Tag Archive | "ultramarathon"

Camille Herron Fastest 100 Mile Female Ever

Camille Herron Breaks Female 100 Mile Fastest Time Ever

Camille Herron Fastest 100 Mile Female Ever

At the Tunnel Hill 100 Miler in Vienna, Illinois, moments ago, Camille Herron just ran the fastest 100 miler by a female setting a world record.

She finished the flat rails to trail course in a mind-numbing time of 12:42:39.

Camille’s Tunnel Hill 100 Miler Splits

  • 10.9 miles – 1:18:21
  • 15.9 miles – 1:56:45
  • 26.8 miles – 3:13:03
  • 36.3 miles – 4:24:23
  • 40.5 miles – 4:56:05
  • 50.0 miles – 6:07:53
  • 60.9 miles – 7:28:46
  • 65.9 miles – 8:10:01
  • 76.8 miles – 9:33:16
  • 86.3 miles – 10:52:14
  • 90.5 miles – 11:26:56
  • 100.0 miles – 12:42:39

Camille was the overall winner of the race.

Congrats Camille on your World Record.

Posted in Running, Ultra MarathonComments (0)

Joshua Holmes Barkley Fall Classic TSD1

El Clásico de Barkley (a 2017 odisea de carrera)

IMG_5064

the barkley fall classic
frozen head state park
wartburg, tn
16 sept 2017

it is a race like no other
based on an even more insane
impossible event like no other
the barkley marathons
the race that eats it’s young

the barkley fall classic has grown quickly
to over 400 runners in just 3 years
trying to finish
wicked
gnarly
back mountain trails and hillsides
to get to laz
for a bonus loop
for a 50k – mile finish
for as advertised it is more
bang for your buck than just 31 miles
some say 48 miles
the lowest estimate was 40 miles

you see
no gps is allowed at the barkley
despite incessant cicadas beeping at mile 1 and beyond

before the race started
as i was getting my gear together
while downing my fourth organic pop tart of the morning

Joshua Holmes

a race vet
in the car next to me
told me that we were required to have a light
in our drop bag at mile 22…ahem 35
i had not even brought a light from the west coast
because i didn’t plan to run past the sun
but it was for sure more of a safety precaution
in case one got lost
as frozen head state park has been known
to swallow a wardian or two before
i had my phone flashlight
but RIF member cathy downes told me
she had an extra headlamp in her drop bag i could use if needed
her kindness stuck with me
as i thought about how many nice things
run it fast members have done for me over the past few years

Laz Lighting Up Barkley Fall Classic 2017

the race starts with the laz lighting a cigarette
just like he starts the big barkley in the spring
laz lit up and we all took off like any other race
yet we all knew we were about to enter a vast unknown

400 of us dashed down the paved road
taking advantage of the smooth surface and cool temps
about 50 feet in i hear some dudes behind me saying,
“someone is really going to miss that water bottle later.”
so i remember my soft flask i had stuck in my pocket pre-race
and check my pocket and it’s not there
so i immediately start swimming upstream
against a torrid stampede of anxious and eager buffalo
i finally see my bottle and runners stepping on it
oblivious to what was going on
they just saw this runner going the wrong way without a guide
i finally grab it and spend the next few min cleaning it with my shirt

so back to moving forward in the correct forward position
all of a sudden felt like getting shot out of a cannon
the first mile is on pavement before you reach the famed yellow gates
of frozen head made famous by the barkley
the race that eats it’s young
a sort of golden arches of sorts for ultra mile junkies

everyone was full of optimism and nerves
knowing that likely just 120 or so of the 400 starters would finish the 50k
i wondered who the other 119 would be myself

any race i begin
i visualize myself with only one outcome
coming out clean on the other side
no matter how ugly or desperate it might become

as unforgiving as little bark is
there is still some insurance knowing that you can
take a marathon
more like true 50k finish
if it goes to hell or you don’t make the cutoff at laz

the first few miles from the gate were on a single track trail
the climb was pretty gradual
and not too technical

Joshua Holmes Barkley Fall Classic TSD1

even though we were slowing climbing
i pushed the pace
i had gone out aggressive
to avoid massive conga lines
to find some space
to be able to operate
breath
find rhythm
the marvin gaye type
smooth
easy
effortless
and not over run
to avoid being over run
or be hung up
on the heels of whoever lay before me

i worked through this section
with rif member lisa van wolde
we would move past other runners
on this single track together
which made it easier for both of us
to get by quicker using less energy

you come upon the first aid station about 4 miles in
where the coalfield boys
high school football players held the jugs
that didn’t have moonshine
but had water and sword instead

i quickly refilled and kept down the trail
until coming upon a photographer
not my first in this life
a couple of us tried to run past her
continuing on down the trail
but she quickly said, “no, that way!”
as she pointed into the true wilderness
down a ravine into a giant lake
but it wasn’t a lake but just massive fog
onto of the moguls
this was testicle spectacle

quickly into testicle
i found a steep
slick
down where i could get no footing
i had put on my brush clearing gloves
as i knew i was about to be tested
my legs came out from under me
and i slide down the hillside about 20 feet
before i could get my legs under me again

this went on a few times
with some moderate climbs
for a mile and half or so
then we turned left into some low lying ground
and waded through a creek

IMG_4980

luckily i was behind dewayne satterfield
who has done big bark
because none of this was marked
there was for sure no trail at this point
just some creek funk thing
that looked a bit like the forked deer in west tn

well found a road on the other side of the marsh
then quickly over a wooden bridge
we ran
into a small white country church
that had an aid station to the right of it
as advertised it had water
sword
slim jims
and long elongated yellow fruits
this was also where we got our first bib punch
i think it was the letter i

testicle is an out and back
being near the lead of the pack it meant we were going to see
a lot of terrified faces coming at us
escaping testicle on the way out
is even more difficult than it was sliding down
into this foggy bottom

IMG_4977

as my mouth burned from slim jims
that were obviously soaked in tabasco
i quickly found myself on my hands and knees
trying to get up the muddy hillside
it is amazing how high your heart rate rises
when you are on all fours
trying to get any grip of the earth you can
to climb up

the two way traffic wasn’t easy
people were slipping and sliding into each other
but everyone was polite and understanding

once we escaped testicle
we hit that same photographer again
for the after ts photo
as i have told other runners
always know where the photographers are

IMG_5065

thinking we were getting a temporarily hiatus from the gnarly stuff
i took my gloves off
as we crossed the trail down into methlab hill
some parts of meth were worse than testicle
it could have been called testicle part 2
it included more butt sliding
and knocking other runners further down into the ravine
shortly after you bottom out on meth
you hit the prison

i hit it in 3 hrs 7 min 6 sec from the start

brushy mountain state penitentiary that is
an expired prison where james earl ray
the white supremacist
who killed the transcendent Martin Luther King was jailed
for many years
laz says he got the idea for barkley
back in the late 70s when ray escaped
it took several days for authorities to recapture him
but they did 58 hours later
he had only made it 5 miles in that time
due to the intense rugged mountains and lacking a garmin

IMG_5015

the prison looked straight out of shawshank
i went in the front door
and walked through the first building
then into the second building where most of the cells where located
a volunteer told me that cell 27 had been ray’s
as i walked by and looked into 27
all i could think about
was what a cowardly
loser
pos ray was for killing king
a man of peace

IMG_4992

after the cells it was out the side door
into the back yard behind the penitentiary
where we scaled a ladder over the back prison wall
and down the other side
where i got my second bib punch of the morning
the letter r

IMG_4999

the bib puncher
keith dunn
directed me to run around the back corner of the prison wall
and through a long
dark tunnel
the tunnel had a feint light at the other end of it
there was a slow stream of water flowing through the tunnel
more flashbacks to andy durfresne escaping from shawshank
it was pitch black in the tunnel
but i ran and trusted my footing would not be compromised

Prison Tunnel

then i took a sharp left
into some overgrown
green centrifuge
a couple min into it
as it started to climb
i asked another runner
if it was rat jaw
the infamous rat jaw
up the steep mountain side
under the power lines
the answer was in the affirmative

gloves back on
it was wildly overgrown
from a healthy rain season
i moved pretty quickly
up the first half of this rat’s nest
then i started to see a long line of runners stack up above me
stuck in the greenness
briars
thick
long
executing briars
that none of us could escape
i asked another runner if the half marathon was merging with us
as so many runners had grinder to a halt
stuck in the thick of it
it was so overgrown and thick with no where to go
a path had to be slowly carved
with human bodies

robert youngren
who moments before grabbed my feet below me
to give me a solid surface to climb up
as i couldn’t get a grip
started a new
revolutionary path he started blazing
with a mini train behind him
i was about the seventh car in this train
this was painfully slow but rob was taking most of the abuse
as the conductor of this train
our train was slow but steady
moving faster than the longer train
that seemed stuck in a paused motion
perhaps mighty casey had run out of steam
rob got us to the top
passing several in the other train in the process

