The Forgotten Decade: When Ultra Running Was America's Biggest Sport (Sunday Conversation)

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 (https://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 (https://raideresearch.com/) * Janji - premium trail running apparel (https://janji.com/) * Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes (https://kodiakcakes.com/?utm_source=S...) Follow Singletrack on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runsingletrack/ Subscribe to Singletrack on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/singletrack/id1572382413 Subscribe to Singletrack on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7jAsWCRNSCU8nh81vrAaC2?si=3ac02e4e32b946c4