Frequently Asked Questions

Contents

Preface

The information on this page is not a traditional style FAQ, but a loosely assembled collection of tidbits about Across the Years, with supplementary information about 24-hour and multiday racing in general. Much of it is based on notes intended for an article the keeper of this Web site at one time intended to write, but may never get around to. Accordingly, expect to see some bias based on the author's own experience. Any outright factual errors will be corrected if someone takes the trouble to report them.

Click on any red ball () to return to the top of the page.

Across the Years History and Background

How old is Across the Years?

The 2010 edition will be the 27th running of Across the Years. The first was in 1983. In that year founder Harold Sieglaff presented an Easter 24-hour run in the spring, and followed that in December with the first year-end run which has always been called Across the Years, with various descriptive words added to the title. There was no race in 2009.

How did Across the Years get started?

ATY's founder is Harold Sieglaff, who was age 72 on his most recent visit to the race in 2006. Harold accumulated over 2400 lifetime miles at the race, far more than anyone else. Originally Harold directed the race, but he delegated that job to others several years ago.

Harold has participated in almost every race. The last few years he ran he walked it wearing street clothes. Because of his knee problems, Harold has not returned since the 2006 race.

For several years, and through 2003, the race was put on by Arizona Road Racers. In 2004, the event once again became an independent operation. Starting in 2010, the race is put on by Aravaipa Running, with the cooperation of Nardini Manor and many of the long-time volunteers and organizers acting as helpers and advisors.

The race's format has not always been as it is today. The first year there was a 6-hour race (with one runner), and also 12-hour and 24-hour races on December 31. The 6-hour and 12-hour events were dropped. Until 1993 the race was held at Washington High School in Phoenix, after which it was moved to different locations. In 2004 it took off in popularity, no doubt in large part because of the world's new-found ability to get the word out on the Internet, also because of the high quality facility Nardini Manor provides.

Where does the name Across the Years come from?

The origin of the name should be obvious, given the traditional date of the race. All races include the last day of the calendar year and continue through midnight on New Year's Eve, thus "across the years," and also across whatever other time markers happen to apply. In 1999 there was a six-day race to celebrate the coming of the new millennium. Needless to say, we won't be having another race across the millennia for quite a while, but for several years after 1999 the full name of the race was given as Across the Years, Decades, Centuries, and Millennia 72-, 48-, and 24-Hour Run, Walk, Eat and Nap.

The current full name of the race is Across the Years 72-, 48-, and 24-Hour Footrace, but it's usually referred to simply as Across the Years, and by netizens as ATY.

How did ATY get moved to Nardini Manor?

This came about through the great generosity of Nardini Manor's owner, ultrarunner Rodger Wrublik, who wanted to host the race.

For several years, ending in 2002, Across the Years was held at the Canyon State Academy high school track in Queen Creek, Arizona. We are grateful to the Academy for its generous support, but we seemed to have worn out our welcome there, and it was time to move on.

During that last race in 2002, Rodger supplied a large heated tent that many people slept in during the cold nights. Rodger also made it known to key ARR officers that he would be glad to host the race at his facility, and would even custom build a running path for the occasion. His kind contribution no doubt made the difference in whether the race would be able to continue. We have been happy running there ever since.

What is the track like?

You can judge for yourself by looking at the many pictures on this site. There are several archives that show the work in progress. There are also many excellent pictures from the races. See the navigation bar on the left.

The path is exactly 500 meters long, and runs around the perimeter of the Nardini Manor grounds. See the Race Day Info page for an overall map of the grounds.

The surface is firmly packed crushed gravel. This has proven to be easy on the legs for most runners, though some have mentioned that it feels rather hard, especially when temperatures drop. Not being a rubberized track like you might find at a school, it's not considered particularly fast, though one person ran an 81-second lap after the 2007 race, just to show off! To minimize overuse injuries that might result from always turning one direction while going around the course, runners switch directions every two hours during the race.

Regarding the process of hardening the track Rodger writes:

What I have is a Wacker compaction roller which is designed just for dirt compaction. It is a diesel powered vibratory roller which will produce 100% compaction up to two feet deep. Water is a vital part of the compaction process. This compactor is similar to the ones that we have used in our subdivisions for compacting our utility trenches after putting in our water, phone, and electric. I attached a photo of the unit to give you an idea what it looks like.

Miscellany and Tips

Has the course distance been certified?

