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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Extreme Races for Intense Runners
By Rachel Sawatzky
For some ultramarathon runners, 42 km is only the beginning.
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Only fanatical runners would pay US$250 in entry fees for the chance to run 135 miles in the driest and hottest place on the planet. As if the heat isn’t forbidding enough, the demanding racecourse includes three mountain passes, a desert and an endless valley. The legendary1 Badwater Ultramarathon starts in Death Valley, California, at 280 feet below sea level and ends three days later on Mt. Whitney at an elevation2 of 8,360 feet.
An ultramarathon is any run that exceeds 42.195 km, the standard distance of a marathon. A variety of ultramarathon races are held around the world each year. Distances usually range from 50 km to an unbelievable 1,600 km. Races can be several hours long or take up to 10 days to complete.
Ultramarathons in Asia
One of the most challenging races in Asia is the 24-hour ultramarathon held annually3 since 1998 at Soochow University in Taipei. Each year, race organizer Frank Kuo invites five or six elite4 international runners to participate in the Soochow 24-hour race, leaving 16 vacancies5 for local runners. This year, the Soochow 24-hour race will begin at 9:00 a.m. on March 5.
Keep running
The Soochow ultramarathon is unique in that its runners are confined to running around a 400-m track for a full 24 hours. Elite athletes never stop running, not even to eat. They just grab snacks and drinks “on the run.” Student volunteers are cheerleaders and lapcounters for the dedicated6 runners who complete lap after lap around the track.
The winner of the race is the one who completes the most laps within 24 hours. In 2004, Masayuki Otaki from Japan was the victor, running 679 laps, equivalent to 271.75 km.
Vocabulary Focus
fanatical (adj) [fE5nAtikEl] showing intense devotion and strong admiration7 for something
legendary (adj) [5ledVEndEri] extremely well known to the point of having stories told about it
elite (adj) [ei5li:t] excellent; of the highest quality
victor (n) [5viktE] the winner
Specialized8 Terms
ultramarathon (n) 超级马拉松 a running race, usually cross-country, that is more than 42 km long
elevation (n) 海拔，高度 the height of something in relation to sea level
奔向极限
对于超级马拉松的跑者而言，42千米不过是个开始
张明绮 译
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只有酷爱跑步的跑者，会为了在地球上最干最热的地方跑上135英里，支付250美元的参赛费。如果这种热度还不够令人却步，这条严苛的跑道中还有3个山隘、一个沙漠和数不尽的山谷。这项传奇性的“恶水超级马拉松”赛事以低于海平面280英尺的加州死亡谷为起点，终点在3天路程后，海拔8360英尺高的惠特尼峰。
标准马拉松赛跑的距离是42.195千米，而超级马拉松就是超过这个距离的赛跑。每年在世界各地都有各式各样的超级马拉松赛事举行。通常全程距离从50千米，到令人难以置信的1600千米不等。比赛历时好几个小时，或多达10天才得以完成。
亚洲的超级马拉松
在亚洲地区，最富挑战性的比赛是1998年起，一年一度在台北东吴大学举行的24小时马拉松竞赛。每年，比赛筹办人郭丰州邀请5～6位国际级精英选手，前来参加东吴的24小时锦标赛，并保留16个名额给本地选手。今年，东吴24小时马拉松将于3月5日上午9:00开跑。
继续跑下去！
东吴大学超级马拉松独特之处，在于跑者被局限在400米的跑道上整整跑24个小时。精英好手中间不停，甚至也不吃东西。他们只能一面跑一面吃喝点东西。学生志愿者则为这些认真跑完一圈又一圈跑道的选手担任拉拉队与圈数计数员。
这个比赛的优胜者是24小时内跑完最多圈数的人。2004年的优胜者是来自日本的大泷雅之，他总共跑了271.75千米，相当于679圈。
收听单词发音 |
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legendary
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| adj.传奇（中）的，闻名遐迩的；n.传奇（文学） | |
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elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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annually
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| adv.一年一次，每年 | |
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elite
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| n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的 | |
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vacancies
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| n.空房间( vacancy的名词复数 )；空虚；空白；空缺 | |
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dedicated
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| adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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specialized
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| adj.专门的，专业化的 | |
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