Update and Economy is Not Sacrificed in Ultrarunners

Update and Economy is Not Sacrificed in Ultrarunners

Tuesday: Did the usual 12K loop with 1,700 gain. Still pulled it off in 1:13 but had to work a little harder for it. Legs were a touch sore from Sunday's loop in the mountains.

Today: Ran a quick version of Tipperary to Backscratch then down the road back to Tipparary. Did the loop twice, once each way. It is about 16K with about ~800 gain on each loop. Took 1:18 today.

Interesting letter in the Journal of Applied Physiology published today on running economy in ultrarunners. Basically, looks like the author argues that you cannot compare elite ultrarunners with elite runners in short distances, simply because ultrarunning is still too new of a sport, as well as the large differences in ultra trail events versus more road-based races. It begs the question that lots have been talking about on the net: if the prize money was big enough, would some Kenyans or Ethiopians come over the ultrarunning and just blow the times out of the water? From what I can tell, the author Grégoire P. Millet, from the Universite de Lausanne would argue no. The two types of racing are just too different, especially concerning the hilly or mountainous nature of most trail ultras. Good to know, but with Sage Canaday just blasting Krupicka's record at the White River 50, the jury is still out.