Yes! On October 19, 2003, the course was officially certified at 500 meters. In 2008 the track was greatly revamped, and then the course was recertified. For reference, the latest USAT&F Certification Code is AZ08013GAN.

Note that the path is certified as a road, not a track, because of its construction, which means that any records set will be road records, not track records. The people who worked on getting the certification spent some time tweaking the curves so that it could be stretched to that convenient round number. Now runners will be able to keep track of their distances in kilometers without having to do any fancy calculating. We will have a laps-to-miles conversion chart available as packet stuffers for metrically challenged runners.

How was the certification done?

The method used to calibrate the Nardini Manor loop and achieve certification is set forth in the USAT&F Road Race Course Measurement And Certification Procedure booklet. Frank Cuda, who has calibrated courses for Arizona Road Racers, did the calibration, with the help of others. All questions and concerns were graciously answered by the State Certifier, Gene Newman.

The Jones/Oerth Counter is one of the few recognized calibration methods for courses. Frank purchased two counters which were then used independently to certify the loop.

The certification process included calibrating a bicycle on an approved calibration course one kilometer in length with the counter attached. They used a bicycle with solid tires, and traversed the loop a total of eight times with an exact downward load calculation. The readings were then modified to ensure a non-short course. Temperatures at the start and finish were also taken into account. As a side note, the calibration course used a custom 500-foot steel engineer tape with attached spring tension regulator.

Nardini Loop was then calibrated a total of seven times by two certifiers staying well within the twelve-inch ruling and using the RRCMACP procedure for unpaved surfaces. Notations were made for temperature, percentage of different surfaces, altitude and shortest possible paths.

The bicycle was then returned to the calibration course for eight more sets of readings. All of the data was formatted and sent to the state certifier for verification and validation of all the calculations.

Should a national record be set on the course, the course may be independently validated by the USAT&F.

Realistically, with all of the above safety checks and anti-shortness criteria built in by USAT&F, the course, as run by a runner should equate to 10 feet longer than 500 meters.

How will I know how far I have run?

Please don't bug our hard-working timers for readings of your mileage! Check the projector display after any lap to see your total laps, miles, kilometers and race position.

What is the winter desert weather like?

During the days expect anything from downright chilly (low fifties or even upper forties) to too warm (mid to upper seventies, rarely even low eighties). At night it has been known to get below freezing, but lows in the upper forties are more common.

From December through January is the rainiest season in the Phoenix area. It is often overcast.

Will I be able to set up a tent on the site?

Yes. You will be able to set up either inside the large heated tent, or out on the lawn. Most people consider the large tent much more comfortable, but a few people opt to rough it on the lawn.

Will there be any other type of shelter available?

Yes. A 100'x60' tent is situated just a few steps off the running path. This will be available for our use during the race. Do the math: 100'x60' is three times the size of an average house. A small army can bed down in there.

The tent space will be heated adequately to allow for comfortable sleeping or just resting for a while. In the years before we used Nardini Manor, many runners found coping with the relentless cold Arizona desert nights the most most challenging aspect of Across the Years. It's still a problem, but if you're running steadily it's not so bad. If you hope to get some rest during the race, you'll want to be comfortable.

While it is good that there is a heated area, this could also prove to be the downfall of some runners who get too comfortable and lose the desire to get back out on the track. You've been warned!

Will there be adequate bathroom facilities at Nardini Manor?

We could hardly hold a three-day race there if there weren't. In addition to a centrally located regular bathroom, there will be the usual portapotties closer to the running path. Showers will also be available for those who would like to use them. (And who wouldn't after running for a couple of days straight!?)

Will the running path be lit up at night, or will I need to bring a headlamp and/or flashlight?

The track has permanent night lighting. You are free to bring supplementary lighting if you wish. You may find it useful if you will be using a tent.

Will runners be able to set up personal aid stations?

There will be adequate places along the running path for runners to set up tables and chairs to put out items they can grab as they run by. Also, the northwest leg of the path runs by the parking lot. Some persons set up tailgate personal aid stations there.

What will be supplied at the aid stations?

There will be no shortage of food to eat at Across the Years. In addition to the usual race fare, there will likely be some delicious sponsor-catered hot meals, as there has been the last two years. A kitchen just behind the aid station will be operational, and if you ask the volunteers nicely, they will no doubt be glad to heat things in the microwave for you, including items you bring for yourself, if there are particular foods you prefer. Just don't ask them to whip up an order of Peking duck or beef Wellington.

