Aspen Fila Skymarathon

When Runners Speak of a “Runner’s High,” This Could Be What They’re Thinking Of.

ASE: COLORADO—The 45 tan, chiseled “Skymarathoners,” all of whom qualified for today’s Skymarathon based on FSA (Federation for Sport at Altitude) performance criteria, seem more focused on their prerace pasta dinner at the popular Inn at Aspen (the host hotel for the race) than on listening to the race’s safety and logistics § director, Jim Conway, explain course markings and high-altitude race features.

These athletes have accepted the challenge of “Skyrunning,” and they seem plenty confident that they have what the race entry form says it takes to be a Skyrunner:

“Tt’s running a marathon, but at high altitude. It’s adventure. It’s racing up and down a fourteener. [“Fourteener” is Coloradoan for the 54 peaks in the state that are 14,000+ feet.] It’s about being with nature and being one with your body and soul. Above all, it’s about performance—the ultimate running challenge where only the sky is the limit.”

Whew! The ultimate runner’s high.

Perhaps for athletes who have accepted such a demanding, liberating, cutting-edge challenge, practicalities such as mountaineering safety are less important—or perhaps these runners have accepted the challenge many times before and basic mountaineering safety is second nature to them.

January/February 2000 ASPEN FILASKYMARATHON ® 121