Ultramarathon Daily News | Thursday, Aug 10

Catch up with JamJam and Mountain Outhouse for a fun take on trail and ultramarathon news including the Mountain Running Champs, YiOu and Sean’s adventure, Nolan’s, and more.

Thursday Funny: Heinz introduces new gel-packed Sports Ketchup.

Like a sledgehammer with teeth.

–Listen to this guy’s incredible story of getting attacked by a grizzly bear twice in one day.

The top slacklining spots in the US.

Some pro triathletes are flexing their entrepreneurial spirit and launching gear companies to fill gaps in the industry, as well as their income. Not counting sponsor-branded products, what have MUT runners brought to market?

Jogger Rage: Why runners are getting more aggressive/assholey.

Did you catch our latest episode? I spoke with mountain running champ Joe Gray about all sorts of subjects: Why he doesn’t run more ultras, why aren’t there more African Americans in domestic ultras, what should be done about the PED issue, and why sponsors and athletes switch around so much.

That episode was sponsored by The North Face Endurance Challenge – Wisconsin. Held Sept 16-17, there’s a race distance for everyone on a very runnable course that’s great for speedsters and beginners alike. Use URP15 for a sweet discount. Thanks for their support!

This horse took a DNS at the start of Tevis Cup. Sad.

Alright, this Kickstarter jacket looks pretty awesome. Anxious to see the final product.

Each year after AC, Uncle Larry gets fired up and posts about the (mis)management of the race. To be clear, I love a guy who’s got passion about something and isn’t afraid to take his suggestions public. Here’s his latest screed.

Learn it. Know it. Live it. Five ways you’re sabotaging your training.

The car camping/post race chair choice. What’s your favorite? Here’s what I use. Love the size, packability, quick setup, but I hate having to get up out of it.

Beer news: Sacramento has dozens of breweries, and we just lost two this week. One stalwart (with a darn good IPA), an one newer place. Harbinger of the end of the bubble?

27 Responses to "Ultramarathon Daily News | Thursday, Aug 10"

Larry says:

August 10, 2017 at 9:35 am

$99 for a camp chair???

The sub $10 ones from Walmart have worked well for me for 20+ years. I can spend the extra money on beer and I never worry about lending them out and not getting them back.

Reply
1. eric schranz says:
  
  August 10, 2017 at 9:57 am
  
  Totally agree that old cheap ones work great. I’ve upped my game (and I should add, haven’t paid for most of them) and like a chair with a bit more comfort and features.
  
  Reply
  1. Mike says:
    
    August 10, 2017 at 2:10 pm
    
    But wait, the chair is no longer available…? According this page it has been recalled and is no longer available. Darn it!
    
    https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2015/rei-recalls-outdoor-rocker-chairs
    
    Reply
    1. Mike says:
      
      August 10, 2017 at 2:13 pm
      
      (Referring to the chair you use, Eric)
      
      Reply
DMax says:

August 10, 2017 at 9:53 am

I am not understanding the utility of that Kickstarter jacket. Why would you want a jacket that basically does what a back pack does? A back pack seems way more flexible for changing weather conditions, different loads, etc.

I guess this is maybe for the McGuyvers of the world?

Reply
Trevor Owen Jones says:

August 10, 2017 at 10:14 am

I don’t really understand the gripes of the AC100 entry (I didn’t get in this year). Because there are too many DNS’s?

Reply
1. Matt G. says:
  
  August 10, 2017 at 10:23 am
  
  The proposed 50 mile qualifying times are crazy too. 10:15 North Face 50? 11 hour TRT 50? Evidently, he doesn’t think back of the pack should run 100s.
  
  Reply
  1. Trevor Owen Jones says:
    
    August 10, 2017 at 10:31 am
    
    As a solid middle pack guy, soon to be back of the pack in coming years, I disagree. I think AC100 is cool and historic and classic etc (otherwise I wouldn’t’ve applied), but not every race has to turn into WS or Hardrock….
    
    Reply
    1. Matt G. says:
      
      August 10, 2017 at 10:35 am
      
      I’m not sure what you are disagreeing with…? Are you proposing that AC100 should be for front of the pack only? That’s what those qualifying times are pushing.
      
      I’m not against qualifiers, I think his proposed times are just not realistic.
      
