Racism, Misogyny, Intolerance in the San Diego Ultrarunning Community: A Compilation
A compilation of racism, misogyny, intolerance, and hate publicly directed at writer Myriam Gurba by ultrarunners in California
Introduction
Last June, Myriam Gurba and I went down to Cleveland National Forest for an intended weekend of hiking, relaxing, and taking photos. The San Diego 100 ultramarathon was taking place, and as an ultrarunner from Los Angeles, I had a handful of friends running it. We thought we would stop by for a few minutes so that I could show Myriam what an ultra looks like, and maybe catch a glimpse of our friends. What happened instead was that Myriam was subject to racial profiling, hostility, and suspicion, and we were illegally run off of public land. When we first spoke up, everyone dismissed it. Myriam wrote about it here. This is what happened next.
Terra Incognita Media
Myriam GurbaMyriam frames her experiences at San Diego 100 in the broader historical context of anti-Mexican racism in San Diego and in her own life in an article called “RACES, RAÍCES AND RACISM: Anti-Mexican Sentiment and Ultrarunning”, published by Terra Incognita Media.
Via email(s)
Paulette Stevenson Believing Myriam’s story and troubled by it, ultrarunner Paulette Stevenson, PhD, professor of English and former winner of AC100, Javelina 100, Zane Grey 50, emails SD100 race sponsor Hoka One One, and alerts ultrarunnerpodcast and others of Myriam’s Terra Incognita article via tweet. Hoka responds and says they will contact Myriam. Ultrarunner podcast responds by doubting the story.
Ultrarunnerpodcast.com
Andrew: “It is quite apparent that this writer seaks(sic) out racism claims any opportunity she gets. Having lived in San Diego for 20 years I have never seen racism towards an Mexicans in my daily life… Sure, in San Diego there have been protests about the border, illegal immigration, etc., but that is going to happen anywhere near a border city… Racism works both ways and she clearly has a problem with white people, 99.9% of whom have been good to her during her lifetime.”
Ultrarunnerpodcast.com
Eric Schranz: “I’m with you, Andrew. I get the feeling this (essentially self-described) SJW sees everything through the prism of a victim mindset and throws the very serious terms racist and sexist around haphazardly and recklessly.”
Ultrarunnerpodcast.com
Jose Guerrerohmm I wonder if all these SJW’s are campaigning for the NBA to be more “diverse”. Funny that only sports popular with white people have a “diversity problem”.
Gilroy, California
Mass ShootingA 19 year old white supremacist armed with a WASR-10 semi-automatic rifle opens fire at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, killing 3 Latinx and wounding 19, many of the children. The shooter was of Italian Iranian descent, and had posted to Instagram that the Gilroy Garlic Festival infested the area with “”hordes of mestizos” and instructed people to read the 19th-century book Might Is Right, a pseudonymous proto-fascist manifesto that promotes racial violence and anti-Semitism and is popular in white supremacist and neo-Nazi circles.
[ wikipedia ]
Larry GassanThe initial attack [on SD100] was vicious and premeditated. Those two can seriously go fuck themselves.
July 29
Twitter
UltrarunnerPodcast
(Eric Schranz)
I’m with you 100% Larry.
July 29
Twitter
@jakescheck
guys: isn’t go fuck yourself exactly what she claims to have felt? regardless of motivations, don’t y’all (especially @ultrarunnerpod) have an opportunity to help show how welcoming the ultra community REALLY is? get these two parties together on an episode.
July 29 2019
Twitter
@ultrarunnerpod Eric Schranz
Nope. No interest in SJWs who try to start sh*t by exploiting sensitive and important issues for their own gain.
July 29 2019
Twitter
Larry Gassan
Nope. The attacks were vicious, the narratives keep changing. It’s a textbook example of a dishonest methodology.
July 29 2019
Twitter
@jakescheck
“in the ultra world that I know, I would like to think that the response to somebody saying they felt uncomfortable at an ultra would be “holy shit, that’s not what we meant and I’m so sorry that’s what you felt”.
July 29 2019
Twitter
@jakescheck
it may not matter much to you, but I just unsubscribed to @UltraRunnerPod. the ultra world that I know is a place where people can have disagreements about all aspects of the world, and still come together for something amazing. this response does not represent the welcoming ultra community that I know
July 29 2019
Twitter
@ultrarunnerpod Eric Schranz
Neither does making wild, unsubstantiated and refuted accusations against one of the more respected ultras in the country while simultaneously trying to shake down one of the sponsors.