IMG_5066

it took time but finally we reached the top of rat jaw
60 runners had stacked up behind us

rat jaw had been the great equalizer
almost like a nascar caution flag to bring the field all back together

quickly we climbed to the top of the watch tower and back down
quick aid station stop after the tower for refills
and then some downhill jeep roads
to garden spot
then to bald knob

most vets had underestimated how hard the back side
of the race would be
since rat jaw and testacle were knocked out earlier on

bird mountain was a formidable foe
it wasn’t gnarly or impossible
but due to not knowing exactly how long the course was
it seemed to go on forever

i knew we were many miles beyond what the map said
but as they say laz miles are way longer than actual miles
like 1.5x longer
the bird mtn miles seemed to go on forever
i kept thinking we had to be close to laz and dropbags

finally we come off the trail
back onto park roads
and after about 1/2 a mile later to our drop bags
and then laz
with an elapsed time of 8:03:30 to that point

IMG_4961

laz punched my bib
and made mention of how well i was doing
seeming a bit surprised
maybe it was because when i first met him on the ferry
in dorena landing years ago
at the start of the vol state
he looked at me and my crew
consisting of my high school cousin and his buddy
and told me
look to your left and your right
one of you will finish this race
i could tell his confidence was not in me being the one
i was very green then
i am just light
lime green now

other runners had warned me that the last loop was 9 miles
like 9 actual miles not laz miles

the climb up to chimney top was a long 5-6 mile climb
others had opted to grab poles out of their drop bags
i didn’t want to cheat my exercise routine with poles

early in the climb i was passed by a handful of hikers
i mean runners
as the climb wore on
i started to catch and reel in a couple of them
by being persistent and relentless

Chimney Top

i finally hit the top of chimney top
and you know how i knew it was the top of chimney top
because there was a mf chimney at the top of the climb
in the middle of nowhere
no house with it
no signs of a house
just a chimney and fireplace
no smoke
prevent forest fires
it was then i realized that i was at the top of chimney top
i did not need a sign to tell me

after chimney’s top started a gradual downhill
not many other runners were around at this point
another runner was in front of me
and after a mile and a sharp turn to the left down the mountain
we both started to get nervous wondering if we were on the right trail
or if we had become lost
and if so how lost where we and would we have enough time
to get back on the correct trail and make the cutoff
i pulled out my cloth map several times
and each time wadded it back into my pocket
unable to make sense of it
we both were running well
but simply did not see any other human beings
as more and more indecision began to set in

finally we saw another runner
and a volunteer
with a hole puncher and jugs of water
i refilled all 4 bottles i had with me
the volunteer punched my bib
and knew exactly how much of the course remained
he told us 2.5 miles back to laz
and about 3.4 total to the finish
and that it was all down hill

i took off running
knowing i needed to be perfect
if i wanted to break 11 hours
i knew i was about in 23rd position as well
however i didn’t know the terrain or the accuracy of the distance
but i ran hard smelling the barn
or perhaps it was myself
but either way it fueled me to another gear
that had been abandoned miles earlier

i caught a couple runners including youngren
who was probably simply tired
from sleepless nights with his new baby
and then shortly after there was laz and friends
i slowed just enough to ask if we needed another punch
laz said no and i turned it up knowing 10 hrs 52 min had expired
on the clock

1 mile
8 min or less
again was the distance accurate or not
i didn’t know
but i ran harder

another runner was alongside me
as i had caught him near laz
we were both chasing sub 11
we ran that last road like it was a legit 5k
i hit the pavement and emptied all my bottles
to get as light as possible knowing every second would matter

the other runner
nathan i believe
got a few feet in front and i followed in his wake
a couple turns hoping the end was in sight
clock ticking
a clock with no mind or mercy of what i wanted

i finally start to hear people
then i see the grassy field knowing to turn right
for the finishing arches
i see the clock at 10:59:30
i sprinted in comfortably over those 40 yards
crossing the finish line in 10:59:43

IMG_5007

a time that would matter only to me
breaking 11 hours that would only matter to me
but it had mattered to me for several miles
because it helped me stay focused and on point
it helped me prevent bad miles
and gave me something to focus on
and help drive me those last few miles to the finish

my last mile was 7 min 11 sec

the first person i saw after finishing was my good friend
rif member and bfc rd steve durbin
it was good to see him
he congratulated me and i thanked him for an amazing event
i was then presented with the prized
croix de barque for finishing

IMG_5104

i caught my breath
drank a few bottles of sword from the orange cooler
and then walked backwards on the course
to cheer in other runners
and root for my fellow run it fast members than remained on the course
slowly
one by one they found the finish as i had
some had made the 50k cutoff and finish
others had been turned in early
but all seemed satisfied with the effort they put forth that day

they knew they hadn’t don’t a normal race
and they were proud of the valiant effort they gave
they had been challenged in a new way
and had dug deep or discovered a new depth for the first time

after a few photos and hugs
i redeemed my post race meal card for a veggie burger
i am not even a vegetarian but it sounded like what my stomach
would agree with
and it was spot on

IMG_5099
i beat the rat

i traded war stories from the course and other battles
with other veteran ultra runners
from the past and present
the weather had been perfect
the course ripe
and i was pleased with my effort

my goal had been to finish in the top 20 and sub 11
i was 20th overall and 18th male
in a time of 10:59:43

Run It Fast Barkley Fall Classic 2017 Finishers 2

it was a good feeling to run well
and share in so many others achievements
i wore the rat bites and dozens of flesh wounds with pride
a very special running
epic event
race directed by my good friends durb and laz

IMG_4967
rif members before the lighting of the cigarette

congrats to all who were brave enough to toe the start
whether you got a finish or not
it takes a lot to take on a task like the bfc

thank you to all the volunteers
and football players
and friends
who were encouraging
helpful
resourceful
and made it possible to finish
marathon/ultra #197

and a special thanks
to all my Run It Fast friends
who continue to inspire and drive me
every race
step by step

joshua holmes
run it fast
2017

barkley fall classic results – 2017
photos: susan typert, daryl ann patton

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

Badwater 135 – 2016 Stry Labs Badwater 135

39th Badwater 135 Set to Start July 18th

Badwater 135 - 2016 Stry Labs Badwater 135

THE WORLD’S TOUGHEST FOOT RACE CELEBRATES 39th ANNIVERSARY OF ICONIC ROUTE FROM DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK TO MOUNT WHITNEY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Read this Online / Download the Race Magazine / Download the 5-page Press Kit)

Death Valley, CA:  On July 18-20, AdventureCORPS presents its legendary STYR Labs BADWATER® 135. Now in its 39th year, the world-renowned event pits up to 100 of the world’s toughest athletes against one another and the elements. In scorching temperatures and at altitudes as high as 8,300 feet, runners, triathletes, adventure racers, and mountaineers from 21 countries and 27 American states will face off in a grueling 135-mile non-stop run from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney, CA. Widely recognized as “the world’s toughest foot race, “ it is the most demanding and extreme running race on the planet.

The start line is at Badwater, Death Valley, which marks the lowest elevation in North America at 280’ (85m) below sea level. The race finishes at Whitney Portal at 8,300’ (2530m). The course covers three mountain ranges for a total of 14,600’ (4450m) of cumulative vertical ascent and 6,100’ (1859m) of cumulative descent. Whitney Portal is the trailhead to the Mt. Whitney summit, the highest point in the contiguous United States. Competitors travel through places with names like Mushroom Rock, Furnace Creek, Salt Creek, Devil’s Cornfield, Devil’s Golf Course, Stovepipe Wells, Panamint Springs, Keeler, Alabama Hills, and Lone Pine.

A true “challenge of the champions,” the 2016 STYR Labs Badwater 135 features 51 Badwater veterans and 46 rookies: die hard “ultra-runners” of every speed and ability, as well as athletes who have the necessary running credentials, but are primarily known for their exploits as adventure racers, mountaineers, triathletes, or in other extreme pursuits. With one of the most international fields in race history, the athletes represent twenty-one countries by citizenship or residence: Australia, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Philippines, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, and United States of America (with 27 different American states represented).

While runners began running the course in the 1970s, the race itself has been part of the fabric of life in Inyo County since 1987. A recent study indicated an annual economic impact of 1.2 million dollars, half of it spent in Death Valley National Park and surrounding gateway communities such as Lone Pine, CA. The race is supported by U.S. Congressman Col. Paul Cook (Ret.) of California’s 8th District, the Inyo County Board of Supervisors, the Lone Pine Chamber of Commerce, and a wide panorama of businesses and charities which are positively impacted.

There are 25 women and 72 men. The youngest male runner is 25 (rookie entrant Sam Weir of Australia) and the youngest female entrant is 29 (rookie entrant Kayla Delk of the USA). The oldest male is 69 (five-time finisher Mark K. Olson of California) and the oldest female is 60 (rookie entrant Pamela Chapman-Markle of Texas). The overall average age is 46. Full roster details are available here: http://dbase.adventurecorps.com/roster.php?bw_eid=78&bw=Go

The men’s course record is held by Valmir Nunez of Brazil with a time of 22:51:29 set in 2007, while the women’s course record of 26:16:12 was set in 2010 by Jamie Donaldson of Littleton, CO. It is expected that the winners of the 2016 STYR Labs Badwater 135 will finish in near record time for both men’s and women’s divisions. The average finishing time is approximately 40 hours, while the overall time limit is 48 hours. For those who finish in less than forty-eight hours, their reward is the coveted Badwater 135 belt buckle. There is no prize money.

