Tag Archive | "33rd Annual Strolling Jim 40 Miler"

11196427_577569472384186_2009951843_o-2

Strolling Jim Was A Walking Horse – The 2015 Race Report

First, this is a running race named after a walking horse.

The 2015 edition of the Strolling Jim 40 miler, a race that is actually 41.2 miles, was the 37th version. But then again if the distance isn’t accurate maybe this wasn’t the 37th. I guess we can believe it, I mean it’s not like the creator uses a fake name. If you haven’t run this one, you are missing out – missing out on an incredible experience and equally incredible pain. But its a good pain.

The early pack Photo Credit: Joshua Holmes

The early pack Photo Credit: Joshua Holmes

A Strolling Jim experience begins with camaraderie with ultra legends and ends with the same. The in between is where runners find out what they are made of. The course is brutal – and all road, this is as old school as races come.

DeWayne Satterfield, Dink Taylor and Brett Wilks Photo Credit: Yong Kim

DeWayne Satterfield, Dink Taylor and Brett Wilks Photo Credit: Yong Kim

My personal experience with this race includes multiple hours of running with ultra-personalities and hearing about their experiences in iconic races and other adventurous runs. I have been lucky to spend three plus hours each of the last two years running with Huntsville’s DeWayne Satterfield and Dink Taylor. Seeing that these guys have done great things in the ultra world for years, you can imagine the great yarns they can tell. As we ran the country roads in the early miles this year, Satterfield obviously had the Vol State 500K on his brain. When we would come to a viewpoint that held a long section of rolling terrain in front of us, DeWayne would spread his arms out to hold the scene and say with that perpetual smile of his, ‘this is exactly what Vol State is about.’ It’s great to see these guys get excited about these big events.

Around 15 or so miles into the race we passed a country church, I looked back. I did not turn into sand, but I did see the sign out front had the following verse/message on it: O Death, where is your sting (I Cor. 15:55). I pointed this out; DeWayne started singing O Brother Where Art Thou songs. Later on, in our own ways, we found out just where the sting was located.

In order to pass the time, because the early miles (1-26) are about passing the time until the racing or flailing begins, I asked Satterfield why Huntsville, AL has so many ultra runners. In fact, I asked a more pointed question – was there a person that got you guys into ultra running when everyone else was running 10k races? The answer was a gentleman named Phillip Parker. The cool thing about this sport is that every successful runner seems to have a person that they look up to and who taught them how to be the success they’ve become in the sport. Hearing this always reminds me to listen to those who have been doing this for a while to find out the good secrets and to talk to those who are new to our crazy group. Parker was that spark for Satterfield. To hear the admiration in his voice showed how special this man was. DeWayne has a Barkley Fun Run, a victory at Vol State, in fact victories for years and years at the ultra distances. DeWayne is a genuine, good human and for him to look up to another runner so admirably tells me a lot about Parker without needing to hear the stories. DeWayne told me of Parker running Vol State in the early years of the race, a tale that included Parker’s wife discovering on day two that she had an appointment back at home on the 4th day of the event. Parker did what any gentleman would do for his wife; he manned up and ran like a hundred and ten miles on day three to finish the race in time to make the appointment.

Parker would also answer the local’s question of ‘how far you going today?’ with ‘a couple dozen’. Classic.

Eventually, DeWayne and Brett Wilks took off from me. We were a couple dozen into the race. About a mile later, Dink passed me. Dink always passes me. Someday, maybe when I’m 50, I’ll get him back but it won’t be easy. Once the marathon is in the legs, Dink smells blood in those poor souls in front of him.

Last year at the marathon mark things got real for me. Luckily Joe Fejes (yes, that Joe Fejes) and I hooked up for the second half of the race, aka miles 28-41. Joe’s mental capacity to get through races is unparalleled; after all he is ‘6 Day Joe’. At mile 28 Joe told me exactly what we were going to do for the rest of the race. I did not question him. I just did what he said. Things worked out. This year there was no Joe – he’s in Hungary running for six days straight again. So it was me and my crew. Last year, my wife Sherrie handled the crew duties – that is when she made it to me. She got lost and couldn’t find me until I had made it about 25 miles into the race. I’m pretty easy when it comes to crewing, so I just adapted. This year though I had professional help.

