The biggest difference today is that a running shoe with foam has about 500km of running in them when the older models had about 2000km. And the shoes is about 2x more expensive today then in 2010.
Yup, the races as pretty expensive. And, gear. But, I love it all!! Especially the camaraderie during a race!! Everyone encouraging each other and making new friends. I just love the sport!!!
I’ve never done an Ultra Marathon. I see a lot of what looks to be low intensity hiking, walking and some jogging. It does look like fun. I’ve done 22 road marathons and when I stop running, I’m going to try one of these events!
People who gatekeep sports can bugger right off. The fact that trail and ultrarunning have become more popular is fantastic. The fact that more 'amateurs' have entered the sport and run races to test their limits (however low those limits may be) is also great. The more experienced runners can take their tut-tutting to the trash heap of history. All the other points you made are spot-on (especially the over-commercialization).
I think my problem with many amateurs coming into the field, and I am one myself just not the type I’m referring to, is the way they talk about it. Like it is just some easy peasy feasting session. Trail running is hard, it is not some lolly gag through the woods. The allure is that it is challenging, even at a reduced pace (compared to road). So when you have all these people, yes who can do what they want, making it kind of seem like ultras and trail running is kind of a joke. As an excuse to gorge on food and be slow, “cause they’re a trail runner…”. I find that frustrating. I can’t stop anyone. Just my thoughts on the subject.
@@benjaminbloedorn2922 It begs the question. Where do you derive your enjoyment from in trail running? If it's the personal challenge then the opinions of others shouldn't matter. If it's because you feel a sense of being better than others then - yes - their meage efforts and downplaying of the 'sport' might be jarring. But I'd suggest that this might be an area where looking inward may be more productive. Let's put it this way. There are plenty of sports where amateurs see it as a fun/recreational and social activity while aspiring semi-pros view it as a personal existential struggle towards a better self. Both are valid. But - and this is the most important part - neither is more valid than the other so long as they both bring a sense of joy and personal fulfillment. So long as you're deriving joy and a sense of achievement out of the sport, then the opinions and attitudes of others shouldn't matter.
As far as trail conditions, the worst I have ever seen was during the Spartan race I did last August. Thousands of participants over the weekend running the same trails. Even though the area was technically in a drought, there were still wide areas with foot lengths wide and inches deep of mud. I fell in one spot up to my knee and almost lost my shoe. It was still a lot of fun though.
I think Born to Run really was a big launching point. My favorite race was a 50km in 2011 I think. It was a local event with about 50 people. One aid station was just some gallon jugs of water at a trail head (haha, yeah we brought everything we needed with us). I worked with a group of 3 strangers that became good friends by the end. We all chatted and ran along the mountain trails for the day. You just don't see that very often anymore. Half the people have head phones. On the trails?! How are you even aware of what is going on?
In the mid eighties when I ran jfk for the first time the cost was $5 the last time I looked it has increased to $300 That I think is more than inflation
Stop filming. Each event has more and more people filming themselves running. We are supposed to be out there with nature. Leave your technology in the car
Honolulu Marathon used to cost 27 dollars for early local registration now you can't get it any lower than 150 dollars for the same early local registration. The 1 mile race is 65 dollars and 10k is 65 to 80 dollars pre registration. Late registration for the marathon is anywhere from 200 to 500 dollars. It's more than just inflation, it's greed. It's made me decrease to one to three races max a year, even take a few years off from too many people of 25,000 to 35,000 people in the Great Aloha Run and Honolulu Marathon. They also give less food at the end of the races and self filling water stations. A lot of people are overestimating their ability especially in hot and humid weather causing them to have heat stroke and heat exhaustion at races needing medical attention and ice baths.
I've run for 30 years. Trails, roads, mountains, beaches. I've entered maybe 5 races. It's been a beautiful journey. Just enjoy the freedom of running fall to the pressure of performance.
UTMB/IronMan taking over some events has turned them into commercial functions and taken away a lot of the feel of the event. Particularly the required sponsors, for example Naak which you can't easily get here in NZ, tastes terrible and no-one wants to use it on event, so you get situations where an aid station ran out of water due to 90% of participants carrying their own powder instead of using aid station electrolytes.
Race fees: I don't have any special insight into what it costs to properly host a race, but I imagine there must be some pretty hefty and increasing insurance costs, participation waivers or not.
I do not like the argument about shoes giving people 'unfair' advantage. Are we forgetting that we all benefit from every gear, socks, pants, wind/rain jackets have been improving over the years. Also why would anyone complaint about beginners entering the sport. We all have to start somewhere.
Living and racing in CO, I can tell you that it's upper class people getting into the sport by a good margin. Like everything else this crowd touches, it becomes ultra phony and competitive in a toxic way.
