Wasatch 100

WASATCH 100 MILE ENDURANCE RUN
9 SEPTEMBER 2000

From Laurie Staton this note:
"The Salt Lake Tribune has a good article and slideshow about the Wasatch race this year." See links below:

http://www.sltrib.com/09122000/tuesday/tuesday.htm

http://www.sltrib.com/fly/100milerun/index.htm

Another fine year at Wasatch produced some remarkable results for the Wasatch Alpine Striders
in this the 21st running of this remarkable trail run. Hats off and kudos to the following.

1   Karl Meltzer                  20:52
6   Derek Blaylock              23:00
10 James Nelson                24:14
11 Tom Remkes                 24:14
12 Tim Spence                   25:03
13 Dana Miller                   25:07
16 Tim Seminoff                 26:03
27 Ruth Zollinger                28:25
31 Bob Henderson              28:32
39 Ted Heal                       28:50
40 Troy Olson                     28:50
42 Bill Francis                     29:17
44 Rick Gates                     29:29 (#16 finishes)
45 Grizz Randall                  29:43 (# 10 finishes)
47 John Diroll                      30:05
49 Jill Bohney                      30:40
65 Duncan Orr                    32:08
69 Mike Price                      32:27
72 Lorraine Sorensen           32:36
78 Lorie Hutchison               32:44
79 James McGregor             32:48
96 David Blaylock                33:48
98 Roger Adams                  33:59
99 John Reynolds                 34:00
100 Paul Hansen                   34:02
101 Dan Simpson                  34:07
102 Fred Denys                    34:09 (#14 finishes)
106 Candy Lavicky               34:26
112 Lani Rasley                    34:55
116 Adam Grobben               35:07
123 Fred Riemer                   35:55
125 Debbie Moss                  35:59 (Deb beat Fred R. out for the coveted DFL award)

Notable DNF's
Jim Wiliamson
Cindy Andrus
Wendell Robison
Deb Wagner
Ann Trason
Brandon Sybrowsky
Travis Sybrowsky
Vera Loveless

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Wasatch 2000 - Irv
First let me say thank you to the following individuals who have come to my rescue and
help out on the preparation of the trail and on removal of glow sticks and ribbons after the race.
Stephen Utley - The Camel really put out this year in marking the trail and cleaning it up. I have
to take about 9 days vacation from work and Stephen was there everyday making things possible.
Stephen made a special effort to check the trail on race day from the Sheds to Bountiful B.
Aspen to Sundance was our last glowstick / ribbon project of the evening.
Kathie Utley - helped out as much as time would allow with driving and marking trail and put up
glow sticks from Lambs to Big Water on race day
Stan Crane - The Pancake Man was a busy bee helping Stephen and I on most of those days I took
off and Stan took care of ribbons and glowsticks from the start to the Sheds just prior to the runners
going through. This year Stan swept the first 18.6 miles removing the ribbons and glowsticks.
Doug Wahlqist - Took 2 days off to help mark trail.
Tom McFarland - Marked Big Water to Brighton on race day
Paul Hart & violin school students Andy and Dave - Marked Brighton to Aspen Grove on race day.
Paul also helped me check from Alexander Springs to Lambs.
Ribbon removal: - Stan at the start and also from Bountiful B to Big Mt. Stephen and Doug took
ribbons down from the Sheds to Bountiful B. Stephen and I grabbed ribbons & glow sticks from
Big Mt. to Big Water.Jane Patee and friend Roger took them down from Big Water to Brighton.
Stephen and I went from Brighton to the Finish and pulled the rest.

Ode to Wasatch
Prince of Rocks
Lying here at the Wasatch finish line
I'm in a peaceful groove
I'm feeling good, I'm feeling fine
Except when I try to move
At 53 miles, I wanted to be carried
At 76 miles, I was dead and buried
But right now I'm feeling neat
Just don't ask me to get on my feet.

