Digby Ellis-Brecknell discusses what happens when (and why) we decide that a marathon isn't long enough
Just like marmite, running is something you either love or hate; and never the two shall mix. Amongst the Marmite extremists of the running world there are those who no longer feel satisfied with a thin spreading but crave for adventure and a challenge beyond the traditional offerings; the ultra-marathon.
A search on the internet soon confronts one with the exploits of the ultramarathon man Dean Karnazes, or legendary events such as Badwater, Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc or Marathon de Sables, but there is much more to discover than this hardened, ultra gruelling exterior that is first presented.
There are many who argue that to run 26.2 miles, the marathon, is unnatural and without doubt unhealthy. The “many” are often those who have never experienced that moment when you discover as a runner that you can simply run and run. It is the most basic of human activities, something that children do so naturally, but as we age so the cakes, cars and comfy chairs take their toll, until the day comes when running becomes the preserve of the insane.
What drives runners to take on such extreme challenges? It is a question that never receives a satisfactory answer, and if one answers “because I can” the response is generally: “What are you running away from?”. A looks back through history will show however that running is an integral part of our human story and the reason why we succeeded as a species whilst others fell beside the way side.
As endurance runners we humans can step up onto the podium and claim the gold medal. No other animal can even come close to snapping at our heels in a long distance race.
I can feel readers shaking their heads in disbelief, questioning whether the miles of running have addled my joints and brain, but the ancient Greeks also recognised these talents and used professional day runners rather than horses to deliver messages. From this sprung the legend of Pheidippides, the original marathon runner, who dropped down dead through sheer exhaustion on delivering his message to his king. This has led to the marathon being the ultimate test of human endurance.
Marathon running is booming in its popularity and that may be as a result of humans needing to address the imbalances of modern day living and a need to challenge ourselves on a basic level.
Strangely, long distance running has always boomed in periods of economic depression; the ultimate anti-depressant. The American depression of the 1920s saw the Bunion Derby with nearly 200 runners attempting to cross the 3,422.3 miles from Los Angeles to New York over 84 days. Once again the Great American Footrace (www.lanyfootrace.com) is taking place as I write - a testament to our times? Actually Phedipides, ran some 300 miles non - stop, not the 26.2 miles that many believe!
If we look across the globe we see evidence of what man can achieve; the Bushmen of Kalahari who still practice persistence hunting; the Tendai monks of Kyoto, who run at least a marathon a day for 6 years; or the Tarahumara Indians, who have been known to run up to 700km at a time and catch deer with their bare hands. In our modern society ultra marathons, sky running, and fell running test our ability to run and in extreme environments. Yet despite the growing interest these events remain in the shadows, mere whispers of insanity. Are those taking part in these events simply groups of individuals who have honed their bodies to high level of endurance and these events something that mere mortals should avoid?
To find the answer, we need to step back in time and look to science and our ancestors for the answers. Following the Ice age and the ice sheet retreat the world landscape was altered, from vast areas of woodland to open grassy plains. This change of environment demanded a new approach to survival; the ambush hunting of the Neanderthal, that had been so effective, was now inefficient and it was more important to be able to run and chase one’s prey; persistence hunting. The Neanderthal, so successful prior to this change, simply could not match the new demands and Homo sapiens saw its rise to domination because he could run effectively. The Neanderthal was just too bulky to run efficiently, too heavy and hirsute, so they overheated but more importantly their heel bone was too long. Scientists have found that Homo sapiens possessed a shorter, lower heel bone and correspondingly a tighter Achilles tendon that acted as an energy returning spring. In fact scientists have discovered 26 separate evolutionary advances in humans that are specific to running.
Unless you are an ultra-distance runner you may question the sanity of such endurance events, but until you yourself dare to take one step beyond the legendary marathon distance it is a question that will remain on your lips, “Why?”.
For myself the journey began whilst training for a marathon, my mind wandering to an article about a ultra-marathon runner’s bid to run the Marathon de Sable and the Ultra Tour du Mont Blanc. The question I asked myself was not “Why?” but “Could I?”. As my feet recover from their most recent exertions, running 103 miles in the South Downs Way Race, I can now answer the “Why?” and I most definitely know the answer to “Can I?” but I fear that your eyes might glaze over with my response!
