Ultramarathon Daily News, Tue, Aug 18

Here’s a pretty good analysis of what types of people succeed in ultramarathons, and what it takes to do well. Lots in there to digest, but then the author finds it necessary to ~~start hand-wringing~~ (edit: apologize) over racial diversity in the sport.

Results from races held over the weekend, including Wardian’s first hundred mile ~~finish~~ win!

Remember the Oz Pearlman interview from a few years ago? Yep, he’s still doing well on America’s Got Talent. Vote for him this week!

Stephanie’s great post about celebrating the positive female athlete role models.

Harrowing, first hand account of a grizzly bear attack. Wow.

Will you welcome our new trail running overlords?

Mike Aish is ready to attack Leadville this weekend. Here’s the rest of the field. Remember who won it last year? This guy.

Reader Matt tipped me off to this race in Michigan. It’s a trail race that’s run as a team, with everyone starting at the same time, but the four runners run different distances (5, 10, 20, and 31 miles), times are combined and the lowest wins. And apparently next fall they’ll have one with 25, 50, 75, and 100 miles. Very cool concept! Hey West Coast RD’s, you listening?

And these off-trail mountain races sound like fun too, but as the article suggests, permitting them is pretty tough.

Ah, much of this is familiar: What every doctor should know about treating athletes.

I attended Team RWB TrailRunning Camp in Texas last year as a mentor Max, Schlarb, Liza, Joe, Megan, Dom & Katie, Ford, and others. This year, Sarah’s going as a mentor. If you’re looking for a fun and informative week (that supports a great cause for a low price!), check it out.

22 Responses to "Ultramarathon Daily News, Tue, Aug 18"

Jamie says:

August 18, 2015 at 6:19 am

It might be his first 100 mile finish … this month. But I recall he did pretty well at States in June. It does seem to be his first 100 mile win.Reference

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Alex says:

August 18, 2015 at 6:31 am

I think calling it “hand wringing” is a little unfair. The author simply notes a very real homogeneity within ultra/trail running. It would be naive to ignore this, and to pretend that people who fall outside the typical demo might not feel wholly welcome, or comfortable. We in the community should be honest enough to reflect on these realities. No one is suggesting affirmative action entries for Western States.Reference

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Tha Messenjah says:

August 18, 2015 at 6:43 am

First 100 mile WIN 🙂Reference

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kyle whalum says:

August 18, 2015 at 6:53 am

Gotta agree with Alex, Eric. Big fan of the website, daily news, and podcast–but as an ultrarunner who happens to be black, I think it’s ok to notice the homogeneity of the sport and endeavor to spread the ‘good news’ to more and more types of people. While the ultra community is generally extremely friendly and welcoming, i’d love to not be the only black dude at most races someday. PLUS: I’m really tired of getting laughed out of my barber shop every time someone finds out I run 100 milers!

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1. eric schranz says:
  
  August 18, 2015 at 7:19 am
  
  Of course it’s OK to notice it, study it, and question it. I’m the guy who’s always asking why there aren’t more Asians in ultras in the US, as the depth of their training program and elite runners (particularly in Japan) is mind blowing.
  My issue is that it seemed to be apologizing for the ethnic make up, and that’s what I feel is unnecessary.
  
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  1. Sage Canaday says:
    
    August 18, 2015 at 7:48 am
    
    Eric, I’m actually (half) Asian (Japanese to be exact). I agree with others that the mention of diversity (or lack of it) in MUT running in the US is something that is good to bring to the table.
    
    Reply
    1. eric schranz says:
      
      August 18, 2015 at 8:05 am
      
      Yes, it’s great, and again, that’s why I question many of my Asian guests (Jared Burdick and YiOu Wang, for example, links below) what we can do to bring more Asian athletes to the US and why Asian Americans don’t participate in T&F at the same ratio as other minority groups. YiOu’s answers have been particularly interesting. I’d LOVE to discuss it further, as the prospect of having East Africans and Japanese Hakone Ekiden runners compete stateside gets me stoked.
      
      I love the fact that MUT events have tall, short, dark, light, chubby, gay, straight, runners, and it’d be even cooler to have a wide array of ethnic groups represented. My issue is that it seemed unnecessary to apologize for it.
      