Yong Kim at Lookout 50 Miler Photo credit: Jobie Williams

Yong Kim at Lookout 50 Miler Photo credit: Jobie Williams

When us Southerners say ‘Yong Kim’ it sounds like we are talking about an up and coming female rapper from Atlanta, but in reality Yong is a solid runner from Nolensville, TN. Yong had offered a few weeks back to crew me in this race. Yong has done some great races lately, especially the phenomenal effort he laid down at Savage Gulf marathon, where he was second overall with one of the fastest times ever on the difficult, technical course. Yong and I have also shared plenty of miles together and to say he is the most positive person I’ve run with will not shock anyone that knows him. So when he offered I took him up on it. Another good thing working in my favor was that Yong had witnessed first-hand some of my usual race stupidity. Like the time a few years ago when we ran Stump Jump together. It was the year that would become known by most of the entrants as the ‘Bee Year’. A hot day for sure and me not being one to consume a lot of fluids as I run, I thought the best choice for my water bottle would be one of those 6 oz Salomon soft flasks that fit in your palm. I was fine early, but once we hit Suck Creek Road the second time the light switch went off on me. I spent a few minutes trying to determine why the aid station worker was talking in Swahili. Eventually I came to my senses and realized that she was not the crazy one standing there.

Yong was solid all day, moving between crewing me full-time and a few others part-time. Next year I’m hoping that he jumps into the race as well.

As things deteriorated for me, Joshua Holmes was head hunting. Right as I entered ‘the walls’, Yong told me that Josh was very close and that I should work with him to the finish. We were in two totally different places at this point and Josh ended up running this critical section of the course strongly and got the sub 6 hour result for his effort. Very proud of him. Josh and I have shared some memorable miles, specifically at Badwater last year where I was on his crew. That week produced a lifetime of stories. Like the day after the race. We had stuck around for the finish festivities in Lone Pine and on the drive back to Los Angeles decided that we would celebrate the week with one last event – a soccer game between Manchester United and LA Galaxy. So we drove to Pasadena and looked for a parking spot around the Rose Bowl. Because we are cheap, we didn’t want to pay to park so we ended up in a residential area a few blocks from the stadium. None of us were completely sure if parking in this area was legal. After slow-rolling through the neighborhood like a bunch of combination creepers/terrorists, Josh pulled the big suburban full of runner and crew in front of a house and waffled with his decision to park there for a moment, then stated, “this is a rental, it’s not like anyone is going to know it’s my vehicle. I think we are OK here.” We all sat there a minute reassuring him it was fine. Then I remembered that we had not removed any of the five 3’x2’ race required signs from the vehicle. These signs had ‘Joshua Holmes’, ‘Run It Fast’, his race number – basically everything except his bank account on them. And that is why we are runners. Being a ninja or international spy requires more stealth and intelligence than we can produce. Just for the record we were a band consisting of one medical doctor, two attorneys, an accountant and a college student.

Jobie Williams and Joshua Holmes in the post Strolling Jim swing Photo Credit: Yong Kim

Jobie Williams and Joshua Holmes in the post Strolling Jim swing Photo Credit: Yong Kim

As I struggled through the 50K point that was marked on the road I looked at my watch to see how long it had taken. 4:18. Even though it was rough those last miles leading to the mark, my heat soaked brain was convincing me that a 4:18 50k is not terrible at all. Later that night as I thought about this I had to laugh. As I was feeling good about my 4:18, Scott Breeden had finished the race four minutes earlier. Everything is relative I suppose. Small victories, all that stuff. But Scott is a real talent and was doing this race on Barkley legs. I’d not be surprised if he doesn’t threaten the seemingly untouchable Strolling Jim course record in the coming years.

