21^st Annual Mountain Masochist Trail Run - 50 Miler

October 18, 2003

“A Fast Year”

by

David Horton

The 2003 MMTR promised to be a fast year with it being the last race in the Lynchburg Ultra Series and the Montrail Ultra Cup … and it delivered!

            The MMTR is a big family reunion of runners as they come together for a weekend of reminiscing and sharing in Central Virginia.  Year after year, many the same runners reassemble to test their conditioning in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia on a course that is EXACTLY 50 miles long!!!!  The course and mountains do not get any easier.  Some runners get faster nearly every year, while other runners see aging (or lack of training) make the 12-hour cut-off harder to meet than ever before.  The 12-hour cut-off is tight and unforgiving.  The other two big 50 milers in the East, Bull Run and JFK, have cut-off times of 13 & 14 hours respectively.

Race weekend began, as always, with an all-you-can-eat pasta meal on Friday night at the Heritage High School cafeteria.  Runners picked up their packets and received their beautiful shirts designed by Lizard (Liz Corralles), my assistant/secretary at LU.  If you haven’t seen this year’s design … you are missing a great one!  It is truly a classic piece of work … my favorite of all 21 years of the MMTR. 

I received a very special surprise as I walked into the cafeteria Friday night setting up for the registration and meal.  I just happened to glance behind the stage area (where I usually do my eloquent welcoming speech) … and there hanging on the wall was a quilt top made from the shirts of the first 20 Masochist races!  Nancy Hesse, a good friend and aid crew supporter for many years, had conspired with my wife to acquire all the past shirts, and Nancy had made the quilt top as a surprise!  I can’t even begin to express what that meant to me!  It made me realize what a humble beginning we started with and how far we have come … and it’s all because of you and our many volunteers that make the MMTR so great!  Thank you … and THANK YOU NANCY!  Now… my mom has to quilt it for me … SURPRISE MOM!

I also had another very unexpected surprise prior to the race this year.  Danny McDonnell and his wife (Fallston, MD) gave a substantial monetary gift to the MMTR.  With this gift, I was able to give a large donation to the Lynchburg Amateur Radio Club.  They have helped us with the race for all 21 years, and we would be in big trouble without their help.  I was also able to buy a chronomix timer with printer.  In the past, we’ve always had to borrow our equipment, so this was truly something that was needed and will be used in all our races.  A big thanks to the McDonnell’s.

Runners from 32 states, Canada and DC assembled in the pre-dawn darkness for the start at the James River Visitor’s Center.  The women’s field looked to be the fastest ever at the MMTR … and it was!  Local runner, Bethany Hunter finished second to Francesca Conte by 26 seconds in 2002 and only two minutes off Janice Anderson’s course record.  During the past year, Hunter had made a meteoric rise in the ultra world.  She had won and set course records at the Uwharrie 40 Miler and Massanutten 100 miler, and was the only female finisher at the Tuscarora 252 mile six-day stage race.  Recently, she was one of six females nominated for Ultra Runner of the Year by Trailrunner Magazine.  Hunter was definitely out to win and prove that her 2002 MMTR time was no fluke!

Seeded right behind Hunter was Jenny Capel (Reno, NV).  Capel was leading the Montrail Ultra Cup and was intent on staying in first to garner the $5,000 prize for winning the Cup.  Seeded third was Luanne Park (Redding, CA).  Park was second in the Cup and still had a chance of winning it, if she beat Capel by a large enough margin.  Seeded fourth was Janice Anderson (Marietta, GA).  Anderson was the course record  holder (8:27:01) and four-time winner of the Masochist.

The top seeded male was Sean Andrish (Leesburg, VA) who won the 2002 MMTR.  Seeded second was Dave Mackey (Boulder, CO).  Mackey is extremely fast and had finished second in the White River 50 Mile National Championships in July of 2003.  Seeded third was Dink Taylor (Huntsville, AL).  Taylor is a prolific runner in the south, having won many ultras.  Eric Grossman (Louisville, KY) was seeded fourth.  Grossman had run the MMTR five years earlier, but had run only one ultra since. However, he is a 2:29 marathoner.

As expected in the women’s race, Hunter and Park took the lead from the start, one wanted to win the MMTR … the other wanted to win the Montrail Ultra Cup.  Through aid station 6 (17.5 miles), Hunter and Park basically stayed together, only separated by a few seconds.  Capel kept them close, trailing by 4 minutes at this point.  After aid station 6, there is a big downhill.  Hunter took advantage of it and pulled into the next aid station (7 – 20.2 miles) 2 minutes ahead of Park and 5 minutes ahead of Capel. 

