Ultramarathon Daily News | Mon, Mar 7

iRunFar: Stephen Mokoka (SRA) runs his debut 50k and sets a new World Record, peeling off nearly two minutes from the previous best.

…and more results from the trail and ultramarathon world right here, courtesy of Justin Mock’s excellent TWIR column.

Buzzfeed: Beer drinkers and non-drinkers rank and review non-alcoholic beers.

A comprehensive list of the incredible women who pioneered marathon running. Great read.

For the 16th time in 18 official career marathons, not including his two super shoe exhibitions in search of Sub2, he has delivered like a father playing ping-pong with his sons.

—Toni Reavis writes about the sheer dominance of Eliud Kipchoge.
I didn’t watch the television/online coverage of the race but it sounds like the cameras and commentators essentially ignored much of the women’s race.

Jean Pommier submits his report from the USATF 100M Championships a few weeks ago. Excellent analysis about what it takes to run a 1.1 mile course 85 times.

…and more on Camille Herron’s race and legacy from Trail Runner Magazine.

Runners in their fifties are rock stars flashing past the Joshua trees and wading through the sand on their way to a win. The sixties crowd struts whatever stuff they have left without constantly wondering if the young runners that beat them them in every other race are really that good or just cashing in on their youth. And those in their seventies can use the generous cutoff times to grit it out and make a play for their former glory.

—Musings from the Grandmaster Ultra, where older folks get the glory. And hey, get the hell off my lawn.

Oldie but goodie: NOP introduces new coach.

Note:

I got quite a few comments–both posted on this site and in email–about Friday’s Daily News, specifically regarding Kevin Beck’s post about writer and coach David Roche.

As I’ve been doing for over ten years, the URP Daily News is a place where I share links I find interesting, important, challenging, and sometimes just plain ridiculous (see most LR posts.) Beck writes some great analysis on HS XC and running history, and yes, he sometimes writes some pretty harsh words about members of the running media. If you don’t like his style or subject, please don’t click the links. This isn’t difficult.

I believe that effective communication is where we are presented with different perspectives and then decide for ourselves what they’re worth. Some we embrace, some we dismiss, and some we read and shrug our shoulders. Along with the links I support each week, there are plenty I disagree with vehemently, and that’s not going to change.

Thanks for reading.
–Eric

12 Responses to "Ultramarathon Daily News | Mon, Mar 7"

Jade says:

March 7, 2022 at 5:59 am

I appreciate you sharing links to articles you don’t align with, Eric. Differing views are important, and exposing ourselves to opinions and perspectives we don’t agree with is valuable. How else do we learn, or grow, or develop more nuanced thoughts? Sadly it seems to be a growing trend to simply silence or “cancel” views that are not our own, and as someone who is part of this generation, it’s a dangerous, close-minded way to learn, let alone champion better ways of being and relating to others.

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KS Petty says:

March 7, 2022 at 7:30 am

Eric, I value the space you continue to provide to share dialogue, and appreciate the invitations to weigh in (e.g., “Doesn’t sit well with me but open to discussion,” from 3/4). I don’t avoid links because, like you, I seek to consume “different perspectives and then decide…. what they’re worth.” For me, Friday wasn’t about Beck’s style or subject. I would argue that people felt compelled to comment on the link you shared precisely because we LIKE the subject (David). When the dust settles I hope this remains a place where we can engage.

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David Roche says:

March 7, 2022 at 7:34 am

Thanks for sharing those thoughts Eric! I understand that being in the public eye comes with criticism, including some criticism that really hurts. I will work on developing a thicker skin, like an alligator that wants everyone to believe in themselves!

Thank you Eric for your work for the sport over the years. I will be cheering you on in the future!

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Nicolas says:

March 7, 2022 at 8:17 am

Wow, David, what a lesson in graciousness! Kudos and thanks for your work.

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scottywk2 says:

March 7, 2022 at 10:16 am

I initially liked Beck because he had some unconventional takes on some taboo issues. But at some point I had to walk away because it seemed too personal, too ad hominem and not in any way newsworthy/interesting. It became like watching an old man bitch about the same thing every day. While I agreed with some things in principal, the 3rd to 10th time he moaned about it I had to tune out.