Jobie Williams "enjoying" the country roads of TN Photo Credit: Yong Kim

Jobie Williams “enjoying” the country roads of TN Photo Credit: Yong Kim

Those last ten miles were cruel and I made a joke of them. Mostly this race came down to me quitting on myself and that doesn’t sit well with me. I’ll have some unfinished business to motivate me next year. As I closed in on the finish and flippantly read Laz’s painted-on-the-road messages to the runners, like ‘only wimps walk here’ – walked, ‘big girls run this’ – walked, ‘only 5k to go, start your kick’ – walked, I was passed by a guy who ran right by me. And he kept running. Actually he had this Badwater shuffle going that was super effective. To stay close I would run a little harder and then settle into a walk. Basically it was the way a 9 year old runs a 5k. At this point I was crushing my ear drums with Rage Against the Machine tunes so that my walk was motivated. Yong had put ice into my water bottle so unbeknownst to me, I sounded like a jack hammer to everyone around me. Once we hit a mile and a half to go I decided I would run with this guy and see what his story is. I turned off my iPod as I caught up to him. His first words were, ‘I was wondering when you were going to catch me. I’ve been hearing your water bottle for a while now.’ Man, I bet that was annoying. Luckily he was a super nice guy and still talked to me. I told him that he must have been a Badwater runner at some point in his life because he had the Jerry West of Badwater shuffles going. He looked at me and said that he had won the first three. Tom Possert, I’m sorry for being a nuisance and an idiot.

Once I finished the race I got to see women’s winner Beth Meadows come in a few minutes later. (This is my way of letting the reader know that I beat all the women.) I had talked this race up to Beth who had just run Boston a couple weeks before. Beth is one of the super solid female runners from Nashville that performs very well in every race she enters. For winning Beth got this awesome trophy that is not dissimilar to the height of Clark Griswold’s Christmas tree. And Beth has Strolling Jim fever now. Something that you can’t get rid of – ask Dink who has done 29 Strolling Jims now.

Beth Meadows and Jobie Williams finish line smiles Photo Credit: Yong Kim

Beth Meadows and Jobie Williams finish line smiles Photo Credit: Yong Kim

Another year finished with the consumption of a big ole chicken leg under the tent in Wartrace. Many more stories were shared and fun had. But before that I sat down under the tent and Laz asked me if it was as easy as I expected. I answered that it was a rough day. He then made a reference to me doing the marathon. I guess I looked more like someone who had wrestled with a 6 hour marathon than a 6 hour 41 miler. I’m not sure what that says about me…

Posted in Race Reports, Running, Ultra MarathonComments (0)

Strolling Jim 33 Winner 2011 Leah Thorvilson, Joshua Holmes,  Jeff Matlock, Josh Hite, Charlie Taylor, Trent Rosenbloom

33rd Annual Strolling Jim 40 Miler Results

Here are the results from the 33rd Annual Strolling Jim 40 Miler Ultra Marathon that took place on May 8, 2011 in Wartrace, TN.  Arkansas native Leah Thorvilson was the overall winner and set the female course record by nearly thirty minutes as well.

Owen Bradley was the first male across the finish line. He finished almost six minutes behind Leah.

