Written by: Matt Betten
In 1923, George Leigh Mallory was asked why he was so intent on climbing Mount Everest. His reply is now famous – “Because it is there.” I’ve found this really speaks to most ultrarunners. Whether you’re running 100 milers in the mountains of Colorado or you’re running as many 2 mile loops in Vermont as you can in 6 hours, you’re challenging yourself in one of the most direct and personal ways possible. So if you’ve ever thought about whether you could run (and let’s be honest, run, hike, walk, crawl) an ultra let me tell you why I think you should take the leap. And if you’ve always thought to yourself, “a marathon|half-marathon|10k is enough for me!”, just hear me out. You might just become ultra-curious.
In half marathon training, you often hit at least a 10 mile training run. In marathon training, usually something in the low twenties. For most 50 miler training plans, you max out around 25-30 miles. For a 100 miler, still your longest run in training tends to be a 50k (31 miles). Thus the allure of the ultra distances is showing up to the starting line not sure if you can really do it. And while that might be intimidating, it can also be incredibly empowering. Ultras aren’t about your pace or goal times, they’re about taking the next step. “Forward is a pace.”
You’ve heard of the ‘wall’ in marathons. Welcome to the rollercoaster. You’ll experience multiple highs and multiple lows. You will learn a lot about yourself in how you handle the lows. And spoiler alert, they won’t all go your way – take it from someone who has DNF’d four ultras already. But when you do convince yourself to keep going, when you find that next level of resolve, you’ll be changed. Not just in your running, but in how you think about yourself. That’s the experience ultrarunners struggle to explain to others. How out on the trail or road, further into a race than they’ve ever been or feeling worse than they ever have, what they said to themselves to take that next step. It’s something you’ll quietly reflect on and utilize for years to come.
The race director of the mysterious Barkley Marathons, notoriously the toughest ultramarathon in the United States, said it well, “Knowing your limits in this race is easy, it’s right there where you quit.” But let me tell you, as someone who has subsequently gone back and finished each of those races I’ve DNF’d, eventually taking the step past where I’d once quit is where I’ve grown the most as a runner and a competitor.
Take the leap. See where your limit is. Then go back for more. You’ll be shocked how far you can push yourself and how much you can learn about yourself.
