Phil’s Ultra Ponderings

22 April 08

Position Vacant The Editor of PUM (ME) has caught the competing bug again at the weekend and knows that he needs to spend more time training and less time blogging. He is looking for some dedicated and interested people to join the PUM team and help keep this website going……..More

1 April 08

200, 000 hits - Thanks I continue to be surprised by the popularity and success of Planet Ultramarathon. First 100,000 hits were reached in just on 9 months and the second 100,000 hits in just on 7 months…….More

03 Feb 08

The Australian Ultra scene has certainly had some fantastic news in the last few weeks. Lee Troop has worked wonders getting the Colac 6 day race up and running again. Should be a great event. Serge Gerrard has announced two new events including a Perth to Melbourne across the Desert type race. Will be interesting to see if he makes the transition from Solo runner to Race Director.

It was also great to see that dates have been announced for the Melbourne to Brisbane stage race in 2009. Well done to Brett Hogan. Some people have commented about the elitist nature of this event. I can see from a straight logistics nature that you need to have the best runners in the event. It’s going to keep everyone close from a safety point of view. Having the best runners in this event is going to make it very easy to sell to the general population. It would be nice if a smaller stage race starts as a qualifier for this event. A 200km in 24hrs or 800kms at 6 days isn’t necessarily going to mean that the runner in question will run 80kms in 7 hours for 40 plus days in a row.

BUT - I hope that the rest of the sport doesn’t go down the Elitist path. It will be a shame if it does. One of the GREAT things about this sport is the fact that the hacks like myself can compete on the same playing field as the Champions. The 80 year old guy breaking Age group records is up there with the athletic freak running over 1000kms in 6 days. We are all equals when the gun goes off. Were never going to be a major spectator sport and shouldn’t be putting all our eggs in that basket.

27 July 2007

Well done to all runners that completed the Badwater Ultra during the week. Looks like one tough race. I see the record was smashed by Valmir Nunes from Brazil who is a better than average 24hr runner. It would be fantastic to see Yiannis Kouros attempt this race one day. Im sure the American press would love to catch a glimpse of the true Ultramarathon Man!

Good luck to all competitors competing in the IAU 24hr Challenge this weekend. Looks as though it will be a good race and probably a close one depending on who turns up or not!

I still think one of the beauties of the sport is the diverseness, depth and range. You have the hacks like myself who just want to complete a distance or still e alive after a timed race, you have the elites with history and talent on their side, you have the runners and walkers who want to raise money for a charity by their efforts and you have the explorers who are pushing the boundaries by the distance and routes that they are taking. All have a place in the sport and no one should belittle the efforts of another area! No one!

19 July 2007

Havent got any firm details. But Ive heard it on the grapevine that the Colac 6 day race isnt on at the Memorial Square this year. Sad day for the race. Also heard that there has been more movement on the Committee. What’s going on Ged?

15 July 07

Welcome to Phil’s Ultra Ponderings. This is going to be an irregular column with tidbits of news and information from around the Globe. Might occassionally be controversial and might be thought provoking. Will hand out praise when praise is due as well.

Brickbats intiially to the European Race Director of a multi-day race that after four months still hasnt sent the paper work for a world record from this year’s event to the IAU. I heard a rumour today that another of the European Multi-day races might be in danger of folding next year. Hope not as the race has a very strong heritage. But speaking of the IAU, a big thanks to Norman Wilson the Records Officer who has put a lot of the Alltime Age records back on line. Good to see! Runners will know what they have to aim for to get on the list.

Been a very busy time in the USA lately with Western States being run and Hardrock on this weekend. Congrats to Scott Jurek who beat the course record. Scotts’s record must put him as the number one USA Ultra runner. I think Badwater is coming up next weekend and that promises to be a Classic.

Congrats to my friend, Connie Karras who completed the Badwater Solo earlier this month. After some medical problems she was able to keep on going and complete the TOUGH course. Congrats as well to Jesper Olsen who has won two Ultras in the past month. One being a Six day race where he ran 780kms plus and a new PB/Danish National record and then won the initial MORS 100 mile race last weekend.

I have a few work commitments in the next month. If the site looks quiet occasionally, please come back that weekend as I will be able to bring it up to date at the weekends during the next month.

Also became a FACEBOOK member last weekend. Good to see that there is an Ultrarunning presence on FACEBOOk with over 85 members. If you need more information and how to join, please send me an email at pressam(at) bigpond.net.au .

Thinking of online communities. Are there any ultrarunners that belong to “Second Life”. Second Life is the virtual reality web site where are people are creating their own existance. I wonder how long it will be, before there is a strong ultrarunning presence at Second Life and races are being held…..

That’s about it for now.

Keep moving forward…..

Phil