Ultra Defined
Killian wins Hardrock 100 after dislocating his shoulder at mile 13…That’s ULTRA
There are a lot of runners who only consider Ultra to mean a race which surpasses the marathon distance. As someone who has many runs over 26.2 miles, I will share what Ultra means in my mind (hint: it’s not >26.2 miles). Before you actually complete a race/run over 26.2 miles I think there is a certain aura about that magical “Ultra” distance and it feels almost sacrilegious to think otherwise. Maybe it’s a good thing for those that haven’t crossed the 26.2 barrier yet to think that way as a form of motivation for seeking to run further. I think that once you can officially call yourself an ultrarunner it gives you a sort of artistic license to see Ultra in things other than >26.2.
Here is the Merriam-Webster definition of ultramarathon - a footrace longer than a marathon. This is about the least exciting definition to something that many of us dedicate our lives in pursuit of. I would venture to guess that neither Merriam nor Webster has dared to venture into the realm of Ultra. If I could change that definition it would look something like; ultramarathon - a footrace in which the participants must push their physical, emotional, and psychological limits beyond that which most consider possible. An ultimate test of endurance for both the mind and body. The pinnacle of human achievement in endurance running. As you can see, there is no mention of actual distance in my definition. I think that everyone would agree who has reached the point that I describe in my definition that the traditional definition is missing quite a bit.
Mindset
I believe that Ultra is much more about mindset than distance. I have run several 50K races that according to my own definition would not be considered ultramarathons. If you are well prepared and maybe racing a 50K as a warmup for a year of tough 100Ks and 100 milers then those 31 miles are merely for training and nothing close to the point which my definition describes. An Ultra needs to be hard…very hard. In my mind, it needs to take you to a place where your mind is telling you that you have to stop. The very possibility that you may not make it through to the finish is a prerequisite in my book. These are the times when you truly learn something about yourself. Ultrarunning is something that elicits a deep introspection as to who you are as a person. Do you quit when things get tough or do you continue to fight no matter what happens…that’s Ultra. If you go into a race (regardless of distance) with the mindset that it’s going to be an easy day and you are never really challenged along the way, that’s not ultrarunning. It might be running for a really long time and for a really long distance, but according to my definition it’s not Ultra.
Ugly sprained ankle during Mines of Spain 100
An interesting thing has happened to me over the years of running ultramarathons. If you truly run Ultras (according to my definition) your idea of what is difficult will change. In a true Ultra there will come a time when you think that going one step further is an impossibility. You somehow manage to muster the will or courage or guts to push through and sometimes continue on for another 10 or 20 or 75 miles. The last Ultra that I ran was the Mines of Spain 100. Around mile 25 I rolled my ankle pretty severely. So severely that most people would have called it quits right then and there. I recognized this as an opportunity to reach that point which would truly make this race an Ultra for me. I hobbled to the next aid station and taped up the ankle and proceeded for the next 75 miles to the finish. When you can push yourself past physical pain and mental anguish, other things suddenly become much more achievable. There are millions of people who train hard just to be able to make it to the finish of a 10K. For many of those people running a marathon is unfathomable. This is because they never REALLY pushed themselves to understand what is possible and what is not. Even in an untrained state (after months without running) I know that I could go out and run a 50K and finish. I know that because I understand what pushing past physical pain and mental anguish really feels like. I know that no matter how bad of shape I’m in, a 50K will never be as bad as 75 miles on a busted ankle.
Distance Is Just A Number
There’s really nothing magical about 26.2 miles. Before I ran my first marathon it seemed like some juggernaut that couldn’t be conquered. When I finished my first marathon I thought it was impossibly difficult and was something that I couldn’t fathom going any further. As an ultrarunner it quickly becomes evident that there’s nothing magical about distances. Managing effort is far more important than distance traveled. I have run 50Ks, 50 Milers, and 100Ks that I was never really challenged and therefore wouldn’t REALLY consider an Ultra. I’ve never met a 100 miler that I can say the same. But, I’ve also completed some runs that were less than 26.2 miles but would consider Ultra based on my definition.
The first example is Pikes Peak. The ascent up the Barr Trail is only about 13 miles (half-marathon) but my experience definitely put the Pikes Peak ascent in the Ultra category. I come from the Midwest so there is neither the opportunity to train for Elevation nor Elevation Gain, both of which Pikes Peak has in spades. The entire run is up an average grade of about 11%. Factor in that you start at almost 7,000’ of elevation and climb to over 14,000’ and you’ve got a recipe for a sub 26 mile Ultra. There were times, especially above 12,000’, that I was seriously questioning my ability to keep moving forward. When I mentioned before that managing effort is key, this is a great example of that. When I got above 12,000’ I could only walk about 1/4 mile before having to stop and let my heart rate regulate. There were periods of dizziness and extreme cold at the peak. It was an Ultra experience that I will not soon forget.
Another example of a sub-marathon Ultra is the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim. This trail is roughly 24 miles long but will push you to your limits. I started at the South Rim and took the South Kaibab Trail 4,500’ down to Phantom Ranch on the canyon floor in just over an hour. Temperatures at the rim of the canyon were right at freezing (32F) but by the time I reached the bottom it was well into the 80’s. The extremely dry and hot air made it difficult to stay hydrated. As I began the arduous 6000’ climb out of the canyon on the North Kaibab Trail I remember thinking to myself, “WOW! I can fully understand how people can die out here!” It’s an extreme environment with extreme conditions. Tack on the 6000’ of climbing to get to the North Rim and you have yourself an Ultra experience.
Push Beyond
There are some people who may feel some sort of odd comfort knowing that perhaps they don’t have to necessarily cover a certain geographic distance to be considered an ultrarunner (at least in my eyes). What I think, though, is that simply putting a distance to the term Ultra is selling it way too short. Ultra is about pushing beyond your physical and mental thresholds to a new realization of what is possible in this life. It is about pushing beyond that point which most others would have thrown in the towel long before. If you are interested in ultrarunning for external accolades or as an ego boost to show that you’ve done difficult then you are barking up the wrong tree. Those are the people who quit when things start to get tough and certainly never push beyond when things get REALLY tough. Ultra is reserved for those who seek an internal journey of exploration. Ultra can’t be about belt buckles or bragging to your friends. Ultra is about finding your own limits and seeing how you handle extreme adversity. In a world where comfort has become all-encompassing in our lives, do you choose to suffer so that you are a better person on the other side?