Ultra World is Dying: IAU Cancels both 50K/100K Races in 2017

Good, now maybe all these bloggers will go back to running real races and not taking m&m breaks at mile 10.

real competition wrote:

Good, now maybe all these bloggers will go back to running real races and not taking m&m breaks at mile 10.

This is an amazing post, I just have never been able to articulate it that succinctly.

Bless their little hearts. You don't need to consume (100) calories of GU-pack every (20) minutes after (20) miles have been completed. You don't need to stop at an aid station 6 miles into the run. You're supposed to bonk. Just suffer to the finish line.

Free 50k advice? Be a fast marathoner. Do hilly 31 mile long runs. Eat a lot.

The racers do race, the fun runners do have fun and the butt-hurt-message-board trolls troll. Same as every other race distance.

real competition wrote:

Good, now maybe all these bloggers will go back to running real races and not taking m&m breaks at mile 10.

Could the cancellation be due to any new banned drug added to the list?

Their logo looks like a pill!

LOL. Anyone who thinks the "Ultra World is Dying" is an idiot. There are double the races there were 5 years ago and even tiny races have 200 to 300 entrants now. Many of the ultras in my area have prize/CR money.

Every triathlete I know is making the switch to ultras. And most of the marathoners I know want to at least "dabble in" ultras.

kjhg wrote:

Absolutely zero interest from any host federations.

Actually, there is significant interest, just the IAU policies are too archaic in regards to what the host federations need to provide as a host nation (they even require specific flowers to be provided, sh!t like that). They need to go back to just joining a big race, but it's all about money, money, money like the IAAF.

http://www.iau-ultramarathon.org/

Finally some good news in 2017.

They finally realized their "World Championships" had only slow and inflexible ULTRAMARATHON Runners.

They did not ever have any "real" runners win their World Championships so they made a smart move and STOPPED their stupid WC that no one cared about anyway.

The next smart move is for the IAU and AAU to CANCEL ALL ULTRA RACES FOREVER…STARTING TODAY.

Thanks.

I feel better already.

10/10 IAU

flkg wrote:

Could the cancellation be due to any new banned drug added to the list?

I've never ran any ultras but I had the impression that there were less PEDs in ultras than in the regular T and F distance races.

Not dying, far from it, ultras are where marathons were in the late '90's. They are where are all the soccer moms and newbies are flocking to.

They are easier to train for, and due to the distance it really is the type of event where "everyone's a winner" just for finishing.

I'm just waiting for the day when Competitor swoops in and buys up a buncha races.

run2death wrote:

LOL. Anyone who thinks the "Ultra World is Dying" is an idiot. There are double the races there were 5 years ago and even tiny races have 200 to 300 entrants now. Many of the ultras in my area have prize/CR money.

Every triathlete I know is making the switch to ultras. And most of the marathoners I know want to at least "dabble in" ultras.

Triathletes would have to be fools to switch to ultras. The beauty of triathlon training is you are not over stressing any one part of your body, whereas ultras are hell on your joints. Marathoners are already doing ultras. Ultras were invented by slow people that want to feel like they are good at something.

Except that most people involved in sport now know that 14 hours is not a good time for an ironman, and they're not super-impressed because they've seen how many fatties have finished one.

On the other hand, nobody knows whether or not 14 hours is a good time or not for 50 mile ultra, or even a 50k ultra. Especially when you can say "it had A LOT of elevation gain" to anyone who appears to think that you're slow.

Did anyone actually read the article? At least for 50K it simply says that Worlds will not be held in Doha this year and they are in discussion with china to host for 2017. This has to do with budget issues in Doha, not IAU.

run2death wrote:

LOL. Anyone who thinks the "Ultra World is Dying" is an idiot. There are double the races there were 5 years ago and even tiny races have 200 to 300 entrants now. Many of the ultras in my area have prize/CR money.

Every triathlete I know is making the switch to ultras. And most of the marathoners I know want to at least "dabble in" ultras.

I volunteered @ Run Rabbit Run in Steamboat Springs 2016 & 2015. Fun event for sure and big purse for both M & F. While there were serious athletes competing, there was no "running" in the sense of actual running. Carnage and toil, weather and elevation, but no running or even jogging. More like extreme hiking.

The women's purse was supposed to be equal to men's but the times were so slow, they pulled the prize money for W because there was a performance standard and no one came close.

Ultras are a fun event, like 24 hour racing, but don't confuse athleticism for toughness.

Only the lucky few who can remain uninjured could make a viable living being a "pro" ultra runner. ---And none of them would actually make it as a pro in standard events. Max King included.

Makes for good reading in Outside Magazine.

Utah alone has 30 ultras scheduled for this year.

Weird observation but I have noticed that most people I know who focus on 5Ks run 60-100 mpw. The marathoners I know run 35-50. The Ultra runners I know run less than 40.

Utah Girl Chronicles wrote:

Utah alone has 30 ultras scheduled for this year.

AZ probably has about 40 at this point. Aravaipa puts on about 20 races just in the PHX area alone. Then add the Flag/Mogollon Rim and Tucson races...

NotanUltraGuy wrote:

Not dying, far from it, ultras are where marathons were in the late '90's. They are where are all the soccer moms and newbies are flocking to.

They are easier to train for, and due to the distance it really is the type of event where "everyone's a winner" just for finishing.

I'm just waiting for the day when Competitor swoops in and buys up a buncha races.

I can't wait for the day FloTrack swoops in and charges $150.00 to watch a 100 mile Ultra Hike Race LIVE WITH THEIR ANNOUNCERS for 24 HOURS!!!

= MY DREAM FINALLY COMES TRUE.

Sounds worse than watching golf.