But this is Kansas, Right?
The first of the week leading up to the Rockin K Trail Run, the weather forecast was for partly cloudy with highs in the mid 60’s, and it was looking like it would be a good day to run the trails at Kanopolis State Park in Kansas. By Thursday, 2 days before the race, as the last minute entries came in and filled the race, the forecast had changed to the mid 70’s with a Kansas breeze of 18 miles an hour and gusty. It turned out we needed the wind as highs on Saturday topped out at 82 degrees. But this is Kansas, right? There’s a saying in Kansas, “If you don’t like the weather just wait a few minutes” meaning the weather changes quickly here. And change it did, as the 12 hour mark rolled around so did the wind, bringing clouds, then lightning and rain.
The Rockin K Trail Runs are run on the three trail systems, at Kanopolis State Park in the heart of Kansas, and Kansas is flat, right? So this race should be flat and fast, a PR course. The first loop of 26.3 miles is the marathon course; the 50-Mile is a second modified loop of the marathon course for 50.66 miles. Two of our runners said to me, as have others over the years, when leaving the airport in Wichita, they were thinking this is pretty much what we expected of Kansas; flat prairies to run on. This is Kansas, right? As they were driving north on I-35 which runs between the Flint Hills and the Smoky Hills then steers them west into the Smoky Hill region of Kansas, they were starting to re-think what the race course might be like. By the time they reached the race headquarters at the Corral Shelter on top of a hill at the lake, they’d decided maybe this wouldn’t be the flat prairie run they’d thought.
At the pre-race dinner and the pre-race briefing at the starting line, the topic of the day was how many water bottles to carry. With the first water available at 7.47 miles on the trail, most of the 93 runners lined up at the start decided to carry at least two, those that didn’t would find out that this is Kansas, right? And it can get very warm and dry.
The lead pack of runners came into Gate 6, the manned aid station, at 13.24 miles just 1.75 hours into the race. The first half dozen runners, including several of the 50-mile runners, drank fluids and headed out, within sight of each other, to run the Big Bluff Loop, which is 4.87 miles of primitive trail that takes the runners up and down the river Bluff above the Smoky Hill River, and then back to the Gate 6 aid station at 18.11 miles. From Gate 6 the second time, the runners would run back by the unmanned aid station at 19.80 miles and then to the Corral Shelter at 26.3 for the marathon finish or the 50 mile turnaround, where the 50-mile runners would head back out for another loop.
The first three male finishers in the marathon would all be under the old course record, as would one 50-mile runner who dropped. Heath Larson, a first time runner in the Rockin K race was the overall winner in 3:49:40, Mark Pohlman, also a first time runner at Rockin K was second in 3:55:14, and third overall was Jess McNeely in 4:02:45. The first 50-mile runner came in to the turnaround just 8 minutes later.
As several of the 50-mile runners refueled in the shelter before heading out for the second loop, the first woman in the marathon, Suzie Scheer, finished in 4:46:08, followed by Sandra Powell in 5:16:27. Jackie Jackson and Melanie Galyon tied for the third overall place in 5:22:06. Suzie and Sandra were both first time Rockin K runners this year.
The heat of the day took its toll on the 50-mile field, 19 runners decided that a marathon finish would suffice on this day. The second loop of the 50-mile is a modified loop of the first, the runners, after leaving the unmanned aid station, take Alexander’s Cutoff to the Gate 6 aid station at 37.60 miles, they then do the Big Bluff loop, coming back to Gate 6 at 42.47 miles. From Gate 6 they run back by the unmanned at 44.16, then on to the Corral Shelter for a finish at 50.66 miles.
Paul Schoenlaub, a 3-time 50 mile winner would win again this year in a time of 9:19:05, second overall was Matt Becker, running his second ultra, in 9:22:34 and third place, a first time Rockin K runner was Paul Grimm in 9:45:59.
Returning 50-mile winner Tammy Stone won the women’s 50-mile race and reset her course record by more than 11 minutes, finishing in a time of 10:01:16. Lisa Mikkelsen, attending Rockin K last year as the Invo-8 shoe representative, decided she would run this year as well as being the rep for Inov-8, finished second overall in 10:34:11. Third place and the Rockin K Guts award goes to Paula Garland who got caught in the rain, thunder and lightening storm that rolled in around 7:45pm. Paula a first time Rockin K runner finished in 13:18:31.
The final 50-mile finisher was Scott McPherson, who ran through the storm that blew in until the lightening got too close. He laid low in a hollow until the worst of the lightning had passed. The cowbells rang for the last time at 13:55:15.
Alexander’s Legion of Honor, People who know that the real ultra is the double marathon, gained a new member, Dan Kropatsch completed the full 52.6 miles this year, in a time of 10:17:04. Congratulations Dan.
Despite
the heat, late starts, off course runners, horseshoe awards being confiscated
by airport authorities, a good old spring thunderstorm in Kansas, and with lots
of ice, water, Conquest, and food, the Rockin K Trail Run was a great success,
thanks to the runners and volunteers. But then this is Kansas, right?
Thanks
also to all the runners who donated money for the Gulfport Cross Country team;
KUS and Rockin K will be making a donation to both the Cross Country team and
the Kanopolis State Park Trail Fund this year.
Sometimes as Race Director you overhear comments or receive them after the race, some of this year’s were memorable:
“That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done”
“It was an education in geology! Flat as a pancake, my foot! We were even treated to the whole Dorothy and Toto experience when leaving Great Bend that evening. I had to pull over because I couldn't see past the horizontal hail! We patiently waited as a funnel cloud twirled overhead.”
“If you like miles of well marked single track you will enjoy this race. A relentless roller coaster of ups and downs. There are also numerous water crossings with a couple waist high.”
“Great choice of course and weather also. So many don't get the latter correct.”
“Great food,
wonderful atmosphere, TOUGH COURSE but great fun.”
And finally the best comment I’ve heard in 8 years of Rockin K, “Snakes! Gimme your gun!” said to Willis Ohl, the Natural Resource Officer, who politely declined to hand over the gun.
Thanks to all of you, see ya next year!
Stacy & Phil Sheridan
RD’s Rockin K Trial Runs