The weirdest and best race is happening right now: the Quarantine Backyard Ultra
I hope you're taking care of yourself right now. If that includes running, cool. If it doesn't, that's also cool.
Hello!
We survived week 3. I hope you’re all hanging in there and doing what you need to do to stay safe and get through this.
As soon as last week’s issue dropped, it was announced that the Olympics were going to take place exactly one year later, from July 23 to Aug. 8. Other than that, no real Olympic news came out, so that’s all I have on that for now.
Coronavirus is cancelling everything, but something really cool emerged this weekend: the Quarantine Backyard Ultra. This virtual ultramarathon was organized by Canadian Dave Proctor, and I have more on it below.
If you want to reach out, you can email me at runthenorthnews@gmail.com.
OK, let’s get to it.
— Erin @ Run the North
The Quarantine Backyard Ultra is the distraction we need right now
This pandemic means we are all at home. But it doesn’t mean we can’t race. This past weekend, the Quarantine Backyard Ultra was held.
The rules were simple: find a place you could run a 4.167 mile loop near your house outside, on a treadmill, whatever. Just be able to prove you ran the distance. One competitor ran his loops inside a coffee shop.
Complete each loop in less than an hour, and you’re still in. Last runner standing wins.
The race began on Saturday, April 4 at 9 a.m. ET. It wasn’t over by the time I finished this newsletter on Sunday night.
This race could last up to 60 or more hours. If it’s still happening by the time you read this, tune in.
The race came to be when Canadian Dave Proctor had to cancel his attempt to run the fastest known time across Canada because of the coronavirus.
Proctor, a 39-year-old ultrarunner from Calgary, is known for running long and strange races to raise money for rare disease research. His son has a rare disease, which has inspired his fundraising efforts.
He often runs in a cowboy hat and owns several treadmill running world records.
Sports Illustrated had a piece about its inception and its potential for being something special at a time when there are no sports happening:
[Proctor] sees this race as an opportunity to introduce more people to backyard ultras. “There are a lot of people who want to try this for the first time. When else do you go out and run a loop slowly?” he says. “Backyard is for everybody. If your longest run was a half marathon, you could go do four loops and that's the longest run you've ever completed. And then you want to go do another one! Or not!” Proctor estimates that as many as 50% of the runners signed up for the Quarantine Backyard are first-timers who have no idea what torture awaits them.
Runner’s World also wrote a preview for the race:
[Proctor] decided to not let his training go to waste, and instead decided to host a virtual backyard ultra. The race grew larger than he ever imagined.
“COVID-19 restricted us from travel and public gatherings yet we found away within two weeks to create the second largest ultra race in history with the strongest elite field ever assembled,” Proctor, the owner of multiple Canadian running world records, told Runner’s World. “Humans ability to adapt to adversity is awe inspiring. ... The ultra running community is a close knit group that is looking for a light shining through the cracks.”
The race was free to enter and anyone could sign up. The whole thing came together in two weeks and became bigger than expected. More than 2,000 people from over 50 different countries signed up, and there was an impressive elite field, including:
American Courtney Dauwalter, who won the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc 2019
American Maggie Guterl, who won the 2019 Big Backyard’s Ultra outright, becoming the first woman to do so
American Mike Wardian, who owns several national and international records, including fastest known time for running 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days
Canadian Jay Kinsella, who won the 2017 Bigfoot 200 mile race in Washington state
Canadian Matt Shepard, who won the 2019 Outrun Backyard Ultra, which is organized by Dave Proctor
Canadian Calum Neff, who owns several stroller running world records
Lazarus Lake, the race director for the Barkley Marathons, is the honorary race director. The Barkley marathons are among the many races cancelled this spring.
Lazarus Lake and Dave Proctor were both on new podcast The Roots with Stephanie recently. You can listen to that conversation below.
Running: it’s the best of times and the worst of times
It’s a weird time to be a runner right now. There are no races to look forward to, no run crews to meet up with. It feels like the rules for what we can and cannot do outside are changing every day.
The Washington Post has an article about how all physical distancing and cancellations are hurting running, as a community and as an industry:
The pro athletes at the front of the pack may lose half of their annual incomes. The hordes of runners who line up behind the elites would feel exactly like Charlie Brown when Lucy yanks away the football — if he had spent four exhausting months powering toward that kick. And the directors of the races that were canceled or postponed face at best a logistical nightmare and at worst a financial catastrophe.
And yet, running is one of the last activities we can still do. With more and more things getting closed, people are looking for something to do — so it seems that running is more popular than ever.
The New York Times looked at the coronavirus-inspired running boom:
As a regular runner, you become addicted to the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other because when you’re running hard, that’s all you can think about. The lactic acid building in your legs doesn’t care about your work calendar or your school assignment or etiquette for video conference calls or the state of the pandemic today. Just get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Get to the next mile, to the next repetition, to the next tree, to the next breath.