**************************************************************************
A blistering summer left the Wasatch Alpine Striders feeling very prepared for hot temperatures.
So, you know what we get?   Yeah, cold temperatures. Go figure! I didn't really think race day
would be so cold, but as I was helping put up ribbons with Stephen Utley and Stan Crane Wednesday
before the race, I had to wear my wind breaker and gloves up on the Sessions Ridge. The wind was
nasty. Brrrrrrr!!!! After the race, when I heard the runners complain of early nausea, I put the puzzle
of running a hundred trail miles into this scenario: A balmy temperature at East Mt.Wilderness Park
was deceptive. Participants were not prepared for cold weather up on the ridges in the first third of
the race. This resulted in runners using extra energy (and critical amounts of fluids are needed for this)
to keep their core temperature up. The wind was again driving sodium bearing sweat off the skin faster
than normal. Runners feeling cold just do not tank on on fluids and electrolytes like they do in hotter
conditions. The difficult climb up to Chinscraper means extra heavy breathing which expels more moisture.
All this added up means the runners had a terrible time keeping up with their fluid and electrolyte balance.
Early dehydration set the stage for nausea and susceptibility to altitude even though most runners were
well prepared to run at our altitude. Stomach problems and fatigue battles seemed even more common
at Wasatch this year. Many of the early leaders either dropped or took much longer to recover before
going on. At the finish line I heard more than one runner with a bit of "wheezing" in their speech. Pulmonary
edema at altitude strikes particularly bad when runners get dehydrated early in the race.   It all sort of fits
together. Despite the war going on in the runners bodies the finish rate climbed up to 67% versus 62%
seen last year.
Karl Meltzer laid off of racing most of the summer due to an injured disc in his back. Karl was especially
keen on attempting Hardrock but didn't get cleared to run until a few days before Wasatch. Do you suppose
all this rest enabled Karl to pull off another great victory? Mike Tilden held the lead for quite awhile before
backing off and finished fourth. Leland Barker was also in the hunt for the Golden Skull award and overcame
a car accident which set him back physically and financially. Leland eventually came in a very respectable 3rd.
   Ann Trason started well and was giving the men all the competition they could handle but eventually bowed
out with severe hypothermia at Scotts about 72 miles into the race. Despite the chill to her body, her warm
heart sent Laura Vaughn a message to, "Get out of Scotts and down to Brighton." I may have left out a few
of the adjectives in that message that give it extra flavor and encouragement. Laura did manage to recover
from the dead and buried pile. Struggling on despite the severe nausea and weariness, she took up the mantra,
"RING! PAINTING! RING! PAINTING!"   Fred Denys, a well respected artist and 14 time finisher of Wasatch
after this years finish, kindly painted her a picture of Lake Mary, very stunning and quite a valuable piece if you
know Fred and his highly sought after oil paintings. This along with the first woman's 10 year ring presented at the
finish was just enough to keep Laura trail dancing over those passes to a 10th consecutive finish.
Susan Hunter-Yates won the race with a sub 24 hour time. Susan claims she had little training for the race and
wasn't expecting much. She left a lot of men whimpering out there while running to a 9th place overall finish. It must be true that sometimes the best part of training is accomplished by getting lots of rest. Adding to the days theme of lots of rest, Dana Miller, came back after months and months of recovering from a chronic injury to nail down a 13th place finish.
    With the Summer Olympics blasting out over all the news and knowing that all those athletes are making tons of
money for the most part, it is nice to share an athletic event with true sportsman. If anyone is getting rich off of running Wasatch, they aren't telling anyone about it. But the runners are being rewarded internally through victory of the spirit.
Richard Randall, called Grizz by his friends, completed his 10th Wasatch and accepted a painting from Fred Denys. The 1000 miles of Wasatch ring was awarded. A triumph of the day, a rejoicing moment of joy for us all. Everyone finishing Wasatch could tell you a grand story of victory over adversity, victory of the spirit. There was Rick Gates completing his 16th Wasatch and Fred Riemer gnabbing his 15th with 5 minutes to spare. There was Hans Dieter from Germany finishing his weekly 100 making him seem from another planet, not just another continent. Derek Blaylock made it under 24 hours and his father David Blaylock finished again. The Blaylock construction business keeps them busy every week and yet they are still able to do Wasatch and do it well. Adam Grobben, race directors son, came and made it 2 for 2 with great willpower. There were many first timers who left us with tears in our eyes as we felt the relief and joy explode at the finish. This is the best and true meaning of sport. As a part of the race committee, I was honored to stand in the presence of so many spirits victorious over the many struggles. I wasn't handing out medals and listening to the Star Spangled Banner play while they stepped to the podium. It was much, much better than that.
Irv Nielsen
Prince of Rocks