Dr. Sidy Diallo ran in 2020 as never before to lead by example in reaction to the lockdowns, travel bans and race cancellations.
2020 Private Marathons and Ultras
One of the lessons that we should learn from the COVID-19 pandemic is that race cancellations can’t prevent a runner, whose purpose is only to stay fit, happy and healthy, from running even more marathons or ultramarathons, moreover, for free, at home, at the holiday destination, etc.
A further lesson is that, at the end of the day, all marathons are equal, because the distance is always and everywhere the same, i.e. 42.2 km or 26.2 miles. The only difference is that it’s undeniably more challenging and more natural, but also more rewarding, to run a marathon or a 90 km (56 miles) ultramarathon without any assistance and without a crowd of supporters, which enjoyably brings us closer to our roots as hunter-gatherers.
Running 681 km (423 miles) in a month, including 90 km (56 miles) in one day, with sneakers would cost at least a pair of them and translate into too much stress on the body. I ran 560 km (348 miles) in May and 681 km in June 2020 our ancestors’ way. All the races are documented by my GPS watch, and the details are featured on this website.
By the way, I spent a total of almost 87,000 calories. Fortunately, much less physical activity can still help to keep one’s body mass index (BMI) easily under control. In this regard, I explain in my book, Running Barefoot for Human Survival, the reasons why diets are most often failing and why long-distance running is the free and smart solution. I also anecdotally highlight in the book that the heat of saunas does not burn fat, but rather the male gonads, wich are exiled outside the body, because they wouldn’t stand even the body temperature, i.e. 37° C or 98.6 °F.
After the easing of the 8-week lockdown that we had gone through in France, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I ran 23 marathons and two ultramarathons of 60 km and 90 km, respectively, in less than two months (May 11-June 30, 2020). The fact that we can so easily achieve that, even at 65, illustrates the non-exceptionality—not to say the banality—of long-distance running, which is meant to be one of the utmost pleasant activities for humans, and therefore a pain and injury-free experience. In other words, while running marathons is commendable, seeking recognition for just doing a trivial human activity would send the wrong message to those who are missing the best opportunity to retake control of their body mass, and to prevent or alleviate other crippling chronic diseases.
One of the crucial challenges for today’s humans is to decipher the genuine scope and benefits to long-distance running, so that they can stop relying on inefficient and lazy quick fixes, and start enjoying the privilege of running like our ancestors, i.e. barefoot or with minimal protection, when the temperatures or the nature of the ground so require. One of the positive lessons of the brutal COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting overreaction is that for those who are running for the right purpose, i.e. humbly to stay fit, happy and healthy, a marathon is a marathon, regardless whether it’s virtual, big, small, etc. And this means that race cancellations are no more a big deal, since from now on, unpretentious marathoners are enjoying the new freedom to get out with their modern GPS device to run a marathon anywhere and at any time.
The following slides present the Garmin results of all my 2020 ultramarathons and marathons, but one: The 2020 Freedom Boston Marathon Against Pandemics.
My book Running Barefoot for Human Survival is available on Amazon in paperback and e-book format (French edition: Courir pieds nus pour sauver les humains).
A further lesson is that, at the end of the day, all marathons are equal, because the distance is always and everywhere the same, i.e. 42.2 km or 26.2 miles. The only difference is that it’s undeniably more challenging and more natural, but also more rewarding, to run a marathon or a 90 km (56 miles) ultramarathon without any assistance and without a crowd of supporters, which enjoyably brings us closer to our roots as hunter-gatherers.
Running 681 km (423 miles) in a month, including 90 km (56 miles) in one day, with sneakers would cost at least a pair of them and translate into too much stress on the body. I ran 560 km (348 miles) in May and 681 km in June 2020 our ancestors’ way. All the races are documented by my GPS watch, and the details are featured on this website.
By the way, I spent a total of almost 87,000 calories. Fortunately, much less physical activity can still help to keep one’s body mass index (BMI) easily under control. In this regard, I explain in my book, Running Barefoot for Human Survival, the reasons why diets are most often failing and why long-distance running is the free and smart solution. I also anecdotally highlight in the book that the heat of saunas does not burn fat, but rather the male gonads, wich are exiled outside the body, because they wouldn’t stand even the body temperature, i.e. 37° C or 98.6 °F.
