Ultrarunning History https://ultrarunninghistory.com Podcast and stories about the history of ultrarunning Sun, 01 Jun 2025 23:51:41 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 https://ultrarunninghistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/cropped-buckle-1-32x32.jpg Ultrarunning History https://ultrarunninghistory.com 32 32 This is a podcast about the history of the sport of ultrarunning. An ultramarathon is generally a race of 50K (31 miles) or more. The sport became popular in the 1980s, but had been in existence since the late 19th century. This podcast will share history and tell stories about ultrarunning history generally before 2000. Davy Crockett false episodic Davy Crockett 2022 2022 podcast A podcast about the history of the sport of ultrarunning TV-G Saratoga Springs, Utah Saratoga Springs, Utah 178: Grand Canyon Short Stories – Part Two https://ultrarunninghistory.com/178-grand-canyon-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=178-grand-canyon-2 Sun, 01 Jun 2025 23:39:47 +0000 https://ultrarunninghistory.com/?p=19550 By Davy Crockett In May, thousands of hikers and ultrarunners make their pilgrimage to the Grand Canyon to hike or run across this amazing wonder…

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]]> I have been producing short videos for the new Grand Canyon History YouTube channel. I thought it would be interesting to also publish these as a podcast episode for you to listen to. The video versions of these shorts of course have many historic pict... In May, thousands of hikers and ultrarunners make their pilgrimage to the Grand Canyon to hike or run across this amazing wonder of the world.<br /> <br /> I have been producing short videos for the new Grand Canyon History YouTube channel. I thought it would be interesting to also publish these as a podcast episode for you to listen to.  This is part two. The video versions of these shorts, of course, have many historic pictures to see. Please subscribe to that channel.<br /> <br /> Some of these shorts come from my best-selling book, Grand Canyon Rim to Rim History. You can get my book on Amazon. Davy Crockett 178 178 178: Grand Canyon History Short Stories - Part Two full false 27:48 177: Grand Canyon History Short Stories – Part One https://ultrarunninghistory.com/grand-canyon-1/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=grand-canyon-1 Fri, 16 May 2025 16:42:41 +0000 https://ultrarunninghistory.com/?p=19540 By Davy Crockett This weekend (mid May each year) the North Rim of the Grand Canyon opened for the season. Thousands of hikers and ultrarunners…

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]]> I have been producing short videos for the new Grand Canyon History YouTube channel. I thought it would be interesting to also publish these as a podcast episode for you to listen to. The video versions of these shorts of course have many historic pict... This weekend (mid May each year) the North Rim of the Grand Canyon opened for the season. Thousands of hikers and ultrarunners make their pilgrimage to the canyon to hike or run across this amazing wonder of the world. <br /> <br /> I have been producing short videos for the new Grand Canyon History YouTube channel. I thought it would be interesting to also publish these as a podcast episode for you to listen to. The video versions of these shorts of course have many historic pictures to see. Please subscribe to that channel.<br /> <br /> Some of these shorts come from my best-selling book, Grand Canyon Rim to Rim History. You can get my book on Amazon. Davy Crockett 177 177 177: Grand Canyon History Short Stories - Part One full false 27:18 176: Trail Runner Nation Interview about Old Sport Campana https://ultrarunninghistory.com/176-trail-runner-nation-interview/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=176-trail-runner-nation-interview Sun, 04 May 2025 21:57:21 +0000 https://ultrarunninghistory.com/?p=19532 By Davy Crockett For this episode of the Ultrarunning History Podcast, I included an edited down interview I did with the excellent Trail Runner Nation…

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]]> Davy Crockett is interviewed on the Trail Runner Nation Podcast about his book, "Old Sport Campana: Ultrarunning's Most Popular and Amusing 19th Century Runner" For this episode of the Ultrarunning History Podcast, I included an edited down interview I did with the excellent Trail Runner Nation Podcast. We discussed my new book, Old Sport Campana: Ultrarunning’s Most Popular and Amusing 19th Century Runner. Thanks to Scott and Don for having me on. To listen to the full interview, visit their podcast at trailrunnernation.com episode 726 entitled, "Ultrarunning's Past was Wilder than you Think." Davy Crockett 176 176 176: Trail Runner Nation Interview about Old Sport Campana full false 29:19 175: The Tarahumara Ultrarunners https://ultrarunninghistory.com/tarahumara-ultrarunners/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tarahumara-ultrarunners Thu, 17 Apr 2025 19:34:48 +0000 https://ultrarunninghistory.com/?p=19492 By Davy Crockett  This episode is a replay of the popular early episode 29, about the Tarahumara runners of Mexico. In recent years, the story…