The 2016 race field is particularly competitive. Veteran contenders include 2015 men’s champion Pete Kostelnick of Nebraska, 2014 champion Harvey Lewis of Ohio, 2013 men’s champion Carlos Sa of Portugal, 2011 men’s champion Oswaldo Lopez of Madera, CA (Mexico citizenship), two-time men’s runner-up Grant Maughan of Australia, and other notable contenders such as Marathon des Sables champion Mohamad Ahansal of Morocco, Grand Union Canal champion Dan Lawson of the UK, 2016 Badwater Cape Fear and 2016 Badwater Salton Sea champion Jared Fetterolf of Texas, among others. Also competing is Marshall Ulrich, 65, of Evergreen, CO, a twenty-time Badwater 135 finisher and four-time winner in 1991, 1992, 1993, and 1996, along with David Jones, 64, of Murfreesboro, TN, the 1997 Badwater 135 race champion, seven-time finisher, and 60+ age group record holder. For a  full preview of the top men’s field, click http://www.zwittyultra.com/remember-you-paid-to-be-in-this-race-daves-blog/2016-styr-labs-badwater-135-mens-preview

The women’s field, with 25 entrants, includes 12 rookies and 13 veterans. Notable contenders include the 2015 women’s champion, Nikki Wynd of Australia, 2014 women’s champion, Alyson Venti of Barbados, Badwater 135 veteran Brenda Guajardo who is a three-time winner of the Nove Colli ultramarathon in Italy, 2016 Brazil 135+ women’s champion Sada Crawford of Cayman Islands, and others. For a full preview of the top women’s field, click http://www.zwittyultra.com/remember-you-paid-to-be-in-this-race-daves-blog/2016-styr-labs-badwater-135-womens-race-preview

Every year is a new year at the Badwater 135, with rookies and “previously unknown” athletes surprising the contenders with top performances. New stars will shine as the race unfolds.

The STYR Labs Badwater 135 is the final event in the Badwater® Ultra Cup, a three-race series which began with the 51-mile Badwater® Cape Fear in March, continued with the 81-mile Badwater® Salton Sea in May, and now concludes with the STYR Labs Badwater 135 in July. Those runners who complete all three events in the same calendar year are featured on the Badwater.com website and their virtues are extolled throughout the Internet and in future editions of BADWATER Magazine. In 2014, seven remarkable athletes completed the entire Badwater Ultra Cup, nine completed the 2015 BadwaterUltra Cup, while seventeen racers completed the first two Badwater races this year and will toe the line at the third and final Badwater race on July 18.

Now in its seventeenth year producing this race, AdventureCORPS is pleased to welcome our title sponsor, STYR Labs – an innovative nutrition customization and tracking platform delivering cutting-edge supplements to connected athletes and health and fitness consumers worldwide. The advanced ecosystem includes an activity tracker, wireless scale, and free app that collects health and fitness data to create personalized multivitamins or protein blends specific to the user’s health and fitness goals and needs. Sergio Radovcic, founder of STYR Labs, is no stranger to this race with three consecutiveBadwater 135 finishes. More info at www.styr.com

AdventureCORPS  also greatly appreciates the support of Farm to Feet Socks, Fisher Space Pen, Caring House Project Foundation, ZZYXXZ, and ZombieRunner.com, plus the local support of Furnace Creek Ranch, Stovepipe Wells Resort, Panamint Springs Resort, Dow Villa, Pizza Factory, the community of Lone Pine, CA, the people of Inyo County, and other generous companies and individuals. More info: www.badwater.com/about-us/sponsors/

Official Charities of the Badwater 135 include the Challenged Athletes Foundation. As one of the very few charities that provides grants directly to athletes with a physical disability, the Challenged Athletes Foundation has raised over thirty million dollars and directly assisted thousands of challenged athletes world-wide. AdventureCORPS also supports the Bald Head Island Conservancy, Death Valley Natural History Association, Conservation Alliance, and One Percent For The Planet. One of the goals of the Badwater 135 is to raise funds for, and awareness of, these organizations. More info: www.badwater.com/about-us/charities/

This year, over 50 of the race entrants are competing on behalf of a charity of their choice. Some of those include 100 Mile Club, Break the Stigma Project, Caring House Project Foundation, Challenged Athletes Foundation, Death Valley Natural History Association, Homes for our Troops, Hope So Bright, The Herren Project, and others.

This year’s race celebrates the 39th anniversary of Al Arnold’s original trek from Badwater to Mt. Whitney in 1977. Arnold, an ultrarunning pioneer and human potential guru, competed in a solo effort: it was just Arnold and his support crew against the elements and the clock. The official head-to-head race began ten years after Arnold’s pioneer trek, in 1987, and has been held annually without serious incident, fatality, or any citations issued by any branch of law enforcement. For more info about Al Arnold and also the original race click these links:

1977 Al Arnold: http://www.badwater.com/blog/category/al-arnolds-insights/

1987 Race: http://www.badwater.com/blog/1987-the-year-badwaterbecame-a-race/

PRESS CREDENTIALS, IMAGE GALLERY, and PERMITS

Download the 5-Page Press Kit and Media Credential Application here:

http://www.badwater.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016presskit.pdf

A stock image gallery – for bona fide media use only – may be accessed at the following link, with Photographer Name / Badwater.com attribution required: www.flickr.com/photos/chriskostman/sets/72157654693333871

The Badwater 135 is held under permits from Death Valley National Park, California Department of Transportation, Inyo National Forest, and Inyo County. Media attending the event may be required to obtain permits from some of those same agencies.

FOLLOWING THE STYR LABS BADWATER 135 ONLINE

Follow the 2016 webcast at:

http://www.badwater.com/2016-styr-labs-badwater-135-webcast/

Follow the 2016 time splits and results at:

http://dbase.adventurecorps.com/results.php?bw_eid=78&bwr=Go

Follow the race on Twitter (Join the conversation by adding hashtag #Badwater135 to all your tweets about the race.):

http://twitter.com/badwater

Follow the race staff’s live photostream on Instagram (Contribute to the photostream by adding hashtag #Badwater135 to all your IG images about the race.):

http://instagram.com/badwaterHQ

Follow the race director’s live photostream on Instagram:

http://instagram.com/chriskostman

Follow the race staff’s photostream archive on Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adventurecorps/

Follow the race director’s photostream archive on Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskostman/

Join the Facebook conversation:

http://www.facebook.com/badwater135

Download the July 2016 issue of BADWATER Magazine:

http://www.adventurecorps.com/downloads/bw/2016July.pdf

ABOUT ADVENTURECORPS

Oak Park, CA-based AdventureCORPS®, Inc. is an athlete-run firm producing and promoting ultra-endurance sports events and the world’s toughest brand, BADWATER®. Adventure is our way of life. AdventureCORPS’ world-class events for athlete-adventurers include epic races such as the Badwater® 135, BADWATER® Salton Sea, BADWATER® Cape Fear, and Silver State 508™, and other events. Our products include the Badwater® line of apparel, skin care products, gear, and services. Founded in 1984 by Chris Kostman, this group effort is dedicated to exploring the inner and outer universes, seeking adventure, energy, and insight both in daily life and “out there.” More info: www.adventurecorps.com and www.badwater.com.

Badwater® is a federally registered trademark owned by AdventureCORPS, Inc.

Posted in Badwater 135, Ultra MarathonComments (0)

Vol State 500K Don Winkley 2015 Tracy City – Run It Fast

Day 8: The Vol State 500K Live Blog/Standings (2015)

Vol State 500K Bandage Red Logo

Many more finishers made it to The Rock completing their Vol State 500K journey over the night and early morning. Congrats to David Lettieri, Michael Callans, Thomas Alm, Timothy Daily, Edward Masuoka, Ben Herron, Tim Purol, Jeffrey Stephens, Tom Dekornfield, Scott Krouse!

Lynda Webber is supposedly back from the dead but still at mile 235.