And in the same piece, it reminds us that even though we can’t run together, we’re still in this together:
Run in any country, in any park, at any time, spot another runner, and chances are you’ll greet each other with the slightest nod. You’re out here too.
Sometimes that nod gives way to a wave. When the weather is treacherous, sometimes you’ll get a thumbs up. You’re still out here too.
In this time, as more and more people hit their parks, streets and trails, make sure to nod at your fellow runner.
We’re all still out here.
It’s pretty cool that top public health experts are runners
André Picard, the health reporter at the Globe and Mail, has written some of the best pieces in Canada about the coronavirus. He’s knowledgable and measured and was pushing for more extreme social distancing before it became a thing.
And he’s a runner. He’s run 25 marathons and 75 half-marathons. He spoke to iRun about the pandemic and about running:
Why is running important right now?
For a change of scenery; for mental health. The mental health aspect couldn’t be more overstated — what’s more beautiful than Montreal in the spring? My home is near Mount Royal and I see people running by my house all day long. Families going by every day — a mum and dad and three kids — and maybe they’re not “runners,” but it’s wonderful to see them out there, people who never had that opportunity to get outside together, people used to commuting in their cars, I hope people take something from this and do it afterwards. We all know how great running is.
He also talked about his career and about running in this 2019 interview with the Media Training podcast. If you’re interested in what goes into being. journalist, it’s worth a listen.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, America’s top medical expert, is also quite the runner.
Dr. Anthony Fauci has been running the same federal entity through some of the worst crises of the last half-century: AIDS, anthrax, swine flu, Ebola and, now, a coronavirus pandemic that has turned this infectious disease expert into the most influential person in American public health.
He’s also been running for almost the entire time.
For most of his life, a long run was simply built into Fauci’s insanely busy schedule as the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a daily appointment as routine as breakfast and dinner. He didn’t have to remind himself to breathe in fresh air. He couldn’t wait.
“Not only was it every day, but there was almost nothing that could stop us,” said Mike Goldrich, the NIAID’s former chief operating officer who also happened to be Fauci’s running buddy. “Ice. Snow. Rain. Heat. We were big fans of Gore-Tex.”
And New York governor Andrew Cuomo has decided now is the time he’s going to return to running, to off-set cabin fever and keep up with his daughter Cara:
Zoom chats with Canada’s best runners
Shane Dixon has been organizing weekly Zoom chats with Canadian elite runners that anyone can join. He’s @Shaneruns on Instagram and the best way to get the info on the chats is in his Instagram stories.
His first chat was with steeplechaser Geneviève Lalonde and triathlete John Erik Rasmussen.
Up next is a chat with Lanni Marchant, on Tuesday, April 7 at 8 p.m. ET.
He promises a surprise guest every week, so follow him to get all the details.
Strides: links I liked
😎 The GQ profile and fashion spread featuring Eliud Kipchoge is amazing.
👟Krista DuChene wrote more about training in a time of uncertainty for her iRun column:
I’m happy with this modified routine, which continues following a 9-day plan, giving me two recovery days between hard or long sessions.
The mileage and workouts are built more like a 10K training plan, which may prove beneficial to change up my marathon after marathon pattern. The training gives me something to look forward to, is often the highlight of my day, makes me feel purpose, and allows me to maintain some fitness, while not being overly taxing, physically or mentally. I’ll even include another 10 km time trial/virtual race to keep that racing feel alive. If fall marathons roll as planned, I will take a very easy week before starting my 12-week build for the September 14th Boston Marathon. And I will gradually return to double run days, periodizing my diet, and the best part — running with friends.
How’s the fire in your belly?
It doesn’t feel like it’s burning hot every day and I’m sure that’s the same for everybody. Finding the way that gets your foot out the door; it’s obviously easier somedays than others. Right now, I’m just trying to find motivation. I know motivation is low for a lot of people right now and accepting that and knowing that it’s not going to be like this forever is helpful. I think whatever gets you moving right now is acceptable.
🎖 The Ottawa marathon — Canada’s biggest spring marathon and host of the 10K Canadian road championships — finally cancelled. Race director Ian Fraser (2020 is his first year at the helm) talked to iRun about handling the cancellation.
🎧 Strides Forward is a new narrative podcast that is sharing stories about women runners. Each season will focus on a different race — the first season is about the Comrades marathon, the iconic point-to-point 90K race in South Africa. The first episode features ultrarunner Devon Yanko.
Cherie Turner is the host and producer of Strides Forward and helpfully emailed me to tell me she married a Canadian. I’m always here for Canadian connections. Thanks, Cherie! You can listen to Strides Forward here.
