How hard are ultras really? 57-year old woman breaks storied Courtney Dauwalter ultra record

True, the runners in this event aren't world class for standard events. But this event doesn't require world class speed. All you have to do physically is run 6.7k in one hour. But the catch is to keep doing that ad nauseum. Throw money at this event and it probably won't be the standard lithe athlete coming in to dominate, but rather a solid beast of a worker who can just keep going...on and on and on and on...

Maybe you need more context. Dauwalter’s “record” was set when she won. Meaning she couldn’t go any farther if she wanted to because everyone else quit. In the spirit of the event, labeling the number of yards a “record” is dubious at best. Additionally she is considered much better at “shorter” formats. Finally, as mentioned above this format is only a couple years old and the “record” is soft.

I am not an ultra runner but the people capable do it at a doable pace until someone comes along and starts to challenge it. Candace Burt thought the consecutive days running an ultra was too easy so to make it difficult she ran 200 ultras for 200 consecutive days. Now that world record is difficult. She went through excruciating pain weather and even suffered frost bite to accomplish it. Therefore now the world record is difficult. People need to challenge more because some people are discovering they're built for endurance running and beginning to seek new challenges. I think a lot of ultra records are going to fall especially on the naturally born women's side. Women are really stepping up in athleticism the last few years.

Lots of ultr* "athletes" coming into this thread trying to defend themselves. LMAO. We all know the score guys. You couldn't compete in popular events so now you choose races where you easily get Top 5 because nobody else shows up.

I’ve run sub 5:50 for 50 miles road. Give it a shot and let me know how you do.

Yes and I bet everyone better than you was busy doing real races like 5K/10K/Marathon so you easily won the $100 REI gift card.

Hi Jim!

Really? You picked a "backyard ultra." People explained the event .. that the record depends not just on one person, but two people being willing to persist in the face of lack of sleep.. and your conclusion is that all ultra participants are not world class athletes?

Great. Go run 500km in about 72 hours since that record is so easy.

Get yourself a golden ticket to Western States. Pick an "easy" one like a 100k? Grindstone is 11,000 feet of vert in 62 miles.

Then go run WSER and tell us that Jim Walmsley isn't a world class athlete.

Go run UTMB and tell us Kílian Jornet isn't a world class athlete.

Or you know .. go beat Courtney Dauwalter since her record wasn't world-class.

I'm not an ultra runner. Never run longer than a marathon in my life. Maybe some ultra records are "soft" compared to 10k or marathon world records.

But the top ultra runners in top races like WSER or UTMB are clearly world-class by any measure.

The fact that you're asking the question shows you don't understand the race.

It's a last runner standing race, so this record means nothing. You just stop when second place drops out. That said, ultra running is not that competitive, especially for races over 100 miles. They've gotten a lot more competitive since the Scott Jurek days, but they're still pulling from a very small talent pool. I hope Des gives ultras a serious go. I think it might open ultra runners' eyes to what's really possible. I mean, they all dismissed Walmsley at first, and now he's their golden boy.

That's the problem with "roadies" always trying to apply pace/speed.
In track events there're people who can run 100m very well, but can't do it as good in 200m, what?!

Yet in ultras, it's a common criticism pointing as an example above - that's why Camille doesn't race marathons, but can smash 100miles. Fred can smash 100-400m which is unusual but would you say, how hard is 800m since Fred can't break X, he's useless? No, you would understand clearly the difference. That's why as others said, go and try it!

And you couldn’t make the jv basketball team so you had to settle for track. People gravitate towards things they discover their good at. You don’t make fun of a sprinter because they run a slow mile. If you’ve run an ultra you know that mile splits are the last thing on your mind.

No, I didn’t win. Got beat by Don Marvel by a minute. No prizes at all, not even a t-shirt, just the opportunity to test yourself. I also ran Comrades in 7;02. The only prize there is a silver medal and the experience of not walking down a flight of stairs without a handrail

Except ultrarunning isn't pulling from the same depth of talent pool as pro track or road racing. It's not even close. It's maybe at the level of respectable college runners. Sure it's a different skillset, but it's like thinking pro pickleball players wouldn't get trounced by Serena and Venus.

After running several 50ks and a couple of 50 mile ultras, I can honestly say that ultras are simply eating contests with a little running mixed in

Hello, the title said "how hard are ultras really?"

Yeah, they are not very competitive when they get that long as not many people want to do multi day events (compared to something like a 5K).

I think there are world class participants in some ultras but as to this particular one, I don't know. I mean by definition is a world record a world class athlete? I guess that is a dubious concept as there are so many obscure events.

I'm more of a road marathoner in my mind, but I have raced 100 milers as well. I feel that they are very different events ultimately. With the marathon I try to establish my exact pace plan that I can sustain so that I can run my fuel tank right to empty at the finish line. Maximum speed based on fuel for the distance. With the 100 I try to aim for an effort level, not pace, that will give me the maximum speed but never drop my fuel tank below 50%. Yes, it's an eating contest. But there are so many variables involved, how much food can you consume per hour, how much effort is too much, taking on water, handling aid stations quickly and efficiently, gear/clothing/shoes, not tripping and falling, not getting injured along the way. And the number one factor that is the most important and what makes the longer ultras so appealing and difficult is your mental strength.

I know that you need a strong will and mind for any intense race, be it 1500m and most definitely the marathon. But the longer ultras really amplify the importance of a strong mind will win the race over physicality. Any one of the variables that I mentioned earlier have a direct impact on your mental state, and the mind can only take so much before it breaks down. A marathon you can grind through, but the 100 miler you have to go to another level to grind through that. Again, this is entirely based on if you are pushing yourself to your limit, not just a hobby jog through the woods.

It's so easy to look at an ultra performance and shrug your shoulders and say 'meh', a decent elite marathoner can do better. And I sheepishly thought a bit of that for the Cocodona 250 when I saw that Sally McRae came in lower in the standings than I was expecting. But you just go and watch her youtube video race recap and tell me you could suffer that long. I certainly know that any old elite marathoner couldn't just show up and do that. Far too many variables.

And when you think about it, based on how much race and run experience you need to just get the darn race right, why would you not expect that the most elite of the ultra world be older tough women. I'm pretty sure Sally will take away a lot and take on more challenges, do greater performances. So a 57 year old woman setting a record, well that seems about right to me. Would a 23 year old have enough experience and mental strength to do such a feat, even though they are physically superior in many ways? Well I think not. Physicality does diminish over the years, but mental toughness can always be improved. And you certainly need a lot of that if you are going to essentially run for an absurd amount of time with no rest or recovery.

I can run a marathon at 6:40 mile pace. I figured , for fun, I would run a 50K Ultra. In the Arizona Desert, 4000 ft elevation, rocky trail. It kicked my butt. I've since run 2 more. I definitely have respect for Ultras.

I have NO ultra experience but I knew several in Columbus who are gifted at it. One of them is a woman who runs 3:05 on the roads with no problem and she crushes 50k to 100M with no problem either...I think all of what you said is true about it being mental but at the same time you also need a strong ability to avoid getting hurt!

I know I could never be able to sustain a strong effort for 50k. Marathon is tough as it is at 42.2k. I don't know how people even build up to it to begin with, so ultra people have my respect!