{"id":23627,"date":"2019-05-13T20:56:00","date_gmt":"2019-05-14T02:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/rocky-running-inside-the-world-of-elite-ultra-runners\/"},"modified":"2019-05-13T20:56:00","modified_gmt":"2019-05-14T02:56:00","slug":"rocky-running-inside-the-world-of-elite-ultra-runners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/local-news\/rocky-running-inside-the-world-of-elite-ultra-runners\/","title":{"rendered":"Rocky Running: Inside the world of elite ultra runners"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery\" readability=\"6.0064516129032\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-365877-343\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/05\/running-sbt-051319-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/05\/running-sbt-051319.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Leah Vann \/ Steamboat Pilot &amp; Today | Michele Yates, from Conifer, runs to the finish to take first place in the women\u2019s hare division of the Steamboat Springs Run Rabbit Run 100 on Sept. 14, 2018, with a time of 22 hours, 33 minutes and 54 seconds.\" class=\"h-100\">\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\" readability=\"9.1698841698842\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/05\/running-sbt-051319.jpg\" alt=\"Michele Yates, from Conifer, runs to the finish to take first place in the women\u2019s hare division of the Steamboat Springs Run Rabbit Run 100 on Sept. 14, 2018, with a time of 22 hours, 33 minutes and 54 seconds.\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"13.513513513514\">\n<p><strong>Michele Yates, from Conifer, runs to the finish to take first place in the women\u2019s hare division of the Steamboat Springs Run Rabbit Run 100 on Sept. 14, 2018, with a time of 22 hours, 33 minutes and 54 seconds.<\/strong><br \/>Leah Vann \/ Steamboat Pilot &amp; Today<br \/><a href=\"http:\/\/SummitDaily.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+SummitDaily.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/sports\/rocky-running-inside-the-world-of-elite-ultra-runners\/&amp;image=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/05\/running-sbt-051319.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/05\/running-sbt-051319.jpg\"> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/05\/running-sbt-051319-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/05\/running-sbt-051319-1.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Katie Berning |\" class=\"h-100\">\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/05\/running-sbt-051319-1.jpg\" alt>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/sports\/rocky-running-inside-the-world-of-elite-ultra-runners\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/sports\/rocky-running-inside-the-world-of-elite-ultra-runners\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">STEAMBOAT SPRINGS \u2014 The professionalism of trail running is not concrete.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Ultra-length trail running races worldwide have varying weather elements, terrain and elevation. It\u2019s nearly impossible to tell who is on top of the sport, especially since there\u2019s a physical limit to the number of races they can handle every year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">There\u2019s still a set of elite runners who are able to make a career out of ultra-running through sponsorships, race earnings and coaching without having to work a normal 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. job.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">Making an Income<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Steamboat Springs-based ultra runners Avery Collins and Sabrina Stanley quit their 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. jobs in February of last year to pursue ultra running full time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Stanley, the former general manager at Cruisers Sub Shop and a part-time worker at a coffee shop in Steamboat, said she believed Collins and herself could make enough money on coaching running couples but found that sponsorships stepped up their ultra running game.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI started with ambassador programs and getting free gear,\u201d Stanley said. \u201cThen I did really well at Western States in 2017. After I took third that\u2019s when they turned into real sponsorships. That\u2019s when I got geared towards doing more competitive races, and everything kind of fell into place after that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Sponsorships are gained through top performances at elite races. Stanley won the prestigious Hardrock 100 on July 22, 2018.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cSponsorships are probably 80% of my income,\u201d Stanley said. \u201cThere\u2019s three categories: monthly check, race bonus or getting travel paid for. There\u2019s a max on each one of those. We do power couple coaching on the side, specialize in ultra runners and preferably mountain runners. Between the two of us \u2014 we fluctuate \u2014 we maintain 10-15 athletes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">There are a few races that provide a cash prize. Steamboat is home to Run Rabbit Run 100, which has the highest cash purse of any race. Durango\u2019s Jason Schlarb and Conifer\u2019s Michele Yates won the 2018 Run Rabbit Run 100, which included a cash prize of $12,500.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Yates, like Stanley, coaches on the side. She owns her own company called Rugged Running, where she offers camps, individualized coaching and sells running apparel. Yates was able to start building her brand as a professional road runner, competing in the Olympic trials for marathon running in 2008 and 2012.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">In 2013, Yates made the switch to trail ultra running and won The Northface Endurance Challenge and Run Rabbit Run. She became the highest paid female ultra runner that year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI don\u2019t think you should do the sport for the money. Of course, it helps,\u201d Yates said. \u201cIn 2013, it paid for my trip to The Northface \u2014 that\u2019s in California \u2014 because flights and hotels are more expensive. It\u2019s helpful, but I don\u2019t think you can depend on that. But honestly, ultra running should be making just as much as the Boston Marathon because it\u2019s that much harder.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Schlarb\u2019s r\u00e9sum\u00e9 includes winning Run Rabbit Run in 2013, 2015 and 2018, the Hardrock 100 in 2016 and finishing as the top American at the Ultra Trail Mount Blanc in 2014. He entered the sport in 2010, starting with The Northface. In 2013, Schlarb started running full time on sponsorships alone.