DDHScoach wrote:
Most runners are never going to accomplish anything at a high level.(Going pro,olympics) However if they start training to run ultras at a young age, they can get into pro ultra running, which is an easier field to break into than the marathon at a high level.
Anyways, I think it would be a good idea for some youngsters to focus on ultra running.
No way. Not very many ultra runners make a decent living at it, and all of the ones I've known who were any good at all were OBSESSED with running. You can't just BECOME obsessed. I trained as an ultra marathon runner for 2 years, and it was fun for a while, and this was before I had kids, but weeks and weeks of 100, 120, 140+ MPW gets old eventually. I think runners are drawn to ultramarathons. I don't think steering large amounts of runners in that direction would do any good at all. What if they ALL became ultra runners? Well, then it would likely be even harder to become a pro runner. The NUMBERS of runners who can make a living from running...traditional distances or ultra distances...isn't going to go up dramatically. Runners should run, and pick a distance they enjoy. If they can make a living doing it then fine. If not, then either do it for fun or find another distance they think they can do well in.