This site describes the Death Valley to Mt. Whitney race of 135 miles. In that race the runners also gain about 14,800 ft. in altitude.
Most of them are also nuts.
The winner makes it in 26 to 30 hours. That is a pace of about 4.5 to 5.2 mi/hr. That’s not a closed course, race track pace but it ain’t bad.
The long distances that the dogs and horses travel are all at the urging of people. Left to themselves it might be questionable whether or not an animal would push itself this hard.
It depends, what kind of car is the man in?
Yep there is also a race in Colorado that is 100 miles long. All of it takes place between 9 and 11,000 feet (thats a guess but close)
Slowly all this is coming out. A horse carrying a burden (a rider) is not the same as one that’s being ridden. And any animal that senses death approaching (i.e. a hunter) is also going to have adrenalin working for it. But if we are talking about a wounded animal, say one running on only three legs, they are less likely to finish 100 miles. In that case we are not talking about outrunning all animals, just all predators. Now in that case, man would win. Animals are not dedicated usually, perhaps because they prefer to stay within their own territory. Cats definitely do not have endurance, however I do not know if they would follow a blood scent walking 100 miles. Haven’t heard of fox or coyotes trailing prey that far. Seems wolves might. They can most likely run the distance but would they need to? If they wounded the animal themselves, then they would pretty much be able to keep pace with a wounded animal, just not with a healthy one. In any case, they would follow the blood trail at a comfortable pace, even walking, not racing. Of course, an animal being pursued is going to make noise, attract other predators (coyotes can hear a mouse in leaves 1/2 a mile away-Missouri Department of COnservation), so will the original predator be the one to down the animal? Bears are scavengers, not hunters, at least as far as other mammals are concerned. Reptiles are cold blooded with no endurance. What else is there of size? Small predators obviously are not going to be going 100 miles.
The Indians were said to be able to run that far and the women did keep pace, winning a fair number of races fairly, at least in Missouri.
On the other hand, if we are talking about the urban dweller in the West, well, just call me ‘eaten’, because I sure won’t be eatin’ if I have to run even 10 miles.
I seem to have overstated the altitude gain. The race ends as Whitney Portal which is 8300 ft altitude, not Whitney summit at 14,445. It’s pretty bad when you can even read your own cite correctly!
I can top that. Coming this June 15[sup]th[/sup], in Jamaica, Queens, New York, it’s the Seventh Annual Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race. I think it’s on level ground, though, so those Mt. Whitney wimps still have some bragging rights, I guess.
Or don’t multi-day events count? Cause it looks like if you’re not done in 51 days they scrape you off the pavement and pour you in a box.
Don’t feel too bad, David Simmons – they do actually go up about 13,000 feet on the trip (and descend 4,000) so you weren’t too far off (although (no offense) I’m guessing the number may only have been a happy coincidence ).
"If I really pushed that guilding he could probably do it in 4. "
make that gelding…gotta learn to preview
The question is:
Is there any animal that can outrun a man over a 100 mile race?
answer= YES
Can WE think of scenarios that are exceptions, of course we can.
Are there animals that man can beat, yes.
BUT
I’ve watched horses run ALL DAY long playing with each other in the fields. Running their asses off all day long, no rider, no load, no fear…just running. There is no fucking man on earth that could keep up. Forget about all the bullshit analogies.
I couldn’t swear to the distance they’ll run in a day. But the pasture near the barn has a fence roughly 3 miles square (12m. perimeter) and they’ll go around that damned fence and across the field dozens of times a day. You figure it out!
Where did the predator requirement come into play?
I have hunted and tracked many large game in North America and most can be caught eventually. Usually because of wits, not speed. If a big cat wanted to lose me he could. That’s the difference, I have to make him feel like he did lose me. There’s no way I’m gonna just outrun him.
BTW a cougar can travel hundreds of miles in a very short time when motivated.