168 Hour Vol State 500K Standings 7:30am Thursday, July 16th (24 Finishers, 36 Running, 20 DNFs)

  1. Greg Armstrong – 3 days 22 hours 5 minutes 23 seconds (King of the Road)
  2. Johan Steene – 3 days 23 hours 15 minutes 52 seconds (uncrewed course record, 2nd overall)
  3. John Fegyveresi – 4 days 19 hours 28 minutes 54 seconds (3rd overall, uncrewed)
  4. Steven Smith – 4 days 20 hours 3 minutes 48 seconds
  5. Lisa Van Wolde – 5 days 8 hours 6 minutes 47 seconds (1st Female)
  6. Marylou Corino – 5 days 8 hours 6 minutes 52 seconds (T-1st/2nd Female)
  7. Jeremy Ebel – 5 days 16 hours 42 minutes 30 seconds (uncrewed)
  8. Andrea Stewart – 5 days 21 hours 33 minutes 59 seconds (3rd female, uncrewed)
  9. Jay Dobrowalski – 5 days 23 hours 34 minutes 38 seconds (uncrewed)
  10. James Adams – 6 days 5 hours 47 minutes 12 seconds (uncrewed)
  11. Sal Coll – 6 days 8 hours 4 minutes 25 seconds (uncrewed, 4x finisher)
  12. Bo Millwood – 6 days 10 hours 11 minutes 20 seconds (uncrewed)
  13. Karen Jackson – 6 days 10 hours 11 minutes 40 seconds (uncrewed)
  14. Rick Gray – 6 days 11 hours 10 minutes 8 seconds
  15. Lisa Hazlett – 6 days 11 hours 22 minutes 27 seconds
  16. David Lettieri – 6 days 15 hours 43 minutes 46 seconds (uncrewed)
  17. Michael Callans – 6 days 17 hours 17 minutes 5 seconds (uncrewed)
  18. Thomas Alm – 6 days 17 hours 29 minutes 9 seconds
  19. Timothy Daily – 6 days 17 hours 29 minutes 39 seconds
  20. Edward Masuoka – 6 days 20 hours 3 minutes 9 seconds (uncrewed)
  21. Ben Herron – 6 days 21 hours 5 minutes 29 seconds (uncrewed)
  22. Tim Purol – 6 days 21 hours 47 minutes 8 seconds (uncrewed)
  23. Jeffrey Stephens – 6 days 22 hours 20 minutes 44 seconds (uncrewed)
  24. Tom Dekornfield – 6 days 23 hours 4 minutes 42 seconds (uncrewed)
  25. Scott Krouse – 303 miles
  26. Thomas Skinner – 301 miles
  27. Caleb Nolen – 293 miles
  28. Gina Chupka – 288 miles
  29. Sherry Meador – 282 miles
  30. Allen Wrinkle – 280 miles
  31. John Sharp – 280 miles
  32. Shelly Mack – 280 miles
  33. Christian McMahon – 280 miles
  34. Ally Gregory – 278 miles
  35. Shane Tucker – 278 miles
  36. Joshua Swink – 277 miles
  37. Christopher Knight – 272 miles
  38. Fred Davis III – 271 miles
  39. Dallas Smith – 264 miles
  40. Sergio Bianchini – 257 miles
  41. Rich McKnight – 254 miles
  42. Gregg Ellis – 254 miles
  43. Don Winkley – 253 miles
  44. Johnny Adams – 252 miles
  45. John Price – 248 miles
  46. Tim Loudermilk – 240 miles
  47. Joseph Kowalski – 238 miles
  48. Jameelah Abdul-Rahim – 238 miles
  49. Gilbert Gray – 238 miles
  50. Remy Brandefalk – 238 miles
  51. Lynda Webber – 235 miles
  52. Troy Johnson – 235 miles
  53. Cathie Johnson – 235 miles
  54. Terrie Wurzbacher – 232 miles
  55. Paul Heckert – 229 miles
  56. Garry Price – 228 miles
  57. Bill Haecker – 224 miles
  58. Jay Hamilton – 222 miles
  59. Diane Taylor – 222 miles
  60. Ben Pennington – 222 miles

DID NOT FINISH (21): Richard Westbook 257 miles, Sandy Geisel 189 miles, Francesca Muccini 188 miles, Jeff McGonnell 165 miles, Nathan Dewall 145 miles, Johnny Adams 145 miles, Joe Ninke 145 miles, Mike Delang mile 135, Curt Chambers mile 130, Dale Rucker mile 125, Marcia Rasmussen mile 125, Ronald Trignano 109 miles, Sue Scholl mile 107, John Rasmussen mile 92, Ann Kerkman 83 miles, Troy Varney 83 miles, Brian Pickett mile 78, Betty Holder 56 miles, Michael Melton mile 54, Amanda McMahon mile 45, Larry Phillips mile 39

*bold = Run It Fast Club members

Scott Krouse on the Vol State 500K Rock Finish 2015 - Run It Fast

Scott Krouse finished shortly into the start of day with a time of 7 days 3 hours 32 minutes 27 seconds and told race officials, “I collapsed at the base of Jasper mountain, recovering, when I read laz’s update about that annihilating descent….I was like, ‘well that’s ironic.’ ” Congrats Scott on a strong race.

Run It Fast member Ben Herron finished early this morning with a sub 7-day finish of 6 days 21 hours 5 minutes 29 seconds. Ben also completed the Vol State 500K relay with the team Run It Fast, Ya’ll back in May. Herron along with Steven Smith completed both the solo and relay version of the 500K this year.

Gregg Ellis is now past Pelham and has started the ascent to the top of Monteagle mountain.

Vol State 500K Monteagle Mtn Gregg Ellis - Run It Fast

And now he’s to the top!

“Stopping in Jasper for the day at mile 294. Time for shower and some grub then a nap before bringing it home tomorrow early morning” – Shane Tucker

Vol State 500K Pelham Sunrise - Dallas Smith - Run It Fast

Dallas Smith said he got to enjoy another sunrise on the road this morning. And what a beautiful one it was judging by this photo he posted to Twitter. You can follow Dallas on Twitter @SmithBend

Vol State 500K- Rich McKnight Up on Monteagle - Run It Fast

Vol State 500K Whitney Franklin and Rich McKnight - Run It Fast

RIF member Whitney Franklin spotted Rich McKnight (above) up on Monteagle a few moments ago. Rich is less than 40 miles from the finish.

Vol State 500K- Troy and Cathie Johnson Manchester TN - Run It Fast

RIF spotter Whitney also just found Troy and Cathie Johnson crossing I-24 just past mile 250 in Manchester, TN. It looks like they are going to do it this year after a joint DNF last year. Amazing couple!

“Vol State Day 8. 37 miles. 294 miles total. 20 miles to finish. After some rest. I am hoping to get up around midnight and try to finish. All miles covered before 7:30 AM will count as part of the day 8 total. Hopefully, the finish time should be around 6 or 7 central time. I will enjoy my last 20 miles of this adventure…..” – Shane Tucker

“Today we ended up in Manchester,TN 250 miles in our journey. 64 miles to go!!! We celebrated a little, and we are heading to Monteagle abought 10 pm. Shin Splints bad, on right leg.” – Troy and Cathie Johnson

Congrats to the following two, Gina and Thomas, on reaching The Rock!!!!

26. Gina Fioroni ‘Chupka’ – 7:07:02:59 – “I woke up at 2:30 this morning, I have a flight to catch this evening!”
27. Thomas Skinner – 7:08:15:34 – I ran it a second time to see the difference between crewed and screwed.Running ……screwed …..is …..harder ……..than ………running ……..crewed.

Vol State vet John Price, who has the most finishes of all-time, is to the top of Monteagle.

“Day 8, Thursday, Tracy City, MM 281

I’m running on raw nubs. Last night I soaked them in peroxide mixed with water in a hotel wastebasket, as Don Winkley had advised. 77 now, he was King of the Road one year. I expect he’ll beat me this year. He’s supported. Someone like that speaks, you listen.

I’m sitting on a side deck of a church in Tracy City, were I’ve just dined on a Slim Jim. Having peanuts after this post. That’ll be supper. Also were I just slept for a hour. That’ll be my sleep. Nearest hotel is hours away.

Day 8 doesn’t end until 7:30 tomorrow morning. I’d been determined to reach The Rock by then, finish in under 8 days. That dream is dead and buried in Tracy City. Hit a bad patch here.

Leaving here to soldier on thru the night, do what I can do. Long lonely stretch from here to Jasper.” – Dallas Smith

Vol State 500K Lisa Van Wolde and Marylou Corino with Lazarus Lake in Kimball 2015 - Run It Fast

Let me tell you the time about Laz ran into the wild Canadian women in the parking lot of the Super 8 Motel in Kimball, Tennessee.

“288 miles. 1 marathon left” – Gregg Ellis

Vol State 500K A Knocked the Eff Out Lazarus Lake at The Rock - Run It Fast

This is the grand prize awaiting all of you starved, tired, needy runners at The Rock. “Laz, you been knocked the eff out!”

Caleb Nolen and Shelly Mack ‘Daddy’ have now finished and reached The Rock…probably eating Mexican food about right now. Caleb in 7 days 9 hours 48 minutes 10 seconds and Mack Daddy in 7 days 10 hours 32 minutes 13 seconds. Congrats!!

