LEARNING TO FLY – Review by Diane Carson
Watching the pain and fortitude required for 100-plus mile ultramarathoners, the question that recurs is “Why?” The daunting challenge of the grueling distance (almost four traditional marathons back to back) is compounded in several races that require running uneven, gravel trails through the night with a total elevation gain of over 18,000 feet. The most difficult 108 mile Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) involves a loop around that 15,781 foot mountain with an elevation gain of 32,800 feet and an equivalent elevation descent. Runners must finish in under forty seven hours. Painfully and reluctantly, some will have to withdraw. Others will complete the course to their incalculable delight, even as they collapse at the finish line.
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