The HUFF 50K Trail Run

Huntington, IN, December 30, 2000

SNOW - The HUFF 50K 2000 Race Report

by Mitch Harper

The HUFF 50K Trail Run December 30, 2000

Snow.

The race report for The HUFF 50K Trail Run could consist of one word followed by an otherwise blank page of white space. Some will say snow defined the race. Yet, even though it influenced times and performances it did not control them.

Runners subdued the course and the conditions. But not without a struggle.

Mark Godale was the repeat winner of The HUFF. His 2000 time was 5:04:54; his 1999 winning time was 3:26:27! Both times are course records. It is likely the record for slowest winning time will never be seriously challenged.

Race organizers have been concerned since the race began four years ago that runners would find the topography of the course a bit too easy. Snow changed any perceptions of that.

Mark said, "It was tough, the hardest conditions I have ever run in. It was tough mentally when I completed the second loop in the same time I finished the race last year." (Fort Wayne) News-Sentinel Jan. 1, 2001

Huntington Reservoir Manager Jeff Reed and his staff from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources did yeomen's work in ensuring that the staging area was cleared of snow for the event. The Kekionga Trail around the reservoir does not have snowmobiling as a permitted use. An Indiana Conservation Officer groomed the trail by snowmobile the day before the HUFF. The officer made multiple loops of the course but the consistency of the snow did not allow for the type of hard packing with which trail runners from, say, Michigan and Wisconsin, might be familiar.

Runners on the initial loop of the three-loop 50K course would punch through the top crust to softer snow underneath. The only runner doing any sort of trail blazing in front of Mark Godale was a relay runner. The next runner behind Mark was David Dwornick who was more than four minutes behind.

Mike Fruchey, the relay runner, marveled that Mark could continue the pace he did through three loops. One of the other elite runners, on dropping out after the first loop, said that, early on, it became apparent that Mark was negotiating the conditions so well that no one else would be competitive.

Jozef Gyurke, now of Carmel, NY, but a former member of the Slovak Republic National Team, was running his first ultramarathon in the Americas and came in second. A comparison of his loop times with Mark's show that he will be someone to watch in US ultras in 2001. 1st loop: Godale - 1:42:11; Gyurke - 1:52:12. 2nd loop: Godale - 1:39:46; Gyurke - 1:40:13; 3rd loop: Godale - 1:42:57; Gyurke - 1:50:42.

Asked why he chose The HUFF as his first ultra, Jozef replied that when he looked at the ultra race calendars he thought an Indiana race held in late December would be a lot like home. David Dwornick was the only other runner to finish under 6 hours.

The women's winner, Michelle Mitchell probably also thought the running conditions seemed a lot like her hometown of Fairbanks, Alaska. She was also a repeat winner. She won in 1998 with a time of 4:21:59. Her 2000 winning time was 6:15:29. Anong Pustow came in second with a time of 6:34:26. Cassandra McCune was the third finisher and the only other woman to finish under 7 hours! Linda Gorman led the first loop with a time of 2:02:59 to Michelle's 2:08:51and Anong's 2:09:48. Linda, who had won the Owen-Putnam 50K in November, was felled by the effects of hypothermia two-thirds of the way into the second loop.

Linda is an indispensable key to the success of the race these past four years and is responsible for the marvelous food that is a hallmark of The HUFF.

The HUFF had a record number of registrants in all three races: The HUFF 50K; the 3-person relay; and, the one-loop run. The 50K had 211 registered; 178 started; and, 76 finished. The race conditions were particularly frustrating for runners who had finished all three prior events and who observed the cut-off time for beginning the third loop. They should be pleased to know that we will have special recognition in 2001 for all runners who will have participated in each of the first five years of The HUFF 50K even though they might not have completed the third loop of the 2000 50K.

The runners had great support from a record number of volunteers organized by Judy Tillapaugh. Those for whom special mention should be made include Dennis Conner, Jon Schlatter, Paul Knott, Bev Metzger, Bob Loomis and the AmeriHost staff. We also thank race sponsor Doug Lehman of Lehman Investment Management who also brought in 1964 Olympian Bob Schul to address the pasta dinner. The Huntington Family YMCA under the direction of Harry Lembach once again provided hot showers after the race. The Huntington County Sheriff's Department provided safety service throughout the race. St. Peter's Lutheran School in Huntington served as a wonderful haven in the snow for the pasta dinner. Also, we wish to mention the generosity of product sponsors CarBoom gel, Boulder Bar, BUN bar, Crack Crème, W.L. Gore Co., Montrail Shoes, Abbey Brown Sweet Shoppe and Ellison Bakery. Again, the Great Race Historical Reenactors started the race with a huge cannon blast. Those listed above are really only a few of the many who should be thanked.

There were many great stories among the runners. Deserving particular mention is that of Dave Reimschisel. In 1998 he was the top local finisher of The HUFF. Last year, he registered but called a few weeks before the race to ask if we could hold his gear until the time came he could pick it up. Dave needed a new heart valve. This year, he was also the top area finisher in The HUFF 50K. It was also the one-year anniversary of his heart-valve replacement. His surgeon, Mark O'Shaughnessy, a past finisher of The HUFF, was also there for one loop.

The 2001 HUFF 50K Trail Run has been selected as the USA Track & Field National 50K Trail Championship. It will be run December 29, 2001. After four races, we can now calculate that there is only a 25% chance that there will be significant snowfall!

Even with snow, Mark Godale said, "It was a great race. It was just what ultramarathons are to be about."

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