It's hard to believe that we've had SEVEN years of the Pumpkin Holler Hunnerd. We've always had good weather for this race (oh we've had a few warm afternoons.) But this year gave us a huge obstacle--a severe, slow-moving thunderstorm during the night after the 50K and shorter distances were complete. But more on that later.
The scary pumpkin rose from the depths of mutilation by the evil two-headed vulture and was photographed chomping on a runners leg. Thanks to Susan Melon Westmoreland of Mile Junkie for the artwork for this year's shirt.
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| Photo by Gina Day |
Stormy Phillips handled the announcements and race play by play and color commentary.
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| Photo by Gina Day |
I was actually fairly well rested this year, and set about the duties of smashing large pumpkins to start the three waves of runners. We allowed a two-hour early start for the hundred milers who worried that they might not make the 30-hour cutoff. We did this as a trial since in past years we have also had a 135-mile race and a lot of 100 milers took that start time and dropped down to 100 miles, giving them 40 hours. Next year, we may not have the early start, since it causes some minor and but fixable problems with the results
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| Photo by Gina Day |
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| Photo by Gina Day |
The 25K and 10-mile races started at 10:00. This year, the 25K used the main loop instead of crossing the nature preserve-traded in a long hill for a shorter but steeper one. Plus, they got to see Mad Dog and Them Idiots for the first time.
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| Photo swiped |
And yes, our old bridge that was torn down last year (and at least "I" am still mourning the loss of) meant an extra mile of pavement to get to the new concrete replacement that is named Combs Bridge, a name stolen from the old steel historic, yet removed landmark. I just have to bitch.
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| Photo by Lisa Butler |
A bit of a bustle early on, but the crowd soon thinned out. This race could easily handle 500 more runners.
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| Photo by Misty Rowland |
The blue loop is 29.7 miles including the out and back to the start/finish. 50Kers had a short out and back by the Nature Center on the purple road. The 100K had a longer out and back. The 100-Mile had a much longer out and back. From there on, the 100K and 100-mile just had loops--no out and back. The second and third loops were shorter--29.7 miles.
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| Photo by Chrissy Whitten |
One of the prettier sections early on the loop, the gravel road runs between a steep upward bluff to the right and the Illinois River to the left.
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| Photo by Chrissy Whitten |
About 4.5 miles into the loop, the long hill leading to Mad Dog greeted the runners. I love this hill. It just goes on and on and on with a couple of false summits. This hill was the beginning of my introduction to this race course--the one that was easily summited with hardly breaking a sweat. Of course, I was driving my Jeep.
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| Photo by Kristin Wise |
Kevin LeMaster and fam ran Mad Dog again for the 7th consecutive year. Night have caught them napping on an early round I drove. Mad Dog is the 10-mile turnaround.
This year was pleasant during the day with the sun peeking out every now and then but with a course that's 80% shady, it was a great day.
FrankMuller and Johnny Spriggs run the self-named Dem Idiots. They had a variety of smoked meats and sausages. And whiskey.
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| Photo by Kristin Wise |
Clouds moved in around mid-day. I borrowed quite a few pictures from FB buddies, and this was one of them. There's no shortage of great picture-taking opportunities. Just point and shoot--a great photo guaranteed.
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| Photo by Clint Green |
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| Photo by Clint Green |
Screaming down the hill into Savanah Corner. What would await them??
Jfrank with candy tassels no less!! I saw these in person but never saw them spin more than once or twice.
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| Photo by Bryan Drummond |
This is the only picture I could scrounge u from the Waffle Stop. I don't even see any crusty batter on the griddle. I could have done a much better job of picture taking. Next year we'll have a photography team.
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| Photo by Lisa Butler |
RJ, Abby, and Alicia ran the turnaround for the 100-milers. This aid station only saw 30 runners, and then their schedule was complete. They were overstocked on foodstuff, but they transported the surplus to other aid stops and were put to work on other fun stuff--pacing and shenanigans.
East of Eden is the far point on the course. Kate and Ed manned this lonely corner again this year. Kate and Ed have the best beans and cornbread around. I had seconds. There is no cell service here Local residents don't even know what cell phones are--but they're pretty back-woodsy anyway.
At East of Eden, runners have an option. The Great Gourd Challenge--to do, or not to do? They can continue on the course, or take the small detour up a decent incline--a mere 236 feet in a half mile (if you take out the flat part, 200 of the feet of climb in about .25 of a mile.) It's a calf burner on the way up and a quad burner on the way down. At the top, Susan Melon Westmoreland awaits and presents you with a nice souvenir to wear with pride. This year, it was a buff-like stretchy thing (can't call them Buffs) and almost 100 runners took the challenge.