180 Hour Vol State 500K Standings 7:30pm Thursday, July 16th (31 Finishers, 29 Running, 20 DNFs)

  1. Greg Armstrong – 3 days 22 hours 5 minutes 23 seconds (King of the Road)
  2. Johan Steene – 3 days 23 hours 15 minutes 52 seconds (uncrewed course record, 2nd overall)
  3. John Fegyveresi – 4 days 19 hours 28 minutes 54 seconds (3rd overall, uncrewed)
  4. Steven Smith – 4 days 20 hours 3 minutes 48 seconds
  5. Lisa Van Wolde – 5 days 8 hours 6 minutes 47 seconds (1st Female)
  6. Marylou Corino – 5 days 8 hours 6 minutes 52 seconds (T-1st/2nd Female)
  7. Jeremy Ebel – 5 days 16 hours 42 minutes 30 seconds (uncrewed)
  8. Andrea Stewart – 5 days 21 hours 33 minutes 59 seconds (3rd female, uncrewed)
  9. Jay Dobrowalski – 5 days 23 hours 34 minutes 38 seconds (uncrewed)
  10. James Adams – 6 days 5 hours 47 minutes 12 seconds (uncrewed)
  11. Sal Coll – 6 days 8 hours 4 minutes 25 seconds (uncrewed, 4x finisher)
  12. Bo Millwood – 6 days 10 hours 11 minutes 20 seconds (uncrewed)
  13. Karen Jackson – 6 days 10 hours 11 minutes 40 seconds (uncrewed)
  14. Rick Gray – 6 days 11 hours 10 minutes 8 seconds
  15. Lisa Hazlett – 6 days 11 hours 22 minutes 27 seconds
  16. David Lettieri – 6 days 15 hours 43 minutes 46 seconds (uncrewed)
  17. Michael Callans – 6 days 17 hours 17 minutes 5 seconds (uncrewed)
  18. Thomas Alm – 6 days 17 hours 29 minutes 9 seconds
  19. Timothy Daily – 6 days 17 hours 29 minutes 39 seconds
  20. Edward Masuoka – 6 days 20 hours 3 minutes 9 seconds (uncrewed)
  21. Ben Herron – 6 days 21 hours 5 minutes 29 seconds (uncrewed)
  22. Tim Purol – 6 days 21 hours 47 minutes 8 seconds (uncrewed)
  23. Jeffrey Stephens – 6 days 22 hours 20 minutes 44 seconds (uncrewed)
  24. Tom Dekornfield – 6 days 23 hours 4 minutes 42 seconds (uncrewed)
  25. Scott Krouse – 7 days 3 hours 32 minutes 27 seconds (uncrewed)
  26. Gina Fioroni – 7 days 7 hours 2 minutes 59 seconds (uncrewed)
  27. Thomas Skinner – 7 days 8 hours 15 minutes 34 seconds (uncrewed)
  28. Caleb Nolen – 7 days 9 hours 48 minutes 10 seconds (uncrewed)
  29. Shelly Mack – 7 days 10 hours 32 minutes 13 seconds
  30. Allen Wrinkle – 7 days 12 hours 0 minutes 2 seconds (uncrewed)
  31. John Sharp – 7 days 12 hours 0 minutes 18 seconds (uncrewed)
  32. Sherry Meador – 310 miles
  33. Sergio Bianchini – 303 miles
  34. Christian McMahon – 301 miles
  35. Ally Gregory – 301 miles
  36. Joshua Swink – 299 miles
  37. Christopher Knight – 297 miles
  38. Shane Tucker – 294 miles
  39. Gregg Ellis – 290 miles
  40. Richard McKnight – 283 miles
  41. Dallas Smith – 282 miles
  42. Don Winkley – 280 miles
  43. Johnny Adams – 274 miles
  44. John Price – 274 miles
  45. Fred Davis III – NU
  46. Lynda Webber – 265 miles
  47. Jameelah Abdul-Rahim – 263 miles
  48. Gilbert Gray – 263 miles
  49. Tim Loudermilk – 254 miles
  50. Joseph Kowalski – 254 miles
  51. Garry Price – 253 miles
  52. Troy Johnson – 251 miles
  53. Cathie Johnson – 251 miles
  54. Paul Heckert – 250 miles
  55. Remy Brandefalk – 249 miles
  56. Terrie Wurzbacher – 240 miles
  57. Jay Hamilton – 235 miles
  58. Diane Taylor – 235 miles
  59. Ben Pennington – 235 miles
  60. Bill Haecker – 233 miles

DID NOT FINISH (20): Richard Westbook 257 miles, Sandy Geisel 189 miles, Francesca Muccini 188 miles, Jeff McGonnell 165 miles, Nathan Dewall 145 miles, Johnny Adams 145 miles, Joe Ninke 145 miles, Mike Delang mile 135, Curt Chambers mile 130, Dale Rucker mile 125, Marcia Rasmussen mile 125, Ronald Trignano 109 miles, Sue Scholl mile 107, John Rasmussen mile 92, Ann Kerkman 83 miles, Troy Varney 83 miles, Brian Pickett mile 78, Betty Holder 56 miles, Michael Melton mile 54, Amanda McMahon mile 45, Larry Phillips mile 39

*bold = Run It Fast Club members

Vol State 500K Rich McKnight Monteagle Frustrations - Run It Fast

“If you wanna know what it’s like being homeless then run Vol State 500k. For the past 7 days and over 270 miles I’ve smelled, acted and seemed to be homeless to others. All I wanna do is wash my hands and sit at a table and eat. Many many times I’ve been unable to do that some by choice and some not. I’m tired, smelly, cranky and emotional right now. All I wanna do is touch that *ucking Rock so I can go back to being normal. I’m not joking.” – Rich McKnight

Don Winkley was spotted on Monteagle with his shorts pinned around his balls.

Vol State 500K Don Winkley 2015 Tracy City - Run It Fast

Former King Don requested that his photo be from the waist up!!!!!!

“295 miles. 19 miles left. I’m wiped out. Been going since 6:45am. I’m gonna keep going though and attempt it. ‪#‎GetToTheDamnRock‬” – Gregg Ellis

Vol State 500K Splits

_____________

Day-by-Day Vol State 5ooK Recaps

Vintage Vol State 500K Race Reports

Historical Vol State 500K Results

– Run It Fast®

Posted in Running, Ultra Marathon, Vol StateComments (8)

Scott Jurek Power Flex Appalachian Trail Record – Run It Fast

Scott Jurek Breaks the Appalachian Trail FKT Speed Record

Scott Jurek Breaks Appalachian Trail Speed Record - Run It Fast

The amazing Scott Jurek has broken the Appalachian Trail FKT/Speed Record that was previously held by Jennifer Pharr Davis. It took Jurek 46 days 8 hours 20 minutes to reach Mount Katahdin to complete the 2,189 mile distance that has over 515,000 feet of elevation change.

It came down to the wire as Jurek was able to break Jennifer’s impressive record of 46 days 11 hours 20 minutes.

Jurek, perhaps the most famous ultramarathoner for the last two decades, stated earlier that he would retire after this Appalachian Trail run.

“This is the summer before my wife and I want to have kids,” Jurek told Runner’s World Newswire. “I would say this is going to be my masterpiece.”

The Appalachian Trail stretches from 2,200 miles from Springer Mountain, Georgia up to Mount Katahdin, Maine.

Appalachian Trail Luis Escobar Scott Jurek Log

Jurek started his journey on May 27, 2015 with his ‘Born to Run buddy, famed photographer/ultrarunner Luis Escobar.

Scott Jurek Power Flex Appalachian Trail Record - Run It Fast

Congrats to Scott on this amazing feat and his Mr. Olympia physique!

Posted in Running, Ultra MarathonComments (0)

Vol State 500K Day 4 Nathez Trace Hwy by Shane Tucker

Day 4: The Vol State 500K Live Blog/Standings (2015)

Vol State 500K Bandage Red Logo
Day 4: The Vol State 500K Live Blog/Standings (2015): Carnage Road

72 Hour Vol State 500K Standings 7:30am Sunday, July 12th (68 Runners, 12 DNFs)

  1. Greg Armstrong – 244 miles 
  2. Johan Steene – 234 miles
  3. John Fegyveresi – 204 miles
  4. Jeremy Ebel – 188 miles
  5. Steven Smith – 188 miles
  6. Lisa Van Wolde – 185 miles (F)
  7. Marylou Corino – 185 miles (F)
  8. Michael Callans – 179 miles
  9. Jay Dobrowalski – 178 miles
  10. Francesca Muccini – 175 miles (F)
  11. James Adams – 169 miles
  12. Timothy Daily – 157 miles
  13. Andrea Stewart – 156 miles
  14. Jeff McGonnell – 156 miles
  15. Bo Millwood 147 miles
  16. Karen Jackson – 147 miles
  17. Ben Herron – 146 miles
  18. Thomas Skinner – 145 miles
  19. Jeffrey Stephens – 145 miles
  20. Tim Purol – 145 miles
  21. Sherry Meador  – 145 miles
  22. Nathan Dewall – 145 miles
  23. Sal Coll – 144 miles
  24. Richard Westbrook – 144 miles
  25. Edward Masuoka – 144 miles
  26. Scott Krouse – 144 miles
  27. Shane Tucker – 143 miles
  28. David Lettieri – 143 miles
  29. Allen Wrinkle – 141 miles
  30. Gina Chupka – 141 miles
  31. John Sharp – 141 miles
  32. Thomas Alm – 141 miles
  33. Caleb Nolen – 140 miles
  34. Lisa Hazlett – 138 miles
  35. Rick Gray – 138 miles
  36. Joshua Swink – 138 miles
  37. Christopher Knight – 136 miles
  38. Tom Dekornfield – 136 miles
  39. Gregg Ellis – 136 miles
  40. Fred Davis III – 130 miles
  41. Mike Delang – 129 miles
  42. Sangy Geisel – 129 miles
  43. Joseph Kowalski – 129 miles
  44. Bill Haecker – 128 miles
  45. Johnny Adams – 125 miles
  46. Richard McKnight – 125 miles
  47. Ally Gregory – 124 miles
  48. Shelly Mack – 123 miles
  49. Christian McMahon – 122 miles
  50. Curt Chambers – 122 miles
  51. Gilbert Gray – 121 miles
  52. Remy Brandefalk – 121 miles
  53. Dale Rucker – 121 miles
  54. Tim Loudermilk – 120 miles
  55. Lynda Webber – 118 miles
  56. Sergio Bianchini – 118 miles
  57. Dallas Smith – 117 miles
  58. Don Winkley – 116 miles
  59. Jameelah Abdul-Rahim – 115 miles
  60. John Price – 111 miles
  61. Jay Hamilton – 108 miles
  62. Paul Heckert – 107 miles
  63. Garry Price – 106 miles
  64. Troy Johnson – 105 miles
  65. Cathie Johnson – 105 miles
  66. Ben Pennington – 102 miles
  67. Diane Taylor – 98 miles
  68. Terrie Wurzbacher – 98 miles

DID NOT FINISH (12): Joe Ninke 145 miles, Marcia Rasmussen mile 125, Ronald Trignano 109 miles, Sue Scholl mile 107, John Rasmussen mile 92, Ann Kerkman 83 miles, Troy Varney 83 miles, Brian Pickett mile 78, Betty Holder 56 miles, Michael Melton mile 54, Amanda McMahon mile 45, Larry Phillips mile 39

Sal Coll and Shane Tucker Mile 146 Vol State 500K - Run It Fast

Run It Fast members Sal Coll and Shane Tucker taking names around mile 146.

