I expect that by 2032, the 100km trail ultramarathon will be an Olympic event

Jim will still win.

Before or after the 200km race walking ?

Jim Walmsley Superfan wrote:

Unfortunately Jim Walmsley will be 42 years old by then, but more talent in the event will come along.

Even if he’s too old then, he’ll always have his bronze medal from 2020 Tokyo

Abeneziel wrote:

Before or after the 200km race walking ?

Race walking is boring. As is the 100m run. Or 10000 on the track. Gimme a 100k trail ultra and I'm glued to the screen.

whatever i put here doesn't matter wrote:

Even if he’s too old then, he’ll always have his bronze medal from 2020 Tokyo

Can't believe that the fans of Jim are so pessimistic.

He will crush the Olympics with a new record. Not only a new Olympic Record, he will run a new World Record as well. sub 1:59.

whatever i put here matters wrote:

whatever i put here doesn't matter wrote:

Even if he’s too old then, he’ll always have his bronze medal from 2020 Tokyo

Can't believe that the fans of Jim are so pessimistic.

.

We're not pessimistic. We're just being realistic.

Obie wrote:

Abeneziel wrote:

Before or after the 200km race walking ?

Race walking is boring. As is the 100m run. Or 10000 on the track. Gimme a 100k trail ultra and I'm glued to the screen.

To watch it, I would need to be glued, or maybe chained, to the screen. Even if it became an Olmpic event, it would still be an event contested by mediocre marathon runners.

SDSU Aztec wrote:

Obie wrote:

Race walking is boring. As is the 100m run. Or 10000 on the track. Gimme a 100k trail ultra and I'm glued to the screen.

To watch it, I would need to be glued, or maybe chained, to the screen. Even if it became an Olmpic event, it would still be an event contested by mediocre marathon runners.

Guy in the 2:10 to 2:20 range are now considered mediocre? Ok...

Kid Mopper wrote:

SDSU Aztec wrote:

To watch it, I would need to be glued, or maybe chained, to the screen. Even if it became an Olmpic event, it would still be an event contested by mediocre marathon runners.

Guy in the 2:10 to 2:20 range are now considered mediocre? Ok...

OK. Maybe a Major Leaguer, but not an All-Star.

SDSU Aztec wrote:

Obie wrote:

Race walking is boring. As is the 100m run. Or 10000 on the track. Gimme a 100k trail ultra and I'm glued to the screen.

To watch it, I would need to be glued, or maybe chained, to the screen. Even if it became an Olmpic event, it would still be an event contested by mediocre marathon runners.

Still don't get it do you? Top marathoners may very well be extremely bad at a trail ultra and not even want to attempt. Two very different ballgames. You don't want the the top marathoners running a trail ultra championship, you want the top trail ultra runners. Comprende?

why would a top marathoner attempt some ultra thingy?

seriously, i don't see kipchoge and the likes running all day at a 100k race to get a 100$ voucher and some flowers.

Has anyone checked to see if he has a TUE for his thyroid?

no comprende? wrote:

SDSU Aztec wrote:

To watch it, I would need to be glued, or maybe chained, to the screen. Even if it became an Olmpic event, it would still be an event contested by mediocre marathon runners.

Still don't get it do you? Top marathoners may very well be extremely bad at a trail ultra and not even want to attempt. Two very different ballgames. You don't want the the top marathoners running a trail ultra championship, you want the top trail ultra runners. Comprende?

It's still likely that runners capable of winning the race would have zero interest in comoeting.

I don't know if the OP is serious, but the reality is there would be no revenue from ticket sales and no sponsors to pay for TV coverage. It will never be an Olympic event.

"competing"

I doubt there will ever be any trail racing event in the Olympics. If ultra running makes it into the Olympics it would more likely be a road race or something.

I think that you will see something like Spartan Race in the Olympics before an ultramarathon. It clicks many boxes for the IOC:

Truly international event without single continent domination

Combines the ancient Olympic ideals of endurance and strength

Appeals to fans that do obstacle races, CrossFit, HIIT workouts, and such

Is primarily a "running" event that will favor Caucasian athletes (and draw better TV ratings than an East African medal sweep in the 5,000 and 10,000 events on the track.)

If the French didn't opt to have it in 2024, and trailrunning is Huge in France, then I don't see it happening in the next decade.

trail dude wrote:

I doubt there will ever be any trail racing event in the Olympics. If ultra running makes it into the Olympics it would more likely be a road race or something.

From a viewer perspective a 100k road race is no different from a marathon - just a lot longer. I can't imagine it attracting more than a small number of hard core fans. I could see adding something with obstacles, river crossings, etc. I think that has more potential to create an event with story lines and a compelling narrative that wouldn't necessarily be dominated by East Africans.

Mtnrun wrote:

If the French didn't opt to have it in 2024, and trailrunning is Huge in France, then I don't see it happening in the next decade.

It takes a long time to get a new sport added to the Olympics. The host country is largely irrelevant, and cannot just add a sport on a whim because they happen to like it.