Aid Station 10 (26.9 miles) is the theoretical halfway point of the MMTR.  Runners of all speeds are able to double their times at this point and get an estimate of their finishing time.  Hunter checked into aid station 10 at 10:33 a.m., 4 hours and 3 minutes (2 x 4:03 = 8:06)????  Could she keep this pace up?  Capel passed Park and was 7 minutes behind Hunter with Park another minute back.

Hunter’s lead stayed at 7 minutes to the 5-Mile Loop (33.6 miles).  Hunter ran the loop in a great time of 50 minutes, increasing her lead to 10 minutes by the end of the loop over Capel and 15 minutes over Park.  At this point, it was apparent that Hunter was going to win and set a new course record … the question was by how much?

Hunter crossed the finish line in 8:14:47, knocking 12 minutes off Janice Anderson’s course record of 8:27:01.  Capel finished in 8:23:35, also breaking the course record, but finishing in 2^nd place.  However, she achieved the big goal of winning the Montrail Ultra Cup.  Park finished in 8:30:10, to make it the fastest women’s field ever at the MMTR.  Janice Anderson rounded out the top four finishing in 8:51:23.

In the men’s race, Andrish took the lead from the start with Mackey staying close on his heels and Grossman a few minutes behind Mackey.  From aid station 5 (14.9 miles) to aid station 13 (33.6 miles), Andrish and Mackey stayed within one minute of each other.

By the end of the loop (38.6 miles), Mackey had a 2-minute lead on Andrish.  Andrish tried to catch Mackey on the downhill after the loop and just couldn’t.  Andrish later admitted he let up there after he realized he couldn’t catch Mackey.  The question now was … could Mackey break Clark Zealand’s course record time of 6:52:11 set in 2001?  After the loop, Mackey was 2 minutes behind Zealand’s time.  At aid station 14 (41.5 mile) he was only one minute behind pace.  Mackey pushed it from there on in breaking the tape in 6:48:31 … knocking almost 4 minutes off Zealand’s course record!

Andrish finished 2^nd place with a time of 6:58:16.  Grossman maintained his pace and finishing 3rd in a time of 7:16:14 with Taylor rounding out the top four with a time of 7:24:03. 

There were many other stories to tell as well as those of the front-runners.  Local runner, Bernie Davis (66 years of age) completed the MMTR for the 16^th time. His son, Eric (36-Los Angeles, CA) completed his first ultra in 30^th place (9:16:53).  Eric took his time early and was in 67^th place at halfway (26.9 miles), but realized he could run faster and ran the second half considerable quicker.  Who knows what he can do next year, if we can get him to return?   As a 12-year-old boy, Eric ran a marathon in 2:48.  He later ran at Harvard and was a member of the crew team as well.

David Kirk and his son, Matt (High Point, NC) finished together in 10:31:03.  Salli O’Donnell (Chesapeake, VA) finished the MMTR for the 11^th time … the only female member of the 10-time Finisher Club.  O’Donnell is not supposed to be running.  She has had a number of knee surgeries and this past summer, she had major back surgery.  After she crossed the finish line, she raised her shirt so her back was exposed, and had me take a picture of her in front of the finish line banner.  You could see two four-inch scars on both sides of her spine in the lower back region!  What a commitment!

Joining the 10-time Finisher Cub this year was Dink Taylor and Mark Konodi (Seattle, WA).  It was an honor for me to give these men their 10-year jackets.  Bill Turrentine (Centreville, VA) received an embroidered golf shirt for finishing his 15^th MMTR.

Tom Green (Columbia, MD) continued his remarkable string … the only person to compete and finish the 21 Mountain Masochist races.  This was his fastest time in recent years, 9:57:41 … good enough for 51^st place.  For however many years the MMTR is in existence, I know Tom will do his best to run each one! 

Bethany Hunter and Jonathan Basham (8:07:19) were awarded the Mountain Woman and Mountain Man Award for the top local finishers.  Kevin Budd (Lynchburg, VA) won the “Fat Boy” division (200+ pounds) finishing in 9:35:10 and starting at a tonnage of 202 pounds.  Matt Yeager (Summersville, WV) won the “Best Blood” Award.  Matt did a face plant during the race that really messed up his face and chin.  It was such good blood, that Dr. George Wortley (our Medical Director) gave Matt four stitches at the finish line! 

