Ultrarunning History

178: Grand Canyon Short Stories – Part Two

By Davy Crockett In May, thousands of hikers and ultrarunners make their pilgrimage to the Grand Canyon to hike or run across this amazing wonder of the world. I have b

177: Grand Canyon History Short Stories – Part One

By Davy Crockett This weekend (mid May each year) the North Rim of the Grand Canyon opened for the season. Thousands of hikers and ultrarunners make their pilgrimage to

176: Trail Runner Nation Interview about Old Sport Campana

By Davy Crockett For this episode of the Ultrarunning History Podcast, I included an edited down interview I did with the excellent Trail Runner Nation Podcast. We discu

175: The Tarahumara Ultrarunners

By Davy Crockett  This episode is a replay of the popular early episode 29, about the Tarahumara runners of Mexico. In recent years, the story of the amazing Tarahumara

174: Old Sport Campana (1836-1906) – Part Seven

By Davy Crockett In 1889, "Old Sport" Peter Napoleon Campana (1836-1905) returned home to Bridgeport, Connecticut, after his four-month trip to California. His celebrity

173: Old Sport Campana (1836-1906) – Part Six

By Davy Crockett After ten years of competing in ultra-distance races, Old Sport, Peter Napoleon Campana (1836-1906), age 52, had never gone west of the Mississippi Rive

172: Old Sport Campana (1836-1906) – Part Five

By Davy Crockett By 1888, Old Sport Campana had competed in 35 ultra-distance races, and eight in 1888. He also competed in the most historic six-day race of the 19th ce

171: Old Sport Campana (1836-1906) – Part Four

By Davy Crockett By 1884, “Old Sport” Peter Napoleon Campana (1836-1906), had gained national fame. He was being called "the clown of the walking matches." While he was n

170: Old Sport Campana (1836-1906) – Part Three

By Davy Crockett By 1880, “Old Sport” Peter Napoleon Campana (1836-1906), a fruit and nut peddler from Bridgeport, Connecticut, had established himself as an odd anomaly

169: Old Sport Campana (1836-1906) – Part Two

By Davy Crockett In part one, “Old Sport” Peter Napoleon Campana (1836-1906), of Bridgeport, Connecticut, a poor street vendor, and talented runner, wanted to become a p

168: Old Sport Campana (1836-1906) – Part One

By Davy Crockett Peter Napoleon Campana (1836-1906), of Bridgeport, Connecticut, known as "Old Sport," was recognized as the most popular and entertaining “clown” of ult

167: Connie Gardner – National Champion Ultrarunner

By Davy Crockett Connie Gardner, from Akron Ohio, is the 25th person inducted into the American Ultrarunning Hall of Fame, joining the Hall in 2024. From 2002 to 2012, s

166: Stu Mittleman – The Ultrarunning Professor

By Davy Crockett Stu Mittleman was the sixth person to be inducted into the American Ultrarunning Hall of Fame. During the 1980s, while a college professor from New York

165: Bernd Heinrich – Naturalist Ultrarunner

By Davy Crockett  During the first half of the 1980s, Bernd Heinrich, of Vermont, was the fastest ultrarunner in America. In 2007, he was the fifth person to be inducted

164: Sue Ellen Trapp – Pioneer Ultrarunner and Legend

By Davy Crockett Sue Ellen Trapp was one of the elite women pioneer ultrarunners who burst into the sport in the 1970s. She was the fourth person to be inducted into The

163: Marcy Schwam: Pioneer Ultrarunner

By Davy Crockett  Marcy Schwam (1953-) from Massachusetts, was an ultrarunning pioneer in the 1970s and early 1980s, during an era when some people still believed long-d

162: Sandy Kiddy – Pioneer Ultrarunner (1936-2018)

By Davy Crockett Sandra "Sandy" Jean (Mackey) Kiddy (1936-2018) of Rancho Mirage, California was the first woman to be inducted into the American Ultrarunning Hall of Fa

161: Gordy Ainsleigh’s Western States Run – 50 Years Ago

By Davy Crockett  50 years ago, on August 3-4, 1974, Gordy Ainsleigh accomplished his legendary run on the Western States Trail in the California Sierra. It became the m

160: Ted Corbitt – Part Three (1964-2007)

By Davy Crockett For most elite ultrarunners, as they reach their mid-40s, their competitive years are mostly behind them. But for Ted Corbitt, his best years were still

159: Ted Corbitt – Part Two (1953-1963)

By Davy Crockett After Ted Corbitt's disappointing 1952 Olympic marathon, he was determined to continue running. (Read Part One). His key takeaway was that he had to ele