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Introducing: “The Skinny,” week of June 10
Updates to this blog have become infrequent and far-from thorough. In my post-school haze, I’ve been enjoying doing nothing so much that my work here has shifted from being a victim of my heavy workload to being a side effect of my self-styled burnout.
In an attempt to remedy this, and because race previews (usually way off when it comes to predicting contenders) and recaps by themselves are redundant, I’m introducing a weekly or bi-weekly segment called “The Skinny” (inspiration drawn from MinnPost’s twice-daily “The Glean”). It will provide a rundown of notable race results and other things of interest; the sort of things that don’t merit their own post but are useful information. Lumping them together will prevent me from becoming buried in a backlog of posts and giving up altogether, as was often the case this spring.
Big races will get their own coverage/reports when they happen, with an emphasis on keeping the content unique – e.g. a race report from the winner rather than a list of results. Some additional features will have their day. To see what’s coming up, see the “on tap” section of “The Skinny.”
So without further adieu, here is The Skinny for May and the first half of June, 2013:
At the races
FANS 12-Hour and 24-Hour – June 1
Doug Kleemeier won the 24-hour race by about 2.5 miles, 130.10 to 127.55 for runner-up Scott Hoberg. In the women’s race, Sonya Decker took the lead with about 20 minutes to go and held off Denver’s Courtney Dauwalter 106.47 to 105.05. She was about two laps behind the lead when I saw her at the 12-hour mark.
In the 12, Leif Devaney won with 64.59 miles. The overall runner-up, Stephanie Werner, was also the women’s champ with 60.63 miles.
Course records were pretty safe, but the course was also different this year; it moved from Lake Nokomis to Fort Snelling State Park, and included one very small hill. Very small, from the guy who didn’t have to climb it 80 times over 24 hours. Full results are here.
Kettle Morraine 100 Mile and 100k – June 2
John Maas won the 100 Mile in eastern Wisconsin in 17:52. At 51, he defied age…unless you know much about 100-milers. Illinois’ Shelly Cook won the women’s race in 23:42.
In the 100k, Wisconsin’s Zach Bitter won in a course record 8:39; Kaci Licktieg, of Omaha, came close to the women’s course record (held by Kami Semick), winning in 9:47. Full results do not appear to exist online, because that would make the sport too corporate and mainstream.
Upcoming races
Adam Schwartz-Lowe is one of ten-ish Minnesotans headed to Dayton, Wyoming this weekend for the Big Horn 100 Mile, 50 Mile, 50k and 30k. This is ASL’s first 100 since a medical issue interrupted his training, so we wish him luck. I ran the 50k out there two years ago and it’s a bear…especially for a first ultra (note the total descent).
Expect more coverage around this one, but the Black Hills 100, 100k and 50 mile are the next weekend. Minnesotans have a good tradition of performing well there. As of now I know John Horns (100k winner in 2011, 100 Mile runner-up in 2012) will be back to defend his course record in the 100k.
Oh yeah, Western States is at literally the same time (Black Hills starts at 6 am, mountain time, while WS100 starts at 5 Pacific). There are three Minnesotans headed there, including a heat-trained Eric Nordgren.
Around the trails
The Afton Trail Run 25k will again serve as the USA Track & Field Minnesota Mountain/Ultra/Trail (MUT) committee’s state trail championship, and MUT chair Sam Rush tells us there’s a $1000 prize purse this year (divided among four categories for male, female, open and masters, with money going to the top three in each, mind you). It could be easier going for perennial champ Ben Kampf this year, as 2012 winner Joe Moore isn’t registered and Team USA Minnesota retiree Josh Moen is stepping up to the 50k.
Speaking of which, Josh “White Pine” Moen is making his ultra debut at the Afton 50k. He is also registered for the Superior 50 Mile is September. Before you get too excited, though, he is running approximately two days per week in preparation and insists he is doing it “for fun.” He could have his hands full at Afton with wundertwins Jake Hegge and Michael Borst.
The cold spring may have warded them off for a while, but recent rainfall will likely be a boon for the tick and mosquito population (no word on horse flies), leading to a rash of tick-borne illnesses, reports the Star Tribune. Take a tip from Dusty Olson and do what you can to avoid contracting lyme. As you trailheads dive headlong into tick territory, heed the advice of this hack who wrote a piece on tick-borne illnesses for Trail Runner mag last year.
You’re not just being hyperbolic as usual – this meteorological spring (March thru May) has actually been one of Minnesota’s coldest ever. The highly reliable anonymous posters on the Letsrun.com message boards say it’s the third coldest. On the upside, this is great running weather, minus some of the rain. Stop complaining, runners. Remember the first week of July last year?
Look forward to…
The second installment of the Endless Summer Trail Series, sponsored by TC Running Company and Rock Steady Running, is next Wednesday, June 19, at French Park in Plymouth. It’s a 5k. It will be fun. There will be beer. You can register, or volunteer. Check out TCRC’s Facebook and Twitter feeds for chances to win a free entry.
And an exciting announcement…
It’s official – TC Running Company is opening a second location in Maple Grove. Between the ample selection of trail shoes and the general influence of manager Kurt Decker, TCRC is easily the best resource for trail runners in the Twin Cities. And I was saying that before I worked there. There’s a reason they have a race team specifically devoted to trails and ultras.
On tap on Ultra Minnesota
In addition to some extended coverage around the Black Hills and Western States races, look for an upcoming profile and Q&A with “The LaCrosse Boys,” Jake Hegge and Michael Borst.
