Ultramarathon Daily News, Wed, Nov 16

Ultramarathon News for Wednesday

RW covers Walmsley’s rise in ultramarathon running. It’s refreshing to see that Jim is well aware of the pressure he’s putting on his body and that he’s conscious of the razor-thin line he’s running regarding his fitness and health. Dude’s got records to take down! I’m anxious to see how he does in these next few weeks.

Great race report from Jimmy’s run at Bimbler’s Bluff 50k in Connecticut. Faced with the surprise fact that there were no gels at the aid stations (I’m still wondering why that was…) he didn’t freak out, adapted to the situation, and finished strong.

Ever thought about hiking/running the Appalachian Trail? How about the Pacific Crest Trail? Or maybe the Continental Divide Trail? How about all of them? How about all of them (that’s 7700 miles worth) in significantly less than one calendar year. This guy did it, and here’s an interview with him. (Link fixed.)

Help wanted: Looking for someone to design a logo. It’s not for URP, but for a fun thing that we do each year that will be featured on the site soon. Nothing extensive at all…I just need someone who has a creative mind who can use PS. It so happens that the owner of Championship Running Camps is looking for logo help as well, and he’s offering a free entry (that’s $~~500~~ $1,500!) to the person who can design for both of us. Email me here for more info. Thanks!

Sometimes craft beer has a good funk to it, and sometimes it has a really awful stank. Know the difference. Also know that some breweries are trying to pass off these beers as sours…

Something we can all use help with: Hills and stairs.

Looks like Camille Herron is joining the Nike Trail Elite team. Congrats to her.

Speaking of the Nike Trail Elite team, I know of four existing Nike athletes who have already, or are looking at, signing with other teams starting January 2017.

The price seems high, but the idea of staying active while working indoors is one I like. Great design, too.

Guy Love writes about the finding the line where doping becomes doping. Over the next week, I’ll be publishing a few different opinion pieces (from different writers) about how the sport of ultramarathons is dealing with doping, mainly in an attempt to help crystalize my own feelings. I’ve been all over the place (publicly) about how I feel and am still looking for answers.

Do you take supplements? NYT says you’re wasting your money.

I am in awe and completely fascinated by Alex Honnold. In this article, docs and scientists dig into his brain and try to figure out his fear factor.

Site news: Recording two interviews today with two guys I expect to see in the top five at North Face in a few weeks. (One of them I expect to win.) Neither have been on the show before.

21 Responses to "Ultramarathon Daily News, Wed, Nov 16"

Aitch says:

November 16, 2016 at 5:46 am

Wrong link. This goes to talking about drugs.Reference

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1. eric schranz says:
  
  November 16, 2016 at 5:49 am
  
  Dangit. Thanks. Fixed it.
  
  Reply
Ted says:

November 16, 2016 at 6:04 am

Thanks for the article on Alex. Completely agree. Watching him climb freaks out my amygdala though 🙂

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Nelson says:

November 16, 2016 at 6:30 am

Wow, surprised about those Nike Trail Elite athletes jumping ship. It will be interesting to find out who and where to.

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1. eric schranz says:
  
  November 16, 2016 at 6:45 am
  
  My lips are sealed, but it’s kind of an open secret around here.
  
  Reply
  1. JacobsA says:
    
    November 16, 2016 at 7:20 am
    
    Though unlikely online, I’d be interested to know why there is such an exodus at the moment from Nike.
    
    Reply
    1. Ian McD says:
      
      November 16, 2016 at 8:17 am
      
      I wonder if it has anything to do with the news item directly above it…
      
      Reply
      1. JacobsA says:
        
        November 16, 2016 at 8:51 am
        
        https://media.giphy.com/media/4pMX5rJ4PYAEM/giphy.gif
        
        That’s all.
SteelTownRunner says:

November 16, 2016 at 6:43 am

Many ultras don’t provide gels.I don’t know what BB advertised. The only possible issue is if they advertised having gels at aid stations. And as many will tell you – for an ultra, if you need something at an AS, be prepared to have it on your own, and at the very least, do your homework to see what the race AS typically offer.Reference

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SteelTownRunner says:

November 16, 2016 at 6:45 am

Any upcoming interviews per chance leading up (or after) world 100K and Desert Solstice?