Will I be able to invite my non-competing relatives or friends to do laps with me for a while?

Not if you will be going for a record. As for others, we'll have to play this by ear depending on traffic.

In years past, the accompanying of runners not seeking to set records by non-competitors has been permitted. The running path at Nardini manor is much narrower than an eight-lane 400-meter track. If non-competitors are allowed to roam the track, it could lead to congestion that might affect the performance of other runners. At any given time it will be up to the judgment of the race directors whether conditions will allow it.

Do you recommend using gaiters on this course?

Whether to wear gaiters to help keep dirt and debris out of shoes is a matter of personal choice. The path at Nardini Manor is a dirt road, providing plenty of reason to consider wearing them. The author of this FAQ couldn't live without them.

General Information on 24-Hour and Multiday Races

Why run fixed-time events?

People have wondered what point there is to running around a track all day. Most runners who have tried it, even those who remain primarily fixed-distance and trail runners, admit that fixed-time running has a specialized appeal that is unlike other types of running. To quote one well-known director of trail races:

I see a lot of advantages to fixed time events, and especially ATY. It's a great confidence run for people just getting into ultras to see how far they can go. It's good for older and slower runners who have a problem meeting cut-offs. It's something a young runner can enter. It's a highly social event. It's a good way to find out how fast you can run a certain distance. If folks can't see the benefits, if they dismiss fixed time events as "boring," they're missing out.—Geri Kilgariff

What sort of person does these races?

Ultrarunners differ in character as much as any other cross-section of humanity. The sport does not appeal to many young toughs from the backward-hat, tatoos, and muscle shirt crowd of extreme sport lovers. (Many of those people find they can't do it!)

Generally, persons who take up ultrarunning and stick with it tend to be highly self-motivated, willing to challenge themselves, and disciplined. There seems to be an inordinate number of persons from scientific and professional backgrounds in the sport. In addition, ultrarunning appeals more to older runners than to younger ones. I am not aware of any reputable research that has been done to verify that either of these claims is true, and if so, why.

Isn't age a disadvantage in distance running?

Intuitively it would seem to be so, but the reality is quite different. At this writing Yiannis Kouros is 50, is still breaking records in almost every event he enters including a world record for 48 hours at Across the Years in 2005, and wins almost every race he runs by astonishing margins of hours or tens of miles over whoever finishes next. In 2001 Sue Ellen Trapp became, at age 55, the most elderly person to win a national championship running event at the Olander 24-hour race, winning it for the sixth time. ("Elderly" is the word chosen by the one giving out the awards.) At age 81, ultrarunning legend Helen Klein was still breaking world age group records by large margins, and running better than many competitors 30 and 40 years younger.

Kouros, Trapp, and Klein may be exceptional, but it is also statistically verifiable that the median age of runners who participate in ultras is quite a bit higher than those who participate in shorter races. Participant ages in the 2001 edition of Across the Years broke down as follows:

• Ages of those who ran the 72-hour in ascending order: 28, 35, 40, 41, 43, 46, 47, 48, 49, 54, 55, 57, 58, 62, 63, 63, 64, 67
• Average: 51.1
  Median: 49/54
• Ages of those who ran the 48-hour in ascending order: 38, 41, 43, 50, 50, 51, 53, 57, 71
• Average: 50.4
  Median: 50
• Ages of those who ran the 24-hour in ascending order: 15, 17, 24, 28, 31, 32, 32, 33, 33, 33, 34, 34, 35, 37, 39, 39, 39, 40, 40, 41, 41, 42, 43, 43, 43, 43, 43, 44, 44, 44, 47, 47, 50, 50, 51, 51, 52, 52, 53, 54, 55, 55, 56, 60, 61, 62, 64, 65, 65, 69
• Average: 44.1
  Median: 43

Interesting, huh? The 2003 and 2004 numbers have not been integrated into this presentation, but the story remains the same. The conclusion one can draw is that ultrarunning is not something for the kids.

Do people run the whole time, or are they allowed to walk sometimes?

The ability of ultrarunners varies dramatically. A few world-class runners are able to run pretty much the whole time for 24 hours and even up to 48 hours. People in that category are few and far between, but they do tend to show up at races like Across the Years.