After the easing of the 8-week lockdown that we had gone through in France, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I ran 23 marathons and two ultramarathons of 60 km and 90 km, respectively, in less than two months (May 11-June 30, 2020). The fact that we can so easily achieve that, even at 65, illustrates the non-exceptionality—not to say the banality—of long-distance running, which is meant to be one of the utmost pleasant activities for humans, and therefore a pain and injury-free experience. In other words, while running marathons is commendable, seeking recognition for just doing a trivial human activity would send the wrong message to those who are missing the best opportunity to retake control of their body mass, and to prevent or alleviate other crippling chronic diseases.
One of the crucial challenges for today’s humans is to decipher the genuine scope and benefits to long-distance running, so that they can stop relying on inefficient and lazy quick fixes, and start enjoying the privilege of running like our ancestors, i.e. barefoot or with minimal protection, when the temperatures or the nature of the ground so require. One of the positive lessons of the brutal COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting overreaction is that for those who are running for the right purpose, i.e. humbly to stay fit, happy and healthy, a marathon is a marathon, regardless whether it’s virtual, big, small, etc. And this means that race cancellations are no more a big deal, since from now on, unpretentious marathoners are enjoying the new freedom to get out with their modern GPS device to run a marathon anywhere and at any time.
The following slides present the Garmin results of all my 2020 ultramarathons and marathons, but one: The 2020 Freedom Boston Marathon Against Pandemics.
My book Running Barefoot for Human Survival is available on Amazon in paperback and e-book format (French edition: Courir pieds nus pour sauver les humains).
I called Liberation Marathons and Liberation Ultramarathons the 63 GPS documented non-official races I ran between the first two COVID-19 lockdowns in France (from May 11, 2020, to October 29, 2020) on distances ranging from 42.2 km to 90 km.
1/210. 2020.01.21 Muscat Lonely Marathon, Oman: 5:19:28 (barefoot)
5/214. 2020.03.15 Little Barcelona Lonely Marathon, France: 5:02:08 (barefoot)
6/215. 2020.04.20 Freedom Boston Marathon Against Pandemics, France: 14:53:00 (barefoot)
7/216. 2020.05.11 Liberation Marathon # 1, France: 6:07:29
8/217. 2020.05.13 Liberation Marathon # 2, France: 4:56:27
9/218. 2020.05.14 Liberation Marathon # 3, France: 4:52:10
10/219. 2020.05.16 Liberation Marathon # 4, France: 4:50:24
11/220. 2020.05.17 Liberation Marathon # 5, France: 5:04:30
12/221. 2020.05.21 Liberation Marathon # 6, France: 5:54:14
13/222. 2020.05.23 Liberation Marathon # 7, France: 5:36:30
14/223. 2020.05.24 Liberation Marathon # 8, France: 5:27:58
15/224. 2020.05.28 Liberation Marathon # 9, France: 4:32:12
14 Ultra. 2020.05.30 Liberation Ultramarathon # 1 (60 km), France: 7:22:57
16/225. 2020.06.01 Liberation Marathon # 10, France: 5:25:00
17/226. 2020.06.03 Liberation Marathon # 11, France: 5:09:28
18/227. 2020.06.05 Liberation Marathon # 12, France: 5:16:53
19/228. 2020.06.07 Liberation Marathon # 13, France: 5:04:19
20/229. 2020.06.09 Liberation Marathon # 14, France: 4:21:01
21/230. 2020.06.10 Liberation Marathon # 15, France: 4:46:16
15 Ultra. 2020.06.14 Liberation Ultramarathon # 2 (90 km), France: 10:36:09
22/231. 2020.06.15 Liberation Marathon # 16, France: 5:47:05
23/232. 2020.06.18 Liberation Marathon # 17, France: 4:45:06 (barefoot)
