{"id":26328,"date":"2014-03-26T11:15:31","date_gmt":"2014-03-26T15:15:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=26328"},"modified":"2016-07-14T16:03:57","modified_gmt":"2016-07-14T20:03:57","slug":"ultrarunning-going-the-distance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/ultrarunning-going-the-distance\/","title":{"rendered":"Ultrarunning: Are We Meant to Go the Distance?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Ultrarunners\"
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you thought anyone who ever laced up for a marathon<\/a> was crazy, maybe you\u2019ve never heard of ultrarunning. These extreme athletes go even greater distances \u2014 running more miles in a single day than some of us can log in an entire month \u2014 and far beyond the 26.2-mile marker.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s \u2018crazy\u2019 is all relative,\u201d says Krissy Moehl<\/a>, an elite ultrarunner and two-time Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc<\/a> champion. \u201cIt depends who you\u2019re hanging around with to know what normal is anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

Back in her college days, Moehl, 36, was hanging around with the likes of Scott Jurek<\/a> and Scott McCoubrey<\/a>, her coworkers at the Seattle Running Company and two big-name ultrarunners. She ran in high school and college, but it wasn\u2019t until that crew took her out on the local trails of Cougar Mountain that she fell in love with going long \u2014 really, really long. Fourteen years later, Moehl has finished more than 100 ultras and is training for her first 220-mile run on the John Muir Trail in the Sierra Nevadas this summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople always ask me, \u2018Well, what are you running from?\u2019\u201d she says. \u201cBut I honestly feel like I\u2019m running toward answers. There aren\u2019t many issues in life that a long run can\u2019t solve and sometimes a run has to be a little longer than others.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0Just How Long Are We Talking?\u00a0<\/h3>\n
\n

\u201cAs humans, we\u2019re designed to explore. We love stories of people overcoming boundaries and obstacles in order to succeed…\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Ultrarunning is considered any distance longer than a standard 26.2-mile marathon<\/a>, though the \u201cshortest\u201d ultramarathon distance is generally 50K (31.07 miles). Most running is done on trails rather than road<\/a>, but typical ultraracing distances include the 50-mile, 100-mile and fixed-time events that challenge runners to see how far they can go for a specific period (12-hour, 24-hour or even multi-day).<\/p>\n

Whether you think it\u2019s crazy or not, the sport is growing. According to UltraRunning Magazine<\/i><\/a>, 69,573 people completed ultras in 2013. In 1980, there were just 2,890 finishers. And they\u2019re not just the young and foolish out there. More than 65 percent of participants are between the ages of 30 and 49. So why are more and more runners adding more and more miles?<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are always looking for new challenges and trying to push the envelope,\u201d says Dr. Brian Krabak<\/a>, a sports medicine physician at the University of Washington with expertise in endurance running events. \u201cAs humans, we\u2019re designed to explore. We love stories of people overcoming boundaries and obstacles in order to succeed and it\u2019s just another version of that story for a group of people who love running.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Krabak, 46, has completed more than 30 endurance events himself, from 36-hour adventure races to a 250-mile mountain bike race through the Rocky Mountains to a slew of Olympic and Ironman distance triathlons.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI have this dual hat as athlete and physician,\u201d he says. \u201cI understand what it means to stress myself to near exhaustion to cross a finish line. And that amazing, euphoric feeling is what motivates me to start looking at the sport from a more scientific perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n

Is Running That Much<\/i> Good for You?\u00a0<\/h3>\n

With the sport increasing in popularity, experts including Dr. Krabak say there\u2019s a real need for more medical knowledge. He admits we don\u2019t yet have all of the answers when it comes to ultrarunning\u2019s effects on the body. \u00a0<\/p>\n

A recent study published in PLOS ONE<\/i><\/a>, however, started to look at these very questions. The Ultrarunners Longitudinal TRAcking (ULTRA) Study surveyed 1,212 ultramarathon runners (including Moehl) about their health and exercise history. Researchers wanted to see if there were any potential health consequences associated with exercising \u201cbeyond the moderate amounts known to have health benefits.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Marty Hoffman<\/a>, chief of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the VA Northern California Health Care System, led the study and discovered the prevalence of most chronic conditions (cancers, heart disease and diabetes, among others) was actually lower in ultrarunners, when compared to the general population. The presence of asthma and allergies, however, was higher in ultrarunners \u2014 something that has been previously linked to traditional marathon runners<\/a> (and makes sense given the amount of time they spend outdoors).<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThe \u2018Deans\u2019 of the world have certain genes and aerobic capacity that allow them to run forever. But for the rest of us, we need to slowly adapt to that change over time…\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

More than half of the ultrarunners surveyed also reported an exercise-related injury in the past year (24 percent were knee issues; 5.5 percent were stress fractures). Interestingly, the majority of those sidelined were younger, less experienced runners. Dr. Hoffman, 57, a very experienced ultrarunner himself (the 2008 USATF Grand Masters National 100-mile Champion, in fact), says these pain points are not necessarily a cause for freak-out. The annual incidence of injuries in ultramarathon runners is very comparable to that of shorter distance runners, he says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dr. Krabak agrees, but reminds all runners \u201cthere is four to seven times your body weight on a joint when you land in running. So if you have had a significant injury and you want to start running longer distances, in all likelihood, that injury may progress more quickly.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

