80: The Comrades Marathon

Davy Crockett hosts Ultrarunning History, a deep and often surprising exploration of how runners began pushing themselves beyond the standard marathon distance. While many assume the sport started with the boom of the 1980s, its roots are far older, stretching back into the late 19th century. This podcast digs into those early decades, uncovering the personalities, races, and cultural forces that shaped ultrarunning long before it had a name. Each episode functions as an audio archive, piecing together narratives from a time when running 50 kilometers or more was considered an almost unimaginable feat. You’ll hear about forgotten competitions, pioneering athletes whose stories have faded, and the gradual evolution of training and ethos that defined the community. The focus is primarily on the era before the year 2000, offering a foundational understanding of how modern ultra events came to be. It’s for anyone who loves running and wonders about its past, or for history buffs curious about a niche sport’s enduring human drama. The storytelling in this podcast aims to connect today’s trails and roads to a much longer, dustier path.