24/233. 2020.06.20 Liberation Marathon # 18, France: 4:38:51
25/234. 2020.06.23 Liberation Marathon # 19, France: 4:37:56
26/235. 2020.06.26 Liberation Marathon # 20, France: 4:39:37 (barefoot)
27/236. 2020.06.28 Liberation Marathon # 21, France: 4:50:40
28/237. 2020.06.29 Liberation Marathon # 22, France: 4:53:24
29/238. 2020.06.30 Liberation Marathon # 23, France: 4:59:05
30/239. 2020.07.04 Liberation Marathon # 24, France: 5:25:44 (barefoot)
31/240. 2020.07.05 Liberation Marathon # 25, France: 4:40:59
32/241. 2020.07.08 Liberation Marathon # 26, France: 4:53:26
33/242. 2020.07.12 Liberation Marathon # 27, France: 4:35:24
34/243. 2020.07.16 Liberation Marathon # 28, France: 4:38:54
35/244. 2020.07.19 Liberation Marathon # 29, France: 4:27:30 (barefoot)
36/245. 2020.07.22 Liberation Marathon # 30, France: 4:24:46 (barefoot)
37/246. 2020.07.26 Liberation Marathon # 31, France: 4:44:07 (barefoot)
38/247. 2020.07.26 Liberation Marathon # 32, France: 4:46:52
39/248. 2020.08.02 Liberation Marathon # 33, France: 4:22:53 (barefoot)
40/249. 2020.08.05 Liberation Marathon # 34, France: 4:39:03
41/250. 2020.08.08 Liberation Marathon # 35, France: 4:37:15
42/251. 2020.08.08 Liberation Marathon # 36, France: 4:55:08
43/252. 2020.08.17 Liberation Marathon # 37, France: 4:40:33 (barefoot)
44/253. 2020.08.20 Liberation Marathon # 38, France: 4:54:02 (barefoot)
45/254. 2020.08.23 Liberation Marathon # 39, France: 4:52:42 (barefoot)
46/255. 2020.08.27 Liberation Marathon # 40, France: 4:48:43
47/256. 2020.08.29 Liberation Marathon # 41, France: 6:31:20
48/257. 2020.09:02 Liberation Marathon # 42, France: 5:11:56 (barefoot)
49/258. 2020.09:05 Liberation Marathon # 43, France: 4:55:13 (barefoot)
50/259. 2020.09:07 Boston Marathon Virtual Expeience - LM # 44, France: 4:03:54
51/260. 2020.09:09 Liberation Marathon # 45, France: 5:48:31
52/261. 2020.09:11 Liberation Marathon # 46, France: 4:38:09
53/262. 2020.09:16 Liberation Marathon # 47, France: 5:16:13
54/263. 2020.09:18 Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines to Versailles Run Trail (LM # 48), France:
5:35:19
55/264. 2020.09:22 Liberation Marathon # 49, France: 4:49:29 (barefoot)
56/265. 2020.09:26 Liberation Marathon # 50, France: 5:17:52
57/266. 2020.09.28 Montigny to Paris Bercy Marathon ( LM # 51), France: 5:08:51
16 Ultra. 2020.10.03 Yvelines-Paris Race Against the COVID-19/LUM # 3, France: 5:29:12
60/269. 2020.10.15 Montigny to the Statue of Liberty Marathon (LM # 54), France: 4:50:10
61/270. 2020.10.17 Virtual New York Marathon Against Pandemics (LM # 55), France: 5:37:40
62/271. 2020.10.19 SQY Park Marathon/My Liberation Marathon # 56, France: 3:55:12
63/272. 2020.10.23 My Liberation Marathon # 57, France: 4:40:33 (barefoot)
64/273. 2020.10.26 My Liberation Marathon # 58, France: 4:39:18
65/274. 2020.10.28 My Liberation Marathon # 59, France: 5:23:02
66/275. 2020.10.29 My Liberation Marathon # 60, France: 4:39:30
1/210. 2020.01.21 Muscat Lonely Marathon, Oman: 5:19:28 (barefoot)
5/214. 2020.03.15 Little Barcelona Lonely Marathon, France: 5:02:08 (barefoot)
6/215. 2020.04.20 Freedom Boston Marathon Against Pandemics, France: 14:53:00 (barefoot)
7/216. 2020.05.11 Liberation Marathon # 1, France: 6:07:29
8/217. 2020.05.13 Liberation Marathon # 2, France: 4:56:27
9/218. 2020.05.14 Liberation Marathon # 3, France: 4:52:10
10/219. 2020.05.16 Liberation Marathon # 4, France: 4:50:24
11/220. 2020.05.17 Liberation Marathon # 5, France: 5:04:30
12/221. 2020.05.21 Liberation Marathon # 6, France: 5:54:14
13/222. 2020.05.23 Liberation Marathon # 7, France: 5:36:30
14/223. 2020.05.24 Liberation Marathon # 8, France: 5:27:58
