We set up a poll on the website to see which races the people coming across Centurion Running wanted to run the most. The objective was to find out which existing races people aspire towards doing. It is that kind of information that will best help us put on the right kind of events in the future. I can only hypothesise why people chose the race that they did and I have done so below. This is a bit of a rambling post but maybe there's a couple of snippets of information in there which might help aspiring runners. From a personal point of view, I like to see what races really excite other people.
Out of the 207 votes from a limited pool of answers over a period of a couple of months, the results were as follows (note this did not include information about whether the respondent had previously run any of the races on the list):
Question: Which of the following races is it your dream to run?
Answers fixed as below, number of votes on the right (click on any race to link to the webpage)
UTMB 41
Badwater 25
Comrades 19
Spartathlon 17
Leadville 12
Obviously this is an extremely simplistic testing method but the answers are nevertheless very interesting.
Starting from the top, UTMB and Western States are now the two biggest 100 milers in the world and by a massive margin so it either makes sense that given we are focusing a good amount of our efforts on trail 100s that these would come out on top ie. we are attracting that kind of runner to our website or trail 100s in awesome places are a really desirable races to do right now. Probably a bit of both.
Western States as the original 100 miler has attracted large fields for a long time (over 400 starters since the early 1990s). It is the most prestigious trail race in the US as the grandfather of the other 90 existing 100 milers in the US and with a rich history. UTMB has only been in existence for 8 years but quickly grew in to the superbowl of trail running. Both races offer spectacular scenery, extremely tough courses and deep fields, drawing the top trail runners from across the globe. Whereas Western States has remained more US focused, UTMB has more of a multi-national field, appealing to the very strong trail and mountain running scene across Western Europe. The level of local support and spectator numbers for UTMB are overwhelming. The explosion in the last few years of running blogs and consumption of online information about ultra races has no doubt also helped swing these two to the top of runners' bucket lists. Whereas Western States has had its heroes for many years, recording streaks of back to back wins, shattering preconceptions about what can be achieved on the course, UTMB has only recently started to see the same kind of pattern emerge as each passing race allows it to forge out its own history.
UTMB now as an entry limit of 2300. In 2009 everyone who applied, got a spot. This year, 4500 people applied for the 2300 places. The reaction from UTMB has been to tighten the qualification criteria somewhat and in my opinion they have responded in the right way to the increase in demand. There has been a massive DNF rate at UTMB over the years, rarely do 50% of the field make the finish. It is an extremely difficult race, without doubt in the top 10 hardest non stop trail races in the world, therefore it would seem crazy to allow those unqualified, to start. Races are being given less qualifying points than before (our own North Downs 100 is worth only 3 points out of the 5 you need from a maximum of two races) whereas before you required only 4 points from an unlimited number of races. So I guess their hope is that more people will work harder and gain more experience in order to qualify for the lottery. Of course the benefit for races like ours that don't yet have the prestige, history or big name attraction, grow, as people support more local events in order to have a crack at the most prestigious. Western States has only just begun to move with the demand. A few years ago Western still employed a two time loser strategy. That was if you had entered the lottery for a place and been unlucky twice, you were guaranteed a spot the following year. This year Western had 2500 applicants for around 300 open places (100 more going to previous top 10ers, benefactors, sponsors and Montrail Ultra Cup Winners), with half of those being 2 time applicants. Western States' problem is that they are restricted to 400 each year by the Granite Chief Wilderness Permit they require to stage the race. UTMB can allow 6 times that number and potentially even more. For the first time in 2012 Western States has a list of qualifying races, of which you must have completed one in order to enter the lottery. With the way this is set up, it will again attract majority US entrants as the included International races are extremely limited. Although I requested our events go on as qualifiers, the RD of Western has decreed first time races are not accepted, which is fair enough, although in the UK you are restricted to running one of only two events to earn a spot.
