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By Davy Crockett
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Today’s ultras usually have few disruptions from outsiders or spectators. The most serious disturbances are typically from people who take down course flagging which can cause runners to go off course, potentially putting them in serious danger. But during the era of ultrarunning more than 120 years ago, with thousands of spectators watching exhausted runners go in circles for six days, strange disruptions were commonplace. During high profile races, squads of policemen were required to keep the order. This is the fourth part of the Ultrarunning Stranger Things series. See Part 1, Part 2 (Hallucinations), and Part 3 (Sickness and Death).
| Run Davy Crockett’s Pony Express Trail 50 or 100-miler to be held on October 14-15, 2022, on the historic wild west Pony Express Trail in Utah. Run among the wild horses. Crew required. Your family and friends drive along with you. http://ponyexpress100.org/ |
Sadly, some professional walkers and runners from the “pedestrian” era, more than 120 years ago, became afflicted by mental and physical illness during and after six-day runs, likely caused by the powerful drugs and stimulants that were used at the time, and also due to mental stress breakdowns. Enormous pressure was put on them by their financial backers to be successful. Their “trainers” or crew would at times resort to measures that would have long-term effects on the health of their runners to get a short-term financial windfall. Not only would they load their runners full of stimulants, but would use cruel methods to keep them awake, including sticking needles in their skin, whipping them, and waking them up with very loud horns.
The sport of ultrarunning during the 19th century was truly filled with tales of strange things that are unthinkable and shocking to us today. This series of episodes presents a collection of the most bizarre, shocking, funny, and head-scratching events that took place in ultrarunning during a 25-year period that began about 150 years ago.
On March 3, 1879, at the Fifth Regiment Armory in New York City, during Peter Van Ness’ attempt to walk 2,000 half-miles in 2,000 consecutive half-hours, one of the most shocking events in ultrarunning history took place. Van Ness, sleep deprived, drunk, and in intense pain, got hold of a gun and shot his trainer, Joseph Burgoine, in the arm, next took a shot at his manager, Simon Levy, grazing his silk hat. Panic resulted among the spectators. It could have resulted in mass murder. How could this be?
Many women participated in six-day races during the 1800s. With the great publicity of the 
Ultrarunning legend, Mark Godale passed away suddenly June 13, 2022, at the age of 51. Mark was an elite ultrarunner, American record holder, and a National Champion. He was a dedicated runner at USATF events and World Championships. For his career, he was a talented art director from Ohio, but his life was always surrounded in running activities.
As this concluding part of the Third Asley Belt Race opens, four elite ultrarunners were competing to be the Champion of the World in New York City in 1879, seeking to become the holder of the Astley Belt. The current world champion, Daniel O’Leary had apparently dropped out because of health reasons after 215 miles on day three. Great Britain’s best hope, Charles Rowell was in lead with 250 miles. Two others were still in the race, John Ennis of Chicago, and Charles Harriman of Massachusetts. Who would win? Don’t miss part one, which included a violent riot at the start of the race. The shocking details are covered in 
By the end of 1878, at least 41 six-day races had been held in America and Great Britain since