It’s only 100 miles, but it takes place in remote mountains in Tennessee, through some of the most inhospitable terrain and conditions imaginable. But, no matter how mad they seem, in the world of ultra running there is always someone doing something crazier. Some of these distances can seem bewildering to anyone who has always considered a standard 26.2-mile marathon as the ultimate running challenge.
There's always someone doing something crazier. Setting up a one-person tent for a wild camp each night is a feature of some races, while others end each day at a base camp that moves along with the race. On some multi-day events, there's blurred lines between fastpacking and ultra running, with many mountain races requiring a self-sufficent approach to the wilderness. When this is the case, a survivalist mindset is required, rather than a competitive one. Throw a load of wind and rain at the same course and it becomes a totally different challenge, with paths becoming mud baths and rivers in spate. A mountain race in the baking heat can be very difficult physically but manageable underfoot. Even the same course can be totally different depending on the conditions. No two ultra runs are the same, so any kind of comparison or attempt to quantify performance in terms of personal bests is futile. Enjoying the experience is a key part of an ultra runners mindset (Image credit: Getty)
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