What is the most prestigious/most competitive ultramarathons in the world to win: Comrades and UTMB. WS in the US. It may not be the most competitive at the top but it’s the most prestigious. It’s the Boston of ultrarunning in terms of prestige and tradition.
Who is the GOAT of ultra running?
Female – Trason. She dominated at all distances 100 miles or less and on all types of terrain. Her 2 Comrades wins were course records and still among the fastest all-time. 14 WS wins, 100k WR, Leadville record holder, etc. BTW, her 100k and Comrades times are still faster than Camille’s.
Male – this is tougher. Kouros’s accomplishments speak for themselves, and no one has come close to his 24 hour and Spartathlon records. On the other hand, how do you compare Yiannis to Kilian? They are completely different athletes.
Looking back on it, I think Jurek’s career is under-appreciated. He won on courses as diverse as Hardrock, Spartathlon, and Badwater. And of course there are the 7 straight WS titles. He may not have the talent or speed of some of the younger runners like Walmsley but his body of work is still impressive. I think of him as the bridge between the old-time sport of ultrarunning and the sport today. He did bring focus and discipline to his training and did a lot to popularize the sport.
What is your favorite ultra? What is the most beautiful ultra? For me, probably Hardrock. Yes there are issues with the entry process, but the course itself and scenery is spectacular. But now that I’m in my 60s, given the entry process and difficulty of the course it won’t happen.