Frank Hart - African American Ultra runner

In the late 1870’s and early 1880’s, the sport of “six day, go as you please” endurance racing gripped the United States and Great Britain. The participants in these events were called pedestrians, and they were free to run or walk around an indoor track for as long as they could stay on their feet. The top pedestrians survived on less than four hours of sleep a day and slept on cots inside the track’s oval. Fans followed these six day contests of endurance with all the fervor of today’s NFL fans. They also placed bets on prospective winners.

Link