That's crazy... Crazy awesome!

What on earth persuades a person to consider a 135 mile race through Death Valley... in July? Why is someone compelled to run 100 miles over mountains with no sleep for a prized belt buckle? Why would someone stay up for 24 hours just to see how far they could run during that time?

I don't know why people first consider it, but I totally get why they follow through.

Soon the ultra-racing season will really begin. I'm not discounting the many other fabulous ultras that take place throughout the rest of the year; but they are not like the ones that will be taking place this summer. The big ones. Creme de la creme. Of course I will not be racing (ha ha) or even be in the same state/country as they are taking place. Even so, here are the three that I am most excited to read about:

• Comrades Marathon: ~56 miles of hills, hills, and hills through the farming villages of South Africa. Comrades is taking place in a mere 7 days, on May 30. The race is point-to-point and each year they switch the direction. Because of that, some years are an "uphill year" and some a "downhill". This year they're heading down from the highlands to the sea. A strict time cut off of 11 hours, 59 minutes, and 59 seconds is enforced - and if you come in at 12 hours or later, to Comrades, you don't exist. That equates to running an average 12:51 pace per mile... if you came in at the last second.

• Western States Endurance Run: 100 miles. Last year 240 people finished. 205 people DNS or DNF. Nearly half of the registered participants dropped out or didn't even begin the run. Starting at Squaw Valley, California, and ending in Auburn, California. From their website: "The trail ascends from the Squaw Valley floor (elevation 6,200 feet) to Emigrant Pass (elevation 8,750 feet), a climb of 2,550 vertical feet in the first 4½ miles. From the pass, following the original trails used by the gold and silver miners of the 1850’s, runners travel west, climbing another 15,540 feet and descending 22,970 feet before reaching Auburn." Covering gorgeous mountain passes, pure snow-melt streams, and single track trails. It's a beautiful challenge. And of course the honor receiving the coveted belt buckle.

• Badwater: Oh my gawd. Badwater. 135 miles of torture through Death Valley to Mt. Whitney, California... in July. It's touted as "the world's toughest foot race" for a good reason: temperatures reaching 130*F, 13,000' of cumulative vertical ascent, and, oh yeah, 135 miles of running. Total race length is 60 hours. That's all I can say about it, because, really, that says it all for me.

People who race in these (or any ultra) are inspiring. Their pain tolerance, mental toughness, and sheer craziness are beyond me. Someday I may run an ultra. But for now I'll stick to my mini distances.