July 29 2019
Twitter
@jakescheck
what I see from the outside of the situation is somebody new to the sport saying they felt unwelcome at an event, and somebody who is prominent in the sport saying go fuck yourself.
July 29 2019
Twitter
Larry Gassan
An ad hominem attack on an event based on their flouting the stated rules, plus a crude attempt to shake down sponsors, is totally worthy of a go fuck yourself.
Larry Gassan
The defamatory attack on the San Diego 100 was a new low in ultras. The perpetrators can seriously go fuck themselves.
Larry GassanHere’s a quote that’s relevant:“… because when you are a professional victim who looks for any reason to feel oppressed, you show absolutely no interest in actually improving the world.”*
*(Note: this to a woman whose rapist sits on death row in San Quentin, convticed of a series of sexual assaults culminating in a brutal murder over the span of a few months – hers was the first assault. Click here for a supreme court transcript).
Via telephoneRace sponsor Hoka discusses the situation with Myriam. They say they will work on an action plan with the race directors involving diversity training and also to ensure that signs are placed at and near aid stations making clear that an event is going on and that the National Forest and trails are open for use by people not involved in the race. The plan is to prevent others in the future from having the same experiences that Myriam had and witnessed at multiple aid stations at San Diego 100.
Mrtrailsafety.com
Larry Gassan:
Last time it was mentioned by an aggrieved SJW who was newly woke on ultras,* I nearly shot coffee out my nose. Wikipedia can be like that. There were stern advisories from Escobar on Thursday and Friday about how the Raramuri were real private, don’t approach them etc. OK, all very mystical and so on. They were stoic during the Friday beer-mile, and all the attendant shenanigans.That Saturday night, more than a few of them were happily getting shit-faced with very curious willowy girls, and they were enjoying themselves mightily. Don’t recall any Raramuri women in that group, and their minder was keeping a sharp eye on the money from sales of handicrafts.
Again, the Little Brown Indian Traveling Circus had come to town.
(*Note: This to describe a female Mexican American author who is a trained historian with a degree from UC Berkeley.)
El Paso, Texas
El Paso anti-Mexican Mass MurderPatrick Crusius, a 21-year-old white supremacist from Dallas shot and killed 22 Mexican and Mexican American people in a Walmart in El Paso Texas, near the Mexican border, wounding 24 others. Shortly before the attack, he published a white nationalist, anti-immigrant manifesto, on 8chan, citing inspiration from that year’s Christchurch mosque shootings in New Zealand and mentioning the white genocide conspiracy theory. “The anti-Hispanic, anti-immigrant manifesto promotes the white nationalist and far-right conspiracy theory of The Great Replacement.[40] The New York Times characterized the manifesto as racially extremist, noting the passage: ‘Hispanics will take control of the local and state government of my beloved Texas, changing policy to better suit their needs.’ It states that Hispanics and their intermarriage with whites would cause the loss of purity of race.” [ wikipedia ]
“I have experienced some very rude people from Mexico!” – Nelly Purvis (aka Nell Bell), Instagram
Nell Bell“I look like a freaking mexican but I’m Native American…. Its called rules, SD 100 has a list if rules in what they call “The bible” It Applies to All runners, volunteers, crew members, friends, strangers, tourists…. It goes both ways!!! I had experienced some very rude people from Mexico but i simply gave them space and moved on”
Karl Manly
“sounds like an angry mexican woman mad at the world and if she cant have it her way then we are all haters.”
Monica Harris
“Angry Mexican who only promotes hate and wants to finds a racist problem everywhere she goes.”
David Baca
“it is a sad state if affairs in this country right now with some people thinking that it is ok to call people you disagree with or do not like a racist, fascist or transphobe or some other identity politics driven ideological phrase. divisive and not good for the country at all.”
Vito La Bella
“WOW. I left a few choice words on her Instagram page. What of a piece shit!”
Vito La Bella
[to Myriam Gurba]: “This story is complete bullshit. Maybe you should start following the rules so others don’t have to enforce them. Based on what I read, you sound like the racist.”
“We have to invite him to the new Run from the Border 50K! Basically you get chased by border patrol on the PCT…you gotta make it to Boulder Oaks without getting nabbed” Victor Runco, Race Director, Dirt Devil Racing
Vito LaBella, Victor Runco, etc:Vito La Bella: She mad about something. Trump maybe???? hahaha
Victor Runco: Vito La Bella is Trump in SURF?
