Back in 1879, the featured Christmas Day sports event was ultrarunning/pedestrianism. That day, at least four ultramarathons were taking place. The largest six-day race in history, “The Rose Belt.” with 65 starters, held in Madison Square Garden in New York City, in front of thousands of spectators. In Chicago, at McCormick Hall, four pedestrians were competing in another six-day race, more crowded facilities. Probably the most unusual ultramarathon in history was also taking place in the Red Sea aboard the steamer “Duke of Devonshire.”

148: Ultramarathons on Christmas Day 1879

Podcast about the history of ultrarunning. An ultramarathon is a running race of 50K (31 miles) or more, up to 3,100 miles. This extreme running sport came into existence during the late 1800s.

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During April 1879, the same month that the new American Championship Belt race was held in New York City, the second English Astley Belt race, for the “Championship of England,” was put on April 21-26, 1879, at the Agricultural Hall in Islington, London, England. While the Americans were putting up mediocre times and distances, still focusing mostly on walking during their six-day races, the Brits would run fast in this race and break 13 ultra-distance world records, proving that they were now the best in the sport. It truly was a mind-blowing race for the time.

156: The Second English Astley Belt Race – 1879

The Barkley Marathons course (thought to be roughly 130 miles and about 63,000 feet of elevation gain) at Frozen Head State Park was the brain child of Gary Cantrell (Lazarus Lake) and Karl Henn (Rawdawg). The idea for the race was inspired upon hearing about the 1977 escape of James Earl Ray, the assassin of Martin Luther King Jr., from nearby Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary. The first year of the Barkley was 1986. Prior to 2024, only 17 men had finished the entire rugged course within 60 miles, and no women had ever finished. That would change this year.

Let’s let Jared Beasley tell the story in his article: Barkley 2024: A Bit Traumatic and Wonderful in Ultrarunning Magazine.

155: The 2024 Barkley Marathons

The six-day American Championship Belt race was billed as a contest to produce the best man to be sponsored to compete in the 4th Astley Belt race to be scheduled in June 1879, in England. For this qualifying race, $1,000 and a championship belt would be awarded to the winner. The race was open only to residents of America and would be under the direction of the New York Athletic Club.

Belts, not belt-buckles, had become the six-day championship award for the winner of these races. The belt was described as “38 inches long, five inches wide, made of seven heavy plates of gold and silver and bearing the inscription: ‘Champion Pedestrian Belt of the United States.’” Figures of runners were inscribed on two plates of the belt, some with wings or wheels for feet. The central plate featured large figures of the statue of Liberty and a native American.

The organizers planned for 40 starters, which would by far be the largest six-day race ever held up to that point. This race was significant, because it was the first major race where the field was composed mostly of amateurs. The entries’ fee for this race was not as expensive compared to the previous six-day races, and thus a new crop of 36 six-day “greenhorns” entered the race. Only four others had six-day race experience. With all this inexperience, they risked causing a disaster.

154: The American Championship Belt – 1879

This is the story of the ultramarathon that was the most impactful of all races in the history of the sport. This race was witnessed by tens of thousands of people in Madison Square Garden and followed by millions in long daily newspaper story updates. It received so much attention that it sparked an ultrarunning frenzy on multiple continents and captured the imagination of millions of people who came to realize the humans can run hundreds of miles and not die. This is the story of the 3rd Astley Belt race, held March 10th through 15th, 1879 in New York City.

153: The 3rd Astley Belt Six-Day Race (1879)

Listen to my interview on the very good Trail Runner Nation podcast. I recently went on it to talk to the guys about my new book, Classic Ultramarathon Beginnings. We discussed several of the very early ultras in our history.

148: Ultramarathons on Christmas Day 1879

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