Although these events are called running races, the traditional term for the technique employed is "go as you please," meaning competitors are free to run, walk, sleep or do whatever they want, but the clock never stops. The reality is that almost everyone walks at least part of the time, and some people for most of it. When such events were held in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, they were often referred to as pedestrian races, which seems quaintly archaic, but is probably a more accurate term to describe them than running. It is even possible for diligent racewalkers to win the 48-hour and 72-hour events.

Do the runners get to have rest periods?

Across the Years is not a staged race where time is accumulated over several periods of activity. The clock runs continuously. It's a true race in that whoever gets the farthest in the time allotted is the winner. What competitors do to keep themselves moving is up to them. Some just keep on going, even if very slowly.

How far do they go?

The world record for 24 hours, held by Yiannis Kouros, is 188.59 miles. But Kouros is barely human, and it may be a very long time before anyone breaks many of his records.

Giving the ladies equal time, the world record for 24 hours is 150.76 miles, held by Irina Reutovich, and Sue Ellen Trapp holds the 48-hour record at a remarkable 234.81 miles

In case you were wondering, no world records are kept for 72 hour races, only course records. Across the Years is the only regularly held 72-hour race in the world that we know of. Therefore, anyone who enters the 72-hour race is running for fun rather than glory. As a consequence, until 2004, the course records were probably a bit softer than they would be if world-class runners showed up regularly in hopes of setting records. As the race's reputation increases, this is changing.

The men's 72-hour course record at Across the Years is 323.424 miles, set by Yiannis Kouros in the 2005 race, and breaking the previous record of 300.122 miles by a margin of over 23 miles, set by John Geesler in the 2004 race. The men's 24-hour record, set by Joseph Gaebler in 2002, is 145.401 miles.

It is often a goal of middle ability runners to get 100 miles in a 24-hour race. Doing so is a substantial accomplishment, having been achieved by 41 of 196 24-hour competitors since 1998.

The numbers descend from there. A little digging in the statistics revealed the following numbers from results from races between 1998 and 2002. I threw out a few very low numbers of people who ran just 10 miles or less in a given race as not being serious competitors.

Race	Total Runners	Mean Mileage	Average Mileage
24-Hour	196	67.11	70.79
48-Hour	53	119.06	129.32
72-Hour	57	138.17	139.23

Do runners sleep, and if so, how much?

Well-trained and motivated runners sometimes find it surprising how little sleep they need. After all, it's hard to fall asleep when you're exercising. Many 24-hour runners will go the whole night without sleep, in the realization that they are in a race, and when they are not moving forward they are not logging distance. Some will nap for a couple of hours. Others demand more sleep.

A very few 48-hour runners are able to go the whole time without sleep, but those this writer has seen who do have been zombies when they finished. In 2003 Jan Ryerse won the 72-hour race without sleeping at all, and Geesler's 300-mile run was accomlished with about an hour's sleep, by his estimate—not counting time he may have been sleeping while running!

Almost anyone planning to go longer than 48 hours must consider sleep periods as a part of his or her strategy. Some 72-hour runners have even been known to leave and go to a motel or home to get a few hours sound sleep before returning refreshed. Others will nap a couple of hours at a time in tents.

What pace do most people run?

Paces vary from swift to barely moving. Most people slow down as they get tired. It seems to be a universal phenomenon for runners to slow down significantly during the late night hours, even though the temperatures are cooler, no matter how determined they are not to. Our body clocks are built to shut down that time of day. Then amazingly, when the sunlight returns, everyone comes to life once again. Experienced runners find that they sometimes return to nearly the energy levels they had on the first day during the daylight hours of the second and third days.

It's not hard to do the math. If the average distance accumulated in 24 hours is 70.79 miles, they have to travel at an overall 20:20 pace. That's a slow walk, but it does not allow for potty stops, gear changes, and tending to other necessary matters. Any time a person is not moving at all, the average pace per mile tends to rise quite rapidly.

What about eating and going to the bathroom?

Ultrarunners are human beings with normal bodily functions that must be attended to. In order to sustain energy, they must eat more-or-less constantly, as much as 300 calories or more an hour, perhaps three or four times as much in a day as they would normally consume.

It's inefficient from a racing standpoint to sit down to eat. Therefore, most runners will eat foods such as energy bars and high-carbohydrate snack foods while on the run, and often can be seen eating a full meal on a paper plate while walking around the track in order to avoid wasting time.

In shorter races, runners tend to concentrate entirely on carbohydrates because they convert to energy quickly. Most ultrarunners also take in plenty of fats and protein. They need to eat normal food as much as possible during a race, and lots of it, including soups, yogurt, sandwiches, pizza, and various hot dishes.

