You have no idea how much I appreciate your ability to call out this woke mental illness. Watching the woke (Aravaipa) get out-woked by Rebecca (now Riley...?) at the finish was amazing. The ultimate goal is to let them eat themselves while we sit back and watch.
As a former RD for a small but successful trail-racing company, the only reason prices are so outrageous is either because every other company has high prices or a race has become so popular that people are willing to throw away money just to say they were a part of it. But one can always drum up an excuse for pricing.
Trail/ultra-running may just be the first sport to fully implode, inadvertently exposing the absolute ridiculousness of capitulating to the Woke crowd. Ultras are a place where mediocre runners can easily gain fame. Can’t make it as an elite road runner/cyclist/triathlete? No problem! Come run an ultra, where they won’t test for PEDs or care what gender you run under. There is such a frenzy to legitimize the sport that fairness gets sidelined in favor of marketing. Can’t compete at the top in the 50k-100M? Don’t worry! Come try your hand at the 200+M races, where glorified hiking can get you recognition and 100k Instagram followers. Or go for the FKT of something no one else cares to do, so you’re sure to nab it!
While there truly are some talented ultra-runners and very neat courses to race on, the fact remains that it’s a sport that is just so easily gamed. It attracts a high number of narcissists. While many do find support and meaning in the community aspect of it (I never did and never will), there are just as many who are grifters or looking to fill an emptiness left by personality disorders and former addictions.
You have no idea how much I appreciate your ability to call out this woke mental illness. Watching the woke (Aravaipa) get out-woked by Rebecca (now Riley...?) at the finish was amazing. The ultimate goal is to let them eat themselves while we sit back and watch.
My progressive friends would be shitting Twinkies over this spot-on critique of the lunacy devouring everything. I hope you had a well weekend, Kevin.
As a former RD for a small but successful trail-racing company, the only reason prices are so outrageous is either because every other company has high prices or a race has become so popular that people are willing to throw away money just to say they were a part of it. But one can always drum up an excuse for pricing.
Trail/ultra-running may just be the first sport to fully implode, inadvertently exposing the absolute ridiculousness of capitulating to the Woke crowd. Ultras are a place where mediocre runners can easily gain fame. Can’t make it as an elite road runner/cyclist/triathlete? No problem! Come run an ultra, where they won’t test for PEDs or care what gender you run under. There is such a frenzy to legitimize the sport that fairness gets sidelined in favor of marketing. Can’t compete at the top in the 50k-100M? Don’t worry! Come try your hand at the 200+M races, where glorified hiking can get you recognition and 100k Instagram followers. Or go for the FKT of something no one else cares to do, so you’re sure to nab it!
While there truly are some talented ultra-runners and very neat courses to race on, the fact remains that it’s a sport that is just so easily gamed. It attracts a high number of narcissists. While many do find support and meaning in the community aspect of it (I never did and never will), there are just as many who are grifters or looking to fill an emptiness left by personality disorders and former addictions.