Journalist Amy Wang wrote a nice story about ultrarunning for Canada's Chronicle Herald, showing that ultra finishes are up 20% in the last year. There are some good quotes worth reading (read it here):Compared with the emotions involved in running a traditional marathon, Thomas Wong says, in which one feels a predictable cycle of pain and elation over the course of a few hours, a zen-like "nothing" overtakes his mind during an ultra. "Hope," he says, is the only "driving force."
"It’s kind of like a long walk in the woods," says Bodington, "except you’re running and you’re focused and you’re with a group of like-minded people"—and many are put on by volunteers. There are minimal crowds and no schwag bags. More often than not, trees outnumber bystanders. For its devotees, the ultra is a refreshing return to the basics.Good stuff!
- SD
Your 2009 schedule is super-human! You are running a 50 K on Saturday and Boston on Monday?!!! Awesome. See you at Boston!
ReplyDeleteThose are great quotes! Good luck this weekend!
ReplyDeleteLove the blog-- check out mine if you can-- also--how do you get your site noticed???
ReplyDeleteThanks in advance
http://patricktaneyrunning.blogspot.com/
Figures that the Canadians have to give such well-thought-out, reasonable coverage to ultras. They should send the states a memo!
ReplyDeleteHave fun this weekend!
Excellent article.
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