What is the more ultimate test of endurance: Ironman or a 100 mile ultramarathon run?
I used to consider Ironman as the more ultimate test but lately I have been leaning towards ultramarathons as tougher. Anyone who has done both, please share your opinions. Of course, in the end, it really doesn’t matter, it is whatever you find more enjoyable, right?
I thought the 50K trail race I did was harder than most IM races I’ve done!
I have done 3 Ironmans and paced a buddy for a 100 miler last year through the Angeles forest in California. I only ran the last 30 miles with him through the mountains at night with a headlamp, but just the last 30 miles was harder than any Ironman I’ve done. It’s dark, no one cheering, no aid stations every mile, -thinking about how I’m going to have to sacrifice him to the mountain lions since he’s weaker if need be. You are also going for 24 hours nonstop rather than say 14 hours. Plus , look at some of the people who can complete and Ironman-- do you actually think they could even walk 100 miles? They are 2 different animals but I definately think you need more endurance to go 100 miles rather than 140.6-- 112 of which is on a bike.
Ah - not even close. Perhaps a 50K or 50 miler could be about “equal” to an Ironman (assuming you RACE the Ironman and not shuffle/walk). But any 100 miler is much tougher than an IM - and most people in them DO walk the hills, breaks, etc. even the under 24 hour finishers.
I’ve heard that an IM is roughly equal to a 100k. I did my first IM back in April in 12:53 and couldnt imagine comparing that to a 100m race. Ive got out to Western States the last 3 years and paced and that race is pretty hard. Overall I’d say a 100m is a lot harder in terms of difficulty to finish, however I dont think all 100m finishers could do an IM.
Just curious as to where my fellow athletes here think the 600k Brevet rides and stuff like RAAM or RAGBRAI fall in comparison to IM and ultramarathon…??? Just curious.
RAGBRAI??? isn’t really an endurance challenge (except for your liver).
a 600k brevet is really hard, you don’t have the pounding on the joints, but the crotch, hands and feet really get hurt, the neck also. I have a friend that did RAAM and he told me that his hands tingled for six months after the race. I think that ultra cycling is much harder than Ironman or ultra marathons simply because of the time involved. A 100 mile run may take 30 hours, RAAM takes like 200+ hours and PBP or BMB can easily take 80-90 hours.
I don’t think IM even comes CLOSE to a 100 mile ultra. We were up in Leadville last weekend for the Leadville Trail 100 and the whole thing made IM seem SO TAME. Only ONE THIRD of the people who started finished, and I didn’t get the feeling that it was for lack of training. Many pulled out before even half way. We were out at the Fish Hatchery aid station (circa mile 75) - it was dark (and keep in mind that this race starts at 4 a.m.) and these people still had an entire freakin’ marathon to go!!! Earlier in the day, as most folks were heading up Hope Pass, it stormed - thunder, lightning, the whole shebang. Sure it can storm at IM, but you can also find shelter pretty damn easily and if you need to get off the course you can do that quickly too. When you’re running up trails or on crappy on dirt roads above tree line, the threat is very much more real. I wouldn’t have wanted to be going up there in that weather. The other thing that kind of struck me about Leadville vs. IM is the difference in medical help available. At IM you can have an ambulance at your side pretty much within minutes anywhere on the course … at Leadville not so much.
I realize Leadville is probably not your average ultra, but I can’t imagine ANY 100 being easier than ANY IM.
Personally I think a marathon is almost as hard as an IM. The IM was a lot less pounding on my joints and a lot more enjoyable.
42 Ultras including 3 100 milers 3 100km’s and a dozen 50 milers, 60 standard Marathons and 11 IM’s over a 30+ year time span.
It’s a different sport for starters. It is a tough comparison frankly. If you mean which event is harder on you mentally or physically that is one thing. If you mean which event is more difficult to train for that’s another. If you mean which event is more competitve that is yet another.
IMHO IM racing is every bit as tough as a 100km road race, RACED. Key here is raced. 100 milers are another thing entirely. Few people are in a position to actually race this distance. For most it’s survival. As such, it could equate to a 15-17 hour IM finish depending on the athlete. But, here again, we’re trying to compare to rather different beasts.
100 milers and all Ultras are in some ways easier to train for because you are only concerned with one movement pattern. IM’s get very difficult to train for for those who are attempting to maximize their God given potential because of the puzzle of putting three sport training together. 100 milers are extremely hard mentally and tear you up real good physically. My recovery from an IM is nothing compared to the 100’s. But, when I did them, I raced them. I was looking to win or place highly. I gambled evertything. In fact, the only Ultra I ever dropped was a 100 miler at 80 miles. After a100 miler my legs were shot for a couple months. After an IM I’m ususally able to train more or less normally about three weeks later If so motivated. Mentlaly wiped out, but physically not too bad. The cross training effect applies to IM racing too I suppose.