      Reply
      1. Trevor Owen Jones says:
        
        August 10, 2017 at 10:38 am
        
        No im sorry, miscommunication, I was just saying I disagree with him (Larry) that qualifiers need to be strenuous for something like the AC100.
      2. Matt G. says:
        
        August 10, 2017 at 10:44 am
        
        Yeah, we are on the same page. 🙂 I do think his point about the number of DNSes and not having a wait list is a good point though. If a lot of people don’t run AC and there’s a lottery, this just seems to needlessly leave vacant slots.
      3. DIRTY XL says:
        
        August 10, 2017 at 3:42 pm
        
        Do you define “front of the pack” as the top 225? That’s how many broke 10:15 at NFEC-SF last year. That’s out of 539.
      4. Matt G. says:
        
        August 10, 2017 at 3:46 pm
        
        Top 40% sounds like the front to me…
      5. Matt G. says:
        
        August 10, 2017 at 3:47 pm
        
        Note that 539 is only finishers as well.
      6. DIRTY XL says:
        
        August 10, 2017 at 4:18 pm
        
        Maybe if people spent more time training and less time on social media they could break a 12:20 pace for a 50 miler.
      7. Matt G. says:
        
        August 10, 2017 at 4:24 pm
        
        Zing! Big man. Your mom must be proud. I think you meant to post on letsrun.com.
      8. DIRTY XL says:
        
        August 10, 2017 at 4:34 pm
        
        Proud of all my “finisher” medals and even made a quilt out of my “finisher” shirts.
      9. eric schranz says:
        
        August 10, 2017 at 4:55 pm
        
        Guys, come on. This is lame. Don’t make me have to start policing the comment section. Thanks.
2. Bobby Geronimo says:
  
  August 10, 2017 at 12:50 pm
  
  AC100 is always ranked as one of the top-five hardest 100s in the US. If you’ve been on the course, you can see why; point-to-point, at elevation with over 21,000ft of elevation gain. Larry’s point is that it’s a very difficult course and people “decide” they want to do it, cherry-pick an “easy” qualifier but never actually put in the work and then end up with a DNS. 80 people is waaaaay too many in the did not start column for a race like AC100. The qualifiers need to be more stringent. Put in some work if you want to toe the line.
  
  Reply
  1. Matt G. says:
    
    August 10, 2017 at 1:25 pm
    
    By this logic, qualifiers would help the DNF rate, not necessarily a DNS rate. This is assuming that the DNSes are due to training problems. Maybe it is because they have an early lottery and then people have conflicting commitments?
    
    Reply
  2. Trevor Owen Jones says:
    
    August 10, 2017 at 1:35 pm
    
    yeah a wait list seems like it would mitigate some of these problems, instead of insinuating others are lesser runners with the ‘care bear 50’ comments, which is rhetoric that just makes him sound like a ranting asshole. Lots of people DNS because they overtrain and get injured so don’t end up toeing the line. To think its being underprepared for so many is just weird assumption and a chance to spew contempt.
    
    Reply
    1. Jim says:
      
      August 10, 2017 at 1:43 pm
      
      As someone who has been around the AC100 for as long as he has, I’m gonna defer to Larry on this one. And when he says things like “care bear 50” he’s being pretty obviously hyperbolic. You can go ahead and pretend like you’ve never heard sarcasm before so you can act self-righteous.
      
      Reply
      1. Trevor Owen Jones says:
        
        August 10, 2017 at 1:48 pm
        
        I’m glad you think old school runners are infallible! I don’t. Have a great day.
  3. Jeremy says:
    
    August 11, 2017 at 10:27 am
    
    Yes, it’s a really hard 100. Top-5 hardest in the US? Probably not.
    
    I have no problem having more difficult qualifier races; it’s perfectly appropriate to have race directors hand-pick 50s that resemble in some way the conditions you’d expect to see on the course.
    
    However, I think this is all a solution in search of a problem. Qualifications aren’t going to change the number of DNS, and it’ll probably only have a minor effect on the number of DNF.
    
    Hell, I finished Cruel Jewel 100 this year, HURT 100 last year, and Run Rabbit Run 100 two years ago, with a sub-23 San Diego 100 two years ago, and I still DNFed at Angeles Crest 100. It had nothing to do with my fitness, but my desire to finish the race waned in the intervening year between registration and race day. Having registration much closer to race day will have a much bigger effect on both DNS and DNF rate than forcing stricter qualifications.
    
    Reply
Mike says:

August 10, 2017 at 2:12 pm

Referring to the one you use, the evrgrn rocker.

Reply
DIRTY XL says:

August 10, 2017 at 4:27 pm

She is proud. Of all of my finisher’s medals.

Reply
Jeremy says:

August 11, 2017 at 10:07 am

“Harbinger of the end of the bubble?”

Market saturation? Maybe. I don’t think it’s a bubble; the market for craft beer is still growing. Most people just have so many options now that you can’t survive simply by making any quality of craft beer.

Reply

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