Laz’s 72 Hour Pep Talk

the long thin line grows thinner:

the 4th morning is here.
once again the sun beats down
the chirring july flies sing…

and the vol staters run.
and walk.
and trudge.

over the hills and thru the valleys.
past streams and trees
and past the places where their comrades fell.
across bridges
and thru small towns.

three days have taken a toll.
many are gone now,
and the long thin line grows thinner.
those who fight on have been hardened by the road
and baked by the sun.

there is a different resolve now.
not the brave words of the last supper
and the laughter of the ferry.

it has been replaced with a grim resolve.
soldier on, brave warriors.

oprah is no longer far behind.
the runners at the back can feel her hot breath on their necks.
when they pause to rest,
they can hear her stiletto heels clicking on the pavement behind them.

at the front the thoughts of records ands glory are long gone.
now each and every survivor pursues the same goal.
press on to the rock.
survive the day,
live to fight another.

anyone could do the vol state
few will try,
and fewer will succeed.
it is hard in ways you cannot imagine from home.
the survivors know.
they do not have to imagine it any longer.
they are living it.

every minute of every day…

overnight, greg held to his lead.
but the stubborn swede will not go away.
like a speedy oprah, he is still there.
10 miles behind.
both seem likely to finish sometime between midnight and dawn.
but there is a lot of road to cover in the heat today.

fegy is now a solid third.
smith came roaring back last night,
and has moved into a tie with ebel for 4th/5th.

the canadiennes still lead the women,
and are a mere 3 miles further back.

and the beat(ing) goes on.

laz

More photos, news, and notes from Day 4

Steven Smith Bench of Despair 2015 Vol State - Run It Fast

Run It Fast’s Steven Smith vandalizing private property at the Bench of Despair. Kentucky boys never change!

“Crossed TN River. Fever in quads broke. I can run again. On pace.” – Dallas Smith

“Mile 145, Hohenwald. Few hours of rest and I’m able to put down solid food.

Unfortunately, moving with the sun so many long breaks expected during the day. Definitely heat CAT 5++++!

And sad to report, my brother has dropped. Shoe issues from the beginning, he gutted out 109 miles before blisters rendered his feet a painful and unrecognizable mess. Way to fight the last few days Ron! (Although, his “slow” start he came through the 20 mile mark with the now 3rd place runner. Uh huh…)” – Scott Krouse

Lisa Van Wolde Vol State 500K Bench of Despair - Run It Fast

Lisa Van Wolde, tied for top female, tuckered out on the Bench of Despair m180.

Marylou Corino Vol State 500K Bench of Despair 2015 - Run It Fast

Marylou Corino, tied with Lisa for top female, with a similar fate at the Bench.

Race leader Greg Armstrong is currently at mile 255 according to his crewman Joseph Nance (race time 11:20am).

Greg Armstrong Vol State 500K m254 - Run It Fast

Armstrong rolling on with cracked rib and all!

72 Hour Google Map of Runner Positions

Steven Smith Mile 200 Vol State 500K - Run It Fast

Steven Smith hits mile 200 of The Vol State. Only 114 miles to go.

The Canadian women of Marylou Corino and Lisa Van Wolde are at mile 200 in Lewisburg.

Greg Armstrong is strong once again and banging out 10-11 minute miles as he starts to feel the pull of The Rock a bit as he moves towards Monteagle Mountain.

Shane Tucker is to mile 152 where he is now going down for sleep and will get back at it once the sun is down.

Race leader Greg Armstrong has turned the volume up to sub 10 min miles and is now at mile 265 with less than 50 miles to go. He is 10 miles away from the base of Monteagle mtn.

Thanks for all the encouragement and positive energy! This race has been brutal. Three straight days of a heat index at 100 degrees. Never have I been so humbled.  Am at the base of Mounteagle about to make the ascent! Less than 50 to go. The Rock is near!” – Greg Armstrong

Ben Herron Vol State 500K - 2015 on 412

Ben Herron is all thumb on his trek towards Columbia, TN.

“Having a blast! (really lol) the camaderie is admirable. We all are in pain, we see it in each other’s eyes. Yes it hurts, it’s extremely hard, this course is unforgiving and relentless. Goals and plans have changed too many times to count but the goal of reaching the Rock hasn’t. I’ve ran out of food n supplies in between just about every town, I’ve begged strangers for water, I’ve been dehydrated, gotten cramps, hobbled thru 144 miles but I’m still marching toward the Rock. This course will make the most fluid runners hobble. It will turn 10 min miles into 30 min miles. If it was easy then everyone would do it. The Vol Staters we don’t want easy, we want to earn our seat in the camp chair “throne” on the Rock. We just want to finish this beast and prove to ourselves that we have what it takes inside. It is about survival now. ‪#‎GetToTheRock‬” – Gregg Ellis

“Yikes, I just took a look at Mike’s (Delang) feet. No wonder his painful grimaces and slow pace, the skin has completely come off 3 toes. Let’s see how well I can treat and tape them with what tools I have and if it will help him move forward. We are desperately trying to avoid a call to the ‘meat wagon’ that would end our race. Our goal is to walk the 9 miles to the next town and see how he does.” – Sandy Geisel

84 Hour Update Shortly. Runners are still reporting their positions….several more DNF’s. Armstrong is at 281. Steene 273.

84 Hour Vol State 500K Standings 7:30am Sunday, July 12th (63 Runners, 17 DNFs)

  1. Greg Armstrong – 281 miles 
  2. Johan Steene – 273 miles
  3. John Fegyveresi – 234 miles
  4. Steven Smith – 224 miles
  5. Lisa Van Wolde – 211 miles (F)
  6. Marylou Corino – 211 miles (F)
  7. Jay Dobrowalski – 202 miles
  8. Jeremy Ebel – 202 miles
  9. Michael Callans – 200 miles
  10. Andrea Stewart – 179 miles
  11. James Adams – 178 miles
  12. Thomas Alm – 176 miles
  13. Lisa Hazlett – 174 miles
  14. Rick Gray – 174 miles
  15. Bo Millwood 173 miles
  16. Karen Jackson – 173 miles
  17. David Lettieri – 172 miles
  18. Sal Coll – 171 miles
  19. Edward Masuoka – 170 miles
  20. Richard Westbrook – 170 miles
  21. Jeffrey Stephens – 169 miles
  22. Tim Purol – 169 miles
  23. Scott Krouse – 165 miles
  24. Sherry Meador – 165 miles
  25. Caleb Nolen – 164 miles
  26. Ben Herron – 163 miles
  27. Joshua Swink – 163 miles
  28. Timothy Daily – 163 miles
  29. Thomas Skinner – 162 miles
  30. Shane Tucker – 152 miles
  31. Shelly Mack – 150 miles
  32. Bill Haecker – 147 miles
  33. Allen Wrinkle – 146 miles
  34. Gina Chupka – 146 miles
  35. John Sharp – 146 miles
  36. Christopher Knight – 145 miles
  37. Dallas Smith – 145 miles
  38. Fred Davis III – 145 miles
  39. Gregg Ellis – 145 miles
  40. Lynda Webber – 145 miles
  41. Sergio Bianchini – 145 miles
  42. Tom Dekornfield – 145 miles
  43. Joseph Kowalski – 145 miles
  44. Gilbert Gray – 142 miles
  45. Jameelah Abul-Rahim – 142 miles
  46. Remy Brandefalk – 142 miles
  47. Don Winkley – 140 miles
  48. Johnny Adams – 139 miles
  49. Richard McKnight 139 miles
  50. Ally Gregory – 137 miles
  51. Sandy Geisel – 136 miles
  52. Tim Loudermilk – 135 miles
  53. John Price – 131 miles
  54. Christian McMahon – 131 miles
  55. Curt Chambers – 131 miles
  56. Cathie Johnson – 125 miles
  57. Troy Johnson – 125 miles
  58. Jay Hamilton – 125 miles
  59. Garry Price – 114 miles
  60. Paul Heckert – 113 miles
  61. Ben Pennington – 111 miles
  62. Diane Taylor – 108 miles
  63. Terrie Wurzbacher – 108 miles

DID NOT FINISH (17): Francesca Muccini 188 miles, Jeff McGonnell 165 miles, Joe Ninke 145 miles, Mike Delang mile 135, Dale Rucker mile 125, Marcia Rasmussen mile 125, Ronald Trignano 109 miles, Sue Scholl mile 107, John Rasmussen mile 92, Ann Kerkman 83 miles, Troy Varney 83 miles, Brian Pickett mile 78, Betty Holder 56 miles, Michael Melton mile 54, Amanda McMahon mile 45, Larry Phillips mile 39

After the updated standings were posted, Francesca Muccini who was the third female, dropped from the race per her Facebook update. Congrats to RIF’s Francesca who had an amazing run. Great job, Francesca!

