You've probably seen them: marathon runners. Borderline crazy athletes who master the balance between athleticism and self-harm like no other. Let me tell you the story of ultra marathon runner Jasmin Paris.
You've probably never heard of Mrs. Paris, and I don't blame you. Jasmin Paris is a small animal vet and senior lecturer at the Royal School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh, ánd she is one of those crazy ultra runners. After completing and winning several ultra running events, she entered one of the craziest of ultra-events in 2022: the Barkley Marathon.
Unmarked loops
This ultra marathon is a 160 km off-road course consisting of five unmarked loops of 32 km each. The race is limited to 60 hours from the start of the first loop. The course itself, which has changed distance, route and elevation several times since its inception, has no aid stations other than water at two points along the route. Runners are allowed to study and copy the course map before the race, but once the race begins, they must navigate by their own notes.
Find books
Runners will run the loop five times, taking an anticlockwise direction for loops two and four, followed by each runner alternating directions on loop five after the first placed runner's choice. In addition to running, competitors must find between 9 and 15 books along the course (the exact number varies each year) and remove the page corresponding to the runner's race number from each book as proof of completion. For this reason, competitors will only receive odd numbers. At the start of each lap, competitors receive a new race number and therefore a new page requirement.
One of the 20 people
It’s toughness, unpredictability and inimitability is, in many ways, similar to doing scientific research. On the first attempt of Jasmin in March 2022, she completed a "fun run" of three loops. In March 2023, with her second attempt, she became only the second woman ever to attempt a fourth loop, completing the fourth loop but not within the time limit. In March 2024, Paris set another record by becoming the first woman to complete the event. She did so in a time of 59:58:21, just 99 seconds under the time limit. And became one of 20 people who have ever completed the event in the 15 times it has been held.
Adventure
It is sometimes said that being a scientist or having a career is like being a marathon runner. Well, I don't think all those people have heard Jasmin's story, and I certainly don't encourage everyone to embark on such a crazy adventure. But she has shown remarkable perseverance. And please use that as a takeaway from her story.
Things will go side ways
Because if there is one thing the world needs today, it is scientists and highly qualified technicians with relentless perseverance. The challenges facing the world are great. At a time of climate change and unprecedented loss of biodiversity, we need excellent engineers like you to ensure that we produce food, transport goods and people, compute, connect and heal, all within the planetary boundaries. And as you will have understood by now, scientific research and work is never a straight line from A to B. Things will go sideways, and that is when we need level-headed scientists to keep the end goal in sight.
Paris was greeted at the finish line by her husband and two small children and made the headlines. I wish you the same tenacity, happiness and success.
SjoukjeHeimovaara,
President of the Executive Board of Wageningen University & Research
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