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI make more than minimum wage, but I\u2019m not buying new cars,\u201d Schlarb said. \u201cStill skeleton bone dry for any kind of professional level sport. In the 50-kilometer or the 100-mile ultra running scene, there is probably not more than 10 dudes and five girls that are living full time off of this kind of money.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Sponsorships work differently. Both Stanley and Schlarb note that their largest sponsor is Altra Footwear, which is now owned by VF Corporation. Stanley\u2019s additional sponsors include Pure Power Botanicals, OS1st Base Layer Clothing, Cranked Naturals and Michael David Winery. Schlarb\u2019s are Ultimate Direction, Spring Energy and others that provide race-specific incentives.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cAn athlete will do well, have some results, a good social following and get picked up by a big brand like, Altra, Hoka, The Northface,\u201d Schlarb said. \u201cAnd then there\u2019s smaller tertiary brands that support through nutrition or socks or apparel.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">Races for the most elite<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Whether or not a race pays a cash prize is not what draws runners to them. Sponsors might encourage runners to participate in certain races or even provide incentive, but for the most part, ultra runners make their own calendars based on what races they want to experience in different parts of the world and how well they can perform.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cOn average, I do two 100-milers six months apart, then I build out the rest of my schedule,\u201d Stanley said. \u201cI wish more races did have a cash payout. I try to do races I can do well at. The second thing is how competitive they are because more sponsors will like it and more publicity you\u2019re going to get.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Entering a headlining race is the key to getting noticed. There are three in the U.S. and one abroad that are commonly recognized as the most prestigious by the top runners in the business.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">In the U.S., those races include the Western States 100, Hardrock 100 and The Northface. The world\u2019s most popular and competitive ultra marathon is Ultra Trail Mont Blanc (UTMB) in Europe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The Western States 100 was established in 1974 and is the world\u2019s oldest 100-mile trail race, starting in Squaw Valley, California, and ending in Auburn, California. The Western States operates on a lottery system, where runners compete in qualifying races within a one-year period, submit an application and hope to be selected for the run.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The Hardrock 100 has a similar lottery entry format but is a looped course starting in Silverton, Colorado, that takes runners through the San Juan Mountains. Only 145 runners are accepted: 45 are first-time participants, 33 are veterans and 67 runners can be anyone who met the qualifying standards.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Neither the Western States 100 or the Hardrock 100 offer a cash prize, but winning them garners high publicity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The Northface Endurance Challenge is a 50-mile race starting in Sausalito, California, and plays host to many categories of runners. The elite division includes the top 100 male and female trail runners who apply and meet the qualifying standard times in a trail race.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The Elite A men have to be able to run a 7 hour, 15 minute 50-miler while women have to run theirs in 8 hours. There are other benchmark times listed for varying distances that runners can also try to meet. The race has a $30,000 cash prize purse, including $10,000 for the first place male and female, $4,000 for second place and $1,000 for third place.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The U.S. races are restricted to how many registrants they can take because of National Park or Forest guidelines, but Europe doesn\u2019t have the same restrictions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Europe\u2019s ultrarunning scene is on a larger scale, and its races can host far more runners. The UTMB started in 2003 as a race through the Alps of Italy, France and Switzerland and plays host to 2,300 runners.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">To qualify, runners have to run in certain races to amass a certain number of points, usually 15 points in three races. The Western States 100 is a qualifying race this year and has been since 2017, while the Hardrock 100 was a qualifier in 2017. The Leadville 100, another highly-regarded ultramarathon in the U.S., was named a qualifier in 2018 and will serve as one this year. The Western States and Leadville races fluctuate between five and six points awarded to the winner.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">As the season begins, elite ultra runners begin to think about their 100-milers. Since Stanley won the Hardrock 100 last year, she returns with a free entry. Schlarb will be making an appearance in one of the most competitive men\u2019s field the world has seen, including last year\u2019s Skyrace World Champion and returning Hardrock winner Kilian Jornet Burgada, last year\u2019s UTMB winner Xavier Thevenard and three-time UTMB winner Francois D\u2019Haene.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cThree former UTMB champs in the last five years and two Hardrock champions all in the same race,\u201d Schlarb said. \u201cThat hasn\u2019t happened since I\u2019ve been in the sport.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/sports\/rocky-running-inside-the-world-of-elite-ultra-runners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: Summit Daily<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Michele Yates, from Conifer, runs to the finish to take first place in the women\u2019s hare division of the Steamboat Springs Run Rabbit Run 100 on Sept. 14, 2018, with a time of 22 hours, 33 minutes and 54 seconds.Leah Vann \/ Steamboat Pilot &amp; Today Buy Photo Show CaptionsHide Captions STEAMBOAT SPRINGS \u2014 The [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-23627","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-10 21:53:02","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KIFT - The LIFT FM","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23627","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23627"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23627\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23627"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23627"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23627"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}