The distance between Portland and Eugene is about 100 miles. Imagine running in just 24 hours. Nathan Blair would be happy to meet this challenge, but he may need time first.He recovery of costs out of his first ultramarathon, the percent in the endurance race Hood 100 Mile. His career extends from Timothy Lake Oregon Breitenbush Lake to Frog Lake and back. It is mounted elevation of 12,448 feet total. Only a week after completing the course in 27 hours and 58 seconds, Blair already left for another race, despite painful blisters rose to dwell on his feet. "I could only run three miles," he said. "My body was not coordinated offline. I felt like a pre-teen. "Wobbly legs, instead of the potential health risks to this long-distance running, are practically adopted in the ultra community. It seems as if they themselves to the weakening childish clumsiness is standard for Ultrarunners, which complements the distances of 30, 50 and 100 miles each race. Men's Health contributor and author of Born to Run Christopher McDougall described sport as "the fitness version of impaired driving." "You can get away with it for awhile, you might even have fun, but disaster [is] waiting around the corner, "McDougall says.At least, these athletes themselves subject to dehydration, nausea, vomiting, blisters, ankle sprains, with the abrasion from falling, and altitude sickness during the races. When they push harder at the finish, they put their heart into risk.In 2009, Men's Health has indicated that the combination of muscle injury and inflammation during prolonged intense activity greatly increases their risk of attack.Before heart, he began training for ultrarunning, Blair made a complete test of physical and stress to ensure the endurance of his heart. Blisters are confident that his only concern, there are already plans to launch its next ultra, with more shoes this time. "I was hooked," he said quietly with a smile. "And I have a greater effect." Motivation Blair to run their personal goals beyond athletics, there are many people riding on his miles. Since his first marathon in 2007, he recorded 243 miles to raise $ 2,537 for EDURelief, a nonprofit organization supporting education development in rural Mongolia. Despite the existence of schools, the founders EDURelief noticed it was missing many of the materials they need, and their remote sites to prevent access to radio and television programming, whether the organization has recently begun raise funds to build new libraries in these remote areas. It only takes $ 2,000 to sponsor a new library, which believes Blair is the backbone of these communities. "Books are to reach a wider audience than just the students themselves. They go beyond the school to the families and friends. "Conscience International Tony Blair could be the result of its diversified education. Growing up with the missionaries as parents, he lived wherever there's work to the Church. He was born in Uganda and transferred to Hawaii. Blair spent his high school years in Kazakhstan, learning Russian with his promotion of his comrades eight international students.Blair "hardly constituted a team sport, athletics to academics has fallen dormant. It was not until he begins his second major at the University of Oregon, where he met Professor Craig Thornley, Blair has discovered his passion for ultrarunning. Thornley is the center of the niche ultrarunning in Eugene. He took part ultras since 1997 and he co-founded the Oregon Where's Waldo 100 km event. It is difficult to determine what is most inspiring about him: that he ran eleven 100-Milers in the past 12 years, or simply that he is so modest about it. He says that his account Ultra is around 75, but it is not safe. "I love racing, whether it is a mile or 10K or 50K or 10 miles or 100 miles," he said. "I refer to myself as a runner first and a second ultrarunner." No matter how far they run, Blair Thornley and train every week with their running group. At only 26 years, Blair is the youngest member of the crew about his age infant compared to the average ultrarunner. Cindy Billhartz Gregorian St. Louis Post profiles Ultrarunners in his 2007 article to report that the typical participant was about 45 years. She quoted veteran ultrarunning January Ryerse, who ran twelve races in his 100-mile 61. He says, "more riders have an advantage over younger ones because they are more patient, which is essential for stimulation." Blair is sitting calmly against a wall cafe with his hands crossed on his belly. Her latte is likely that the gel he neglected issues in the field. He seems very patient. And it seems to match the rest of the profile of a Gregorian ultrarunner. She says they are often well educated. Blair received his first degree in Russian studies and now he is back involved in the graduate program of product design. He even tried journalism for a while, which is what he says makes him such a good researcher.Gregorian states the obvious when it characterizes Ultrarunners highly motivated, a quality that