How do you train for one of these races?

This question is the subject of books. Techniques vary greatly, and personal opinions are widely available for free. Advanced information is dispensed by professional coaches at great cost to consumers.

Some runners will tell you the only way to train for a race like Across the Years is to run it once. You will learn a lot that you can apply to the next time you do it.

One does not simply go out and start running 100 miles a week or doing 16-hour training runs every couple of weeks. Most people who run track ultras have been running consistently for years at fairly high mileage, and have competed in shorter races first. A balanced training program that includes at least one weekly long run, some mileage base building, and a modest amount of speed work for strength, will suffice for most runners. One of the most surprising things runners learn as they branch into ultrarunning is that the amount of extra training necessary to do it is not much more than they need to run shorter distances. Some runners have been known to do reasonably well with a mileage base as little as 30 miles per week. Runners cannot expect to win the race with that little training, but may find themselves running tens of miles further than they have ever run before on race day.

Ultrarunning is a highly scientific sport. It's not about gritting your teeth and gutting it out. A well-trained ultrarunner will read the literature available and get information from other runners. Over time he will find himself becoming knowledgeable about the science of running—physiology, nutrition and fueling, fluid and electrolyte replacement, caring for the endocrine system, muscles, knees, quads, hamstrings, lower back, the need for weight training and heart/cardio fitness, preventing muscular overbalances, skeletal problems, watching for signs of injury to joints and ligaments, such as in and around the Achilles tendons and ankles, being alert to potential medical problems with kidneys, pulmonary emboli, heart arrhythmia, caring for feet, preventing blisters, breathing, sleep, and many other details. Being ignorant of these matters is a good way to get hurt and have a short career (and possibly a short life) as an ultrarunner.

How do you prepare for sleeplessness?

The answer to this question is good news. The only way to prepare for sleeplessness is to get as much rest before the race as possible, including nine or ten hours the night before the race. It is neither possible nor necessary to train for sleeplessness by practicing staying up all night. Doing so merely depletes one's vital energy, and brings no training benefits in return.

Some ultrarunners disagree with this advice, and maintain that having the experience of going through the night a couple of times provides valuable psychological training, teaching runners how to cope with it.

How do they measure the distance run in a fixed-time race?

Imagine the problem that would exist if everyone started in one place, then headed down a road or trail for 24 hours. How would you signal the time to stop? How would you measure the distance when some runners go 150 miles and others only 20? Because of these problems, the only reasonable way to measure a fixed-time event is to have everyone run laps on a short course where the distance of a single lap has been accurately measured, preferably certified, and to count the laps each runner has traveled. In some races, partial final laps may be measured to within a few centimeters, at the runners' option. Final partial laps are not counted at Across the Years, but the lap count is recorded using a chip system, so is quite accurate.

What differences are there between running 24 hours and multiday?

Different runners will say different things. Some 72-hour runners will tell you they get to have three times the fun.

The longer a person goes, the more incumbent it becomes upon him to include walking and sleeping in his race strategy. It also becomes more necessary for him to eat normal foods. A few runners may be able to get by on typical race food for as long as 24 hours, but before long a person is going to need and want soup and sandwiches and chili and stick-to-your-ribs chow.

It also takes more gear to run a multiday. How long can you stand to live in the same sweat and filth saturated clothing? Some people also change shoes, and a few even take time out to take showers during the race.

Pacing is much different in a multiday race. Statistically it has been shown that even elite 48-hour runners cover about 65—70% of the distance they will go the first day, then hang on for dear life until the end. Some runners walk most of the time in the later stages of the race, particularly late at night, and even plan it that way. The elites, of course, just keep on running, but even Yiannis Kouros eventually slows down at least a little.

What about recovery and additional sleep afterward?

This writer's personal experience has been that as little as four hours of deep sleep in a real bed after a hot shower following a race is sufficient to get through the rest of the day following a 72-hour race, and that thereafter no more than eight hours (a normal night) is necessary, even right after the race.

Total recovery is quite another matter. A well-trained runner may be able to run an easy two or three miles the day after a multiday. Getting out the door to walk a mile or so is better for some persons than total rest, and helps speed recovery, because it helps to stretch out sore muscles and keeps one from getting too stiff.

