彭蒙惠英语：Extreme Races for Intense Runners（在线收听）

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 legendary Badwater Ultramarathon starts in Death Valley, California, at 280 feet below sea level and ends three days later on Mt. Whitney at an elevation 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 annually since 1998 at Soochow University in Taipei. Each year, race organizer Frank Kuo invites five or six elite international runners to participate in the Soochow 24-hour race, leaving 16 vacancies 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 dedicated 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 admiration 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

Specialized 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