Ultrarunning History

57: The 100-miler – Part 4 (1900-1919)

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Episode notes

For some reason, today’s ultrarunner thinks that ultrarunning was invented during their lifetime. An article appeared in April 2020 Ultrarunning Magazine that stated, “the format that most of us know as ‘ultrarunning’ today (trail and road races, typically 50k to 100 miles) is barely 50 year old.” Such statements are ignorant of the rich history of the past and the ultrarunners who paved the way, running ultradistances on dirt roads and trails.

Also in April 2020, Runners World published an article proclaiming falsely that the first 100-mile ultra was held in 1974. This is part 4 of a rich 100-miler history prior to World War I, an era when more than 400 ultrarunners finished 100 miles in less than 24 hours in races or in solo attempts.