning resources, Ultrarunning links and general ultra running information for the novice or veteran ultrarunner
- The HUFF 50K Trail Run on the Banks of the Wabash
- Multidays.com - The Complete Resource for the Multiday Runner: Multiday and Ultrarunning News
- Run100s.com - Stan Jensen's Web Site (comprehensive compilation of all things ultra)
- SixDayRace.org.au - Cliff Young Australian SixDay race
- Sri Chinmoy Races.org - Hosts of Self-Transcendence 24/48 and multiday races around the world
- TrailRunner magazine
- UltraRunner.net - The UltraRunning link for the U.S.
- Ultrarunning.com - UltraRunning Online, UltraRunning Magazine
- [3] - World Ultra News
- Ultrarunner.co.uk - UK Ultra Distance Running Magazine
- RealEndurance.com - UltraRunning All Time Result Lists