Indonesian Digital News Archive

A new ultra-length stage race is set to get underway this weekend in the western United States, where some of the top endurance runners in the world have gathered to take on a unique course that will undoubtedly challenge them both mentally and physically. The seven-day, six-stage event will cover more than 160 miles (257 km) and feature over 21,700 ft (6614 meters) of vertical gain.

The race is called the Grand to Grand Ultra, deriving its name from the fact that it begins at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and ends at the summit of the Grand Staircase in Utah. Over the course of next week, competitors in the event will be running an average of 28 miles per day, mostly through remote desert regions as they pass through two national forests and Zion National Park on their way to the finish line.

As is typical with these kinds of events, the G2G Ultra requires that all of the competitors be self supporting while out on the course. That means they won't just be running more than a marathon per day, but they'll also have to carry all of their gear with them while out on the course. Mandatory gear includes first aid and emergency supplies, a windproof jacket, lightweight sleeping bag and more. They'll also need to haul their food and water with them as well although they will receive fresh water at each of the checkpoints they pass through along the way.

One of the things that I find most interesting about this race is that the organizers are giving away some of the proceeds to charity. This year they selected one of my favorite organizations, impossible2Possible, to be the beneficiary of those charitable contributions. I've written numerous times about the efforts of i2P, which encourages education and physical activity through the use of adventure. The non-profit organizes a couple of expeditions to remote places on the planet each year and then interacts with students and faculty in a variety of classrooms to help raise awareness of global issues. It's a great program and one I'm always happy to see get some attention.

The G2G Ultra actually begins Sunday morning at the North Rim. While it is underway you should be able to get updates from the official website. And if you want to take part in the 2013 version of the race, they are already accepting early bird applications.

This past weekend the North Face Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc took place in the Alps. Over the past decade, the race has earned itself a reputation for being one of the toughest competitions on the planet as runners attempt to circumnavigate around Mont Blanc, passing through France, Italy and Switzerland in the process. The route, which features more than 9600 m (31,496 ft) of climbing, is typically 168km (104 miles) in length, but this year, bad weather caused last minute changes which dropped those distances dramatically. That didn't necessarily make it a much easier race to run however.

On Friday, when the race was scheduled to get underway, UTMB organizers announced that due to wet conditions and cold temperatures they had elected to alter the course. The new route would stay completely within France and was cut down to just 103km (64 miles) and 5790 meters (19,000 ft) of climbing. That didn't seem to dampen the spirits of many of the runners however as thousands of them hit the trail to test their skills. A little more than ten and a half hours later, the first competitor was crossing the finish line.

French runner Francois D'Haene claimed first place in the men's division finishing more than a half-hour in front of second place runner Jonas Buud. American Michael Foote claimed third, finishing at 11 hours, 19 minutes even. On the women's side of the bracket, Brit ultra-legend Lizzy Hawker took first place once again, earning her a record fifth UTMB title. She was an hour and five minutes ahead of second place finisher Francesca Canepa, with third place going to Emma Roca with a time of 13 hours, 23 minutes, 37 seconds. Hawker also managed to finish 16th overall, marking the first time ever that a woman finished in the top 20.

Congratulations to the winners and all the runners of the race. It's a shame the weather reared its guly head once again, but the event still went off well and the top finishers remain tremendous athletes.

Speaking of the North Face Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc, I received this inforgraphic that helps to put the event into perspective. The race kicks off later today and will run through the weekend, although the fastest runners will hit the finish line tomorrow. Follow the race live at Ultratrail.tv and on the UTMB Facebook page.

Way back in February I shared an early look at an ambitious and potentially awesome new television show called Run The Planet. The premise of the show is that New Zealand ultra-running legend Lisa Tamati would take Australian ultra-running newbie Chris Ord under her wing and show him the ropes of long distance running. The two would then visit some of the most iconic places on Earth and run across them.

At the time of that story, Lisa and Chris were preparing to run a famous route across Australia that was followed by an indigenous stockman named Hezekiel Malbunka back in 1922 in order to deliver a telegram. The route is more than 125km (77.6  miles) in length and runs through some of the hottest environments on the continent. The two runners took on that very route and as a result we now have a pilot video of what the show would be all about. You can watch that video below and judge for yourself.

Lisa and Chris a now hoping to take the show into full production and as such they're hoping to connect with some partners and television networks who may be interested in helping get Run The Planet off the ground.  For those interested, full details, including production notes, are available at RunThePlanetTV.com.

Judging from what I've seen in the video here, this looks like it would be a fantastic show. If you don't think running across remote landscapes can be a compelling television show, just watch the fourteen and a half minute screener below. Excellent work by all involved.

The Leadville Trail Run is one of the toughest races in North America. Covering more than 100 miles (160km) and ranging in elevation between 9200 and 12,600 feet (2804 - 3840 meters) it is a pure test of endurance and determination.

This year, two-time Olympian Michael Aish will test his mettle in the legendary "Race Across the Sky." After spending much of his career competing at the 5000 and 10,000 meter distances, this will be his first ultra-run and he plans on winning it. GoDu Productions, the same folks that brought us the awesome Ski The Himalayas series, are documenting Aish's preparation and Leadville run. They're producing a series entitled Crushing Hope which will consist of eight half hour long episodes for broadcast television. You'll find a fantastic trailer for the show below.

Incidentally, the title refers to Hope Pass, the highpoint of the Leadville 100, which the runners must pass through at both the 45 and 55 mile point in the run.

Can't wait to see this!

Crushing Hope Trailer from Godu Productions on Vimeo.

This is one that doesn't usually sneak under my radar but I missed the start of the 2012 Badwater Ultramarathon and have spent part of the day catching up on the news. For those unfamiliar with the event it is an annual sufferfest during which some of the top ultra-runners in the world run 135 miles (217km) non-stop from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney in California. Along the way they rack up an incredible 13,000 feet (3962 meters) of vertical gain and battle the legendary heat that earned Death Valley its name.

The race got underway yesterday and the top finishers are already completing the course. The 2012 winner is Mike Morton who managed to complete the entire 135 miles in just 22 hours, 52 minutes, and 55 seconds. Defending champ Oswaldo Lopez claimed second place at 23:32:28" and Zach Gingerich is home in third at 25:49:40". Other ultra-running legends like Dean Karnazes and Pam Reed are still out on the course at this time.

Why on Earth would anyone enter a race like this one? If you have to ask, you'll probably never understand. But the pre-race video below gives a bit of an introduction to some of the runners, who share their inspirations for entering the Badwater.