WOW! 135 mile ultramarathon begins Monday, starting from Death Valley!

http://www.weather.com/news/badwater...al-fb-activity

This is called the "Badwater Ultramarathon", because it starts in Badwater (Death Valley), which is the lowest point (-280 feet) in the western hemisphere.

The temperature there is in the 120s, and sometimes as high as 130.

They are running a staggering 135 miles, and are going over 3 mountain ranges.

I can't imagine how any human body can do this, but apparently people sign up for this every year.

Would love to see an entrants list and see how many of these people are over 40. That would be even more impressive.

This book chronicles some ultra marathons through Death Valley and elsewhere. A pretty interesting read, especially for anybody who runs long distances. Most of these ultra runners are pretty fucked up, imo.

The author is a huge advocate of 'minimalstic' running shoes...



...theorizing that humans as a race evolved as runners and that today's cushy shoe technology causes people to stride/land awkwardly, thus leading to myriad knee/leg injuries that could otherwise be avoided. The above 'shoes' allegedly force people to stride more naturally instead of slamming your heel into the cushy part of the shoe.

I was gifted a pair of these but aren't going to try them out until I get more information. I've heard that adapting to the toe shoes is also quite painful at first, but I am intrigued.

Have you ever seen that Stan Lee SuperHumans show where the guy can basically run forever and never get tired? His body doesn't produce lactic acid or something

***EDIT*** This Guy:

Ultra Marathon Man

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Full Name: Dean Karnazes
Hometown: San Francisco, USA

Dean Karnazes was an average beer-guzzling Joe, stuck in a job he hated and sick of the rat race. Then, while celebrating his 30th birthday at a bar, he suddenly decided to walk out the door and go for a 30-mile run. That moment changed his life forever.

As an ultramarathon runner, Dean runs distances far beyond a normal marathon and often in grueling environments--including 146 miles in the 120-degree heat of Death Valley and the 40--below temperatures of the South Pole.

In 2005, Dean ran nonstop for over 80 hours and 44 minutes, and in 2006 he ran 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days. Then, after he’d finished that, he ran the 1,300 miles back to the start.

Dean's life-changing story and incredible endurance have inspired thousands to get off the sofa and hit the open road. He has also been voted one the "Top 100 Most Influential People in the World" by TIME magazine.

Dean's ability to just keep on running defies human biology. Daniel Browning Smith joins him on a 12-hour dawn-to-dusk run through Marin County to find out how Dean's body is able to endure levels of exhaustion and fatigue that would defeat an ordinary person

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Originally Posted by Dan Druff

http://www.weather.com/news/badwater...al-fb-activity

This is called the "Badwater Ultramarathon", because it starts in Badwater (Death Valley), which is the lowest point (-280 feet) in the western hemisphere.

The temperature there is in the 120s, and sometimes as high as 130.

They are running a staggering 135 miles, and are going over 3 mountain ranges.

I can't imagine how any human body can do this, but apparently people sign up for this every year.

Would love to see an entrants list and see how many of these people are over 40. That would be even more impressive.

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Idiots who run these types of races are lost souls.

The actor Bruce Dern used to run these clown marathons.

It's nothing but a field of fools begging to be noticed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SixToedPete

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dan Druff

http://www.weather.com/news/badwater...al-fb-activity

This is called the "Badwater Ultramarathon", because it starts in Badwater (Death Valley), which is the lowest point (-280 feet) in the western hemisphere.

The temperature there is in the 120s, and sometimes as high as 130.

They are running a staggering 135 miles, and are going over 3 mountain ranges.

I can't imagine how any human body can do this, but apparently people sign up for this every year.

Would love to see an entrants list and see how many of these people are over 40. That would be even more impressive.

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Idiots who run these types of races are lost souls.

The actor Bruce Dern used to run these clown marathons.

It's nothing but a field of fools begging to be noticed.

---

I don't know, it's pretty fucking incredible. I ran a half marathon in June and have no desire to run a full one. Despite taking all precautions for the half, I still got dehydrated and had to briefly pull up around mile ten due to cramping. I ran it in Chicago, it started around 7am and almost immediately we were under cautionary conditions due to temperature (over 70 fahrenheit). I regrouped and still finished at a solid 1 hr. 42 min. (~7:50 mile pace) but was really dehydrated all throughout the day despite downing crazy amounts of Gatorade/water post-race. How these people can acclimate themselves to such heat is mind boggling.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SixToedPete

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dan Druff

http://www.weather.com/news/badwater...al-fb-activity

This is called the "Badwater Ultramarathon", because it starts in Badwater (Death Valley), which is the lowest point (-280 feet) in the western hemisphere.

The temperature there is in the 120s, and sometimes as high as 130.

They are running a staggering 135 miles, and are going over 3 mountain ranges.

I can't imagine how any human body can do this, but apparently people sign up for this every year.

Would love to see an entrants list and see how many of these people are over 40. That would be even more impressive.

---

Idiots who run these types of races are lost souls.

The actor Bruce Dern used to run these clown marathons.

It's nothing but a field of fools begging to be noticed.

---

Disagree completely. Its an amazing feat and to be honest they receive very little attention compared to many athletes who do far less.

Michael Arnstein aka The Fruitarian runs those 120 plus mile runs and he only eats fruit. I found his channel just a week or so back. I tell you what those Fruitarians are on to something, bunch of energizer bunnies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgEgMuJijd8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbLt4DmKXeM&feature=plcp

Watch him finish 4th place in the leadville 100 and feel great. I'm telling you guys, there's something about the pure fruit/veg diet. This 100 miles kicked Lance Armstrongs ass on a bike and he runs it like it's nothing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml31_NP73GE&feature=plcp

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Originally Posted by BetCheckBet

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SixToedPete

Idiots who run these types of races are lost souls.

The actor Bruce Dern used to run these clown marathons.

It's nothing but a field of fools begging to be noticed.

---

Disagree completely. Its an amazing feat and to be honest they receive very little attention compared to many athletes who do far less.

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I agree it's a feat.

In High School I was a long distance runner until I discovered Soccer and Football was so much easier than cross country.

I just can't wrap my mind around why anyone would do this.

I mock them but they have have my respect.

I remember watching some special on this marathon and people saying how they try to run on the white lines in the road to keep their shoes from wearing down/melting.