Whenever someone talks about ultramarathons, I have visions of people running up mountains, through woods, jumping over rocks and tree roots, and crossing streams. There are famous races like the Hardrock 100, a 100.5 mile race in southern Colorado’s San Juan Range that runners must complete in 48 hours. The average elevation for the Hardrock … Continue reading The Ultimate Ultra
Ultramarathon running
My Marathon Monk
Three years ago I read a book titled “The Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei” by John Stevens. The book focuses on the Tendai Buddhist monks who complete Kaihōgyō, 1,000 days of long distance walking, meditation, and prayer over a 7-year period. Kaihōgyō is by far more demanding than any modern-day athletic endurance event, so demanding … Continue reading My Marathon Monk
Setting Records in January
Winter is not the time of year I expect to hear about new running records. But that is exactly what happened in late January. First there is Ron Hill, a 78-year old former Olympian who lives in England. Ron was a running streaker who had run at least one mile every day. During a run … Continue reading Setting Records in January
Slow Down And Enjoy the Trail
Last year I followed Scott Jurek as he ran the 2,160 mile Appalachian Trail (AT). He wanted to break the speed record for a supported thru-hike set by Jennifer Pharr Davis in 2011. She completed the entire trail in 46 days 11 hours and 20 minutes. (It normally takes hikers 5-7 months to complete the … Continue reading Slow Down And Enjoy the Trail
Man versus Beast
Many people think being a runner is unnatural, even dangerous. They probably have this perception after hearing stories about runners developing knee problems or back problems, even dying prematurely. They argue that cars were invented so there is no need to run. There is no way that a human could run as fast as a … Continue reading Man versus Beast