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1. eric schranz says:
  
  November 16, 2016 at 7:04 am
  
  If there’s an interesting story leading up to or coming from either race, then I’m all ears.
  
  Reply
lj says:

November 16, 2016 at 7:23 am

wonder if some of them are going to run for under armour? odd pick for them to add Camille H. based on her current popularity and tact.

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1. Cb says:
  
  November 16, 2016 at 1:31 pm
  
  Its Nike– results matter the most and she is one of the best. Without knowing her personally, I wouldn’t perpetuate gossip about her character.
  
  Reply
scott says:

November 16, 2016 at 8:32 am

Which?
Had heard in interviews they don’t really pay much or even cover travel expenses for an event.Reference

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scott says:

November 16, 2016 at 8:35 am

Doping is really weird because we’re human and no one toes the same starting line.
The amount of times I’ve read someone on a messageboard saying “I’ve been running 4 months and I’m doing 20-30mpw. My half time is 1:25…”. I never know whether to cry to congratulate them.Reference

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1. SageCanaday says:
  
  November 16, 2016 at 11:43 am
  
  @scott: IMO this is not a logical comparison in the context of defending drug-use: “we’re human and no one toes the same starting line.” That is true in many other instances though.
  
  There is “natural talent” and there is “above what is natural” running performance. Of course it varies by individual. Sure, some people have more time to train, some people get all the fancy new gear…some people have parents that are great athletes…..some people live in mountain towns at altitude…some people have more money for leisure time…the world is not fair. That is a given constant.
  
  I started running 100+ miles week in training over 10 years ago…since then I’ve run a ton of more 100+ mile weeks in training. The running community has been very generous to me and I am always thankful for that. Their generosity has allowed me to have that time to train (as well as sponsorship)…it took a lot of hard work, minimum wage jobs and moving to my “dream town”… but it’s the hard work/mileage level that I need personally to try to run the performances I want to run to try to get the best out of myself.
  
  But I believe the use of PEDs (especially heavy hitting ones like EPO) is such a huge performance boost (to a mid packer or front packer) it’s simply not even fair. Like night and day difference (and improvement) in your running. It’s moving from the minor leagues to the major leagues. That’s why it is a banned substance and beets are not.
  
  In that context I think Guy Love’s blog post also misses the point. We get too caught up in splitting hairs between substances that are “little advantages” and what should be banned…or not…and what the relative penally should be. I don’t use pot, but I’m not worried about that. I’m not worried about caffeine either. What i am worried about is EPO and HGH. If one want quads of steel and the ability to train like a madman so that they can make some major gains/improvement (esp in ultra running with hills) those are the kinds of substances people are cheating with.
  
  We get caught up in the politics…the governing bodies and what “umbrella” MUT Running races fall under.
  
  What’s the solution? I have some ideas (and no it doesn’t involve raising entry fees or making mid packers pay for anything). It has to do with raising money from sponsors/sponsored athletes, and athletes in it for prize money and international travel perks (as well as a lifestyle change). Raising money for out-of-season surprise tests 4, 6, 8, and 10 weeks before big key races when athletes are training the hardest and benefiting the most from their PEDs. Race day tests are nice as well, but those micro-dosing are likely going to “taper off the juice.”
  
  Reply
  1. scott says:
    
    November 16, 2016 at 12:40 pm
    
    If I came across like I’m a proponent on any side, it was a mistake. I don’t think I have any answers at all.
    I’m not aware of what is or is not considered “natural” and that is what my initial post was referring to. One person’s natural isn’t another person’s. I was born with the opportunity to show that hard work can really pay off and get me to a place other people can achieve much more easily. At least, that’s the positive spin I like to tell myself. 🙂
    I’m also not saying there should be some sort of biological standard where everyone should be allowed to dope to a certain threshold. I was highlighting how nebulous natural really is when you look at how incredibly gifted (or unfortunate) some people are.
    It’s tough and to my knowledge I don’t think any sport has solidified their position, let alone ultras. Novitzky is constantly adding new items to the banned list and acceptable hormone levels haven’t remained the same over generations.
    
