Trail Marathons That Aren't

Distance estimations are just that in trail running

June 1, 2003

"How long was that marathon?" is one of those questions that separate runners from non-runners. Every runner knows, of course, that a marathon is 26.2 miles. Always has been, always will be.

When it comes to trail marathons, however, the question has some validity. A search through the All American Trail Running Association’s trail race calendar comes up with at least< five races named "marathons," but which range in distance from 22 to 28 miles. This just doesn’t make sense to a road racer, used to PR comparisons, certified courses and discussions of measurement details down to the distance from the curb allowed for tangents. To a trail runner, however, it doesn’t matter nearly as much, for a variety of reasons.

First, given their rough terrain and lack of clear definition, trails just can’t be measured as accurately as roads. More importantly, it is impossible to compare trail times, even if the distance was accurately measured, given varying topography, trail surfaces and weather conditions, which affect a trail race much more than they do a road race. Any discussion of a trail marathon time has to include an asterisk with caveats like: "climbed over 11,000 feet three times," or "crossed knee-deep streams at miles 5 and 12...." Finally, trail runners, and trail running, is more tied to the terrain, thus courses tend to run the length of the trail, rather than an arbitrary distance marked off on a road.

Says Helen Cospolich, who directs the August 31 Breckenridge Crest Mountain Marathon, "The event started as a race that covered all the trails around the Breckenridge area. It worked out to around 25 miles, and made a nice sort of loop. It never has really been measured that well. And, since the winners take 3 1/2 to 4 hours, no one complains about it being short. We’ve considered changing it to 26.2, but that would require adding an arbitrary out and back on a trail or road, and that would change the character of the race."

Phil Sheridan, director of the April Rockin’ K Trail Marathon and 50 Miler says, "My definition of trail marathon means something more than 26.2 miles but not 50K."< This year the "marathon" was 28.05 miles. The odd distance comes about by trying to create a course where both events run the same first loop that is at least 26 miles. Sheridan sees no reason to apologize, citing the fact that the modern marathon distance wasn’t set until the 1908 London Olympics, 12 years into the modern Olympic movement. "Prior to that Olympics a marathon was just any really long footrace," Sheridan states. "I decided I liked that definition applied to this run."

If you’re comfortable with that type of ambiguity, try a trail "marathon" this year. If you’re >not, better stay on the roads, but be a little kinder to the next wanna-be who asks how far your last marathon was.