Ultra-Marathon

		What is an Ultra-Marathon?
		An ultramarathon is defined as any race longer than the modern marathon distance of 26.2 miles. Most ultramarathons are standard distances such as 50 kilometers, 50 miles, 100 kilometers, and 100 miles. Ultramarathons have gained in popularity recently. Many runners and adventurers are pushing the limits of the human body. One runner who has competed in many ultramarathons is Dean Karnazes. He has many awards and distinctions from ultramarathons and other outdoor activities. One of his greatest accomplishments was winning the Badwater Ultramarathon (see below) in 2004. Karnazes has published several books about his ultramarathon and running experiences. One of these books is Ultra Marathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner. Karnazes recently completed a 350 mile run in order to raise money for Katalina
Thang, who was awaiting a heart transplant at Standford Children's Hospital.

Badwater Ultra-Marathon
The Badwater Ultra-Marathon is one of the most grueling races today. This ultramarathon is a 135 mile race from Death Valley to Mount Whitney, California held annually during July, with temperatures up to 130F. The race accepts 90 athletes each year based on previous running history. The start line marks the lowest elevation in the Western Hemisphere at 280 feet below sea level. The race finishes at the Mt. Whitney Portals at 8,360 feet. The Badwater course covers three mountain ranges for a total of 13,000 feet of cumulative vertical ascent and 4,700 feet of cumulative descent. This tradition began in 1977 with Al Arnold's solo run. Several other adventurers completed the run after Arnold. In 1987, the race was officially organized as the Badwater Ultramarathon. In 1999, Mel Stuart created a documentary that followed 13 runners in the 1999 Badwater Ultra-Marathon. Pictured to
the right is the cover for this documentary, Running on the Sun, and the logo for the Badwater Ultra-Marathon.