I do think that participants should do a better job on the environmental aspects of the races. I participated in a marathon that was along the Kangamangus trail in NH and being a back of the pack person ,it was disheartening seeing all the trash that the runners had left in the roadway. I'm like hello this is a national part area it should be pack in, pack out and there's really no excuse to the trash there were plenty of aid stations every couple of miles that participants could use trash reseptciles.
Just go out and run trails and be one of the "fringe" of old and don't buy into the hype that you need to race to be a "trail runner". Why create extra stress and added expense in your life that being a "racer" brings with it. The whole idea of being out on the trails is to get away from things that's the purity of it as far as I'm concerned. But then that's one man's opinion isn't it!
I agree. Today I went out on a 16 mile loop trail run in the mountains near me. It was just me and I only saw two groups of mountain bikers, no hikers or runners. A blissful day mostly just listening to my own foot strides on the trail.
@@davidambrose3525 My best and most memorable runs were always running with my faithful 4 legged trail buddies for the day, rain, snow or shine, they were always 'ruff' and ready. lol.
Good point. Especially about big corrosive companies buying up events. I won't run for Iron Man corporation. Just won't. That said I have a great local ultra, the Tussey Mountainback, with a free series of runs through the winter and spring from 10k to half marathon, that raises money for a local charity each year. They do it right.
I do think some racs can get a bit greedy and have way too many runners signed up. My husband and I enjoy watching TH-cam videos of races and there's been some where there are so many runners that people are stuck atanding for lengths of time just waiting because a trail is so congested and blocked up.
The biggest difference today is that a running shoe with foam has about 500km of running in them when the older models had about 2000km. And the shoes is about 2x more expensive today then in 2010.
Yup, the races as pretty expensive. And, gear. But, I love it all!! Especially the camaraderie during a race!! Everyone encouraging each other and making new friends. I just love the sport!!!
Same!!
I’ve never done an Ultra Marathon. I see a lot of what looks to be low intensity hiking, walking and some jogging. It does look like fun. I’ve done 22 road marathons and when I stop running, I’m going to try one of these events!
You won’t regret it!
People who gatekeep sports can bugger right off. The fact that trail and ultrarunning have become more popular is fantastic. The fact that more 'amateurs' have entered the sport and run races to test their limits (however low those limits may be) is also great. The more experienced runners can take their tut-tutting to the trash heap of history. All the other points you made are spot-on (especially the over-commercialization).
Agreed!💪🏼💪🏼
I think my problem with many amateurs coming into the field, and I am one myself just not the type I’m referring to, is the way they talk about it. Like it is just some easy peasy feasting session. Trail running is hard, it is not some lolly gag through the woods. The allure is that it is challenging, even at a reduced pace (compared to road). So when you have all these people, yes who can do what they want, making it kind of seem like ultras and trail running is kind of a joke. As an excuse to gorge on food and be slow, “cause they’re a trail runner…”. I find that frustrating. I can’t stop anyone. Just my thoughts on the subject.
@@benjaminbloedorn2922 It begs the question. Where do you derive your enjoyment from in trail running? If it's the personal challenge then the opinions of others shouldn't matter. If it's because you feel a sense of being better than others then - yes - their meage efforts and downplaying of the 'sport' might be jarring. But I'd suggest that this might be an area where looking inward may be more productive.
Let's put it this way. There are plenty of sports where amateurs see it as a fun/recreational and social activity while aspiring semi-pros view it as a personal existential struggle towards a better self. Both are valid. But - and this is the most important part - neither is more valid than the other so long as they both bring a sense of joy and personal fulfillment.
So long as you're deriving joy and a sense of achievement out of the sport, then the opinions and attitudes of others shouldn't matter.
As far as trail conditions, the worst I have ever seen was during the Spartan race I did last August. Thousands of participants over the weekend running the same trails. Even though the area was technically in a drought, there were still wide areas with foot lengths wide and inches deep of mud. I fell in one spot up to my knee and almost lost my shoe. It was still a lot of fun though.
Holy smoke…mud is no fun…well for a little while it is.😂
@@motivationtheoryrunning I thought I was going around it but then went right through it.
Spartan’s business model requires headcount.
I think Born to Run really was a big launching point. My favorite race was a 50km in 2011 I think. It was a local event with about 50 people. One aid station was just some gallon jugs of water at a trail head (haha, yeah we brought everything we needed with us). I worked with a group of 3 strangers that became good friends by the end. We all chatted and ran along the mountain trails for the day. You just don't see that very often anymore. Half the people have head phones. On the trails?! How are you even aware of what is going on?
