Among distance runners, there’s no greater mark of achievement than the marathon. Whether the goal is to win, set a personal record or just finish, the marathon has long been the benchmark by which endurance athletes are measured. But then what?

For many, the answer lies farther down the road. Ultra-endurance events are seeing a considerable spike in popularity as athletes look to redefine the traditional tests of strength and stamina. The growing sport of ultrarunning is seeing a wave of new 50K to 100K events that fill up faster than many marathons. Likewise, the triathlon boom is budding scores of future Ironman competitors. Competitive mountain biking has embraced more 100-mile events and stage races, while adventure races continue to capture multi-sport athletes looking for an expedition-level experience.

With so many competitors trying to push the envelope, we asked top local ultra-athletes to share their experiences with going long.

Chris Eatough

Chris Eatough was a legend in ultra-endurance mountain biking before he hit 30. Since graduating college in 1997, Eatough has been dedicated solely to the sport, capturing six 24-Hour World Solo Championships as well as a variety of national titles, including the 2007 National Ultra Endurance MTB Series Championship. At 33, the Ellicott City, Md., resident is balancing life as a pro for Trek Bikes with life as a stay-at-home father to his one-year-old daughter, Emerson. In the coming years, Eatough faces the challenge of an evolving sport, as ultra-endurance mountain biking gains popularity and expands beyond the 24-hour arena.

Ultra-endurance mountain biking used to be limited to 24-hour racing, but now there are several 100-mile races as well as stage races. How do you see the sport evolving?

It’s putting the adventure back into racing. Twenty-four-hour racing is a huge challenge, but they are always on lap courses. Doing the same 10-mile loop over and over is not as adventurous. These multiday stages races offer tremendous adventure. A single 100-mile loop on your mountain bike covers serious territory. You’re sure to see something new.

Do you ever get a chance to enjoy the scenery?

If something catches my eye, I’ve figured out how to take it in without falling down. That’s a big part of doing these events for me is seeing new things.

Besides the distance, what’s the biggest difference between cross country racing and ultras?

Knowing your body and your limits. In cross country everyone tears off the line and just tries to hangs on to the finish. In 24-hour racing, you have to be much more calculated with your efforts and energy. I have a built in governor that tells me what I can and can’t do. It goes off pretty early and pretty easily, if I’m getting in trouble.

What’s your training schedule like?

I train half off-road and half on-road, but my road rides are usually on my mountain bike… At peak training, I’m at 15 to 24 hours per week. More realistically, with my family being important to me, it’s generally 12 to 16 hours per week. It’s seldom that I can do more than that. I’ve had consistent training for 10 years now, so I’m able to get away with less total hours now than most people need at this level.

Does your focus on racing affect your focus on family or vice versa?

There’s a bit of selfishness to being a dedicated athlete. I couldn’t have handled this 5 or 6 years ago. The stage I’m at in my life and career, I’m handling it well. All last season, I was a new dad and I had a good season and won lots of races. I feel grateful that I can be a good dad. My wife works full time and I make enough to just be a pro, so I spend a lot of time at home with the baby. I do go away for races, but I’m usually with her all day long. It’s made me more thankful to have the job I have.

You’ve accomplished a lot in 24-hour racing. What’s next?

I’ll still do 24-hour racing, but stage racing presents so many new challenges. We’re getting to the point of more serious athletes doing stage races. At Cape Epic [in South Africa], there were helicopters following us and daily TV coverage in Europe and Africa. Pros used to think these races got in the way of doing World Cup events. Now people see this is good exposure and good for their sponsors. Stage races could become the premier events in the sport.

Michael Wardian

At 33 years old, seasoned distance runner Michael Wardian may have finally found his calling. The Arlington, Va., resident has established his dominance of local marathons in recent years, including wins at every edition of the National Marathon. He’s finished more than 100 marathons, with a 2:21:37 PR, and qualified twice for the Olympic trials. But recent results suggest that 26.2 miles may not be enough to showcase Wardian’s talent. In November, he crushed the field at the JFK 50 Miler, beating the second place finisher by nearly 12 minutes. Building off that win, he conquered the U.S. National 50K Championship in March, winning by more than 16 minutes and setting a course record of 2:55:05. He solidified his future in ultrarunning one month later, capturing the USATF 100K National Championship title in Madison, Wis., with a time of 6:56:57—more than 17 minutes ahead of the competition. By virtue of his win, Wardian qualified to represent the U.S. at the IAU 100K World Cup in November, where the local legend could gain international credibility.

How does ultrarunning fit in your career?

It’s a large part of my future in running. I hope to continue to excel at all distances, but I might be a better runner at the longer stuff.

Where do you see the sport of ultra heading?

Ultrarunning has a great future. There are so many people looking to try and push themselves to do something incredible, and I think that ultrarunning can be that achievement they are looking for. I know that it is for me.

What’s your typical training week?

I like to get in 100 miles. I run track on Tuesday mornings with [local elite distance runner] Chris Raabe. He crushes me, but I love it. On Thursdays I do a tempo run and then I try to race on weekends or do something long. I throw in trails and hills with my regular weekly runs. 

Any favorite routes and trails?

I love running from Iwo Jima and going into Rock Creek Park. I also love running in Arlington Forest on the W&OD, near my house.  I like my "Lunch Loop" from Georgetown into Rock Creek Park, back into Georgetown through the woods. It’s an awesome run.