    Reply
    1. SageCanaday says:
      
      November 16, 2016 at 2:46 pm
      
      Okay I’m kind of seeing where you are coming from now…I think. To answer one of your questions: If someone says: “I’ve been running 4 months and I’m doing 20-30mpw. My half time is 1:25…”. You congratulate them. Just like we’d congratulate the working class full-time dad who just started running 10 months ago finished his first marathon in 5 hours.
      
      But I wouldn’t congratulate anyone if I knew they were on PEDs. To me that is being a fake. That is a slap in the face of hard working, clean athletes at all levels.
      
      I consider “natural” meaning not taking a strong performance enhancing drug PED (as outlined by WADA code)…but the ones i’m mainly considered with would include EPO (synthetic EPO that is). Night and day difference in performance and training. Simply no gray area.
      
      If we want to talk about “gray area doping” we could get into TUEs…we could get into Testosterone/Epitestosterone ratios of just around 4:1….etc.
      
      Drugs aren’t going to make an “average talent” runner “elite” no matter how hard they train. But I believe they are the difference between running a 2:15 marathon and not having a shot at making the Olympic team to running a 2:09 and making it (that is probably not a good example in the context of ultra-trail running, but you get the point). At the “elite level” in ultra-trail running a 2-3% improvement in performance is everything. I actually think the nature of exponential relations in ultras make them even more ripe for taking advantage of PEDs because the benefits of quick recovery from very hard, high volume training are seen more greatly (just like they are in the tour with cycling).
      
      I’m personally looking into changing policy and uniting organizations so that MUT Running (at least in the US) has some direction with actual out of season testing and real consequences. Again I’m biased because i have financial stake in this and it is my “job.” I simply love this sport though. I live and breathe it. I’ve been running year-around the last 18 years of my life and I want to run as long as I live!
      
      I realize most people aren’t as concerned about PEDs in sport since they aren’t coming from the same angle (mine being a very passionate and somewhat weird one). Of course i don’t think the masses should have to pay for testing (or RDs even)…that is not fair. Make the sponsored athletes pay for it…I’m willing to chip in financially. I also would like to see more transparency.
      
      I think overall though it is about a “level and fair” playing field…in the context that we can all toe that same starting line (just like we all cross the same finish line). We all have to learn from failures and set-backs in hard training ( even overtraining) and we don’t get a “superhuman” recovery boost from something like EPO. We have to cope with the fatigue and the struggle the same…. and embrace the challenge. It’s simply just not healthy to take something like EPO for a long time (or steroids). What kind of example does that set for future generations of runners…for kids?..that it’s okay to cut-corners and cheat and always “take the easy way out” in life?
      
      Reply
Mark S. says:

November 16, 2016 at 12:46 pm

Have one – LOVE it.Reference

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Micah Ward says:

November 17, 2016 at 11:46 am

Fascinating article on Alex Hollodon. Makes me wonder if the functioning of the amygdala has an impact on career choices. As a retired police officer I saw men and women that were a couple steps ahead of me when moving into dangerous situations. Did they have less fear? Does the functioning of the amygdala lead some people into professions such as the military, fire fighting or law enforcement? How does the amygdala function in a Formula 1 race car driver or Forestry Service smoke jumper? I’ll have to ponder these questions over an Economically Unfeasible Imperial IPA from Engine 15 Brewery of Jacksonville Beach, FL.

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Herbert Wingfield says:

November 17, 2016 at 3:23 pm

Eric says, “ultramarathons is dealing with doping, mainly in an attempt to help crystalize my own feelings. I’ve been all over the place…” Pretty bold to put that in print how he feels about his own crystal for doping ultramarathons and it makes him go all over the place. Right on.

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