Ultramarathon Running Freshman Seminar

This seminar was offered at Lehigh University during fall semester 1996.

The syllabus

Class activities

Aug 27: Organizational. Selection of books.
Aug 29: Discussion of my running history, first half.
Aug 31: trip to Brooklyn race (2 students)
Sep 3: Using listserve and WWW. Discussion of Brooklyn race.
Sep 5: Guest speaker, Mike Strzelecki
Sep 10: My running history, second half. Issues surrounding kidney failure.
Sep 12: Book report: Vulture Eats You.
Sep 17: Book report: Corbitt.
Sep 19: Guest speaker, Neil Weygandt
Sep 22: trip to 1000 mile race in NYC. We were interviewed for NYU radio. 10 students went. Discussions with Ted Corbitt and Antana Locs.
Sep 24: discussion of Sri Chinmoy race.
Sep 26: Book reports: Beyond the Marathon, and Trans Am Footrace
Oct 1: Guest speaker, Bart Yasso. Slide show on ultra adventure running
Oct 3: discussion of topics for research reports
Oct 8: Guest speaker, Barry Lewis
Oct 10: discussion of topics for research reports
Oct 17: Discussion of Ultrarunning magazines
Oct 20: trip to Westchester County 40 mile race. 5 students went and worked at aid station.
Oct 22: Guest speaker, Ellen McCurtin
Oct 24: Pacific Crest Trail and Runners and Walkers book reports
Oct 29: video of 1994 Leadville race, and discussion
Oct 31: discussion of Comrades marathon and Arthur Newton; brief visit by Dan Russell, British runner in New York Marathon
Nov 5: discussion of overtraining; also keeping track of miles run
Nov 7: Guest speaker, Jeff Hinte
Nov 12, 14: discussion of topics from "The Lore of Running"
Nov 19: Oral summaries of research reports
- Kelly Collins: 6-day races in 19th century
- Alexis Bevington: Leadville 100-mile trail race
- Sacha Dumont: medical aspects of ultrarunning
- Stephanie Nelson: Yiannis Kouros
Nov 21: class team, Don's Ultra Stars, competes in Turkey Trot, hilly 2.5 mile intramural race. The team consisted of Don Davis, Dave Biddle, Jim Clewley, Russ Goss, Amy Walts, Sarah Willett, and Leigh Wickham. All finished respectably, and our team was 7th out of 12 in the independent division.
Nov 21: Oral summaries of research reports
- Brad Teasdale: Tarahumaras
- Leigh Wickham: Medical aspects of ultrarunning
- Nicole Weidenhammer: Medical aspects of ultrarunning
- Sarah Willett: Runners high
Nov 26: Oral summaries of research reports
- Art Beauregard: Tarahumaras
- Holly Schmid: Running monks in Asia
- Mike Rossen: Comrades Marathon
- Dave Biddle: The Barkley ultramarathon
Dec 3: Oral summaries of research reports
- Andrea Cutaio: Runners addiction
- Keri Cohn: Foods runners eat during ultras
- Amy Walts: Comparison of female and male running performance
- Steve Gourley: Some solo transcontinental runs
Dec 5: Oral summaries of research reports
- Russ Goss: Stretching
- Jim Clewley: Sri Chinmoy
- Jennifer Lasasso: 6 day races in 19th century

The research reports which are highlighted above can be accessed.

Note about seminar which Mike Strzelecki posted on ultramarthon listserves.

Article about class in September 15 Morning Call (Allentown newspaper).

Ultrarunning article about Westchester County RA PTOR race, attended by 5 students.

Article about course which I wrote. An abbreviated version appeared in March 1997 issue of UltraRunning magazine.

Ultramarathon World. Principal news source for the sport. Under World News, Jan 1997, it highlights our course, and especially Stephanie Nelson's paper, "The Golden Greek."
Stan Jensen's ultra page.
Matt Mahoney's ultra page.
Western Ultrarunning site

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