Vito La Bella: He’s been a member for years!
Victor Runco: we have to invite him to the new Run from the Border 50K!
Jessica Mangine-Inglis: wait, what? A new run!? Stupid knee! One year and I can’t wait to come play with you all again!
Victor Runco: Jessica Mangine-Inglis yea basically you get chased by border patrol on the PCT…you gotta make it to Boulder Oaks without getting nabbed
Nell Bell“I actually had dealt with some specific ladies (maybe 4 of them) from some part of Mexico running SD 100 with me last year. Pamela Parker and I have never experienced such a rude bunch of runners. So it basically goes both ways!! We had to get away from them once we arrived from the aid station because I couldn’t stand thier Attitude they had with us! Plus thier crew went into a section they clearly weren’t supposed to be in and Pamela had warned them. They gave no fucks and gave us attitude, she ended up telling the volunteers about it once we arrived at an aid station but nothing was done. But whatever… i was just happy to be away from these people.”
Daniel Smith“You can find reasons to whine about racism if you look hard enough. The problem is no one is allowed to be just assholes anymore.It is like any black, brown, green, blue people can be dicks, but if a white person is a dick they are racist. Sometimes people might hurt your feelings, doesn’t mean they are racist.”“Sometimes people are just plain assholes, I don’t need anyone treating me special or different because I’m brown.”
“And it has gone viral so many people will believe her without calling BS on it. She is an idiot. This fires me up, pinchi llorona! [3]
Victor Runco
“she is a liar and completely delusional. When people have no one around them to tell them they are nutz they start to believe their own BS…then they inflict hurt on others cause no one called them out on their shit. This one is completely full of it and did this to further her political agenda….and in the process hurt the SD community and those that put on and run here
“Race traitor whore… You are an embarrassing sell-out. Sellout. 100%” – San Diego Ultrarunner Daniel Smith, on Myriam Gurba’s Instagram
Daniel Smith
“Race traitor whore… You are an embarrassing sell-out. Sellout. 100%”
VanessaMermaid619
“Are you trying to play victim to sell more books? … Clearly you enjoy being a victim… You really should be ashamed.”
Vanessa Homyak (aka @VanessaMermaid619)
“ya well as tempting as it would be to her a lying piece of shit that should never set foot in my city wouldn’t change much”
Vanessa Homyak (aka @VanessaMermaid619)
“I hope her car breaks down in a desolate area. She goes to find help passes out and wild animals eat her corpse”
Nell Bell“Btw.. her profile name has “666” on it…that’s the number of the beast.. she’s evil…….which makes sense now. The devil tries to cause dissension with people… but not with us!!! SUCKA!!!!!!!!
Victor Runco
“These 2 useless a-holes are trying to emotionally, spiritually and financially hurt the SD ultrarunning community. It’s one thing to be butt hurt and post some BS on social media it is escalated to a whole new level when you go after someone financially especially when you are making the shit up. IMHO its slander and they need to be held accountable for their fabrication
Karen Hamilton
“this makes me soooo mad. As a foreigner I’ve had my share of moments, but I don’t think it’s because I’m white….lol!!!”
Victor Runco
[Myriam Gurba] maybe you are too far gone….maybe not. You can still come back to reality and save yourself just don’t do it in San Diego.
Vito LaBella
“Geoff Cordner You need to take all your prescribed meds. They work better when taken together. It’s Unfortunate people like you have a platform to spread lies and foster hate. You’re a coward and pray on the fear of others.You make me sad.”
Nell Bell
“Shame on you Geoff!!!! You’re a complete fucking coward and an idiot!!! Some of my imates in prison have more fucking class than you do!!!”
Victor Runco:
“fucking inmates would teach him a thing or two about what racism really is”
Nell Bell:
“ohhhh for sure!! Talk about racial segregation in jail! everyone sticks with thier own race. People get checked or jumped. Shits real fucked up in here. But as long as each race don’t step over on each other’s boundaries and give “respect”….. ….they do fine Keeping to themselves and working with each other.”
Vito La Bella
“I mean I’m not a huge fan of all the beaners, but I would never treat the “brown man” poorly. Viva La Mexico!”
Note: Vito LaBella is co-race-director of Oriflamme & PCT50, both run on public land in Cleveland National Forest.
