Have been looking into the contrast between elite marathon runners and those doing ultras (100K+ in this case). Both groups have crazy endurance and are outstanding athletes at the top levels. But it got me wondering, would elite marathon runners match or come close to the times elite ultra runners achieve on 100K + courses? Clearly the two race types have different training methods and are raced very differently.
On the ultra side, you have some of the top people in the field like Jim Walmsley and Aleksander Sorokin breaking WRs for 100K and 100M distances but still being able to achieve phenomenal marathon times (current PBs stand at 2h15m and respectively 2h25m).
Makes me wonder whether elite marathoners, the likes of Kipchoge and Kiptum, could come within the top 5% of 100K or 100M times and be comparable to ultra runners.
Don't know about Kipchoge, but Kiptum most definitely can't.
Too soon bro
Haha knew that was coming at some point!
Ultra runners are a different breed. I’d say elite ultra runners would have an easier time stepping down to 26.2 distance than the other way around with 26.2 runners stepping up. 100K or 100M distances greatly need proper fuel management unlike a 26.2 race where you can get by on a few gels.
I think most marathoners could step up into the ultra realm and be highly successful. If you are a top marathoner you are doing well in excess of 100+ miles a week. so Distance isn't a problem. Okay so they have to get some elevation training in. Most of the Kenya runners already train at altitude. Maybe you need to work on some ankle strength and getting use to carrying a pack, but generally I think top marathoners would be successful at ultra distances.
So the question is why do you not see them compete? I think it is ultras can be so variable, and there is a lot less prize money.
Agree here, the reality is that the talent pool, audience, and overall 'prestige' of ultra running loses out to marathons (which is unfortunate because elite ultra running is one of the most impressive physical human feats within sports). So in all likelihood there are more elite marathoners who could have been top ultra runners but chose not to rather than the other way around.
I think the marathon is a more "efficient" race (i.e. the best possible marathoners in the world are competing in the marathon), while ultras are still a cult hobiest event drawing obviously extremely fit but "fringier" athletes. The best runners are more likely to be drawn to the marathon where there is, say, an Olympics to compete in.
Feels like asking if professional tennis players would beat the best pickle-ballers in the world. It might take them a minute to train, but absolutely.
Agree with all the comments above, especially around the prestige of marathons and prize money / shot at the Olympics. I meant it more from a physical capacity / ability standpoint. Yes, elite marathon runners do 100K+ weekly, but can they do it at once? If you took at elite marathon runner in the peak of their training season and told them they have 3 months to train for an ultra, do you think they'd be able to achieve a top 10 finish at a race like the UTMB Montblanc? I certainly think the other way around would be very hard too since ultra runners do not focus on speed and even their "full send" effort on a 42K would be slower than most marathoners.
I don't think the tennis vs. pickleball comparison is fair. It would be more akin to taking someone like Phelps or Dressel and seeing whether they could ace the 10K Marathon swim in open water vs. taking those 10K swimmers and seeing if they could do a pretty respectable time in the 1500m event
Any sub 2:08 east African stepping up would completely dominate ultras. But there's (much) more money in the roads now so that won't happen
There's already a 1:02 Kenyan who's dominating mountain running - if you'd get a sub 1:00 (half) talent or sub 2:08 to go to the trails he'd shatter course records
Jim Walmsley's best marathon time is 2:15, best half is 1:04,
You don't even need to be as fast as your saying to potentially be highly competitive
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