Run It Fast®

This is the fun finisher’s “medal” for the Yankee Springs Winter Challenge 25K that was held on January 4, 2014 in Middleville, Michigan.

How fun! But per RIF #108 Mark, it is “not true representation of the amount of snow”. 🙂

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[Medal submitted by RIF #108 Mark Sikkila. Follow him on Twitter @MarkSikkila]

These are the medals for the New Years Double Half Marathon and 5K races that were held on December 31, 2013 and January 1, 2014 in Allen, Texas.

If you run races on both days, you not only get a medal each day but a plate to combine them in! Love the steampunkness of the gears! Congrats to RIF #60 Christy who ran the half marathon AND 5K on BOTH days!

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal photo submitted by RIF #60 Christy Bowers – follow her on Twitter @run2bake]

This is the shiny, sparkly medal for the New Year’s Race Half Marathon that was held on January 4, 2014 in Los Angeles, California.

Who needs a flash light for a night race when you have something this blingy!

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[Medal submitted by Raquel Perez, follow her on Twitter @KickingRox]

American Joe Fejes bested the legendary Yiannia Kouros in an epic battle at the Across The Years 6 Day Race earlier this morning.

Fejes, a native of Georgia, finished the race with 555.35 miles (893.75 kilometers) to beat Kouros, of Greece, who finished with 550.1 miles (885.3 kilometers).

Yiannis, the Michael Jordan of ultra running, is revered deeply within the sport and holds every endurance running record from 100 miles to 1000 miles and 12 hours to 6 days.

However, the great Fejes wasn’t intimidated and set the pace throughout the race. Kouros never had a big lead and Joe held the lead for the majority of the race by less than a handful of miles. They battled hard in the desert and it was a race that will not soon be forgotten.

It was the best of all-time versus the best American endurance runner of the past two years.

Fejes set an American 6-day record with his performance. He also won the prestigious Last Annual Vol State 500K back in July with a record breaking performance as well.

Third place went to California’s Ed ‘The Jester’ Ettinghausen who set a record for his age group in the 6-day. He finished with 476.61 miles to come from behind on the last day to beat and hold off William Sichel for third place who finished with 472.41 miles.

Across The Years 6 Day Men Results

1. Joe Fejes – 555.35 miles
2. Yiannis Kouros – 550.1 miles
3. Ed Ettinghausen – 476.61 miles
4. William Sichel – 472.41 miles
5. John Geesler – 404.18 miles
6. Bill Heldenbrand – 392.62 miles
7. Andy Noise – 322.29 miles
8. Michel Gouin – 317.04 miles
9. Victor Vella – 314.94 miles
10. Anthony Culpepper – 310.74 miles

First place female went to Liz Bauer with 415.72 miles. She holds the record for most 100 milers run in a calendar year. She led from the start and never looked back.

Second place female went to Vikena Yutz with 361.13 miles and third place went to Martina Hausmann with 321.24 miles.

Across The Years 6 Day Women Results

1. Liz Bauer – 415.72 miles
2. Vikena Yutz – 361.13 miles
3. Martina Hausmann – 321.24 miles
4. Karen Vollan – 204.71 miles
5. Maria Walton – 201.56 miles
6. Terrie Wurzbacher – 200.51 miles
7. Shelley Devere – 200.51 miles
8. Betty Smith – 186.87 miles
9. Midnight Tenenbaum – 162.72 miles
10. Teagan Redden – 100.78 miles (8 years old)

Congrats to Joe, Liz and all of these amazing runners that pushed their bodies to their max over 6 grueling days.

Here is a look at the winners and top 10 from the other distances at Across The Years that took place on December 28, 2013 to January 3, 2014.

1. Marylou Corino – 265.6 miles (1st female)
2. Michael Miller – 243.56 miles (1st male)
3. Annabel Hepworth – 233.06 miles (2nd female)
4. Rasmivan Collinson – 232.01 miles (2nd male)
5. Juli Aistars – 212.06 miles (3rd female)
6. Jason Romero – 204.71 miles (3rd male)
7. Leigh Saint – 200.51 miles
8. Thomas Skinner – 200.51 miles
9. Charlotte Vasarhelyi – 194.21 miles
10. Steve Kissell – 186.87 miles

*results are from the Ultracast and aren’t official yet.

[Image: Aravaipa Running]

We asked on Twitter for some of your running resolutions and goals for 2014, and you responded with these New Year Resolutions.

Thanks to all who took time to respond and good luck in 2014!

Travis Redden returned to Jackson, Tennessee on December 21, 2013 with a heart full of desire to win the Trail of Fears. Last year, he had finished second to the ‘Last Man Standing’ Jonathan Harrison.

On Saturday, Redden did just that as he was the ‘Last Man Standing’ after Jackson native Karl Studtmann turned in half-way through the 12th loop and called it a day.

Shortly thereafter tornado sirens sounded and the heavens opened up to one of the nastiest rain and wind storms this side of Noah’s ark.  Runners had waited and anticipated the nasty weather all day but instead were greeted with high temperatures laced with humidity.  The bad weather could not hold off any longer on that 12th loop around 7 pm.

A mad scramble ensued to get all of the race gear off of the hill before it and we were all blown away. We also waited for Redden to finish that 12th loop (which was unnecessary since he had won the 11th loop). Sirens continued to blare, trees buckled and swayed, and everything in sight was soaked as Redden and his good friend Jim Donahue, who had backtracked a bit to find Redden, came off the hill.

Redden was soaked but thrilled to claim the ‘Last Man Standing’ buckle.

2013 Trail of Fears Results

1. Travis Redden – 51.6 miles (12 loops)
2. Karl Studtmann – 47.2 miles (11 loops)
3. Joshua Holmes – 38.7 miles (9 loops)
4. Rob Philip – 34.4 miles (8 loops)
5. Nathan Judd – 34.4 miles (8 loops)
6. Nathan Bass – 30.1 miles (7 loops)
7. Billy Cannon – 25.8 miles (6 loops)
8. Marc Gilbert – 25.8 miles (6 loops)
9. Courtney Munson – 25.8 miles (6 loops) – Last Female
10. James Donahue – 25.8 miles (6 loops)
11. Mark Ogletree – 21.5 miles (5 loops)
12. Brett Beckham – 17.2 miles (4 loops)
13. Todd Shadburn – 17.2 miles (4 loops)
14. Beth Hosick – 17.2 miles (4 loops)
15. Arthur Priddy – 17.2 miles (4 loops)
16. Bob Beasley – 17.2 miles (4 loops)
17. Julie Montgomery – 17.2 miles (4 loops)
18. Clark Bilbrey – 8.6 miles (2 loops)

Congrats to all of these runners, many of which set a new personal long.

Trail of Fears Tidbits:

• 34:00 – Fastest lap put down by Arthur Priddy
• 0:06 – Smallest amount of time left on successful lap by Jim Donahue
• 2 – Laps won by Priddy
• 7 – Laps won by Karl Studtmann
• 2 – Laps won by Travis Redden
• 1 – Laps won by Joshua Holmes
• Top 3 Laps: Studtmann (11), Holmes (8), Redden (8), Priddy (2), Rob Philip (1), Brett Beckham (1)

Thanks to Shannon Miller and Anthony Ohrey for their help in race directing and taking care of all of the runners.