According to Dr. Hoffman, who is also the research director of the Western States Endurance Run<\/a> (the world’s oldest 100-mile trail run), the overall results of the ULTRA study aren\u2019t really that surprising \u2014 other than the wealth of media coverage<\/a> it attracted. Its findings were simply meant to set the baseline for future research, as the study is scheduled to continue for 20 years.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a healthy group of people already,\u201d says Dr. Krabak, of the runners surveyed. \u201cWhat we need to know is the longevity of all of this. The real interesting aspects will be when we can look at the effects over 10 years and see how and if they are different from a normal population.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Ultrarunning\"
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So, Can Anyone Become an Ultrarunner?<\/h3>\n

Both Dr. Hoffman and Dr. Krabak believe there aren\u2019t many major health or safety red flags when it comes to going the ultra distance. But is ultrarunning really for everybody?<\/p>\n

\u201cMost people with fairly reasonable biomechanics can get through an ultramarathon successfully if they set their mind to it and put in the proper training,\u201d says Dr. Hoffman. \u201cRunning is not that complicated. You just need to be able to put one foot in front of the other, and do that for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, we can\u2019t help but wonder if it\u2019s nature (some people like Moehl are just \u201cborn to run\u201d) or nurture (anyone with ambition can do it with the proper training) when it comes to ultrarunning success. Beyond the physical elements, these athletes actually want<\/i> to run this far \u2014 for fun. Moehl says ultrarunners aren\u2019t as masochistic or totally nuts as many outsiders might assume. But they are crazy-focused when it comes to their dedication, sacrifices and commitment to putting in the miles.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt takes a special mindset for sure,\u201d Moehl says. \u201cThis community shares an understanding of what it takes to be a runner even though we come to this sport from very different walks of life. We all \u2018get\u2019 how important it is to each of us to want to meet at a start line or trailhead to enjoy the miles.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Dr. Krabak agrees ultrarunning requires that special mind\/body balance, he jokes \u201cit\u2019s usually those who are genetically blessed that say it\u2019s 90 percent mental.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cSome people are just designed to jump higher and run faster and longer,\u201d he adds. \u201cThe \u2018Deans\u2019 of the world<\/a> have certain genes and aerobic capacity that allow them to run forever. But for the rest of us mere mortals, we need to slowly adapt to that change over time based on our bodies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Do You<\/i> Want to Go Long?<\/h3>\n
\n

\u201cThe athletes I see that have longevity in the sport are the ones who are not afraid to take a little bit of downtime \u2013 not only physically, but emotionally.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

How we prepare our bodies for ultrarunning, says Dr. Krabak, is with a smart approach to training and injury prevention.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour body is designed to adapt to stress,\u201d he says. \u201cSo if you want to lift more weight, you slowly increase how you train. Running is the same thing. If you want to run longer distances, you have to work up by stressing the system a little bit, in a very structured program.\u201d He recommends the 10 percent rule<\/a> \u2014 slowly increasing the time and distance you run by no more than 10 percent each week.<\/p>\n

Moehl\u2019s elite training emphasizes strength training<\/a>, stretching<\/a> and cross-training (she likes swimming and yoga) to stay injury-free. She also says nutrition \u2014 keeping a close eye on the balance of calories in vs. calories out \u2014 is crucial for staying strong when you\u2019re logging all those miles.<\/p>\n

Ultrarunners can also get in trouble, says Moehl, by not respecting the amount of rest and recovery their bodies need with such an increase in physical activity. She learned that lesson the hard way in the summer of 2012, when she ran three<\/i> 100-mile races in just nine weeks.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was all too close,\u201d she says. \u201cThe athletes I see that have longevity in the sport are the ones who are not afraid to take a little bit of downtime \u2013 not only physically, but emotionally.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

All of the experts we spoke to said it\u2019s important to listen to your body, no matter how many miles you run.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile there is a need to push through some serious training if you want to be competitive, it is still best to adjust your training if you feel an injury or illness coming on,\u201d says Dr. Hoffman. \u201cAnd learn from the old dogs, but also take what they say with some healthy skepticism.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018Why Do You Run?\u2019<\/h3>\n

When he first meets with running patients, Dr. Krabak always asks them, \u201cWhy do you run?\u201d Their answer usually tells him how serious or passionate they are about the sport and helps him determine the proper course of training or treatment.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to think for the right people, ultrarunning is just another activity that promotes health,\u201d he says. In his experience running, working ultramarathons as a physician around the world, and researching the sport, Krabak says ultrarunning is not actually that dangerous for a runner\u2019s physical and mental state, despite its intense nature.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople do relatively fine despite the \u2018craziness\u2019 of running really long distances,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

As the research on ultrarunning continues for the next two decades, Dr. Hoffman \u2014 who is setting his sights on something longer than a 100-miler soon \u2014 says people will continue to run and push the limit in the sport. That\u2019s good news for the strong, ever-growing tribe of ultrarunners \u2014 especially for Moehl as she prepares for that 220-mile journey along the John Muir Trail this summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going for a three-day, 20-hour record,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s got me nervous and excited and all those emotions that go along with it. And it will double my biggest run ever which is pretty, well\u2026 crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What does it really take to be an ultrarunner? And is running mega-distances even safe\u2026 let alone sane? Read on for the scoop on ultrarunning. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":26334,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,24,6],"tags":[104,144,103,110,108,341,357],"class_list":["post-26328","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cardio","category-exercise","category-fitness","tag-goals","tag-injury","tag-motivation","tag-race","tag-running","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2running"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26328","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26328"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26328\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26334"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26328"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26328"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26328"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}