We had 19 local finishers and many others who had graduated from Liberty University and moved elsewhere, but came back to compete in this year’s race.  We are proud of the fact that many ultra runners have come out of the Central Virginia area.

I keep mentioning that this is the fastest year ever in MMTR history.  There were 3 single year age group records set by males and 7 single year age group records set by females.  Of the top 5 fastest female finishers ever … 3 occurred this year.  Two of the top four fastest males ever, occurred this year as well.

We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our sponsors: Montrail, Patagonia, Frank Villa Optometrist, Conquest and Cliff Bar.  Without their help, we could not put on the quality event that we have every year.  Krissy Moehl Sybrowsky (Montrail Rep) stayed at my home for over a week before the race and helped mark the course as well as a myriad of other duties all week.  I think she was glad to leave, so she could get some rest!  She was a HUGE help!

Annette Bednosky (Boone, NC) and Jonathan Basham were the overall winners of the Lynchburg Ultra Series (LUS).  Rebekah Trittipoe and Joe Novak, both of Lynchburg, VA, were awarded the LUS Masters Award.  Besides receiving the Patagonia Velocity jacket for finishing the LUS, they also received a pair of shoes from Montrail and a LS-T zip top from Patagonia.

The 2004 Lynchburg Ultra Series (LUS) will consist of the Holiday Lake 50K (February 14, 2004), the Promise Land 50K (April 24, 2004) and the MMTR 50 Miler (October 16, 2004). 

The 2004 MMTR will be the final race in the LUS and the Montrail Ultra Cup (MUC).  It will also be the Championship race in the MUC.  Runners who participate in the 2004 MUC will have to run in the 2004 MMTR.  This will result in the 2004 MMTR being a highly competitive field with the very best runners in the nation coming to Lynchburg on October 16, 2004.

As a result of the above, we will be limiting the field of runners to 320 (expecting about 300 to start) for the 2004 MMTR.  First come, first entered!  PLEASE NOTE: THERE WILL BE NO WAITING LIST OR SUBSTITUTIONS (particularly all normally last minute entrants and Lynchburg runners.)  Once the 320 limit is reached, registration will cease and no one else will be allowed to enter.  Please pay attention to our website: www.extremeultrarunning.com for registration numbers and further information.

This year’s MMTR was great … but probably the most challenging, stressful and difficult one ever! I don’t like to dwell on the negatives, but I hope by sharing them, it will hopefully keep them from being repeated in the future.

·        Clearing downed trees shortly before the race that were the result of Hurricane Isabel.

·        Receiving a call at 1:08 a.m. race morning that one aid station crew could not make it to the race.

·        The last bus driver was not secured until Thursday night.

·        One vehicle was left parked at the start (after repeated warnings), in the grass and stuck out into the road on Park Service property.

·        On one turn, shortly after the loop, streamers were torn down and placed down an incorrect road.

·        Two runners refused to stop at the Forest Valley aid station (43 miles) after missing the cut-off time.

·        One runner backed into a school bus on Saturday morning and then pulled forward and hit another parked car.

·        A group of runners trashed a Bed & Breakfast in Montebello after leaving a fake address and phone number. (Unbelievable!)

·        One runner cursed one of our radio people and almost caused a fight.

·        Several runners were very rude and made inappropriate remarks to our aid station workers. 

There are always unforeseen problems that arise, but these last two were totally unacceptable!  Our aid crews are volunteers …we do not pay them.  They do this to help YOU!  It’s hard to find workers, and many of ours have done this year after year because they enjoy it!  We could not produce the kind of quality race we have without them.  If you have a problem … see me, don’t take it out on them.  There was no excuse for this kind of behavior!  Be grateful and encouraging…don’t be so anal!

These problems and challenges, and other factors made the 2003 MMTR a very trying and tiring event.  I had completed the Bear 100 Miler a few weeks before the MMTR.  This race was a piece of cake compared to what the MMTR took out of me this yea

So why do I do it?  Why do we do anything that challenges us?  For the reward we receive.  However, sometimes we might question if the reward is worth the effort?  This year was one of those years!

In spite of it all, what do I do?  Organize another ultra!  The Hellgate 100K for December 13, 2003.  This race WILL NOT be a part of the LUS.  It will be an extremely challenging and unique event!  If you are not at the start of the Hellgate 100K at 12:01 a.m., December 13, you will be missing an unforgettable event … TRUST ME!!!!