This might seem like a dumb question coming from someone who has never run over 30 miles or so at once, but in order to complete the WS 100 in under 24 hours you have to average about 14 minute miles. Why exactly is that difficult to do? If you jogged a 9-10 minute mile and walked a 20 minute mile, alternating each mile, you would be able to do it. Doesn't strike me as all that challenging. Is it the elevation? That you can't run a 9-10 minute mile on much of the course because of the hills?
You´re on your feet moving for 24 hours.
A special needs runner like you should be able to run under 12 hours; which is only 7:12 pace per mile. That is hobbyjogging pace.
Hot
Hilly
Rooty
Rocky
You get sleepy.
100 miles is also a long way. It's like running a firecracker 4 mile 25 times in a row.
it's not that hard, almost any well conditioned male athlete could do it.
It is harder than you might imagine though because as you said it is very rocky and hilly and there are technical areas that are hard to run in the dark. I'm not sure if anyone can run the whole thin without stopping at least 5 or 6 times for food and such
You will have these problems during the race and you will need to overcome them.
Blisters
Clothing malfunctions - shoes sometimes fall apart - toes start to hurt
Severe chaffing
Dehydration
Must deal with weather changes
Heat during the day
Cold during the night
Snow, sleet and rain
Maintaining a balance between fluid and calorie intake that allows you to have enough energy to not get sick
You may not feel like eating then crash
Intestinal problems may keep you from holding food/fluid down or in
Legs get really sore
Feet get really sore
Entire body gets really tired
Hallucinations during the night
Stubbing your toes/feet on rocks
Tripping over roots
Watching the ground for 24 hours is mentally exhausting
The moment you look away from the trail while moving you will trip on something
Fatigue/injuries caused by falls compounds the items above
well put, a lot of things can go wrong no matter how talented you are, and when things get ugly you will have to dig deep to keep going. just look at the results every year on how many DNF, also many who can run in the 20-24 range if they have problems will finish in 28-30 hours. The thing is when you are done out there you are done, every year including this year you see runners drop at No Hands with less than 4 miles to go and they are running sub 24, so when you are cooked in the WS100 it is over, nothing like hitting the wall in a marathon where you shuffle in the last 4-5 miles, completely different feeling of the body here.
Are you allowed to have a support vehicle for this race. If so, I could probably crank out 6 flat miles the whole way. If not, I'd probably DNF at the half way point.
It seems hard because it's only pvssies who run it.
I'm sure Robert Young would have no problem with the WS 100. Being the phenomenal athlete he is....hahahaha
I'm actually building the very first atvrv so rob can attempt the first ever Western Quad next spring. Should be an exciting (and fast) 400 miles.
23k ft of downhill.
100 miler hard wrote:
This might seem like a dumb question coming from someone who has never run over 30 miles or so at once, but in order to complete the WS 100 in under 24 hours you have to average about 14 minute miles. Why exactly is that difficult to do? If you jogged a 9-10 minute mile and walked a 20 minute mile, alternating each mile, you would be able to do it. Doesn't strike me as all that challenging. Is it the elevation? That you can't run a 9-10 minute mile on much of the course because of the hills?
It's not. I finished in 19 hours a few years back. Grow a pair.
True and Mead buh bye good rid wrote:
100 miler hard wrote:This might seem like a dumb question coming from someone who has never run over 30 miles or so at once, but in order to complete the WS 100 in under 24 hours you have to average about 14 minute miles. Why exactly is that difficult to do? If you jogged a 9-10 minute mile and walked a 20 minute mile, alternating each mile, you would be able to do it. Doesn't strike me as all that challenging. Is it the elevation? That you can't run a 9-10 minute mile on much of the course because of the hills?
It's not. I finished in 19 hours a few years back. Grow a pair.
Alright, I will give it a shot. Thanks!