Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In the 1880s, ultra running was a working-class spectator sport. Tens of thousands came to watch athletes race six days straight for 500 miles in venues like Madison Square Garden. Mark Twain followed it. Edward Payson Weston was a household name across America. Then amateurism killed it.
Carl Morris, author of Dirtbag Dreams: A History of Mountain, Ultra and Trail Running, walks through 200 years of our sport's history. We cover pedestrianism, the class war that birthed amateurism, the soft American era, Pikes Peak's smokers-versus-nonsmokers origin, and whether UTMB is just 1880 wearing new shoes.
Chapters
00:00 The Evolution of Pedestrianism + The Rise of Amateurism
28:40 Cultural Shifts in Running and Outdoor Recreation
35:49 The Impact of the 1950s and 1960s on Running Culture
48:10 Regional Differences in Ultra Running, Rise of Western States
01:06:15 Key Moments in 1990s and 2000s Ultrarunning
01:15:46 Comparing Professionalism Across Eras
01:22:09 The Future of Ultrarunning and Leisure Culture
Partners:
* Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (nordarun.com/)
* Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order (https://www.precisionhydration.com/pl...)
* Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains (raideresearch.com/)
* Janji - premium trail running apparel (janji.com/)
* Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes (https://kodiakcakes.com/?utm_source=S...)
Follow Singletrack on Instagram:
instagram.com/runsingletrack
Subscribe to Singletrack on Apple:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/singletrack/id1572382413
Subscribe to Singletrack on Spotify:
open.spotify.com/show/7jAsWCRNSCU8nh81vrAaC2?si=3ac02e4e32b946c4
In the 1880s, ultra running was a working-class spectator sport. Tens of thousands came to watch athletes race six days straight for 500 miles in venues like Madison Square Garden. Mark Twain followed it. Edward Payson Weston was a household name across America. Then amateurism killed it.
Carl Morris, author of Dirtbag Dreams: A History of Mountain, Ultra and Trail Running, walks through 200 years of our sport's history. We cover pedestrianism, the class war that birthed amateurism, the soft American era, Pikes Peak's smokers-versus-nonsmokers origin, and whether UTMB is just 1880 wearing new shoes.
Chapters
00:00 The Evolution of Pedestrianism + The Rise of Amateurism
28:40 Cultural Shifts in Running and Outdoor Recreation
35:49 The Impact of the 1950s and 1960s on Running Culture
48:10 Regional Differences in Ultra Running, Rise of Western States
01:06:15 Key Moments in 1990s and 2000s Ultrarunning
01:15:46 Comparing Professionalism Across Eras
01:22:09 The Future of Ultrarunning and Leisure Culture
Partners:
* Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (nordarun.com/)
* Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order (https://www.precisionhydration.com/pl...)
* Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains (raideresearch.com/)
* Janji - premium trail running apparel (janji.com/)
* Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes (https://kodiakcakes.com/?utm_source=S...)
Follow Singletrack on Instagram:
instagram.com/runsingletrack
Subscribe to Singletrack on Apple:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/singletrack/id1572382413
Subscribe to Singletrack on Spotify:
open.spotify.com/show/7jAsWCRNSCU8nh81vrAaC2?si=3ac02e4e32b946c4
