Ultrarunning History

3: Hardrock Simpson (1904-1978)

August 11, 2018

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By Davy Crockett

Both a podcast and a full article

Paul “Hardrock” Simpson, of Burlington, North Carolina, was an elite colorful, professional ultrarunner of the late 1920s who worked to continue in the sport during the Great Depression. He was one of the very few talented ultradistance runners who bridged to the post-war modern era of ultrarunning in the 1950s. With creativity, charisma, and strong performances, he successfully captured the imagination of the nation during both the periods. During that time, he was recognized as one of the greatest long-distance runners in America.

Paul Simpson was born in 1904. When he was a child on the family farm, he had to do the shopping. The nearest store was two miles away. Instead of walking, he ran the four miles to and from the store. He said, “I couldn’t see the point in wasting time walking the distance so I just dug my toes into the hot sand and ran the entire distance.” He began running regularly at age fifteen and won a mile race in high school.

Please consider becoming a patron of ultrarunning history. Help to preserve this history by signing up to contribute a little each month through Patreon. Visit https://ultrarunninghistory.com/member

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2: Man vs. Horse

July 30, 2018

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:09 — 24.1MB)

By Davy Crockett

Both a podcast and a full article

The start of the Man vs Horse race held in 1929 at the Philadelphia Arena

For more than two centuries, people have debated if humans on foot could beat horses. Those on the side of humans argued that over a long enough distance, human beings could outrun horses. It has been contended that humans are capable of covering vast distances after the horse becomes winded and unable to continue.

To try to prove this point, ultradistance races billed as “Man vs. Horse” were competed as early as 1879. But it was a 157-mile “man vs. horse” race held in Utah, in 1957-58. that captured the attention of America and beyond.

Check out Davy Crockett’s new book, Strange Running Tales: When Ultrarunning was a Reality Show, https://ultrarunninghistory.com/strangetales/

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1: Padre Island 110-miler 1953-1956

July 28, 2018

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:05 — 29.0MB)

By Davy Crockett

What was the first American ultradistance race in the modern era? Perhaps the answer is the Padre Island Walkatahon 110-miler, a three-day stage race that was started in 1953. It may have even been the first modern trail ultra in the world. This unusual race was a point-to-point race that ran along the sandy beaches of the Gulf of Mexico in Texas. Those who put it on were very forward-thinking, introducing features that would be used in ultras decades later. Previously long endurance races were mostly limited to professionals. This race was for everyone, the old, the young teenagers, and even women during an era when female participation in endurance events was viewed as inappropriate.

Please consider becoming a patron of ultrarunning history. Help to preserve this history by signing up to contribute a little each month through Patreon. Visit https://ultrarunninghistory.com/member

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0: Introduction to the Ultrarunning History Podcast

July 11, 2018

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:27 — 19.2MB)

Welcome to Ultrarunning History Podcast. In this introductory episode, you will hear what the podcast will contain and I’ll reveal a little about myself, what it is like living with the name, Davy Crockett. These episodes won’t be dry history lessons from some old stodgy history professor. They will be fun with plenty of lame jokes from some old stodgy ultrarunner.

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Mote Bergman – Sub 24-hour 100-miler in 1950 and 1961

July 1, 2018

By Davy Crockett

Who was the first American in the modern (post-war) era of ultrarunning to run a sub-24-hour 100-miler? Well, it depends on the criteria you use. Do you only count a 100-miler if it is achieved in a formal race? Or do you also count a “solo artist’s” achievement outside of a formal race? Remember in those early years before 1965, there had been no formal 100-mile or 24-hour races in the United States since decades before the war. Either way, the answer is surprising. It appears, with the information available, that the first America modern-day sub-24-hour 100-miler was a “walker.”

On August 26, 1950, when future ultrarunner Gordy Ainsleigh was a toddler, just starting to run around his yard, a determined and fit 63-year old man crossed a 100-mile finish line in less than 24 hours. Eleven years later on September 3, 1961 this man, now 74 years old, again crossed a 100-mile finish line with a time of 23:50. It was his fourth sub-24-hour 100-miler of his career. He was the first American in the modern ultrarunning era to cover 100-miles in less than 24-hours. Who was this age-defying man that would walk about 385,000 miles in his lifetime? Who was this man who for nearly 70 years during his life walked his age in miles on his birthday?

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Don Ritchie – The Stubborn Scotsman

June 17, 2018

Don Ritchie was from Scotland and some people argue that Don was the greatest ultrarunner in history on tracks and roads. In his early teens he took part in school sports as a sprinter and usually finished in the top three. When he was sixteen years old, he participated in his first “walking race” which was popular at that time. The race was for seven miles and had 45 walkers. Don finished “a tired fifth” and walked in his working clothes and shoes. He walked the race again the following year and was bothered that two girls beat him. He concluded that he probably needed to train.

Don ran cross-country in school and during the track season raced the 440 and 880 yard races. His coach advised him to concentrate on the 880. In 1963 at the age of 19, he started to run fifteen miles regularly with Alistair Wood, one of the great ultrarunners of the early 1970’s, who later won London to Brighton race in a record time. Don eventually started to keep up with him on training runs.

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Western States 100 on Foot: The Forgotten First Finishers

May 25, 2018

Introduction: Three soldiers on the Trail

L to R: Ken Kruzel, Greg Belgarde, and Dave Lenau covering Western States 100 on foot in 1972. (Photo by Joseph S Hindley, Fort Riley, Kansas.)

Sergeant Ken Kruzel looked at Specialist Greg Belgarde. Belgarde, an Alaskan Native American, resolutely stared back, but at that moment his face was gushing blood from a spontaneous and prolific nosebleed. Nearly fifty miles into the no-mans-land of the 100-mile distance, Kruzel, Belgarde, and Sergeant Dave Lenau were conserving the precious water in their plastic Army-issue quart canteens. The soldiers, all from Fort Riley, Kansas, were sucking on stones and thinking of being anywhere but this long, dusty Sierra Nevada trail. They saw defeat dripping onto the ground with every crimson drop.

“Hold back your head!” barked Kruzel, willing the blood to stop. Belgarde did his best to stanch the flow. Blood dripped onto his green fatigues and black leather boots.

“Just give me a bit,” protested Belgarde. “I need to sit and get this under control.”

Kruzel pondered. They still had more than 50 miles to go. Time was not a luxury they had, not if they were going to do what no one had ever done before: cover the entire course of the Western States 100-Mile Trail Ride (the equestrian Tevis Cup) from Squaw Valley to Auburn, California – on foot – in less than 48 hours. Even though this was twice the time it took a horse, they could not afford wasted minutes.

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Barkley Marathons – The Early Years

May 24, 2018

Over the years, several races of 100 miles have claimed to be the toughest ultramarathons or footraces in the world. Those were great marketing slogans, but those races must have never met Barkley. Those races with their high finisher rates of at least 50% don’t come even close to Barkley’s finish rate of about 2%. The Barkley Marathons, held in rugged mountains in Tennessee, is the toughest 100-mile race in the world. It was the subject of a 2014 film “The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young” that can be viewed on Netflix. This is how it all started. . . .

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