40 Mile
Place Name City Bib No Age Chip Time Total Pace
1 Leah Thorvilson Little Rock  AR 6 32 4:44:49.1 6:55/M
2 Owen Bradley Birmingham  AL 8 31 4:50:23.8 7:03/M
3 Jadyn Stevens Fairview  TN 70 34 4:55:57.0 7:11/M
4 Ashly Dewberry Franklin  TN 136 37 5:12:22.6 7:35/M
5 Eric Schotz Decatur  AL 18 39 5:12:52.0 7:36/M
6 Robert Youngren Huntsville  AL 75 36 5:18:51.0 7:44/M
7 Blake Thompson Huntsville  AL 42 30 5:23:47.7 7:52/M
8 Dewayne Satterfield Huntsville  AL 40 46 5:28:12.8 7:58/M
9 Carl Laniak Arnoldsville  GA 11 29 5:28:30.9 7:58/M
10 Eric Charette Huntsville  AL 101 35 5:31:17.5 8:02/M
11 David Jones Eagleville  TN 9 59 5:32:48.6 8:05/M
12 Nelson Armstrong II Castalian Springs  TN 65 37 5:39:16.3 8:14/M
13 Joe Fejes Hoschton  GA 117 45 5:39:41.4 8:15/M
14 Eric Fritz Huntsville  AL 78 43 5:41:30.1 8:17/M
15 Sung Ho Choi Jacksonville  FL 109 35 5:43:59.3 8:21/M
16 Brian Hutto Lebanon  TN 20 31 5:44:18.4 8:21/M
17 Kevin Dorsey Memphis  TN 85 40 5:44:19.6 8:21/M
18 Dink Taylor Hampton Cove  AL 5 45 5:46:46.2 8:25/M
19 Tom Possert Huntsville  AL 4 48 5:48:59.6 8:28/M
20 Stan Ferguson Conway  AR 26 47 5:55:34.6 8:38/M
21 Doug Cassiday Maysville  GA 54 45 6:02:39.2 8:48/M
22 Shawn Cissel Port Tobacco  MD 103 25 6:08:29.1 8:57/M
23 Beth McCurdy Dacula  GA 124 41 6:18:53.5 9:12/M
24 Brian Lewis Clinton  TN 69 38 6:20:21.9 9:14/M
25 Case Cantrell Murfreesboro  TN 3 29 6:22:39.2 9:17/M
26 Carol Gensheimer Georgetown  KY 91 46 6:23:58.3 9:19/M
27 Gary Dawkins South Pittsburg  TN 98 28 6:30:16.5 9:28/M
28 Jeff Matlock Ashland City  TN 88 46 6:31:05.9 9:30/M
29 Zane Smith Columbia  TN 52 38 6:31:11.6 9:30/M
30 Andy Bruner Augusta  GA 60 30 6:34:21.7 9:34/M
31 Jeff Walton Ashland City  TN 24 35 6:34:36.9 9:35/M
32 Justin Keller Nashville  TN 99 30 6:34:37.1 9:35/M
33 Jeff Hager Madison  AL 94 48 6:38:00.5 9:40/M
34 Patrick Binienda Smyrna  GA 77 56 6:38:57.8 9:41/M
35 Kelley Wells Columbia  SC 131 37 6:39:56.1 9:42/M
36 Mike Gleman Palm Beach Gardens  FL 102 63 6:40:05.9 9:43/M
37 Joshua Kennedy Big Cove  AL 46 39 6:40:33.2 9:43/M
38 Tim Dines Clarksville  TN 87 31 6:43:54.1 9:48/M
39 Sal Coll Rossville  GA 150 50 6:50:29.0 9:58/M
40 Charlie Taylor Gallatin  TN 27 51 6:51:19.5 9:59/M
41 Carl Jordan Douglasville  GA 36 39 6:51:55.4 10:00/M
42 Steve Durbin Paducah  KY 129 56 6:54:31.7 10:04/M
43 Daniel Randolph Collierville  TN 59 41 6:54:44.7 10:04/M
44 Lisa Zaccarelli Nashville  TN 121 41 6:54:59.6 10:04/M
45 Chris Clemens Belvidere  TN 84 44 6:56:11.8 10:06/M
46 William Arnold Nashville  TN 128 31 6:57:35.9 10:08/M
47 Hal McClure Jacksonville  FL 113 48 6:59:30.1 10:11/M
48 Brooke McClanahan Forsyth  GA 35 35 7:00:06.1 10:12/M
49 Joe Ninke Sebastian  FL 13 42 7:01:35.4 10:14/M
50 Joshua Holmes Jackson  TN 130 33 7:04:32.2 10:18/M
51 Carissa Skrivanek Augusta  GA 133 27 7:07:22.4 10:22/M
52 Sean O Atlanta  GA 132 38 7:07:23.1 10:22/M
53 Candy Findley Mableton  GA 79 38 7:07:56.7 10:23/M
54 Jennifer Whitley Murfreesboro  TN 107 44 7:12:19.1 10:30/M
55 Richard King Madisonville  KY 108 56 7:13:15.2 10:31/M
56 Bill Dyer Murfreesboro  TN 32 54 7:23:20.3 10:46/M
57 William Keane Winston Salem  NC 38 66 7:23:27.6 10:46/M
58 Chrissy Ferguson Conway  AR 25 50 7:25:02.0 10:48/M
