Dylan Bowman is a professional ultra runner from Portland, OR, who was raised in the endurance mecca of Boulder, CO where he spent his early competitive years as a team sport athlete -- eventually focusing on lacrosse in high school and college. After graduating and living in Aspen, CO, Dylan began running in the mountains which quickly became his passion and lifestyle. Now, more than a decade later, Dylan works with companies like The North Face and Red Bull and is one of the top ultra runners in the US.

UltraRunning is devoted to covering the sport of long distance running, also known as ultramarathoning, or, as we call it, ultrarunning. So how far is an unltramarathon? The standard definition is anything past the marathon, or 26.2 miles. However, the shortest standard distance that is considered an ultra is 50 kilometers, or 31.07 miles. Other standard distances are the 100 kilometer and 100 mile races as well as a series of events that last for specified time periods: anywhere from 6 hours to 6 days.