Ghrelin wrote:
Yeah, it's wild that people get irritated when you say their hobby sucks, isn't it.
I don't get irritated when someone says that running 5ks or marathons is stupid.
Ghrelin wrote:
Yeah, it's wild that people get irritated when you say their hobby sucks, isn't it.
I don't get irritated when someone says that running 5ks or marathons is stupid.
ClaytonHammer wrote:
Ghrelin wrote:
Yeah, it's wild that people get irritated when you say their hobby sucks, isn't it.
I don't get irritated when someone says that running 5ks or marathons is stupid.
What if they said distance running is not even a real sport with legitimate athletes. It gets way too much coverage.
They would get no argument from you, right?
ClaytonHammer wrote:
Ghrelin wrote:
Yeah, it's wild that people get irritated when you say their hobby sucks, isn't it.
I don't get irritated when someone says that running 5ks or marathons is stupid.
Yeah, a case could certainly be made that months of training, paying an entry fee, driving out of town for a 5K ...just to run for 18 minutes is way more stupid than getting an 8 hour run in.
Whiskeyjack wrote:
ClaytonHammer wrote:
I don't get irritated when someone says that running 5ks or marathons is stupid.
What if they said distance running is not even a real sport with legitimate athletes. It gets way too much coverage.
They would get no argument from you, right?
Why would I care? I run because I enjoy it and it's fun. If someone thinks it's not a real sport who cares. Doesn't change anything I do.
I never did more than 100k… After running ultras for 10 years I’ve gone back to training for 10k-half marathons. Change of pace. Both are hard. Just in different ways. My biggest dislike about ultras is that I got burned out on weekend long runs. I’m so darn tired after the work week and getting the kids to all the places they need to be that I just don’t have the desire to train to run an ultra well. The other thing is that the last 1/3 of a ultra can really suck. Especially if you weren’t patient the first 2/3. Shorter races hurt too but it’s not so drawn out and the mental urge to quit is more easily suppressed.
ClaytonHammer wrote:
Whiskeyjack wrote:
What if they said distance running is not even a real sport with legitimate athletes. It gets way too much coverage.
They would get no argument from you, right?
Why would I care? I run because I enjoy it and it's fun. If someone thinks it's not a real sport who cares. Doesn't change anything I do.
That's a load of crap. Your running depends to some degree on running's popularity. If there were literally no other runners out there, you wouldn't run either.
The reason I bother to come on here and defend ultrarunners, despite knowing that this is a most unrewarding use of my time, is because I hate seeing a bunch of insecure losers just pick away at a group of "others". Look at the title of the thread - it's basically an invitation to come insult a smaller group, knowing that you have the numbers on your side. Why did you even click on the thread, let alone comment? It's not a thread title that would interest someone who truly runs just because they "enjoy it and it's fun". You were attracted to the thread because you're insecure, and it makes you feel better to see somebody else get insulted, and it makes you feel even better still to contribute to the insults.
Walking...too many people walking in a "race".
The distance
Definitely Ultras are fun.
Definitely don’t care for the lesbo dog faced leather skinned 50 yr old females with knee high socks and Altras. Put your damn poles away Chaz.
Most of the things that the OP listed for his/her not liking ultras are among the reasons I like doing them. I like the challenges, and figuring that sort of stuff out.
About the crewing, I've done a boatload of ultras and for only a few I've had crew. It's fun to have them there, but not necessary. Mostly my crews were there to join me on trips to beautiful remote areas or they were other ultra runners who wanted to help me and volunteer at aid stations. By the way, I've never had a van w/ a cot follow me around ;-) .
Are you implying you can't run 100 of even 50 miles faster than 5 min per kilometer? I wonder how "fast" you can run a marathon or even a 5000m Anything slower than 5 min per mile is a waste of my time.
Tortoise wrote:
Ultras involve running slow.
I don't like running slow.
Anything over a 5 minute km is a waste of my time.
Also, the sleeping in a van thing seems dumb.
Walking
I had a friend do a 24 hour run for a charity. I showed up at 2am to do a lap with him. Unforgettable time with a great friend. I am sure laps around a track alone are better.
fat guy in a little coat wrote:
So many people that have started running them recently are doing it because it’s the new thing and they don’t want to experience FOMO. Those people have ruined the sport. It used to only attract a certain type of weirdo (including myself). We didn’t need all the hoopla and we weren’t all heroes. We ran long to get away from everyone. Now these noobs have changed the whole dynamic and it sucks.
This is precisely what happened in all distance running in 1972. (1981 in the UK). It attracted the attention of the almightly $ in various forms, and there went the neighborhood.
The difference between the running boom then, and ultras, is two-fold:
1. Running has made millions of people healthier and happier (not really 'old-timers' but who cares). Ultras may make a clique happy, but I am not alone in believing that healthwise they are worse for you then moderate distances.
2. Ultra people, like race -walkers, are in the cheap seats of athletics . Of course, this is also true of distance runners, who are wannabee middle distance, who are often wannabee sprinters, who are really wannabee (insert major sport here). No-one does ultra's if they can get recognition elsewhere.
aksdlakjd wrote:
fat guy in a little coat wrote:
So many people that have started running them recently are doing it because it’s the new thing and they don’t want to experience FOMO. Those people have ruined the sport. It used to only attract a certain type of weirdo (including myself). We didn’t need all the hoopla and we weren’t all heroes. We ran long to get away from everyone. Now these noobs have changed the whole dynamic and it sucks.
This is precisely what happened in all distance running in 1972. (1981 in the UK). It attracted the attention of the almightly $ in various forms, and there went the neighborhood.
The difference between the running boom then, and ultras, is two-fold:
1. Running has made millions of people healthier and happier (not really 'old-timers' but who cares). Ultras may make a clique happy, but I am not alone in believing that healthwise they are worse for you then moderate distances.
2. Ultra people, like race -walkers, are in the cheap seats of athletics . Of course, this is also true of distance runners, who are wannabee middle distance, who are often wannabee sprinters, who are really wannabee (insert major sport here). No-one does ultra's if they can get recognition elsewhere.
Another difference is that there is actual money in distance running. There is still, for all intents and purposes, almost no money in ultrarunning despite it's "popularity".
probably the part where ultra runners think they are runners. they arent.
For a 100 miler, it is the last 99.5 miles. But for a 50 miler, it's the last 49.5. Anything more than 880 yds is too much for me.
fat guy in a little coat wrote:
So many people that have started running them recently are doing it because it’s the new thing and they don’t want to experience FOMO. Those people have ruined the sport. It used to only attract a certain type of weirdo (including myself). We didn’t need all the hoopla and we weren’t all heroes. We ran long to get away from everyone. Now these noobs have changed the whole dynamic and it sucks.
Honestly, the same can be said about road racing these days. Most races pander to the jogger, the person who “trains” for a 5/10k or half/full marathon but runs an incredibly slow time. Race entry fees are more than ever, but many races don’t offer prize money or shoes or whatever anymore. But you do get a t shirt (that goes straight to Goodwill) and a coupon for a free beer! I guess it’s all about how well people can posture for IG and other social media now. The days of true road racing, and now ultra running, are dying.
couldn't say it better. back in the old days we were embarrassed if we ran a full in more than 3 hours. now people are posting and bragging about "running" one in 4 or 5 hours or even worse. racing is dead in this country, it's all about participation trophies