59 Trent Rosenbloom Nashville  TN 86 41 7:26:25.1 10:50/M
60 Christy Scott Owens Cross Roads  AL 90 38 7:33:47.9 11:01/M
61 Stephanie James Montgomery  AL 74 37 7:39:40.3 11:09/M
62 Ami Roach Dacula  GA 61 35 7:39:40.5 11:09/M
63 Sarah Saenz Lawrenceville  GA 12 18 7:39:40.7 11:09/M
64 Juli Aistars Lake Zurich  IL 76 52 7:40:20.2 11:10/M
65 Mike Samuelson Lakeland  TN 15 45 7:45:11.6 11:17/M
66 David Etheridge Paducah  KY 134 63 7:47:10.3 11:20/M
67 Matthew Jackson Fort Benning  GA 140 26 7:49:05.2 11:23/M
68 Steve Richey Aurora  IL 21 55 7:49:44.8 11:24/M
69 Philip Waters Lexington  KY 141 59 7:53:13.1 11:29/M
70 Jeremy Fields Lexington  KY 31 31 7:55:33.4 11:33/M
71 Bjoerg Edberg Nashville  TN 37 28 8:03:50.8 11:45/M
72 Steven Preston Little Rock  AR 100 28 8:05:12.3 11:47/M
73 Tim Harrington Conway  AR 45 41 8:05:49.9 11:48/M
74 James Thornton Frankfort  KY 7 61 8:06:19.1 11:48/M
75 Rick Caffy Murfreesboro  TN 51 51 8:06:43.4 11:49/M
76 Michael Montgomery Franklin  TN 14 64 8:07:20.8 11:50/M
77 Jonathan Young Benton  AR 123 29 8:08:11.3 11:51/M
78 Philip Miller Mcminnville  TN 93 36 8:08:12.0 11:51/M
79 Chad Helberg Thompson Station  TN 97 39 8:11:13.3 11:55/M
80 Mike Youngblood Shelbyville  TN 16 48 8:12:25.0 11:57/M
81 Sulaiman Seriki La Vergne  TN 48 39 8:12:25.2 11:57/M
82 Seth Elsheimer Winter Park  FL 47 58 8:16:59.0 12:04/M
83 Mike Greeson Murfreesboro  TN 72 46 8:19:11.1 12:07/M
84 Karl Kersey Nashville  TN 73 44 8:19:11.7 12:07/M
85 Paul Arnette Christiana  TN 57 44 8:19:12.2 12:07/M
86 Paul Stone Tyler  TX 89 49 8:19:39.5 12:08/M
87 Yen Nguyen Houston  TX 33 49 8:20:34.7 12:09/M
88 Brad Williamson Knoxville  TN 44 41 8:27:30.3 12:19/M
89 Joseph Nance Watertown  TN 116 33 8:32:30.8 12:26/M
90 Peter Bennett Houston  TX 138 36 8:42:36.0 12:41/M
91 Daryl Hallmark Alabaster  AL 92 53 8:55:52.2 13:00/M
92 Jim Emig Roswell  GA 67 64 9:01:24.6 13:08/M
93 Amiee Cantrell Bell Buckle  TN 2 26 9:03:06.1 13:11/M
94 Ray Krolewicz Pontiac  SC 49 55 9:03:18.6 13:11/M
95 Trent McDowell Franklin  TN 66 39 9:09:29.4 13:20/M
96 Naresh Kumar Hermitage  TN 120 28 9:12:38.5 13:25/M
97 Dean Deziel Knoxville  TN 95 43 9:12:38.5 13:25/M
98 Maria Littlejohn Fleming Island  FL 111 39 9:20:54.2 13:37/M
99 Christy Miller Fleming Island  FL 110 37 9:20:54.2 13:37/M
100 Kristie Matherne Fleming Island  FL 112 28 9:20:54.6 13:37/M
101 Shannon Burke Corydon  IN 139 36 9:28:33.3 13:48/M
102 Janet Duncan Huntsville  AL 118 55 9:31:43.9 13:53/M
103 Christine Lawson Kissimmee  FL 41 40 9:35:08.8 13:58/M
104 Graham Gallemore Huntsville  AL 80 68 9:56:56.3 14:29/M
105 Stu Gleman Franklin  NC 125 65 10:04:01.6 14:40/M
106 Dan Thompson Murray  KY 58 56 10:18:26.9 15:01/M
107 Susan Anger Winter Park  FL 106 49 11:46:41.2 17:09/M
108 Diane Taylor Nashville  TN 135 54 11:46:41.9 17:09/M
109 Angela Ivory Nashville  TN 81 43 12:07:46.3 17:40/M
110 David Hoover Milton  TN 114 54 13:44:32.6 20:01/M
111 Angela Cloud Wartrace  TN 122 35 13:53:39.6 20:14/M
112 Lazarus Lake Bell Buckle  TN 1 56 18:33:58.0 27:02/M

Friends and readers of Run It Fast are listed in BOLD.

Posted in Results, Ultra MarathonComments (0)



Run It Fast on Twitter

twitter button free

Archives