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Podcast: Ultrarunning History
Episode: 82: Roller Skating Ultra Distances - 1885 Six Days
Description: By Davy Crockett
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Professional ultrarunners/pedestrians of the late 1800s and early 1900s were constantly looking for endurance races or head-to-head matches to prove their abilities and make significant amounts of money. During the mid 1880s, some of them, including popular black ultrarunner Frank Hart, changed out their leather running shoes for roller skates during periods of endurance rolling skate fads.
Six-day foot race in Madison Square Garden
While not technically ultrarunning, the emerging six-day roller skate races mirrored significantly the six-day foot races that had become the most popular spectator sport for several y...