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| Photo by Earl Blewett |
Next aid station is Hard Up Ahead. The last segment goes by a few houses and the Pumpkin Holler Cemetary. The old graveyard is a scary place indeed in the middle of the night. That's allI'm gonna say about that.
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| Photo by Earl Blewett |
Earl Blewett and Chuck Streit have attended to this aid station for all seven years of the race. They are probably the most experienced ultra runners I know. Earl was running 100-milers when there were only about 75 people in the world who even knew running 100 miles was possible for a human to do. In the picture above, we know that this is from lap one because Kathy and Mike are smiling, and are dry.
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| Photo by Wes Rupell |
The next stop is Bathtub Rocks. The segment to get here is paved--old asphalt with a few gravel spots here and there. There are a few sneaky hills sprinkled in--hills that grow during the night, and by the third lap, they are mountains. Bathtub rocks is a party station. Disco light and lively music is standard fare. Runners have come to expect gourmet food here, and this year did not disappoint.
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| Picture swiped |
Last Gasp is the last aid station on the loop. Shorty can be a loving encourager, feeding runners warm soup, fixing their feet, massaging cramped calves, but mention anything that sounds like quitting, and she turns into a rabid drill sergeant. No DNFs on her watch. From here it's only 3.5 miles to the finish, and she always gets the runners on their way.
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| Photo swiped from Bryan Carpenter who probably swiped it from someone else |
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| Photo by Earl Bewett |
I had done my best to get tarps and/or tent walls to every aid station, and they helped. The aid station workers had it the worst. Running or even brisk walking generated enough body heat to keep runners from having hypothermia, but sitting around in the aid stations trying in vain to stay dry was not the dream situation for our volunteers. But we at Pumpkin Holler have the best volunteers in the world.
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| Photo by Misty Rowland |
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| Photo by Misty Rowland |
32 hours after he started he was just as witty yet genuine as ever. Great and appreciated performance, Stormy Phillips.
Jesse Deana was the final finisher and she got the honor of smashing the last pumpkin. Jesse was close to being behind the cutoff, and with 9 miles to go, it looked like she might not make it. But she had great pacers and once she passed Last Gasp, she picked up the pace and finished with 6 minutes to spare.
Top three in the following distances are as follows.
10 Mile Men
1. Dominic Halser
2. Kyle Knapp
3. Steven Hill
10 Mile Women
1. April Shroff
2. Morgan Richardson
3. Holly Bronsert
25K Men
1. David Carter
2. Ted Holder
3. Joe Van De He
25K Women
1. Lori Enlow
2. Missie Warner
3. Annette Ward
50K Men
1. Mark Schattenbe
2. Aaron Trujillo
3. Josh Crocker
50K Women
1. Katie Kramer
2. Amanda LLynch
3. Lindsay Fritsche
100K Men
1. Bo Shelby
2. Cory McDaniel
3. Rob Green
100K Women
1. Ruth Loffi
2. Elizabeth Baker
3. Jennifer Benecheck
100 Mile Men
1. Justin Walker
2. Lance West
3. Jeff Lewman
100 MileWomen
1. Lisa Butler
2.Kathy Hoover
3. Sherry Meador
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| Crotch shot by David Newman |
Our copper belt buckles were well received. Even as RD I have these buckles in my possession, I have a major case of buckle envy, and I am just going to have to find a way to run the 100 to earn one that I can wear.
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| Photo by Candy Williams |
Big props to Dana Childress and Brynna Schelbar Phillips who ran the start/finish aid station which doubled as the final feasting place for finishers. During the night in the rain, inside their walled tent, they stood in 6" of cold standing rainwater. Come daybreak, we moved the station to higher ground, and the breakfast crew sprang into action. Brynna server up scrambled eggs, bacon, and a variety of quesadilla/burrito concoctions. Dana created all the aid station kits, which included shopping for nearly $2000 of food/drink, and then packing over 100 pounds of grub into huge packing tubs for each of the aid stops. She also orchestrated set up and tear down of the start/finish (except for what was provided byTATUR Racing) and packing the box truck for the trip home. All that to say this--we have the best volunteers on the planet.
What's new for next year? We do have a few changes in mind, and in the next few weeks/months, I'll clue everyone in on what we have up our sleeves!!
Nobody organizes a race or a reports a race like you do. Wow, dedicated volunteers and runners.
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