Western States as the original 100 miler has attracted large fields for a long time (over 400 starters since the early 1990s). It is the most prestigious trail race in the US as the grandfather of the other 90 existing 100 milers in the US and with a rich history. UTMB has only been in existence for 8 years but quickly grew in to the superbowl of trail running. Both races offer spectacular scenery, extremely tough courses and deep fields, drawing the top trail runners from across the globe. Whereas Western States has remained more US focused, UTMB has more of a multi-national field, appealing to the very strong trail and mountain running scene across Western Europe. The level of local support and spectator numbers for UTMB are overwhelming. The explosion in the last few years of running blogs and consumption of online information about ultra races has no doubt also helped swing these two to the top of runners' bucket lists. Whereas Western States has had its heroes for many years, recording streaks of back to back wins, shattering preconceptions about what can be achieved on the course, UTMB has only recently started to see the same kind of pattern emerge as each passing race allows it to forge out its own history.
UTMB now as an entry limit of 2300. In 2009 everyone who applied, got a spot. This year, 4500 people applied for the 2300 places. The reaction from UTMB has been to tighten the qualification criteria somewhat and in my opinion they have responded in the right way to the increase in demand. There has been a massive DNF rate at UTMB over the years, rarely do 50% of the field make the finish. It is an extremely difficult race, without doubt in the top 10 hardest non stop trail races in the world, therefore it would seem crazy to allow those unqualified, to start. Races are being given less qualifying points than before (our own North Downs 100 is worth only 3 points out of the 5 you need from a maximum of two races) whereas before you required only 4 points from an unlimited number of races. So I guess their hope is that more people will work harder and gain more experience in order to qualify for the lottery. Of course the benefit for races like ours that don't yet have the prestige, history or big name attraction, grow, as people support more local events in order to have a crack at the most prestigious. Western States has only just begun to move with the demand. A few years ago Western still employed a two time loser strategy. That was if you had entered the lottery for a place and been unlucky twice, you were guaranteed a spot the following year. This year Western had 2500 applicants for around 300 open places (100 more going to previous top 10ers, benefactors, sponsors and Montrail Ultra Cup Winners), with half of those being 2 time applicants. Western States' problem is that they are restricted to 400 each year by the Granite Chief Wilderness Permit they require to stage the race. UTMB can allow 6 times that number and potentially even more. For the first time in 2012 Western States has a list of qualifying races, of which you must have completed one in order to enter the lottery. With the way this is set up, it will again attract majority US entrants as the included International races are extremely limited. Although I requested our events go on as qualifiers, the RD of Western has decreed first time races are not accepted, which is fair enough, although in the UK you are restricted to running one of only two events to earn a spot.
So as these two grow in popularity, which they undoubtedly will, the entry criteria will no doubt continue to get harder in order to shrink down the number of people actually making the hat each year. There really is no other way around it in my opinion and it is entirely fair that if you want to try your hand at a race at the very top of the difficulty spectrum, you should have had to battle your way through other tough races to earn a spot.
The next two races in the list, Badwater and Comrades, are road runs but are again two of the biggest names on the ultra calender. Badwater has the reputation of being the hardest ultra out there. Part of the reason for that is its entry policy, where would be runners are required to fill out an athletic CV alongside a bank of lengthy questions in order to be elegible for selection by the race committee. Letting only 90 people start the run each year is a restriction imposed on the race organisers adventurecorps, by Death Valley National Park but has caused a knock on effect in that demand has ballooned because so few people get to try their hand at the course. Each year they allow just 45 vets and 45 rookies to take the start line. In 2003 my good friend Frank entered the race with a CV which included some mountaineering experience and a couple of 50 milers. In 2006 when I first looked at it, the criteria was that you must have completed one 100km race within the time limits of the course. This year the time limit for reaching the finish has been reduced from 60 hours to 48 for the first time and as a bare minimum you must have completed 3 x 100 milers to enter. Not easy. I've never seen any figures published on how many entries they receive each year but it wouldn't suprise me to find out if was in the mid to high 100s. With that in mind and only 90 spots available, a race that captures the imagination of so many people will only get more and more popular and potentially also continue to raise it's entry criteria.
