31 min
66: The 100-miler: Part 13 (1974-1975) Gordy Ainsleigh Ultrarunning History
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- Running
974 is the year that most ultrarunners unfortunately think 100-mile ultrarunning history began. Hopefully the previous 12 parts including 80,000 words of pre-1974 100-mile history, has set the record straight.
During 1974, 100-mile races solo runs were held across the globe, but the most significant run, which mostly went unnoticed at the time, was performed by Gordy Ainsleigh in the rugged, hot mountains in California. Previous to that, many sub-24-hours 100-mile solo runs had been accomplished every year on roads, tracks, and trails. Thus, this one did not get much attention until several years later, when with some genius marketing, it became an icon for running 100 miles in the mountains, the symbol for Western States 100, founded in 1977.
But also hidden in the annals of the Western States Endurance Run history, is a forgotten story of 53 individuals, men and women, who covered the Western States Trail on foot in 1974, just one week after Ainsleigh made his famous run. Sadly, it was yet another story that was well-known at the time, but wasn't mentioned in the carefully crafted Western States origin story.
974 is the year that most ultrarunners unfortunately think 100-mile ultrarunning history began. Hopefully the previous 12 parts including 80,000 words of pre-1974 100-mile history, has set the record straight.
During 1974, 100-mile races solo runs were held across the globe, but the most significant run, which mostly went unnoticed at the time, was performed by Gordy Ainsleigh in the rugged, hot mountains in California. Previous to that, many sub-24-hours 100-mile solo runs had been accomplished every year on roads, tracks, and trails. Thus, this one did not get much attention until several years later, when with some genius marketing, it became an icon for running 100 miles in the mountains, the symbol for Western States 100, founded in 1977.
But also hidden in the annals of the Western States Endurance Run history, is a forgotten story of 53 individuals, men and women, who covered the Western States Trail on foot in 1974, just one week after Ainsleigh made his famous run. Sadly, it was yet another story that was well-known at the time, but wasn't mentioned in the carefully crafted Western States origin story.
31 min