Some of the ultra-running sites out there had lengthy debates about Ultrarunning magazine's rankings for ultra runner of the year and performances of the year. Some of the debate was about the North Face 50, and how those performances didn't seem to get much respect. There is a tendency to look to the ultras that have been around longest and rank those performances at the top if they stand up well to the test of history. The prime example is this year's Western States 100, where Geoff Roes and Anton Krupicka both were under the old course record. Surprisingly, there was not much discussion about how this year's course was actually different due to the snow.
Nonetheless, I'd say this is a case where the rankings at the top made a lot of sense. You had a stacked race and historic times. But it is unfortunate, particularly for runners not situated in areas of the country considered "ultra hotbeds", that many great performances in less well-known events aren't even considered. I don't have a huge interest in rankings that are based on a few people's opinions, particularly in a sport contested far from the gaze of any objective spectators. However, it did occur to me that Chris Gardner's Voyageur 50 win didn't get a single vote. The way he covered the last half of that course in the rain and mud was certainly worthy of mention. Aside from the two guys at Western, it was perhaps the best ultra performance I saw this year.
Gardner has a blog called Performance is Reality. Check it out and follow his training.
Definitely agree on Gardner's Voyageur performance. Really impressive and would have been tough for anyone to beat on that course that day.
ReplyDeleteIt seems hard to compare racing in MN to out in the mountains...although it would have been interesting to see some of the best from out West at Voyageur that day. Just maybe we'll find out some day when mountains aren't that cool anymore and MN will be the new "ultra hotbed".