Having competed in both Ironman races for a while I’ve now dipped my toes into some ultramarathoning. I’m surprised that I haven’t come across more IM competitors in the ultramarathon scene.
Who here does both? If not, have you considered running an ultra?
Laurel Highlands - 70 miler in June. Brutal, but a blast. More like an adventure race.
I did a marathon last December. Then I found a nearby 50k trail run three weeks later and thought, “why not?” It was a lot of fun. The strangest thing was that it was in Seattle in January and it started at 3pm. The trails were in some pretty dense woods, so it got really dark, really fast.
I ran both the marathon and the ultra to train for triathlon, since I’m new to running and it’s my weakest discipline. So I probably won’t be doing another one for quite a while.
-Colin
Tom Demerly is a veteran of the ultramarathon.
Done a handful of ultras (50K & 50M) and a handful of IM’s. The last ultra attempted was 6 weeks after IMAZ.
You can go farther than you think you can.
I did a 50k on New Year’s Day 2003, very hung over. Told the hubby I was “going for a run”… didn’t tell him how long it was! It was 3degC, raining, windy, and I was woefully unprepared. Finished MOP, hoping to do it again this next Jan. By 37.5k, I was incoherent and close to hypothermic, had to go to Starbucks of all places for a hot latte. In the last 5k, I think I was hallucinating (all these people jumping in the water at English Bay - how crazy is that? ;-))… but I was sooo glad to be done.
Have I done an IM? Nope, first will be in Nov 
should be interesting to compare.
Who here does both? If not, have you considered running an ultra?
I have done one ultra (50k) and am currently training for my second (50mile) I have done one1/2 iron duathlon and will attempt a iron distrance tri in 2006.
Truthfully, no multisport this year, life has been bad for me. Grabbed the ultra to keep myself motivated. I will continue to pursue both. Long range plans, and plans do change. IM Japan next year, Marathon Des Sables the next year, Norseman the following year. I really have no desire to do Kona. I would pass on a spot at IM Japan (like I would win one.)
Backup plan. IM CDA next year, work out the logistics for a multiday ultra in Mchigan the next year, including running the course in six days (route already planned) Next year host the first cross michigan ultra.
Ok I got a lot of goals. So what. Who wants to run the inagraul (?) Michigan Shore to Shore Ultra?
Did a 100k once… over a nasty course with three mountains summits. My knees hurt for 3 weeks.
Ironman was stupid easy after that.
I’ll go back to ultras someday… the day I start smoking crack!
Done a couple of 30-36 mile runs and if you walk the uphills they did n’t seem so bad. did one 56 mile trail race. That freaking hurt. At mile 40 only two mountain bikers were in front of us. They had a mtn bike race over the same course at the same time. The first and last 10k were flat the rest seemed uphill.
All in all not a bad time, didn’t take long to recover from. I’d do another.
did crown king here in AZ twice, 50K, much slower than my marathon time. like a long triathlong it was an all day affair, but the recovery for me is far longer, I didn’t want to even jog for two full weeks after. Spectacular course, no better way to spend a day in April in Arizona than easily running over 32 miles of 3 different climate zones.
I love the solitude of Ultras…like extended solo training sessions. I haven’t done one in several years, but I’ve decided to make at least a 50 miler an annual thing…I’ll be doing a 50mi in November this year…One day soon I plan to tackle a 100mi.
I have done 6 of each (IM and 50k ultras). I only do the latter in the off-season, and mostly as just a nice long training run in the woods. I much prefer ultras over standard road marathons because ultras are mostly run on fairly remote hilly trails here in the Pacific Northwest (very attractive locales), they demand a much greater degree of self-sufficiency (no aid station every mile) and seem to attract a crowd much more in tune with nature. They are definitely punishing, even when you run them as slowly as I do and walk most of the uphills (standard practice in such events).
Having said that I prefer ultras, I should mention that I am RD of a local road marathon, whose main appeal from my perspective is that it occurs in mid-winter, usually in atrocious weather, and thus attracts only the hardiest folk - typically the local ultra-runners!
I’ve done 9 Ironman distance races and a 50 mile run. The Ultramathon is by far the most paiful thing I have ever experienced as well as the dumbest thing I have ever done.
I’ve been thinking about it. Reading a recent article about Dean Karnazes has got me thinking I’d like to try one, though I’ll leave the 300 mile runs to him.
Having competed in both Ironman races for a while I’ve now dipped my toes into some ultramarathoning. I’m surprised that I haven’t come across more IM competitors in the ultramarathon scene.
Who here does both? If not, have you considered running an ultra?
The furthest I have run was the 72 miles around Lake Tahoe. I have done more ultras than IM.
I found Ultras easier than a plain marathon because I didn’t tend to race the ultra.
Did my first trail marathon last year and am planning to try an ultra this December. Haven’t done a full IM, yet. But it is in the plans for 06/07, depending on how training progresses.
I was able (and motivated) to run 15k 3 days after the 50k, I felt great. I think the booze left in my system helped ha haha
I’m the short/skinny one
Having competed in both Ironman races for a while I’ve now dipped my toes into some ultramarathoning. I’m surprised that I haven’t come across more IM competitors in the ultramarathon scene.
Who here does both? If not, have you considered running an ultra?
ROy…when you are ready, lets discuss ultra tris 
If you dig the ultramarathon, you are a stone throw away from a doubleiron, come to the dark side.
Doing ultra runs ROCK. I think the reason why you haven’t come across a lot of IM competitors is because they are incognito. They are there, just a different lifestyle, and when in Rome, do as the Romans.
My first Ultrarun was a DNF. I missed a cut-off. The first words out of my mouth when I showed up was “I have found my people”.
three days ago my training partner and i ran the skyline trail in jasper national park. it was a really neat experience - we went 45 k in about 7:20, though we walked the last 10 km because we were so early for our pickup at the trailhead. it was interesting, for sure, and didn’t hurt the legs too much. i find things like this leave me feel more generally beat up: my back and neck were sore for sure.
would someday love to do the leadville, just for the belt buckle.
-mike
-p.s - though i think one ultra per lifetime is enough.