allows Blair to compensate for his youth and New to the sport. He finds inspiration from his team running, whose members are all at least ten years older than him. "When someone is 20 years older than you and your butt kicked, it's great!" He exclaims as he leans over the table. "These guys are gung-ho about the race. They helped me along and taught me the ropes. I'm going on the road, get to the point where I can do the same for others. It's about sharing what you enjoy doing. "But giving culture running on the other do not fit the typical model ultrarunning, or at least the traditional one anyway. Some of Ultrarunners origin, tribe 400 years Tarahumara of Copper Canyon in Mexico, prefer to live in isolation, without any show of their exploits running. They even go so far as to call themselves runners. For these inhabitants of the cliff, striding fast is not a sport, it's just a part of their day. In Born to Run, McDougall reports that the tribe faces off in the running, and each competitor finishes often more than 300 miles during a period of 2 days. He even quotes the Mexican historian Francisco Almada, who once said Tarahumara ran 435 miles in a stretch.Despite epic achievements, the tribe is very private, almost mythical, hidden in the depths of the cliff. "The Tarahumara are so mysterious, in fact, they even go by an alias," said McDougall. "Their real name is Rarámuri-The people running." These people who are not undergoing intensive training as Blair and Thornley, and their primitive way of life do not understand exactly treadmills for endurance tests. They build strength trekking up and down steep trails in the canyons were formed by the feet of their own ancestors. While most runners eat the day before water, hydrate Tarahumara with another liquid: lechuguila, their house tequila. McDougal called the preparation for execution of the Tarahumara "Mardi Gras approach." They are not, rebuild between workouts, or even eat much protein at all. Instead of water and Gatorade, they choose the tequila and beer from corn. Come race day, "they just walk to the starting line, laughing and joking ... Then as hell for the next 48 hours. "Two days of operation is the cake for the Tarahumara, a section of modern and seemingly bizarre Ultrarunners for the 5K run. For subjects in the Running the Sahara documentary film, it was only the beginning. In November 2006, Charlie Engle, Ray Zahab and Kevin Lin began to run from St. Louis, Senegal, with a film crew on their heels. They were headed east to the end of the continent. Physically speaking, Engle and Lin were better prepared for the race Zahab. Engle has worked for 30 years, Lin has won the first 150-mile race across the Atacama Desert in Chile. Conversely, philosophy running Zahab more consistent with that of the Sierra Tarahumara, just improvise. A chronic smoker and beer drinker until 2004, Zahab estimated capacity running more exist in the brain in the body. "Training 30 to 40 miles a day does not really prepare you for that kind of mileage," he recalls in the documentary blog. "We got there and hoped and prayed our body would hold up." Their bodies did. One hundred and eleven days, six countries and 4,300 miles later, the three ran across the sand in Egypt to feel the calm waters of the Red Sea between the toes. The race is not only personal, travel, sports, but also a triumph in solving the water crisis throughout Africa. Running the Sahara based filmmakers H20 Africa, an initiative of clean water to complete the movie. The campaign continues to raise money to build drinking wells along 'path.It "riders of this route the riders the riders of the Sahara, the Tarahumara Blair, Thornley, and all the ultra runners, it is commonplace . Regardless of location, destination, mileage, training, preparation, or even advertising gained during the race, it seems that with Ultrarunners find their Zen spirit when the conquest of their bodies, the propel further along their journey, in all wilderness can be in.Safely back into the environment that promotes pro-functioning Eugene, Blair is tamer than most ultra runners. His sport has yet to take him to a barren desert or the hunt myths in the cliffs. For now, he runs at Amazon Park and work practices at the speed of South Eugene High School. Between workouts, he is designing furniture for his degree in product design. "I think running and design complement each other," he says. "If you have a period of a project, it is similar to a race. It's a matter of accumulation, work through it and finish strong. "Blair has proved to himself that he could finish the 100 miles high. He entered it without expectations, which he helped conquer the distance, a huge percentage of what he says is mainly a psychological challenge. With the love of racing and mental endurance to keep one foot before the other, Blair will continue his way, indifferent to the subtleties in the process. "If you look in the future, it is easy to get stressed about details. I'm from Hawaii, so no worries. "# # # #
