Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Going the distance — and then some (Chronicle Herald)

Journalist Amy Wang wrote a nice story about ultrarunning for Canada's Chronicle Herald, showing that ultra finishes are up 20% in the last year. There are some good quotes worth reading (read it here):
Compared with the emotions involved in running a traditional marathon, Thomas Wong says, in which one feels a predictable cycle of pain and elation over the course of a few hours, a zen-like "nothing" overtakes his mind during an ultra. "Hope," he says, is the only "driving force."
"It’s kind of like a long walk in the woods," says Bodington, "except you’re running and you’re focused and you’re with a group of like-minded people"—and many are put on by volunteers. There are minimal crowds and no schwag bags. More often than not, trees outnumber bystanders. For its devotees, the ultra is a refreshing return to the basics.
Good stuff!

- SD

5 comments:

  1. Your 2009 schedule is super-human! You are running a 50 K on Saturday and Boston on Monday?!!! Awesome. See you at Boston!

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  2. Those are great quotes! Good luck this weekend!

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  3. Love the blog-- check out mine if you can-- also--how do you get your site noticed???

    Thanks in advance

    http://patricktaneyrunning.blogspot.com/

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  4. Figures that the Canadians have to give such well-thought-out, reasonable coverage to ultras. They should send the states a memo!
    Have fun this weekend!

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