15/224. 2020.05.28 Liberation Marathon # 9, France: 4:32:12
14 Ultra. 2020.05.30 Liberation Ultramarathon # 1 (60 km), France: 7:22:57
16/225. 2020.06.01 Liberation Marathon # 10, France: 5:25:00
17/226. 2020.06.03 Liberation Marathon # 11, France: 5:09:28
18/227. 2020.06.05 Liberation Marathon # 12, France: 5:16:53
19/228. 2020.06.07 Liberation Marathon # 13, France: 5:04:19
20/229. 2020.06.09 Liberation Marathon # 14, France: 4:21:01
21/230. 2020.06.10 Liberation Marathon # 15, France: 4:46:16
15 Ultra. 2020.06.14 Liberation Ultramarathon # 2 (90 km), France: 10:36:09
22/231. 2020.06.15 Liberation Marathon # 16, France: 5:47:05
23/232. 2020.06.18 Liberation Marathon # 17, France: 4:45:06 (barefoot)
24/233. 2020.06.20 Liberation Marathon # 18, France: 4:38:51
25/234. 2020.06.23 Liberation Marathon # 19, France: 4:37:56
26/235. 2020.06.26 Liberation Marathon # 20, France: 4:39:37 (barefoot)
27/236. 2020.06.28 Liberation Marathon # 21, France: 4:50:40
28/237. 2020.06.29 Liberation Marathon # 22, France: 4:53:24
29/238. 2020.06.30 Liberation Marathon # 23, France: 4:59:05
30/239. 2020.07.04 Liberation Marathon # 24, France: 5:25:44 (barefoot)
31/240. 2020.07.05 Liberation Marathon # 25, France: 4:40:59
32/241. 2020.07.08 Liberation Marathon # 26, France: 4:53:26
33/242. 2020.07.12 Liberation Marathon # 27, France: 4:35:24
34/243. 2020.07.16 Liberation Marathon # 28, France: 4:38:54
35/244. 2020.07.19 Liberation Marathon # 29, France: 4:27:30 (barefoot)
36/245. 2020.07.22 Liberation Marathon # 30, France: 4:24:46 (barefoot)
37/246. 2020.07.26 Liberation Marathon # 31, France: 4:44:07 (barefoot)
38/247. 2020.07.26 Liberation Marathon # 32, France: 4:46:52
39/248. 2020.08.02 Liberation Marathon # 33, France: 4:22:53 (barefoot)
40/249. 2020.08.05 Liberation Marathon # 34, France: 4:39:03
41/250. 2020.08.08 Liberation Marathon # 35, France: 4:37:15
42/251. 2020.08.08 Liberation Marathon # 36, France: 4:55:08
43/252. 2020.08.17 Liberation Marathon # 37, France: 4:40:33 (barefoot)
44/253. 2020.08.20 Liberation Marathon # 38, France: 4:54:02 (barefoot)
45/254. 2020.08.23 Liberation Marathon # 39, France: 4:52:42 (barefoot)
46/255. 2020.08.27 Liberation Marathon # 40, France: 4:48:43
47/256. 2020.08.29 Liberation Marathon # 41, France: 6:31:20
48/257. 2020.09:02 Liberation Marathon # 42, France: 5:11:56 (barefoot)
49/258. 2020.09:05 Liberation Marathon # 43, France: 4:55:13 (barefoot)
50/259. 2020.09:07 Boston Marathon Virtual Expeience - LM # 44, France: 4:03:54
51/260. 2020.09:09 Liberation Marathon # 45, France: 5:48:31
52/261. 2020.09:11 Liberation Marathon # 46, France: 4:38:09
53/262. 2020.09:16 Liberation Marathon # 47, France: 5:16:13
54/263. 2020.09:18 Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines to Versailles Run Trail (LM # 48), France:
5:35:19
55/264. 2020.09:22 Liberation Marathon # 49, France: 4:49:29 (barefoot)
56/265. 2020.09:26 Liberation Marathon # 50, France: 5:17:52
57/266. 2020.09.28 Montigny to Paris Bercy Marathon ( LM # 51), France: 5:08:51
16 Ultra. 2020.10.03 Yvelines-Paris Race Against the COVID-19/LUM # 3, France: 5:29:12
60/269. 2020.10.15 Montigny to the Statue of Liberty Marathon (LM # 54), France: 4:50:10
61/270. 2020.10.17 Virtual New York Marathon Against Pandemics (LM # 55), France: 5:37:40
62/271. 2020.10.19 SQY Park Marathon/My Liberation Marathon # 56, France: 3:55:12
63/272. 2020.10.23 My Liberation Marathon # 57, France: 4:40:33 (barefoot)
64/273. 2020.10.26 My Liberation Marathon # 58, France: 4:39:18
65/274. 2020.10.28 My Liberation Marathon # 59, France: 5:23:02
66/275. 2020.10.29 My Liberation Marathon # 60, France: 4:39:30