      Hope that clears things up.
      
      https://ultrarunnerpodcast.com/thenorthface-endurance-challenge-preview-magdalena-boulet-yiou-wang-alicia-shay/
      
      https://ultrarunnerpodcast.com/jared-burdick-interview/
      
      Reply
  2. bob polizano says:
    
    August 18, 2015 at 12:01 pm
    
    “I’m the guy who’s always asking why there aren’t more Asians in ultras in the US” … good on you, buddy. the article is interesting, and points out an important issue. don’t be a moron
    
    Reply
    1. eric schranz says:
      
      August 18, 2015 at 1:20 pm
      
      Hey Bob, thanks for replying, but let’s keep this civil.
      Thanks.
      
      Reply
      1. bob polizano says:
        
        August 19, 2015 at 9:54 am
        
        you’re right, i just found your responses to be smarmy and oddly self-congratulatory. you should never simply shake your head at a story that advocates for something good. that only encourages bad journalism.
eric schranz says:

August 18, 2015 at 7:15 am

Perhaps “hand-wringing” is an overstatement, fair, but of all the sports and activities I’ve been involved with, I simply can’t think of one that’s as open as MUT running. Perhaps it’s a CA mindset and other locales are different?
And maybe it’s not as representative of minorities as some other sports (which can certainly open up another discussion), but the availability to participate and be accepted is wide open.
My original point was that it seems unnecessary and pandering to essentially apologize for the ethnic make up of those who choose to run ultras.Reference

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1. Alex says:
  
  August 18, 2015 at 7:39 am
  
  Let’s say I’m a member of a given minority group. I’ve run a few marathons, etc., and would like to try a trail 50K. I read an article like the one linked, and then see a fair and honest discussion dismissed as hand-wringing. That’s not going to make me feel very welcome in such a space. I promise I’m not trying to attack you here; and in general, I have found the MUT community to be accepting and progressive. However, homogeneity is, to a large degree, self perpetuating. So while anyone theoretically *can* sign up for MUT events, it’s important to consider why those who choose to do so are overwhelmingly straight, white, and male. And being a member of that majority, it’s a little problematic to dismiss such concerns. Of course you would be less likely to see any blatantly offensive or exclusionary behavior. But more importantly, you’d almost certainly outright miss the countless microagressions that minorities endure. An african american being told they should be faster, because aren’t all Africans? A runner joking that he’s going to keep his shirt on for this race, because there’s a gay guy lining up next to him. These are small things, nominally, but they accumulate. (And yes, I’ve seen both.)
  
  This is not to say MUT running is some sort of toxic, bigoted environment. Of course it isn’t. But we can do better, and we should encourage discussions that lead down that path, rather than dismiss them as mere whining.
  
  Reply
  1. eric schranz says:
    
    August 18, 2015 at 7:52 am
    
    Thanks for the reply Alex. I have an admitted tough time with this because my group of extended running friends include racial minorities (black, asian, mexican), quite a few LGBT athletes, etc. It seems (albeit from a white guy) that everything is hunky dory, but you rightly pointed out what I’m missing if I were to look closer and be in your/their shoes.
    
    I can’t argue with anything you wrote, so I’ll leave it there.
    
    Thanks again for your response.
    
    Reply
Chris says:

August 18, 2015 at 8:12 am

I think what’s missing is some context about where many of the most celebrated ultras take place. Mountain towns are almost exclusively white so it really is no surprise that the sports that take place around those towns would reflect that racial makeup. Other mountain sports share the same issue.Reference

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Sarah Lavender Smith says:

August 18, 2015 at 8:37 am

Frankly, I think the article contains a lot of academic gobbledygook by a guy who’s relatively new to the sport, who got a thesis in his head and then went and did research to support his point of view. I don’t think the sport is homogeneous, especially when you consider the wide range of geographic, political and age differences among ultra runners. But like Eric, I’m in Northern California where we see all types on the trails. Now who wants to talk about beer and Leadville instead?

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1. Jack says:
  
  August 18, 2015 at 6:38 pm
  
  One of the reasons why I was originally, and continue to be, drawn to the sport is that it is comprised of a group of people who have time and again demonstrated a welcoming and come-one-come-all attitude; such a breath of fresh air. Asking why there aren’t more minorities in the sport is a fair question, but even the slightest hint that the community is unwelcoming seems rather disingenuous.
  
