Addison Hendricks: The ultra prodigy who runs 400-milers
In Episode 13 of the Running Tales podcast, in collaboration with Run Tri Bike, Craig Lewis interviewed the incredible Addison Hendricks.
Addison is something of an ultra marathoning prodigy.
Back in high school, the now 26-year-old was encouraged by his coach to take part in a 48-hour track race.
But participating in the event wasn't enough for him. After looking it up, Addison decided the under-21 American record of 130-miles was breakable.
He was just 16 and had never run further than 16 miles when he took on the Wildcat 100 Ultra Race in his home town of Pensacola, Florida.
None of that stopped him bettering the record within 37 hours and 37 minutes.
A cross-country and track runner, Addison was soon completing 50k and 50-mile training runs every weekend.
These days, he regularly takes on - and podiums - in races ranging from 50k to over 200-miles. In recent months he has completed races including The Barkley Fall Classic and the Cowboy 200, while back in June he won the Last Annual Heart of the South (HOTS) Road Race.
The latter event is an incredible adventure race that sees competitors arrive for their run atop Sand Mountain in North Georgia with no idea where the route will take them, other than that it will cover between 300 and 400 miles.
Addison’s victory took in 384 miles, while next year’s race - which he will be returning to - is likely to reach 400.
Indeed, 2024 looks set to be another epic, with other events already planned including the 230-mile Coast to Coaster - another race Addison has previously won - and a return to the Cowboy 200.
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Addison Hendricks is an ultra running prodigy, someone who set a 48-hour American Junior distance record when he was just 16. Covering 130 miles in the process, he won the event, beating some of the biggest names in the sport along the way.
Still only 26, he has now competed in some of the biggest races around, including The Barkley Fall Classic, the Cowboy 200, HOTS, and the Vol State Road Race.