Sore muscles are not all that need recovering following a long ultra. A person may be back to running easily in a few days, and training normally within a week or so. In contrast, the endocrine system gets taxed to the limit during an ultra, and takes three weeks or longer to recover adequately. During that period, a runner may find himself far more susceptible to illnesses than normal. Unless you enjoy being sick, make a special effort following an ultra to consume vitamins, get enough sleep regularly, and avoid stress, drafts, germs and contact with sick people, or anything else that tends to make you ill.

What happens to your feet?

They get tired. Sometimes they get blisters. Learning the techniques of foot care and blister prevention is a large part of the science of ultrarunning.

Don't you get tired running for so long?

No, never.

Just kidding, folks! Of course we get tired. These are endurance races. Battling against tiredness is the whole point. There is the physical ache and tiredness of muscles, joints, and bones, being tired of endless heavy breathing and pounding heart, there is the mental tiredness from doing the same thing for hour after hour, and there is tiredness from lack of sleep. Add them together and you have one huge case of utter exhaustion. Doing well in a multiday is largely about learning to cope with the problems as they occur, and to get beyond them. The tiredness is a kind that can at the same time be exhilarating, when accompanied by the great satisfaction returned from rising to face challenges, overcome obstacles, and make goals. Some runners believe the happiness that comes from this ranks among life's greatest moments.

Isn't it still true that the faster runners win?

Looking at the big picture, that is a true statement, because the winner is the one who goes the farthest in the time given. To beat all the others he or she has run faster than all of them, at least overall.

Don't forget that 24-hour and multiday races are essentially endurance contests. Many runners who excel at short distances cannot handle the longer runs, and drop out. Those who are able to keep on trudging along may be able to accumulate the mileage necessary to beat someone faster because of having greater endurance. It is in long fixed-time races that the old tortoise and hare principle reigns supreme, with the result that many intrinsically slower runners with stamina and grit are able to surpass the speedsters.

At ATY in 2001, the great and gracious ultrarunner Ann Trason thrilled us with her presence at the 24-hour race. In the course of the day she set five world and national masters records, then went down in flames and quit the race by early evening, with an accumulated mileage of just over 80 miles, a total that made her a better-than-average mid-packer. By comparison, this writer is one of the slowest of the slow, but 80 miles was less mileage than I acquired in my very first 24-hour race. There is a lesson to be learned there: RFP (Relentless Forward Progress) pays off big time.

Don't people get bored running endlessly?

No doubt some do. If it's not fun, don't do it. All the ultrarunners I know do it because they enjoy it.

This writer has long believed that boredom comes from within. If a person is unhappy with himself or has little of interest to offer to others as a person, then he is likely as bored with himself as others probably are with him, but are too polite to say. There can hardly be a better opportunity to meditate on life's problems, commune with one's Creator, and generally get one's head in good working order than in those hours spent running. Perhaps to persons for whom these activites are not important, spending time running is boring.

In addition, at a race such as Across the Years one is never alone for very long. In a short time everyone present recognizes everyone else and people get to know one another. Bonds are formed. With 75 or so runners running around a short loop one is rarely more than a few feet from a new friend to be made or an old one whose acquaintance can be cultivated and renewed.

Does it help to use a portable music player?

Some people run multiday races while wired to an MP3 player. It's certainly not against race rules to do so. Others have no use for them, and regard them as simply another thing to have to lug around. As Sheryl Crow sings: "If it makes you happy, it can't be that bad!"

Can anyone run a race of this sort?

Across the Years is an all-comers family of races. No minimum distances are set to qualify as a finisher. Technically, anyone can enter a three-day race, run, walk, or crawl one lap, and be able to say he competed in and "completed" a 72-hour footrace. Persons who take up precious race slots to fulfill frivolous fantasy goals are not likely to earn the respect or admiration of other runners, and it's doubtful that those who do it get much personal satisfaction either.

Any person who hopes to make a serious effort at racing for 24 hours or longer is well advised to do so after at least a few years of consistent running and completing races, preferably including one or more shorter ultramarathons, and following a period of extended training specific for the event. Running an ultra is not simply a matter of showing up, gutting it out to the finish, and then getting a few days rest at the end. The price one pays in damage to one's body, including his or her endocrine system, can be significant. It must be frankly acknowledged that there is danger in running ultramarathons. We cannot recommend that you accept the risk lightly.

If you are considering running such an event and have never done so before, train well, read the literature available on the subject, and seek the advice of knowledgeable runners who have done it before you. There is no glory in foolishly engaging in self-destructive activity.