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Kevin says:

August 18, 2015 at 8:59 am

Eric, thanks a bunch for the add and comments about the MUTT team trail race. We are getting pretty excited over here in Northern Michigan about this new race concept/series.

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Allen Lucas says:

August 18, 2015 at 9:41 am

This is really interesting. It’s got to be a bit of a headache for the RDs, but that’s probably mostly because it’s such a different format. The runners having to stick together (at least until the shorter distance person peels off) is a fun/scary aspect. Great concept!Reference

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1. Kevin says:
  
  August 18, 2015 at 9:57 am
  
  On the contrary Allen, the race is quite manageble from a race director perspective. Teams are capped at 60, and go off in one minute waterfall intervals. The course is an out and back, so it’s like managing 4 separate distance races from a timing standpoint with only 60 participants.
  
  Another unique aspect is along with team times, individual times are used as well, so pace strategy is key for team and individual awards.
  
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Mike Hinterberg says:

August 18, 2015 at 9:44 am

Good comments by Alex — and I think we’re all probably in 95% agreement anyway and debating details. The article is predominantly about ultrarunning demographics. Discussing or analyzing those issues — if they’re real — is more than just saying, “Everyone has a fair chance and there’s no overt discrimination.” And I guess it’s OK not to be particularly concerned if all you want to do is run and be happy. But I don’t think it’s good to be dismissive of the topic.
I’m not buying the “California” thing: we’ve all run races out there, y’all have run races out here (Colorado), and we read the same stuff. I don’t see a noticeable difference in California, and I haven’t seen people comment on other states being noticeably different when they travel to race.

That said, I agree with Sarah on the way it was written as a pre-drawn conclusion, working backwards; and I think the analysis is very much suspect and incomplete. It’s self-aggrandizing in elevating middle class work ethic, without actually proving that it’s causative. Wouldn’t proving oneself in the struggles of the lower-class create a grit and determination that would lead to ultra success (along a suggested alternative: the upper-middle class lifestyle is too easy, that people create their own arbitrary challenges)? Are some groups of people drawn more toward team sports and direct competition, rather than the largely competitive-with-oneself aspect of ultras? What about trail/mountain town access (already mentioned)? Is ultramarathon an outlier among other endurance sports like triathlon (hint: no)?
What about the differences in the way ‘nature’ experiences, like camping and hiking, are represented by different ethnic groups? There has been more study, data, and programming aimed toward this than ultrarunning specifically. Similarly, there appears to be about 1% African American visitation to Yosemite NP, for example. (Which I’m also pretty sure is in Northern California).

So, the numbers are real, but I don’t think it’s necessarily an ultra-specific thing.

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1. Z says:
  
  August 18, 2015 at 11:50 am
  
  You’re right that the grit and determination developed working in blue collar industries would lead to ultra success. The point, though, is that people who occupy those “lower” classes don’t have the time and freedom afforded to the affluent and upper class to devote hours upon hours to training, or disposable income to travel far and wide to race, etc. The author doesn’t self-aggrandize the middle class work ethic. In fact, it’s the opposite. He’s pointing out how privileged and elite the ultra community makeup is.
  
  I’m actually pretty surprised at how defensive Eric’s and some other’s comments have been here. The demographic makeup of ultarunning is far from diverse. And like you said, it goes hand in hand with similar recreational activities. Pointing that out shouldn’t be a problem.
  
  Reply
Sam in Oakland says:

August 18, 2015 at 5:37 pm

I’m no veteran at the longer stuff, but have been on the trail scene for some time. I’ve thought as of late that encouraging younger, intercollegiate athletes into the shorter mountain stuff (USATF champs, La Sportiva mountain cup) would be a nice way of creating a broader feed of people into the wider trail scene. It is hard to get young talented runners to race a 50k or 50m since many are involved with intercollegiate programs. But the summer short-course mountain stuff could be worked into a schedule. I certainly wish I’d known about the junior mtn team when I was in college. NCAA cross country is not exactly the most diverse pool of people, but there are huge depths of running talent hailing from the African-American and Latino communities. I’d love to see many more of those folks in the sport. It would raise the quality of races. Oh, and sign me up for any stateside Ekiden. That would be beyond cool.Reference

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