What if I don’t make the cut-off times?
I received a message from an athlete this week only days before her first ultra-marathon.
The race directors had lengthened the course and reduced the cut off times.
In it she said:
“I am freaking out a little bit.
I’ve just seen that the race is 2km longer and the aid stations/cut-offs have changed. Instead of 1h30-2h to do the first 8k, it has changed to 1h15-1h30.
I’m worried I’m not even going to be quick enough to get over the first hill in time. It’s a bit of a mental blow right now.”
No one wants to hear this type of update from the race director especially a woman who’s stepping up to the start line for the first time to challenge herself. I couldn’t help but thinking how many race directors are going out of their way to make their events accessible to women wishing to try and ultra distance race for the first time whether that’s walking or running or a bit of both?
The High Lonesome 100 is a 100-mile trail race in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and this year they went out of their way to make the race 50:50.
Ultra running has always been about a 20:80 split and if we take one of the big iconic races such as UTMB you’d think you’d have a better shot right because they have over 2,000 participants every year?
Wrong! Only 7% of finishers this year were women.
The reality is sport of ultra-running is growing at a phenomenal rate but the number of women in trail and ultra-running is not. So how do we bring more women into the sport not just at the elite level but from the front of the pack to the back of the pack?
“Just because we don’t cross the finish line first doesn’t mean our race isn’t valuable.”
In Episode 1 of Trail Society (if you’ve not been listening to the newest female led podcast in trail and ultra-running where have you been for the last two months?!) it raises some interesting stats from High Lonesome 100.
Of the women who DNF, 40% were cut off and forced to drop out of the race and 53% of the women who did not finish dropped out themselves.
Men on the other hand, those who DNF 39% were timed out and 61% of the drops dropped themselves. What does this tell us? Based on our perception the women are less likely to quit until they are forced to.
Rock solid proof! You are stubborn, it’s in your nature. You’re not saying this is too hard for me I’m done. You’re saying, I’m not going to stop until I run out of time, until you are forced out of the race. Period.
If we are artificially inflating the women’s field, shouldn’t we intentionally address cut off times at the same time, so that more women stepping up to the start line for the first time can finish what they started?
Let’s have a look at a few trail and ultra-event organisers that are making tracks when it comes to being super accessible for first timers.
Ultra X is a unique multi-day ultramarathon series, offering unforgettable experiences across the globe. Their Spring Trail Series offers race distances from half marathon to 100KM. The half marathon distance has no cut off whatsoever and the 50KM has a generous cut off to allow those wishing to walk the whole way a chance to finish.
Lakeland Trails brings you some of the most inspiring trail running events in the UK, all held within beautiful locations. For each of their race distances they offer a ‘trail race’ and a ‘challenge’. The challenge event is geared towards the less competitive runners, if you want to take it easy and enjoy the views without the pressure of a race.
She Runs Outdoors offer women only guided trail runs and trail escapes through Sussex and Surrey. A social paced run where you are encouraged to have fun, make friends and support each other along the trails without the pressure of a race. Expect lots of stops to take photos, regroup and admire the views.
Extreme Energy provides inclusive multi-day and single day endurance events across some of the UK’s most stunning locations. If have entered your first overseas multi-stage event, the races are a great opportunity to test out your gear in a relaxed and friendly environment. The Pilgrim Challenge is notorious for attracting first time MDS participants.
If you haven’t yet hit “enter” on your first ultramarathon or maybe even your first multi-stage ultra. Thinking “am I quick enough to make the cut-offs?” is not a sign you don’t deserve to be on that start line. The truth is for those of you who don’t step up to that start line, if you’re asking yourself this question, you’re totally normally. You’ve probably heard the following statistic:
Men apply for a job when they meet only 60% of the qualifications, but women apply only if they meet 100% of them.
Sounds familiar right?! You’re curious about stepping up to an ultra-distance but worried about putting yourself out there if there is a chance you might fail and get timed out. Or maybe you’ve already experienced this because you haven’t spend time doing the proper research to see which events have super generous cut offs or none at all.
I absolutely believe that just because you’re a mid to back of the pack runner doesn’t mean your race result or value as a person is any less than the runner crossing the finish line first. Let me remind you that you still ran a freaking ultra!
Ultra running needs more female voices, more women like you stepping up the start line and believing in themselves that they can to this crazy hard thing. Because there is always another woman standing in your shadow waiting for you to show her proof that it’s possible.
So, to close, I want to just say that I’m here for you and I believe you absolutely can finish your first ultra.
What do you think? Are you unsure of stepping up to an ultra-distance event because you’re worried you won’t make the cut offs?
Looking for the adventure of a lifetime without the pressure of cut-offs but don’t want to do it alone?
I’d love to chat to you about how my women’s only transformative group coaching program called Project: Breaking 250 can help you. Doors open on Friday 12th November 2021.