The eloquent Dallas Smith checks in with these words:

Day 4, Sunday, Hohenwald, MM 145

The Vol State 500k has added a new term to the running lexicon, “2 mph.” A speed ordinary runners don’t consider, but every Vol Stater knows. When you have no play left except an enfeebled walk then you make that play.

You can endure even that and emerge running the next day. I did. The fever on my quads broke during a deep sleep untroubled by dreams or trips to the bathroom. This morning, I hit US 412 at 4:14 in Parsons. I stopped at 6:30 pm at Hohenwald.

The moon is a stingy mistress withholding her light, hanging in the eastern morning sky, offering only a thin smile and each day falling a little closer to the rising sun.

When I left Parsons a whip-o-will was calling, second consecutive morning to hear that sound. A chorus of frogs, several kinds, were making their calls, including one that sounded like barking. And a bullfrog was grunting. These hopeful sounds launched me into another burning day.

I have a hip hop vibe going, running with my shorts pulled down low, so they can rub a new spot and let the old spot rest. May improve my style category, trotting down the road with drooping britches.

I remember a guy two years ago had same problem, but different body part. He wrapped his scrotum with duct tape. Which seemed an imperfect solution. That’s the fate of the uncrewed runner – making do with what he has or he can find.

Rich McKnight Vol State 500K Shadow Bird - Run It Fast

Rich McKnight’s shadow gives the Vol State course a subtle message!

Gregg Ellis just hit the half way point (m157). Congrats Gregg! Only 157mi to go!

Steven Smith is back on the road after a short rest. He has just 89 miles to go and is currently in 4th place.

Vol State 500K Natchez Trace Parkway photos by Shane Tucker

Vol State 500K Day 4 Nathez Trace Hwy by Shane Tucker

Couple great photos above from Shane Tucker while cruising through the Natchez Trace Parkway.

“We got up at midnight and started our journey at 0030. We wanted to get a lot of miles in before the heat. Yesterday we went 39 miles,today we went 34 miles, and stopped in Linden,TN. It was very hot today! We have knocked out 125 miles.” – Troy Johnson

Armstrong has got to be getting close to The Rock!

“Halfway at 1:58 AM on day 4. Unofficial Vol State clock time of 3 days, 17 hours and 58 minutes.” – Shane Tucker

Laz’s Nightly News Report from the Road

blood on the highway

one word keeps surfacing at the vol state…

 

 

brutal.

 

today was a truly brutal day.

another escalation in the heat index

battered the weary footwarriors,

 

and more than a few were pushed beyond their capacity to endure.

 

one by one they capitulated.

all day long.

65 of the original 80 remain,

and many of them are hanging by a thread….

 

tomorrow promises to be the hottest day yet.

 

and we knew it would happen.

the relentless oprah has overtaken a runner.

sentimental favorites terrie wurzbacher and diane taylor

find their backs to the wall tonight.

 

they must run down oprah in the darkness

to keep their dreams of reaching the rock alive.

 

of course they are only trying to buy a day.

oprah never lets up.

 

at the front,

greg armstrong has begun his push to the finish

and is running very strong.

johan steene still refuses to go away

having, unbelievably, cut the lead to 8 miles

over a 30 mile stretch of road almost devoid of aid possibilities.

I cannot find the words to describe the improbability of this feat.

 

fegy is now totally alone in third.

 

and steven smith has returned from the void to grab a solid hold on 4th.

 

the canadiennes are smiling and dancing along in 5th/6th.

 

Jeremy ebel and jay dobrawalski have taken very different routes

to fall out of contention.

 

Jeremy ran 10 miles off course

(meaning a 20 mile error by the time he gets back)

jay has simply crashed and burned…

 

his corpse stumbles on,

refusing to quit.

 

the first half of day 4 has been a nightmare.

now we will see what the night itself will bring.

 

laz

_____________

Day-by-Day Vol State 5ooK Recaps

Vintage Vol State 500K Race Reports

Historical Vol State 500K Results

– Run It Fast®

Posted in Running, Ultra Marathon, Vol StateComments (3)

Zion 100 Course Photo 2015 – Run It Fast

Zion 100 Race Report: The Battle to Live to Fight Another Day

Sarah Johnson Zion 100 - Guacamole Loop - Run It Fast

Zion 100 Race Report (April 10, 2015)

While pregnant with baby #4, I signed up for a 100 mile race called Prescott Circle Trail. It would take place about 8months postpartum. I thought it would be a good goal and help motivate me to get into shape after having a baby.

I started exercising at about 3 weeks postpartum. I eased slowly into things and overall felt really good. I ran my first race at 8 weeks postpartum; an 8k. It felt like a celebration of sorts. 1k in honor of each week my wee one had been earthside.

At 10 weeks postpartum I decided my body was ready for some hard conditioning and training. I started cross training and upped my mileage.

I continued to run races increasing the distance each time. I did a few races in the 25ish kilometer range until I decided I was ready for ultra distance. I started doing races in the 50k+ range. While getting adequate training runs in was a bit of a challenge, for the most part I felt strong and capable.

About a month out from Prescott Circle Trail the event was canceled. I was crushed. I had been looking forward to it for months. Every.single.run over the past several months had been in preparation for Prescott Circle Trail. I started looking for alternative options.  I considered running the course self-supported. I contemplated a Rim to Rim to Rim in the Grand Canyon. There was a 500krelay race in Tennessee that piqued my interest. All I knew is I was craving a physical challenge and had the support/resources in place to make one happen.

I got wind of another race called Zion 100. It happened to start on the very same day as Prescott Circle Trail. After reviewing the race information and course map, I was feeling pretty stoked. It was the exact kind of course I enjoy; technical trail with a decent amount of climbing. The race company is committed to putting on eco- friendly events. The race director has a very positive reputation in the ultra-running community. All the information on the website indicated it was a top quality event and very well organized. The location was easy to get to if I kept my travel itinerary exactly as planned. It would just include a few extra hours in the car to get there and back. It seemed like an ideal swap for Prescott Circle Trail! Now to make it happen.

A big piece of the puzzle for me was Baby M and who would care for him during the race. I had already made solid childcare arrangements for the older three boys but M had to come with me to the race. I checked in with my mother in law about potentially coming with me and hanging with M while I ran. Without any hesitation at all she replied, “Yeah. I can do that”. I am pretty sure that is her default reply to everything I ask of her; for which I am beyond grateful.  That was the green light for me to go ahead and register.

Shortly after I shared my ultrasignup registration I got a message from my friend Julie with a screenshot of the directions from her house to Zion.

My reply “Want to come with me?”

Her reply, “Yes.”

Done. I had a crew person.

A short while later I got a message from my friend Sarah, “Need a pacer?”

I replied, “Would it be you?”

“Yes”

“Then absofreakinglutely yes!”

Done.  I had a pacer; a pacer who had run Zion100 the year before with a strong finish. All the pieces were coming together super smoothly.

Five weeks out from Zion100 I had a75k trail race that was going to be my last long training run. While that race didn’t go quite as planned I ran with fierce determination and was quite pleased with my performance.

However my runs after that race were difficult. My left knee started to bug me about 15 miles into each run.  At first I ignored it. I was almost in denial. It was the worst possible timing to have something on my body not working optimally. I wasn’t 100% sure it was related to running since I was doing an ample amount of cross training. I thought maybe I had tweaked it at the gym or in ballet class. I remained hopeful it would heal quickly on its own. Two weeks out from Zion I did a 25mile training run on a rainy Sunday afternoon in Spa, Belgium. I was in so much pain at the end I could not run. I met my husband and kids at a restaurant post run. Hubby asked how my run went and while we ate, I confessed to him my knee had been bothering me for the past few weeks.  We discussed it as we ate and came up with some ideas of things to do that might help.

I also decided it would be good to give Julie a head’s up that my knee would probably be an issue during the race. She is a physical therapist which boosted my confidence some that her knowledge of body mechanics would be in my favor during the race.

Fast forward 2 weeks, an international flight (I live in the Netherlands), and a 6 hour road trip later and I was at the start line of Zion100.  I felt pretty good although I was operating on pure adrenaline and nerves at the point as the night before the race I had only gotten 1.5hours sleep. (jet lag + nursing baby + early race start).

The first part of the course was amazing. I moved swiftly and steady. I arrived at the first crew point (mile 15) well ahead of schedule. I needed to nurse M so I had to wait for my crew to arrive even though I was eager to go on. At that point I was aware of my left knee but it wasn’t painful. More or less I felt a little nudging sensation…almost as if it had a “Fragile. Hand with care” sticker on it.