These articles about Roche (whom I know 0%) really seem petty and from out of no where. While I don’t have any problem with someone dedicating 10 pages single spaces to criticizing me….I just don’t think it would be newsworthy. Or interesting to anyone in the sport unless they (for whatever reason) really hated the Roches. Which seems like a super small audience.

So this is the Daily Ultra running News (which I love and read daily)and I see that article and think, it’s not news at all, and adding it to the list of news seems like elevating it to a level it doesn’t deserve. Almost inviting people to click it and see this kind of irrelevant person attack someone who seems my very limited knowledge to be a genuine good person of the sport who cares and contributes and is well meaning and kind. And that doesn’t mean he should be a sacred cow or anything but why do you want to draw attention to people’s petty complaints about objectively good people?

I’ll still read every day and support URP. Just voicing my opinion. Beck seems to have become Yuck.com and not at all newsworthy. maybe his is to others in the sport.

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nikitaborisov says:

March 7, 2022 at 11:02 am

I think it’s great to have different opinions, and I’m no stranger to harsh language. But I think Beck’s screed goes too far when he refers to trans female athletes as “males with certain psychological afflictions.” It’s one thing to insult a public figure such as Roche, though I might agree with Scott above that the quality and quantity of the invective says more about Beck than Roche. But it’s another to denigrate an entire category of athletes.

I am not saying that there is only one true opinion one can have about how trans athletes should be treated in the sport; this is a complex issue and one that I think Roche oversimplified. But I think the discussion needs to be respectful. Koopcast had a great episode, for example, discussing the science behind trans athletes (https://www.jasonkoop.com/podcast/transgender-women-in-the-female-category-of-sport-with-emma-hilton-phd?rq=transgender), and presenting a contrasting view to Roche’s. I don’t agree with everything said there, but it approached the subject with respect. Beck’s post, on the other hand, jumped straight to hatred and bigotry. And I think it’s worth thinking about whether this is the kind of content you want to promote.

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1. eric schranz says:
  
  March 7, 2022 at 3:19 pm
  
  Sharing a link ≠ promoting or supporting.
  
  Reply
Terry Miller says:

March 7, 2022 at 5:57 pm

I didn’t have a problem with the post. Being a jerk doesn’t make Beck’s opinion less (or more, to be sure) right than someone whose default is kindness and compassion, so has their conclusions colored by that. I want to see things that make me think and are searching for truth. Someone being a d##k doesn’t bother me more than someone being saccharine and wrong.

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Ellie says:

March 8, 2022 at 4:26 am

I appreciate these comments. I clicked on the article, got about a paragraph in and it seemed ranty and more “old man get off my lawn” kind of word vomit so I stopped reading. It’s hard to look away from a train wreck but Beck seems to keep going down this hole of emotional contrarianism.

Like I’ve told you, some of his stuff used to give me a different perspective even if I disagreed. Now I just feel sorry for the guy. Like watching my dads brain melt as he watches Fox News. I wish Beck well and maybe some therapy.

That said, your links have never been an endorsement unless you specifically say they are. I appreciate that Eric.

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1. eric schranz says:
  
  March 8, 2022 at 5:04 am
  
  Thanks Ellie. I appreciate it.
  
  Reply
Paul says:

March 8, 2022 at 8:15 am

“Sharing a link ≠ promoting or supporting”

You did more than share the link. You editorialized when you shared the link with the words you used to share the link. In particular, it’s clear you use the term “wokism” pejoratively. Criticizing wokism has been a long running undercurrent here.

Please correct me if I’m wrong – do you not think David Roche is too woke? Do you not have a problem with wokism generally?

Compare this with the critical tone you used to share the David Melly piece on 2/18.

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Colin Chapell says:

March 8, 2022 at 11:46 am

Eric,

Thanks for the response to the comments. I really appreciate that you do bring in a diversity of opinions and voices here. It’s good to get pushed out of my own thought bubbles. I appreciate that you’re willing to simply share what you find interesting. I’m really glad that you’re sharing things that get conversations going – I wish that all the folks you linked to had the willingness to openly and respectfully engage in contrarian opinions as you do. Again, I really appreciate all you do for the community and really hope your teaching schedule opens back up again so that you can enter my podcast feed once more!

Reply

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