I don’t like these comparisons because it misses the critical point that they are very different. Yes, they are both endurance events, but the transitions in an IM are very challenging and the drawn out duration of one movement pattern in an Ultra is very challenging on it’s own merit.
I know for sure, that the competition in a high profile IM is much greater and much deepr than almost any Ultra save perhaps, the World 100km road championships or something like Comrades in S.A. The depth in a high profile IM is much greater. There can easily be as many peopel in a single AG as ther are in an entire Ultra field.
As with anything it’s what you prepare yourself for. If an IM athlete jumps in to an Ultra without sufficient specificity, then they are going to have a tough go of it. And so woutd be the case with an Ultrarunner trying to wing it in an IM.
Graham Cooper winner of the '06 Western States 100 and 3rd this year, is entered at Canada Sunday. Take him aside and see what he says.
“I know for sure, that the competition in a high profile IM is much greater and much deepr than almost any Ultra”
That’s for sure. At Leadville, second place finished more than 3 hours after first place. That would be like someone winning by an hour or more in an IM.
You are quite right - these are entirely different sports and any comparisons are difficult at best.
“At Leadville, second place finished more than 3 hours after first place.”
That dude was FLYING!!! We were watching runners at mile 40 and he came FLYING through at mile 60 … no shirt on, hardly carrying anything … FLYING!! Some people we met saw him coming in around mile 90 and asked how he was doing … he said he was “starting” to get tired. Amazing.
Anton Krupicka - apparently a 2:45 marathoner.
Off-topic:
How do you take care of your feet during a race?
The swim and bike are much easier in an ultramarathon. That said…
I volunteered at a couple of the aid stations at the Burning River 100 a few weeks ago - a race I want to do next year. Seeing people come through our station at mile 91 around dawn on Sunday morning gave me a real sense of appreciation for what they were doing. What impressed upon me the most was challenge of the sleep deprivation. A lot of the runners just looked through you with vacuous looks in their eyes. Maybe a weak smile. One guy actually slept at our station for five hours (and got up to finish). One guy sat down for a few minutes, and just fought off wave after wave of cramps. And they were eating whatever we’d give them - grilled cheese, candy, soup, pizza.
The weather was pretty warm by Cleveland standards (90 degrees and sunny) all day Saturday, and that took its toll - only about half of the starters made it to the finish.
I am heading to Hell, MI for the Dances with Dirt 50 miler in a couple weeks, after doing IM USA in July. I figure I have the aerobic fitness, but I am trying to get as much time as is reasonable on my feet and on trails in these weeks. My two biggest concerns are falling and getting lost. Will let you know how it goes.
100-milers are a serious test of endurance. Ironman is mostly a test of your spouse’s endurance.
Double the length of the Ironman run & you’re approaching parity.
The Dance with Dirt is awesome. One huge party. Generally no worries on getting lost, the course has been well marked the couple times I have been there. You need to keep an eye on the trail there are always roots ready to grab a foot. Running through the waist deep bogs can be a bit of a challenge, may be worth making a shoe change halfway.
The biggest difference to me from Ironman is that the Dirt/Trail crowd is more relaxed, they all know whether fast or slow when things get ugly everyone is in it together. Shorts, shoes and a ton of training is all you need.
Ironman is more intense stressed out bunch, generally.
I’ve heard great things about Dances With Dirt! Good luck and be sure and post a race report.
clm
“That dude was FLYING!!! We were watching runners at mile 40 and he came FLYING through at mile 60 … no shirt on, hardly carrying anything … FLYING!! Some people we met saw him coming in around mile 90 and asked how he was doing … he said he was “starting” to get tired. Amazing.”
He lives here in Colorado Springs and his training regimen has included weeks with more than 200 miles of running. With that much volume, 100 miles may not seem that difficult. He is still young, in his 20s, and seems to be gunning for Matt Carpenter’s records. Matt set the Leadville record a few years ago of about 15:42:xx, and in the process broke the old record by about 90 minutes. Matt is still running strong as his wins in the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon in consecutive days last weekend attests. Matt ran Leadville without any pacers because they would have slowed him down. Anton may be doing the same.
Last year after Anton won his first Leadville, he raced our local trail marathon and won in a course record time of 2:42:xx. That was only two weeks after Leadville, so his recovery abilities are amazing as well.
Holy smokes? That is amazing. This guy doesn’t really even need a car? To have that kind of endurance AND be that young is perfect (recovery is much easier when young). Sure hope he has a shoe sponsor - he must go through a pair or two per month!