Camille Herron has to believe it is possible.
An ultrarunner, Herron is no stranger to breaking records at long distances. Most recently, she ran 560.33 miles over six days to set the all-time women’s mark.
Now she has another record in her sights: the men’s.
Herron, who has broken several records throughout her running career, is still basking in her achievements from Lululemon’s FURTHER six-day ultramarathon that took place in March, where she set 12 world records. She was one of 10 women from around the world who participated in the sanctioned race that saw 2,880 miles run over the six days in total.
Herron’s top mark ousted the women’s world record held since 1990—549.06 miles run by Sandra Barwick of New Zealand—an accomplishment Herron calls a “dream come true.” She also became the first woman to run 500 miles in under five days and set the three-, four-, five- and six-day records among her accomplishments.
Though Herron fell short of the men’s six-day record of 644.2 miles, set in 2005 by Yiannis Kouros of Greece, she found herself on track for that record in the early days of the race. Through that stretch and beyond, Herron described how the pain she endured ultimately caught up to her.
“I knew I could do it, so I stayed very positive and happy, even when internally I was in so much pain,” Herron says. “My organs were losing control between my bladder and bowels, and there wasn’t anything we could do. World records break you in every way. You have to accept and endure it! I guess I had the best poker face to conceal the amount of pain I was in.”
It was important for Herron to participate in FURTHER, a race that put women first and was unique in its mission. Citing that just 4–13% of sports research studies are reported to be female-focused, FURTHER puts women at the forefront.
Lululemon partnered with the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific in the planning and running of the event. Various metrics were monitored throughout the six days, many of which were tracked through a tent the participants ran through on each 2.55-mile lap. The results, which are slated to be released this fall, will help the brand craft its product for optimal results among women and better understand female performance.
Herron and the race’s participants trained for over a year with the CSI Pacific staff to best optimize their performance, from pace to caloric intake and gear choices. During the race, the runners’ gear was modified as their bodies changed, accommodating for swelling and varying weather elements.
Herron fully acknowledges that FURTHER’s conditions in La Quinta, Calif., were difficult. Ranging from extreme heat, rain and wind storms, it was a challenging environment for Herron to maximize her output to the extent of her ultimate goal in conquering the men’s six-day world record.
“The course was mostly dirt and gravel and felt like a six-day cross country race with a science experiment,” Herron said. “It was an atypical race and made it more challenging to put up the big numbers.”
Building from that experience, Herron better understands what it will take to have her name atop the six-day record book. She knows beneficial conditions, optimized nutrition, mental preparation and high-performing gear all will be key in her mission.
But when it comes to Herron’s reason for wanting the men’s record, she reflects on the support felt around her and is inspired by the future ultrarunners to come. She knows it is possible, and after her most recent accomplishments, she has others putting belief in her vision, too.
“I’m grateful and honored I could do it and raise the bar on what’s possible,” Herron said. “I hope what I did helps increase the interest and participation in ultrarunning and also create more multi-day experiences. I hope everyone will be inspired to pursue their own FURTHER.”
