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The 'Inhuman' who leads the Vol State ultra in sandals
There are talented athletes, tireless workers, athletes who take their bodies to the limit. And then there are the 'Inhumans'. Runners capable of doing impossible things, completing challenges that any 'earthly' being does not even come up with. In the Stock Exchange of the Corridor we have explained the history of Dean Karnazes, Abebe Bikila or Tim Don. Each one with its particularities, each one achieving simply brutal milestones. In this new 'delivery', so to speak, we will talk about a runner who is right now disputing one of the toughest ultras in the world, the Vol State. His name is Greg Armstrong and he is the defender of the crown and marches at a record pace. Everything, you can believe it or not, with sandals.
The man who lives in sandals
Greg lives basically in sandals. Tevas, the brand, accompanies you wherever you go. In fact, the runner recently managed to get the company to send 70 pairs to a leper colony in Africa who visited He believed that they would be ideal for the deformities that patients have because they are adjustable and very easy to put on and take off.
Greg is often asked why he runs in sandals when the most 'appropriate' or comfortable to walk in the morning are trail shoes or boots: "This pair of Tevas took me to a personal record of 24 hours to travel 155 miles; they have a total of 1,500 miles traveled and they cost me $ 55, that is, 3.6 cents per mile. In fact, this is my last pair of Tevas Tanzas and its release is discontinuous. I launch the brand to make the model come back. "
Leader at record pace
The ultra Vol State crosses the state of Tennessee from northwest to southeast, mainly by roads, in a route of 500 kilometers. The runners must cover something more than 50 kilometers days in a maximum of 10 days and the organization does not provide anything, there are no volunteers. Last night Greg was at kilometer 420 in first place at record pace. And with his inseparable sandals, of course.
Big news Vol State fans. Greg Armstrong has past Jasper and is nearing Kimball. When you get to the blue bridge is when you call to alert Carl & Laz that you're almost at the rock. Photo taken by Josep Barberillo. # vs500k pic.twitter.com/sZYum0PLEj
- Curtis (@curtisbarton) July 14, 2019