August 7 2019
Facebook
Larry Gassan
[to Andrea Feucht] “Why am I tagged on this? I wasn’t there.
Furthermore, it was lucky you weren’t DQd, because you were a solo runner.
Rules are rules.”
Via email
SD100 sponsor Hoka becomes aware of the overtly racist social media threads attacking Myriam Gurba and defending San Diego 100. They postpone a followup call with Myriam.
Via telephone
SD100 sponsor Hoka call to inform Myriam that they are ending their sponsorship of San Diego 100.
unknown[to Martine Sesma] “And by the way, you probably shouldn’t brag about having friends of color like that somehow qualifies you to give advice” (In this deleted comment thread the guy also said something about having been a white man in the 1950s, so he knows what racism really is).
Ultraholic.com Comment
The Prez
107.77.165.3“Make America Great Again
Homosexuality is a Sin
Tattoos are only for sailors
Deport all illegals”
Lets Run
O.D.W.“White people are the only ethnic group that even admits to having issues with racism. Just admitting to having racists among them makes white people an easy target for willy nilly accusations of racism.No other group has the self-awareness and ability for self-criticism to admit that they have issues with racism.”
Lets Run
O.D.W.“Jews, blacks, etc view whites as nothing but an enemy tribe to be conquered, and 40-60% of whites just want to be conquered as quickly as possible, thinking that the criticism will stop when whites are a minority.”
Lets Run
O.D.W.“And do you want to know why non-whites are always so eager to call white people “white supremacists”?
The answer is related to the fact that the entire world desperately wants to live in a white majority country.”
Lets Run
Viking 21“If you go through life expecting to find racism behind every tree and aid station, you will probably do so. I have a Latino wife. We have never experienced a similar situation, but then we haven’t gone out of our way to find one. OP, Hoka’s cowardly reaction was their own decision, as is your decision to boycott. Personally, I can’t run in Hokas because I feel like I’m wearing high heels, so I have no dog in this fight.”
Ultrarunner Podcast
Eric Schranz
“The charges of racism towards the volunteers of San Diego 100 infuriate me…Those making the charges are activists who make a practice of this sort of thing. Head on over to either of their social media accounts and you will see them filled with these sorts of claims. They’re grown adults who act like Social Justice Warrior students and they are attempting to shut the race down…Hoka has pulled their support for San Diego 100 next year because of these two people’s complaints. This is a bad, bad, bad move for Hoka to kow-tow to this sort of weak, weak pressure. Racism is a very real thing, but in this case I’m gonna side with the race over two professional snowflakes.”
Ultrarunner Podcast
Paul“Regarding your commentary on SD100 – I think you do yourself a disservice by using terms like social justice warrior and snowflake. Those are terms used by the alt-right to belittle and demean critics.”
Eric Schranz“Snowflake and SJW are/were terms that perfectly describe this type of person and it makes no difference to me who else uses them.”
ultrarunnerpodcast
Eric Schranz“I wasn’t there (nor have I ever been to SD100), but when one side is hysterical with myriad claims of different -isms, I’m not inclined to trust anything they say.”
ultrarunnerpodcast
Eric Schranz
“HOKA pulled its sponsorship of San Diego 100 after some race-baiters made some spurious accusations against an aid station”…”I’ve decided to believe the volunteers’ version over that of the couple who finds a racial element to every aspect to life…My complaint is that HOKA decided to pull its sponsorship out from below a well-established race with a solid pedigree because of a threat from some ridiculous activists.
October 31, 2019
Mallory R
Referring to Myriam Gurba and Geoff Cordner as “crazy people” seems like it should be a violation of your own Comments Policy (https://ultrarunnerpodcast.com/comments-policy/). Yes, I realize that you disliked Gurba’s article: as ultrarunners, we love our volunteers and we know that races often depend on sponsorship. But let’s keep it classy. I don’t want us to shy away from talking about race and inclusion in ultrarunning. I’d say more, but I don’t want to find out what colourful labels my opinions will earn me.
Eric Schranz
There are exceptions to all rules, and “crazy people” is hardly an offensive term.
The claims of the author and his friend are very different than what I have experienced in my limited time racing ultramarathons. However, the responses, filled with hate from the first instant, are also very different than common ultramarathon behavior. If anything, the vitriol is evidence for the author’s claims. I applaud Hoka for backing out. It sounds like they weren’t going to initially, but decided it was the correct course of action when the hate mongers revealed their true colors and underlying racist belief systems.