Comrades I had the pleasure of seeing first hand a couple of weeks ago, albeit I wasn't able to run because of injury. It is a spectacular event with huge numbers of runners and an open door policy to anyone who can complete a marathon. As an experience, those that have run it put it right at the very top and as ultra running grows, so will the number of international entrants to an event already in its 87th year and rooted at the heart of the South African national psyche.
The biggest surprises on the poll list for me are the next two, Spartathlon and the Marathon Des Sables. I didn't expect Sparta to feature so highly as it is so incredibly difficult and less publicised than many of the others. It perhaps is somewhat of a 'dream' for many to even think about being in a position to cross the finish line of a 153 mile race involving many different obstacles (heat/ a mountain climb) within a 36 hour time limit. There is no doubt that the handful of Brits that take part each year will grow in number as those before them return with stories of just how epic a race it is. Perhaps the growth in the number of Brits running the GUCR each year and thus qualifying for sparta in the process is helping to blossom that number. The Marathon Des Sables seems to have fallen from its position as 'the race at the top of everyones list' ever so slightly. The scenery is incredible and it remains one of the toughest challenges out there, but with so many other more sociably organised, less military, more affordable multi day races out there (desert or otherwise), it isn't necessarily top of the pile any longer in anything other than name. Still at 1000 runners this year it is clearly the premier desert stage race on the ultra calender.
In 7th place was the GUCR. A classic British Ultramarathon and one, again, that is growing in size and reputation which is wonderful to see. It isn't suprising that it got a good few votes.
Leadville followed GUCR and is again, a race that has absolutely blown up in size in the US. This year the race will be staged by Lifetime Fitness who bought out the incumbent race directors. Potentially a sign of things to come, the 2011 race has gone on to sell out all 700 places. This again is a record. Books like Born To Run and Dean Karnazes' ultramarathonman have spread the word about Leadville to a much wider audience.
The Jungle Marathon came next and I confess to knowing very little about it. I know a few people who have had a crack at it and whom have also raced the MdS/ 4Deserts etc and who rate this as extremely difficult due to the humidity and heat as a combination.
The North Pole Marathon is astronomically expensive to get too but clearly is, as this poll asks, 'a dream race'.
Finally the 4 Deserts Series only got 2 votes, perhaps I sold it short by not naming one of the deserts out and bundling them together so hard to tell if that would have changed anything.
Last but not least 'the marathon' got 0 votes. I guess that's maybe as everyone has already done it. It's still on my list though, 6 years and counting....
In 7th place was the GUCR. A classic British Ultramarathon and one, again, that is growing in size and reputation which is wonderful to see. It isn't suprising that it got a good few votes.
Leadville followed GUCR and is again, a race that has absolutely blown up in size in the US. This year the race will be staged by Lifetime Fitness who bought out the incumbent race directors. Potentially a sign of things to come, the 2011 race has gone on to sell out all 700 places. This again is a record. Books like Born To Run and Dean Karnazes' ultramarathonman have spread the word about Leadville to a much wider audience.
The Jungle Marathon came next and I confess to knowing very little about it. I know a few people who have had a crack at it and whom have also raced the MdS/ 4Deserts etc and who rate this as extremely difficult due to the humidity and heat as a combination.
The North Pole Marathon is astronomically expensive to get too but clearly is, as this poll asks, 'a dream race'.
Finally the 4 Deserts Series only got 2 votes, perhaps I sold it short by not naming one of the deserts out and bundling them together so hard to tell if that would have changed anything.
Last but not least 'the marathon' got 0 votes. I guess that's maybe as everyone has already done it. It's still on my list though, 6 years and counting....
How much anybody can take away from the above is marginal but it will be interesting to see if we repeat the process in a years time if we get similar results. All in all, the biggest races get bigger as our sport grows exponentially. Hopefully the races that rush to fill this rise in level of interest will continue to add to the incredible pedigree displayed in most of the above listed races. I hope one day in the not too distant future people will talk about Centurion Races in the same way but we must earn that right through hard work just as each of the others has had to.
Any other poll suggestions gladly accepted. The current one sucks. Scroll down to bottom right on here
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