When we first organized this race in 2000 we tried to
decide how to entice runners to Kansas.
We knew that once we got the runner to the Flint Hills Tallgrass Prairie
they would fall in love with the uniqueness of the race. But how could we convince runners that
Kansas is not flat and boring? We
finally decided that the best way to promote the new race was to describe the
race as a great place for first time runners or an experienced runner looking
to run a fast time. After all, the
original mission statement for Kansas Ultrarunners’ Society was to create an
atmosphere that fosters not only the enlightenment of the novice ultrarunner,
but nurtures the needs of the veteran ultrarunner as well.
This year’s race fulfilled my original idea of the type
of runners we would attract to the race.
We had our fastest field in the six year history of the event and we
also had the most novice runners. As a
race director you always get a little nervous when you see a lot of novice runners
entered in the event. Of the 96 entries
received for the two races 39 had run less than 5 ultras. My fears were not necessary as 34 of these
runners new to our sport finished, including 10 of the 11 first time
ultrarunners.
Race day conditions were very favorable for fast
times. The temperature at the start of
the race was near a record low at 33 degrees, but quickly warmed up with the
afternoon highs in the mid 60’s. Winds
were light by Kansas standards at 10-15 miles per hour. Saturday night temperatures were warmer with
the overnight low in the upper 30’s.
Jess McNeely, running his first 50 mile race, won the
Heartland 50 in 7:47:04 followed closely by Bill Ouren in 8:02:25. Joyce Florance was the women’s winner in a
course record time of 9:08:41 with Ginger Tidmore in second at 9:25:26. Twenty-one of the 50 mile finishers had
completed two or less ultras and for 8, this was their first ultra.
The 100 mile race was the closest and fastest in the six
year history of the event. Nine runners
went under 20 hours and over half of the finishers were under 24 hours. Mark Henderson has now won the event in four
of the six years. His winning time of
17:14:53 was the second fastest in the event history with only Eric Clifton’s
14:30:27 in 2002 being faster. For any
fast runners wanting to challenge Mark’s dominance in this event; beware, as he
told me after the race that he is actually starting to learn the course. Suzanne Weightman was the women’s champion
finishing in 19:57:58. Her time was
also the second fastest with only Sue Johnston’s 18:39:47 in 2002 being
faster. Theresa Wheeler, running her
first 100 mile race was the first Kansan with an excellent time of
22:34:24. Edwin Demoney at 71 years old
received the largest ovation at the award ceremony and is now the oldest runner
to finish the Heartland 100. His time
of 28:19:10 was well under the 30 hour time limit. Louise Mason and Mark Henderson have now finished all six
Heartland 100’s.
Over the race history we have had a 79% finishing rate in
the 100 mile race and a 95% finishing rate in the 50 mile race. A great group of volunteers working the aid
stations has contributed to this success.
Many of these volunteers have worked every event and often spend more
time on the course than the runners.
Mark Henderson may have summed it up the best when he told me after the
race “You guys do more with less people than any race I have ever been
to.” Thanks to each of you for helping
to make the 2005 Heartland races a success and we hope to see you back in 2006
or at other Kansas Ultrarunners’ Society events.
Randy Albrecht
Jim Davis
Heartland 50/100 Mile
Cassoday, Kansas
October 8, 2005
Heartland 100
1. Mark
Henderson, 45, TX 17:14:53
2. David
Jones, 53, TN 17:51:19
3. Ryan
Loehding, 33, TX 18:05:55
4. Dave
Bursler, 40, DE 18:56:50
5. John
Dodds, 54, VA 18:57:58
5. Ron Ely,
34, MD 18:57:58
7. Paul
Schoenlaub, 46, MO 19:49:52
8. Steve
Varga, 52, WA 19:57:58
8. Suzanne
Weightman, 41, PA 19:57.58
10. Paul
Tidmore, 37, TX 20:40:34
11. Joe Winch,
49, IA 21:07:46
12. Theresa
Wheeler 38, KS 22:34:24
13. Phil
Rosentein, 35, NJ 22:49:49
14. David
Pontious, 40, IL 23:03:36
15. Vincent
Swendsen, 43, NJ 23:09:40
15. Roger
Cain, 43, CO 23:09:40
17. Andrew
Pollock, 34, MD 23:10:40
18. Doug Ryan,
48, TX 23:14:45
19. Randy
Ellis, 53, OK 23:23:05
20. David
Pellegrino, 33, SC 23:27:20
21. Richard
Friesner, 23, KS 23:45:00
22. Frederick
Davis III, 57, OH 23:48:40
23. James
Breyfogle, 23, NM 24:03:50
24. Patricia
Mueller, 47, IN 25:29:35
25. Debra
Richmeier, 45, CO 25:59:05
26. Jeff
Neumann, 42, MO 26:37:35
26. Jan
Ryerse, 60, MO 26:37:35
26. Scott
Snyder, 50, CO 26:37:35
29. Rex
Friend, 50, OK 26:42:20
30. Phil
Wright, 61, CA 26:50:10
31. Kevin
Guest, 37, CO 27:07:18
32. Jim Perry,
56, OK 27:41:44
33. Thomas
Skinner, 59, GA 27:48:00
34. Lisa
Allen, 41, CO 27:54:30
35. Mike
Brooks, 59, ME 28:03:50
36. N. Edwin
Demoney, 71, VA 28:19:10
37. Kevin
Hatfield, 30, GA 28:37:28
38. Leonard
Martin, 52, TN 29:08:25
39. Louise
Mason, 52,IL 29:12:18
40. Joseph
Galloway, 48, IA 29:16:55
41. Kevin
McCormick, 46, TX 29:22:10
42. Frances
Griffin, 52, TX 29:27:18
43. Marla
Hendricks, 50, TX 29:30:48
56
Starters
Heartland 50
1. Jess
McNeely, 36, KS 7:47:04
2. Bill
Ouren, 31, NE 8:02:25
3. Robert
Bannan, 23, TN 8:33:00
4. Buddy
Foutts, 50, KS 8:43:23
5. Mike
Morgan, 37, KS 9:02:16
6. Richard
Oswald, 48, KS 9:03:36
7. Joyce
Florance, 49, LA 9:08:41!
8. Ginger
Tidmore, 35, TX 9:25:26
9. JR
Growney, 40, KS 9:44:34
10. Greg
Martens, 47, KS 9:48:32
11. Todd
Hildreth, 42, MO 9:55:19
12. Carolyn
Ammon, 48, KS 10:05:20
13. *Eric
Poulsen, 54, CA 10:06:00
14. Edward
Stillie, 47, KS 10:38:35
15. Steve
Hughes, 44, CO 10:45:43
16. Mike
Strong, 54, KS 10:48:30
17. Johny
Spriggs, 51, OK 10:51:56
18 Ron Paul,
24, TX 11:07:28
18. Mark
Jacquez, 27, KS 11:07:28
20. Todd
Christell, 50, MO 11:22:37
21. Alane
Taylor, 42, NE 11:33:57
21. *Bruce
Purdy, 49, MI 11:33:57
23. Wayne
Purinton, 58, KS 11:48:36
24. Jim
Wheeler, 63,NE 12:20:50
25. *Christina
Ralph, 54, WA 12:48:59
25. *Tom
Ripley, 56, WA 12:48:59
27. Donna
Creditor, 45, IL 12:52:20
28. Bonnie
McElwee, 65, IL 12:52:20
*
Started in the 100 mile race
30
Starters