Ultra Runners

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Run4Water 24 Hour Race done in by water from the sky (Read 24 times)

wcrunner2


Are we there, yet?

    Apparently the weather gods won in Tennessee at the Run4Water 24 Hour Race. Here's a description and summary from a David Christy FB post:

     

    WEATHER ROUTS RUNNERS in Tennessee. Run4Water becomes Run4Exits. What a difference a year makes. April 2017 in Lebanon, TN, the dry air was full of energy and anticipation as numerous elites and near elites prepared for their final attempt to qualify for the US National 24 Hour Team, and the race did not disappoint.
    Fast forward to hour 23 of the 2018 race that was not a final qualifier for anything except who had the dogged determination to finish.
    If you go out to the course now (with 30 min remaining), you may have to wait a while to see a competitor cross the mat. A day of wind that assured disappointing results and a night of brutal thunderstorms had the runners bolting the race like business partners deserting the NRA.
    At hour 23 (6am local time), only 4 of 13 women remained upright in the 24 hour event. It's worse for the men, only 4 of the 22 who started are still moving. The others are in the school building sleeping or trying to dry off or maybe they're on the sad ride home.
    It's not likely that they're waiting around for the awards ceremony even though there has been one good "race" in the final hours. Francesca Muccini, the King of Vol State, held a one plus mile lead over Jennifer Lockrem of Florida. With a half-hour left, it looks like Francesca will win it barring a disabling injury.
    Young local Marshall Edmondson will take the men's title with 110 miles over Greg Armstrong, who turned in his chip around 4:30am. For comparison, it took 154 miles to win last year's race (Jon Olsen). Gina Slaby won her race with 142.3.
    Finally, the morning spotlights the determination of some older runners to keep going just because it's a 24 hour race. Among the 7 or 8 still on the road are Doyle Carpenter, 78, and veteran pedestrian Joyce Ong, 67. Tip of the cap to both.
    So sometimes the athlete wins, sometimes the elements win. RAT is looking forward to an exciting odd-year event here next year. (Since the National Team is selected only in odd years, Run4Water is a late-season qualifier only in those years.)

     2024 Races:

          03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

          05/11 - D3 50K
          05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

          06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.