🎽Evan Esselink wrote about his emotional journey while training during the pandemic for the Mile2Marathon blog. Esselink is a coach with Mile2Marathon and was planning on going for the Olympic standard of 2:11:30 at the London marathon, which was set for April 26, but was rescheduled to October 4:
In Flagstaff, I was in limbo, continuing to push full speed ahead without working through the things that were going on around me. While hard work often leads to an increase in fitness, it adds stress to the body. This coupled with the added uncertainty of the looming cancellation of the Olympics and pandemic, was too much. It is incredibly difficult to push your body to its full potential, especially when your mind is fully tapped. With answers and taking the time to feel my emotions, it turns out that it wasn’t my physical state that was holding me back but rather what was going on inside my head.
🇺🇸Aliphine Tuliamuk talked to Women’s Running about how the coronavirus has changed her life since winning the U.S. Olympic trials. Two big tidbits here: her partner, Tim, is a health care worker, and the Olympic delay has meant they are putting off trying to start a family for another year:
I’m just like everyone else who is grappling with what this virus means in our changing world. It’s scary not knowing what the future holds, and it can be hard to get excited or hopeful in these uncertain times. As an athlete, my goal next summer is to bring home a medal for our country. But I think what I really want is for the world to heal so that all of us can pursue, and hopefully achieve, any of our individual and collective goals in life. That hope, that new dream, is what will keep me running.
🇺🇸Women’s Running also talked to Des Linden about things right now:
Advice for how runners can handle the uncertainty right now, with few (if any) races on the calendar:
“I alway think of that meme that says, ‘Oh, you want to know what am I training for? Life, motherf*cker.’ All that fitness goes into your body and is absorbed for a long time. There will be races again, some day. You have to find some purpose in putting one foot in front of the other and tap into why you run. It can’t just be about race results—hopefully you have a good ‘why.’”
Is it hard to keep that perspective when running is your job?
“It’s an amazing job to have and we’re super lucky — and it’s also a luxury to be a pro runner. We’re not the only people being put on hold by this thing. We just need to have the perspective that canceling these races is for the greater good. Racing will start again and we’ll be ready when it does.”
🎧 Women Run Canada is continuing to put out excellent episodes, but I wanted to highlight their recent interviews with Rachel Cliff and Kinsey Middleton, two elite runners who have had their spring races impacted by coronavirus — Rachel dropped out of Tokyo when they changed to an elite-only format and Kinsey was supposed to run London.
🇨🇦 Runner’s World re-posted their 2010 profile of Canadian masters great Ed Whitlock:
Interested in finding out if the Whitlock way works for you? Here’s what you do: “I do what not to do to an extreme,’ Whitlock says. “I go out jogging. It’s not fast running, just that I do it for a long time. I don’t follow what typical coaches say about serious runners. No physios, ice baths, massages, tempo runs, heart rate monitors. I have no strong objection to any of that, but I’m not sufficiently organized or ambitious to do all the things you’re supposed to do if you’re serious. The more time you spend fiddlediddling with this and that, the less time there is to run or waste time in other ways.”
Whitlock also has a philosophical reason for stripping running to its essentials. “Running should be a pastime,” he says. “All sports should be a pastime.”
🇬🇧BBC on-air reporter Sophie Raworth has been running to work at the BBC studio each day. She chronicled the empty streets she runs on in a photo essay for the BBC website:
I live about six miles from the BBC. Over the past fortnight, I've been zigzagging my way along different streets into the capital, now in its shutdown state. And it is quite extraordinary. Every so often I just stop, look around me and listen.
It's the silence that is so unnerving. A stillness that I have never felt in London before. The other day I stood in Leicester Square and gasped out loud. Nothing was moving around me.
🏋️♂️I enjoyed this column by Vice’s Swole Woman about working out right now. It’s not about running, but it still applies:
The American/capitalist drive to nearly immediately “pick ourselves up by our bootstraps” and treat bad situations and feelings like a problem-solving challenge to be addressed with action items (Get a “revenge body”! Buy a new dress! Go to a spa! Sleep with someone! Go out with friends and dance!) is, uh, I guess admirable in certain cases, but wrong-headed. There’s a time for that stuff, but the time is not always “as soon as physically possible,” because sometimes what is physically possible is not mentally or emotionally possible, for now.
Understand that this is a marathon. If you sprint at the beginning, you will vomit on your shoes by the end of the month. Emotionally prepare for this crisis to continue for 12 to 18 months, followed by a slow recovery. If it ends sooner, be pleasantly surprised. Right now, work toward establishing your serenity, productivity, and wellness under sustained disaster conditions.
That’s it for this week!
If you’re reading this online or if it was sent to you by a friend, you can subscribe here:
Next week is Easter, so even though I am sitting at home doing nothing, Run the North will take Easter Monday off and drop on Tuesday morning.
I don’t know what I’ll write about next week, but I’ve been saying that since the pandemic started and the news hasn’t stopped.
Stay safe, run alone, take care of yourself and your loved ones.
We’ll see you next week.