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]]> The Tarahumara runners of Mexico came to compete in the U.S. much earlier than was told in the book, Born to Run. In recent years, the story of the amazing Tarahumara (Rarámuri) runners from Mexico exploded into international attention with the publication of Christopher McDougall’s best-selling 2009 book, Born to Run. Runners everywhere in 2009 naively tossed their shoes aside for a while and wanted to run like these ancient native Americans from hidden high Sierra canyons in Chihuahua, Mexico. Many other runners left the marathon distance behind, sought to run ultramarathons, and dreamed about running the Leadville 100, which exploded with new entrants.<br /> <br /> Readers of Born to Run think that the Tarahumara Indians made their debut running in America in 1992. Born to Run features their 1994 race at Leadville, Colorado. It has been falsely claimed that this was the first time that this indigenous people showed up to run outside their native environs. This is not true. Yes, the Tarahumara competed in the U.S. in 1992, but it was not the first time that they displayed their running abilities in the United States. The Tarahumara competed in America more than six decades earlier when they made an even deeper impact on ultrarunning history. Davy Crockett 175 175 175: The Tarahumara Ultrarunners full false 30:55 174: Old Sport Campana (1836-1906) – Part Seven https://ultrarunninghistory.com/old-sport-campana-7/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=old-sport-campana-7 Sat, 29 Mar 2025 20:30:55 +0000 https://ultrarunninghistory.com/?p=19442 By Davy Crockett In 1889, “Old Sport” Peter Napoleon Campana (1836-1905) returned home to Bridgeport, Connecticut, after his four-month trip to California. His celebrity status…

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]]> Ultrarunner, Old Sport Peter Napolean Campana won his most famous race in 1891, running 500 miles from Chicago, Illinois, to Omaha, Nebraska. In 1889, "Old Sport" Peter Napoleon Campana (1836-1905) returned home to Bridgeport, Connecticut, after his four-month trip to California. His celebrity status had increased because of news stories across the country about how he beat up the unscrupulous race manager, Frank W. Hall (1860-1923). During his ten-year ultrarunning career thus far, he had competed in at least 41 races, including 24 six-day races. As he did each summer, Campana took time away from racing, but frequently made appearances at local sporting events, including foot races. Davy Crockett 174 174 174: Old Sport Campana (1836-1906) – Part Seven full false 26:21 173: Old Sport Campana (1836-1906) – Part Six https://ultrarunninghistory.com/old-sport-campana-6/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=old-sport-campana-6 Sat, 15 Mar 2025 22:22:21 +0000 https://ultrarunninghistory.com/?p=19196 By Davy Crockett After ten years of competing in ultra-distance races, Old Sport, Peter Napoleon Campana (1836-1906), age 52, had never gone west of the…

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]]> In 1889, Old Sport, Peter Napoleon Campana (1836-1906), age 52, went to California and competed in two six-day races. The famed eccentric, Oofty Goofty also ran. fter ten years of competing in ultra-distance races, Old Sport, Peter Napoleon Campana (1836-1906), age 52, had never gone west of the Mississippi River. That was all about to change in 1889. Frank W. Hall (1860-1923), of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, had managed some very successful six-day races. He decided to take the sport out to California. It had been about four years since the west coast had hosted a race. Hall hired Campana to be in the race and paid for this train ticket to California. He left on February 6, 1889, riding the Cincinnati Express. He arrived a week later with fellow runners Frank Hart (1856-1908) and George Cartwright (1848-1928). They created a stir among west coast sportsmen who wanted to get a glimpse of the famous runners. Davy Crockett 173 173 173: Old Sport Campana (1836-1906) – Part Six full false 26:14 172: Old Sport Campana (1836-1906) – Part Five https://ultrarunninghistory.com/old-sport-campana-5/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=old-sport-campana-5 Sat, 01 Mar 2025 23:00:12 +0000 https://ultrarunninghistory.com/?p=19172 By Davy Crockett By 1888, Old Sport Campana had competed in 35 ultra-distance races, and eight in 1888. He also competed in the most historic…

