Rhonda Hampton spoke to the Rotary Club of North Raleigh on Wednesday July 29, 2015. She is the current race director for Umstead 100 Mile Endurance Run which is ran annually in William B. Umstead State Park in Raleigh. She ran her first ultra, the JFK 50 Mile, in 2004. Rhonda has completed more than 50 ultra marathons with 7 of those being of 100 miles or more. Her longest run was along levy of the Mississippi River, where she ran 126.2 miles from Baton Rouge to New Orleans.

1. Ultra marathons:
More than just a foot race
M. Waldvogel

2. Ultra marathons:
Not as Crazy as You Might Think
M. Shannon Johnstone
M. Shannon Johnstone

3. What is an Ultramarathon?
• Technically any race distance greater than the
marathon distance of 26.2 miles.
• Typical distances are 50K (31 miles), 40 miles,
50 miles and 100 miles (or longer)
Dave Cockman

4. What is an Ultramarathon?
• Commonly use trail routes, but some are
pavement races.
M. Shannon Johnstone

5. What is an Ultramarathon?
• Some are timed events: 12 hours, 24 hours,
48 hours, 3 days and 6 days.
M. Shannon Johnstone

6. Where Did It Start?
Wikipedia Commons

7. Where Did It Start?
• Comrades Marathon – 1921 in South Africa.
56 mile race – a living memorial to SA soldiers
who died in WWI
Photo: Ian Corless
http://www.runwildrunfree.co.uk/

8. Where Did It Start?
JFK 50-Miler
Photo: Dave Cockman
Photo: Lisa McFadden

9. Where Did It Start?
1995
Photo: Blake Norwood
Photo: Blake Norwood

10. Ultrarunning by the Numbers
• 43 - average age of an ultra runner.
Photo: Ben Dillon

11. Ultrarunning by the Numbers
• 36 – average age for first ultramarathon
M. Shannon Johnstone

12. Ultrarunning by the Numbers
• 32% - are females
Joe Lugiano

13. Ultrarunning by the Numbers
• 40 – avg. number of miles run per week.
• 60:40 – Ratio of miles on trail: road/asphalt
Photo:
M. Waldvogel

14. What does it take to do 100 miles?
Photo: M. Shannon Johnstone

15. How long does it take to do an ultra?
50 miler
A. 4-8 hours
B. 8-12 hours
C. 12-16 hours
Photo: M. Shannon Johnstone

16. How long does it take to do an ultra?
Mike Morton
• 41 years old
• 24-Hour World champion in
2012
• Ran a total distance of
172 miles - the equivalent
of 6.6 marathons in one full
day.
Photo: Ben Dillon

17. How long does it take to do an ultra?
Tracy Falbo
• 42 years old
• Completed 390 miles in
48 hours.
Photo: Ben Dillon

18. The Golden Rule of Ultrarunning
1. Eat before you are hungry
2. Drink before you are thirsty
3. Walk before you are
tired.
Photo:
M. Shannon Johnstone

19. Train to Run Longer & Slower
• “Time on Feet”. Ultras require you to be out
there for 2-6X as long as for a marathon. It is
important to show your body what you are
going to expect from it.
• Weekend training runs
can be 30 miles or
more a weekend.
Photo: Ben Dillon

20. Pain & Fatigue Management
• Ultras require that you manage for fatigue and
pain (discomfort) for 12 - 24 hours or longer
depending on your goal.
Photo: Ben Dillon

21. Pain & Fatigue Management
Photos: M. Shannon Johnstone

22. Pain & Fatigue Management
• Ultra runners may have to combat sleep as
they run through the night.
• Requires night training runs.
Photo: M. Shannon Johnstone

23. Eating and drinking
• Ultra runners need more solid food over the
duration of the event. Food can include
cookies, PB&J sandwiches, hamburgers, hot
dogs and soups for overnight events.
Photo:
M. Shannon Johnstone

24. Ultra Food – Ultra Fuel
Photos: M. Shannon Johnstone

25. The Awards
Photo: M. Shannon Johnstone

26. The Awards

27. Baker Trail Ultrachallenge

28. The Rewards

29. Ultrarunning – It’s
not so crazy
Photo: Ben DillonPhoto: Ben Dillon

30. Ultrarunning – It’s
not so crazy
Photo: Umstead 100

31. www.umstead100.org

32. Ultra marathons:
More than just a foot race
Photo: Karen Murphy