Zion 100 Course Photo 2015 - Run It Fast

The next stretch was really tough on me. By mile 20 my knee was throbbing. The downhills were hard. I cussed a bunch on them. And loudly. (My apologies to other runners for my frequent Fbombs from miles 26 to 30). I already had thoughts of dropping in my head. I put on my headphones and cranked my music loud to serve as a distraction. I also apologize to other runners for my terrible singing. Somehow belting out Tesla, Guns N’ Roses, and Alice in Chains helped.  I arrived at the 30 mile crew point still a bit ahead of schedule however I was moving very slowly at that point. When I arrived my crew knew I was in rough shape. I said to them, “Right now I need logic and wisdom. No emotion. Ok? I have two options here.  I can drop. The consequence of that is regret. Or I can change shoes, roll/massage my leg, take an advil, put on my knee brace and assess pace at the next aid station. As long as I can keep moving and stay ahead of cutoffs, I should be ok”.  They said, “Option two!” and immediately started taking care of me while I nursed M. I left the 30 mile mark feeling renewed and hopeful.  Even with the BIG climb ahead I felt a surge of confidence after seeing my crew. Since my knee screamed hard on the downhills, I figured the next section would be ok considering it was flat or uphill.  Plus I am a hella good climber; it’s generally where I thrive on a course. The advil kicked in and the knee brace helped so I started picking up pace again. However, my gait was crazy awkward as I was compensating for my left knee and running in different shoes than usual. I started passing a bunch of runners who had previously passed me. Many asked me if I was feeling better and/or commented that I looked strong.  The comradery on the course was encouraging and reminded me why I love trail ultra runners.

I arrived at the next aid station ahead of schedule again and before my crew was even there. I wanted to get in and out of there as quickly as possible. I didn’t need to nurse at that aid station so I just wanted to check in briefly with my crew, refuel, and go. Sarah reminded me I had 12.5 miles before I would see them again and that she would start pacing me at that point (mile 47.5). Again I left that aid station feeling hopeful.

The next section of the course was called Slick Rock. It wasn’t very runnable for me and involved stepping up and down off large rocks. As the advil wore off my knee started to hurt again. I winced, clenched, and/or grunted every time I had to step down off a rock. Audible expressions of pain seemed to help. It reminded me of being in labor and grunting through contractions. (Not that the pain was on the same scale as labor, but I found myself instinctively using similar coping mechanisms). I had some advil with me and against my better judgement decided to take some more.

I didn’t see many other runners during this section so most of the miles were spent in my own head. I kept asking myself if I wanted to run a hundred miles on advil. It just felt very wrong to me. It felt as though I was ignoring my body’s natural feedback system. Was I comprising my body’s well-being for pride and stubbornness? It sure felt like it.

The last 3 or so miles of that stretch were pretty runnable (ie- flat) so I moved along at a good pace eager to see my crew. The temperature was also starting to drop and I welcomed the cooler air. I arrived at the 47.5 mile mark greeted by my crew. As usual they took awesome care of me. I nursed M, put on my night running gear, and off I went. This time with a pacer.

Sarah and I developed a smooth rhythm together.  At 14 hours I hit the 50 mile mark which meant I was still on pace for a 28 hour finish.  I asked her to try to keep me averaging at least 15 minute miles including aid station stops. I wanted to run all the runnable sections and fast hike the rest. At one point I even asked her to go faster. She said “we are doing 10 minute miles. Are you sure you want to be running this pace?”.  I did. I felt pressure to bank time as I knew going into the wee hours of the night exhaustion would set in and I would slow down significantly. We moved along mostly in silence (just like at Chimera100 where I had paced her). We long ago decided that few words were need between us to understand each other. She stayed a couple beats ahead of me, navigating the course, deciding on our pace and keeping me going. I liked how we worked together and I was very happy to have her with me. It also served as a good distraction from my knee.

At this point my feet were hurting. I could feel them blistering. I never ever blister. However I was running really differently than normal because of my knee. We were close to the next aid station but I felt like I had to take my shoes off right there. I plopped down on the trail and started working on popping blisters, all on my right foot. They were huge and ugly. I immediately had genuine empathy for people who regularly deal with blistering issues. Those bastards hurt! Many people who passed me asked if I was ok or needed anything. Again a reminder of what a generous heart many trail runners hold.

Sarah encouraged me to focus on getting to the aid station so we could tend to my feet properly. We worked our way down and once I saw how close we actually were to the aid station I felt silly that I had stopped mid trail. Sitting there in that chair at mile 57.5 I decided I did not like what I was doing to my body. I feared I was destroying my relationship with running by continuing on.  I said little during this time and was mostly in my own head. Sarah knew I was trying to figure out what to do. She seemed unsure of what to do or say to me. I asked her to tape my feet to give her something to do and buy me some time to think. I really wanted to talk to my husband but couldn’t get a hold of him on my cell phone. Sarah called Julie and asked her to come to the aid station. I didn’t know exactly what would be the outcome of her coming. Was I dropping and she was picking us up? Or was I going to figure out what I needed to do to keep going? When Julie arrived I took off my knee brace so she could massage/roll my leg. When I saw how swollen and misshapen my knee looked at that point I said with full confidence “I am done”.

Maybe I could have continued, but at what cost? I did not like that I was straying so far from my principles (to respect and honor my body) for a finish. It was not worth it to me at that point. I vocalized, “I feel like this is changing my relationship with running”.  That phrase struck a chord with Sarah and it’s as if she suddenly knew exactly what her role there was for me.

She looked at me directly and said “Will you do this again?” (meaning would I attempt another hundred miler). Without a moment’s hesitation I said “yes”. She replied in a gentle but firm voice “then stopping now is the right decision”.  She went on to say a bunch more and even though I only half heard her, I understood what she was getting at: Preservation of the passion for distance running trumps a finish.

Of course a DNF involves a lot of self-doubt and questioning of our ability as an athlete. But it also involves the opportunity for deep reflection and growth. The decision to stop running had been a hard one. I had basically been wrestling with it in my head from about mile 20. That in itself is draining.  And while I don’t expect a hundred mile race to be easy, my experience at Stagecoach100 had been positive and enjoyable thus showing me I didn’t need to “disrespect” my body to complete an ultra.

Rightfully so I was pretty down the next several hours (plus tired as heck). My usual smile, chatty, and happy demeanor was replaced with a grumpy ass version of myself. Instead of going to back to the rental house and going to sleep, I decided I want to help crew for my friend Josh. In part because I wanted to support him, but also I wanted to see the event from start to finish (ya know in case I ever decided to run it again). Josh went on to finish strong and I enjoyed watching the others runners came through the various aid stations.

The next day while I was still in a bit of a funk about the race and feeling pretty low, Josh sent me a picture he took of me as we passed each other at mile 22. When I looked at the picture my reaction was “Wow. That’s me! On the Zion100 course.  And even though I didn’t finish, my feet touched that piece of earth. I need to see value in that experience”.

Seeing myself in that pictured allowed a fresh perspective; one from the outside in. So much of an ultra (and running in general) is from the inside out. A change in perspective proved to be powerfully healing and exactly what I needed to find peace with my decision.

– Sarah Johnson

Posted in Race Reports, Ultra MarathonComments (1)

Upchuck 50K Trophy – 2015 – Run It Fast

Upchuck 50K Trophy (2014)

Upchuck 50K Trophy - 2015 - Run It Fast

Here is one of the trophies from the Upchuck 50K that took place on November 8, 2014 in Chattanooga, TN.

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal photo submitted by Nathan Holland – @ndholland]

Posted in Bling, Featured, Medals, Ultra MarathonComments (0)

Michael Arnstein HURT 100 Winner 2014 – Run It Fast

Michael Arnstein Wins the 2014 HURT 100 (Results)

Michael Arnstein HURT 100 Winner 2014 - Run It Fast

Michael Arnstein, ‘The Fruitarian,’ won the technical and tough HURT 100 earlier this morning with a time of 21:29:39 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The Fruitarian was able to hold off second place finisher Alex Nunn, also from Hawaii, who finished a few minutes behind in 21:47:30.

Third place went to San Diego native Nickademus Hollon with a time of 22:42:33.

First place female was Oregon’s Amy Sproston in 26:22:39.

2014 HURT 100 Top 25 Results

  1. Michael Arnstein – 21:29:39
  2. Alex Nunn – 21:47:30
  3. Nickademus Hollon – 22:42:33
  4. Tomokazu Ihara – 23:21:07
  5. Jake Rankinen – 24:26:24
  6. Jason Hynd – 25:30:44
  7. Yuki Nakatsuji – 25:42:35
  8. Amy Sproston – 26:22:39 (Female Winner)
  9. Brendan Gilpatrick – 26:36:53
  10. Nicholas Kopp – 26:53:48
  11. Andy Pearson – 27:46:53
  12. Alicia Woodside – 28:10:15 (2nd Female)
  13. Jadd Martinez – 28:36:28
  14. Eric Purpus – 28:41:41
  15. Kyle Curtin – 29:02:47
  16. Keshav Dahiya – 29:06:30
  17. David Town – 29:08:19
  18. Denis Cook – 29:23:49
  19. Jamil Coury – 29:33:41
  20. Chris Eide – 29:52:19
  21. Randy Duncan – 30:20:02
  22. Terry Sentinella – 30:42:07
  23. Larry Inouye – 30:50:25
  24. Alexander Papad.. – 31:01:55
  25. Kiyomi Kuroda – 31:22:45 (3rd Female)

[image: Susie Stephen]

Posted in Results, Running, Ultra MarathonComments (0)

Sovev Emeq 100K Medal 2014 – Run It Fast

Sovev Emeq 100K Medal (2014)

Sovev Emeq 100K Medal 2014 - Run It Fast

Here is the finisher’s medal from the Sovev Emeq (Emek) 100k that took place on October 23, 2014 in Kibbutz HaZore’a, Israel.

One of the more unique medals we’ve received this year.

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal photo submitted by Hudi – @runhudi]

Posted in Bling, Featured, Medals, Ultra MarathonComments (0)


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