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]]> In 1888, Old Sport Campana competed in 10 ultra-distance races. including the most race of the 19th century when George Littlewood broke the six-day world record. By 1888, Old Sport Campana had competed in 35 ultra-distance races, and eight in 1888. He also competed in the most historic six-day race of the 19th century, held in November 1888 in Madison Square Garden. William M. O’Brien (1858-1891), was the race organizer. He partnered with Richard K. Fox (1846-1922), editor and publisher of the sporting publication, The Police Gazette, to offer the Fox Diamond Belt, valued at $2,500 to the winner. If someone beat James Albert’s (1856-1912) world record of 621 miles, they would get a bonus of $1,000. The contestants needed to reach 525 miles in order to claim a share of the gate receipts. With an entrance fee of $50, about 125 runners applied for entry, but the race was limited to 40 starters, including Campana.<br /> <br /> The New York City press was favorable. “Old Sport Campana, whose increasing years seem to add new vigor to his constitution, will start. He will celebrate his 99th birthday on the track.” He was confident that he would reach 550 miles before he retired from the sport. Everyone wondered what new antics he would perform during this race.<br /> <br /> A bold prediction was made that George Littlewood (1859-1912), of England, would break the world record. “Probably no man alive today can beat Littlewood. He is a phenomenal pedestrian, and having a poor field to beat should win with ease.” Davy Crockett 172 172 172: Old Sport Campana (1836-1906) – Part Five full false 23:34 The Greatest 19th Century Ultrarunners https://ultrarunninghistory.com/greatest-19th-century-ultrarunners/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=greatest-19th-century-ultrarunners Sat, 22 Feb 2025 17:45:41 +0000 https://ultrarunninghistory.com/?p=19238 By Davy Crockett During the last 25 years of the 19th century, the sport of ultrarunning (called pedestrianism) became the most popular spectator sport in…

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]]> 171: Old Sport Campana (1836-1906) – Part Four https://ultrarunninghistory.com/old-sport-campana-4/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=old-sport-campana-4 Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:30:12 +0000 https://ultrarunninghistory.com/?p=19114 By Davy Crockett By 1884, “Old Sport” Peter Napoleon Campana (1836-1906), had gained national fame. He was being called “the clown of the walking matches.”…

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]]> By 1884, “Old Sport” Peter Napoleon Campana had gained national fame. He was being called "the clown of the walking matches," and "the living skeleton." By 1884, “Old Sport” Peter Napoleon Campana (1836-1906), had gained national fame. He was being called "the clown of the walking matches." While he was never competitive enough to win a six-day race, event managers knew that he was a huge draw to bring spectators into a race. They paid him a salary to be in their races. At age 52, some called him "The living skeleton." Campana acted the part of a decrepit old man and said, “I am 62 years old and I haven’t got a tooth in my head and only a few hairs on it, but I’m here for sport, and don’t your forget it.” Davy Crockett 171 171 171: Old Sport Campana (1836-1906) – Part Four full false 23:34 170: Old Sport Campana (1836-1906) – Part Three https://ultrarunninghistory.com/old-sport-campana-3/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=old-sport-campana-3 Thu, 30 Jan 2025 16:00:47 +0000 https://ultrarunninghistory.com/?p=19071 By Davy Crockett By 1880, “Old Sport” Peter Napoleon Campana (1836-1906), a fruit and nut peddler from Bridgeport, Connecticut, had established himself as an odd…

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]]> Old Sport” Peter Napoleon Campana (1836-1906), a fruit and nut peddler from Connecticut, established himself as the most popular ultrarunner in the country. By 1880, “Old Sport” Peter Napoleon Campana (1836-1906), a fruit and nut peddler from Bridgeport, Connecticut, had established himself as an odd anomaly in the very popular spectator sport of six-day indoor races held in arenas in northeastern America. He had not yet won a race but would almost always stick it out to the end of the six days when usually 75% of the other runners would quit before the end. People would pay to come watch the races he was in, specifically to watch him run. Race directors would promise him a salary just to be in their races. No one ever could predict what unusual and amusing antics he would perform during a race.<br /> <br /> He seemed to never be formally training, but perhaps with all the miles he put in pushing his cart, he was able to regularly run more than 300 miles in a six-day race.<br /> <br /> Campana was unusually “unbalanced.” When some spectators mocked him, he would punch them in the face and then continue running. The crowds would roar with approval and the race management would do nothing. The New York Times wrote, “Napoleon Campana, better known to the world as ‘Old Sport,’ is called the clown of the walking matches, and a race without ‘Old Sport’ in it would be a novelty.” Davy Crockett 169 169 170: Old Sport Campana (1836-1906) – Part Three full false 27:42