Born to Run was my origin story… just before and right after it I really picked ultras up
In the mid eighties when I ran jfk for the first time the cost was $5 the last time I looked it has increased to $300
That I think is more than inflation
Agree..
Stop filming. Each event has more and more people filming themselves running. We are supposed to be out there with nature. Leave your technology in the car
I disagree… but after doing it for 10 years, I’m very constrained now where I bring my camera and what I’m filming.
If you don’t like it stay home. Some of us want to remember the beautiful races we have done.
The cost inflation is happening in both trail and road running. I remember when the Marine Corps Marathon was $80 and now it's almost $300.
Same with the JFK 50
re: MCM, it's the cost of the Virtual option which is really nuts.
@ I have run the MCM 9 times…and have seen it increase in cost significantly…the virtual is nuts also
Honolulu Marathon used to cost 27 dollars for early local registration now you can't get it any lower than 150 dollars for the same early local registration. The 1 mile race is 65 dollars and 10k is 65 to 80 dollars pre registration. Late registration for the marathon is anywhere from 200 to 500 dollars. It's more than just inflation, it's greed.
It's made me decrease to one to three races max a year, even take a few years off from too many people of 25,000 to 35,000 people in the Great Aloha Run and Honolulu Marathon. They also give less food at the end of the races and self filling water stations. A lot of people are overestimating their ability especially in hot and humid weather causing them to have heat stroke and heat exhaustion at races needing medical attention and ice baths.
I have heard many similar stories as this!
I've run for 30 years. Trails, roads, mountains, beaches. I've entered maybe 5 races. It's been a beautiful journey. Just enjoy the freedom of running fall to the pressure of performance.
Outstanding!! Congratulations on such a long career of running!💪🏼
Great the sport is growing. The problem is all those people.
UTMB/IronMan taking over some events has turned them into commercial functions and taken away a lot of the feel of the event. Particularly the required sponsors, for example Naak which you can't easily get here in NZ, tastes terrible and no-one wants to use it on event, so you get situations where an aid station ran out of water due to 90% of participants carrying their own powder instead of using aid station electrolytes.
Yeah that is crazy!!
Race fees: I don't have any special insight into what it costs to properly host a race, but I imagine there must be some pretty hefty and increasing insurance costs, participation waivers or not.
It's nuts. I honestly can't afford to do more than 3 races a year, even in my local area.
Agree, the prices are going nuts
I do not like the argument about shoes giving people 'unfair' advantage.
Are we forgetting that we all benefit from every gear, socks, pants, wind/rain jackets have been improving over the years.
Also why would anyone complaint about beginners entering the sport. We all have to start somewhere.
People will always find something to complain about…
Living and racing in CO, I can tell you that it's upper class people getting into the sport by a good margin. Like everything else this crowd touches, it becomes ultra phony and competitive in a toxic way.
I do think that participants should do a better job on the environmental aspects of the races. I participated in a marathon that was along the Kangamangus trail in NH and being a back of the pack person ,it was disheartening seeing all the trash that the runners had left in the roadway. I'm like hello this is a national part area it should be pack in, pack out and there's really no excuse to the trash there were plenty of aid stations every couple of miles that participants could use trash reseptciles.
Completely agree!!! Makes me angry
Just go out and run trails and be one of the "fringe" of old and don't buy into the hype that you need to race to be a "trail runner". Why create extra stress and added expense in your life that being a "racer" brings with it. The whole idea of being out on the trails is to get away from things that's the purity of it as far as I'm concerned. But then that's one man's opinion isn't it!
Couldn’t agree more. Trail running should be about finding a connection with nature and yourself, not just about racing.
I agree. Today I went out on a 16 mile loop trail run in the mountains near me. It was just me and I only saw two groups of mountain bikers, no hikers or runners. A blissful day mostly just listening to my own foot strides on the trail.
@@davidambrose3525 My best and most memorable runs were always running with my faithful 4 legged trail buddies for the day, rain, snow or shine, they were always 'ruff' and ready. lol.
exactly
I haven’t run one however saw it coming it’s a beautiful thing that will all I believe
I’m a trail runner in my area and that’s it
You’re right though
Good point. Especially about big corrosive companies buying up events. I won't run for Iron Man corporation. Just won't. That said I have a great local ultra, the Tussey Mountainback, with a free series of runs through the winter and spring from 10k to half marathon, that raises money for a local charity each year. They do it right.
Love good local ultras!! The home grown feel and spirit 💪🏼💪🏼
I do think some racs can get a bit greedy and have way too many runners signed up. My husband and I enjoy watching TH-cam videos of races and there's been some where there are so many runners that people are stuck atanding for lengths of time just waiting because a trail is so congested and blocked up.
The conga line in some races can get a little irritating, but honestly it probably helps many not go out to fast😂😂