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Comment by mankash666 | Hacker News Reader

Research suggests a genetic preponderance towards physical fitness. With self control, you can make it to what your body can maximally achieve. But no amount of self control can guarantee the finish of an ultra-marathon if you're genetically not designed for it. PBS/Nova [1] took a shot at the question - "Can anyone run a marathon?", and found a certain lot more likely due to their genetics.

[1] http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/marathon-challenge.html

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It seems to me that the piece of data always missing in these kinds of challenges is time. I think anyone probably can run a marathon given enough time to change their lifestyle and build the appropriate strength and endurance. If that time is 10 years, then so be it for that person. The human body is designed to adapt to stressors and environmental conditions. The time it takes to adapt is where this genetic predisposition seems to come in to play.

Most people just walk these ultras, probably anyone healthy can do that with enough time to prepare.

As well, probably anyone healthy can slowly jog a marathon with enough time to prepare.

But not everyone can qualify for boston, or make the olympics.

Go ahead and try it! How hard could it be?

http://ultrasignup.com/

I'm sure it would be extremely hard for me to mostly walk 100 miles at once.

Source?

I participate in these kinda of events.. I'd be interested to know where you are getting your information.

look up the average pace of the finish, do math. note: people have brought up aid station time, which, yes if you spent like 30 minutes at each this would being mid pack finishers up into the 'mostly running range' but its still amortized walking pace.

This isn't meant to suggest that 100milers are easy or dumb, just that if you imagine someone actually running 100 miles straight and think that sounds nearly impossible, it is. Most people aren't doing that. If you think a 100 miler sounds interesting, you should try it, because you can probably do it. But please prepare really well because it is going to be really hard.

I think 12 of 13 participants started and finished the marathon. One washed out during training due to persistent injuries.

So, almost anyone can finish a marathon, with motivation and preparation. I can't remember for sure, but I think the participants had about a year and were given some excellent coaches whom they met with regularly.

Ultras require substantially the same kind of training as marathons, though you'll certainly have a different fueling and pacing strategy.

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