Delaware 100 2009

Results and Report 2009

18.5

39.5

68.5

89.5

100

Dave Bursler

1:12

3:01

5:04

7:06

9:09

10:40

13:05

15:26

18:04

21:16

Keith Straw

1:28

3:25

5:41

7:58

10:20

12:00

14:14

16:39

19:33

22:42

Phil Rosenstein

1:19

3:20

5:43

9:00

11:28

13:05

15:42

18:15

20:58

23:44

Charlie Nelson

1:53

4:03

6:27

9:03

11:57

13:53

17:18

20:35

23:57

27:08

Randy Dietz

1:40

4:12

6:44

9:28

12:20

14:25

17:33

21:06

24:23

27:59

Frederick Davis

1:51

4:35

7:27

10:39

14:00

16:45

20:06

23:32

26:27

28:58

Don Gibson

1:40

4:12

7:07

10:03

13:22

15:27

19:00

22:42

26:10

29:28

Tom Stone

1:50

4:50

7:49

10:59

14:43

17:20

21:01

22:49

Carl Albright

1:48

4:36

7:30

10:24

13:31

15:35

18:49

22:53

Margie Schlundt

1:49

4:38

7:44

10:54

14:00

16:30

21:25

25:24

Stan Duobonis

1:47

4:38

7:44

10:54

14:00

16:30

21:25

25:24

James Moore

1:49

4:35

7:27

10:39

14:00

16:37

20:59

25:33

Jessica Kennedy

1:20

3:17

5:16

7:26

9:37

11:07

15:33

Angelina Joeleah

1:41

4:04

6:40

9:47

12:48

15:12

Rick Moyer

1:40

4:04

6:40

9:47

12:48

15:12

Meredith Murphy

1:48

4:48

7:53

11:02

14:33

17:20

Gabriel Tambunga

1:28

4:05

7:29

11:46

Angela Ivory

1:48

5:01

8:50

12:35

Rick Palmer

1:28

3:38

6:05

Dave Bursler returned this year to claim his third title as the Delaware 100 champion. The 2008 defending champion, Jessica Kennedy, an Iron Man California girl who now lives in New Jersey, was not far behind Dave for the first half of the run, but was smart enough to stop when back pain issues told her to. Second place went to Keith Straw who looked good all day. Phil Rosenstein, “Run Across America Self-Supported” finisher 2008, came in third with a sub-24 hour run.

Fourth place went to a first time100-miler from New Hampshire, Charlie Nelson. We were concerned that Charlie was starting too fast for a first-timer, but he looked bright eyed and cheerful throughout the entire event.

Randy Dietz returned to compete his second Delaware 100, and perhaps this time he had more fun since he proclaimed “Delaware sucks!” when he finished.

The race was on for Fred Davis to catch Don Gibson for the over-60 age group victory, but no one was taking bets against Fred who put on his fast shoes and averaged about 11 minute miles the last lap.

The Delaware 80 mile club was led by Tom Stone. Tom almost caused a mountain biker to crash while he was looking at Tom’s bloody knee. Carl Albright was close behind, but decided to call it a day. Rumor has it that three 1/3 lb angus cheese burgers might have caused some stomach issues.

The next three 80 mile club members were VHTRC representatives Margie Schlundt, Stan Duobinis and James Moore. We do not have MMT rocks in Delaware, but Stan got a taste of sapling stump toe grabber which eventually caused sideways runner syndrome. James fell asleep and walked past a turn on the last lap, so he did some extra mileage. Margie, a 2007 DE100 finisher, gets the title this year for first place woman.

The run to the trail and back club was led by Angelina (Victoria Secret drop bag) and Rick Moyer. Meredith Murphy, who had to take 10 to 20 minutes after each loop to keep baby fed, set a new course record for nursing mothers.

The Delaware 40 mile club inducted Gabriel Tambunga (chia seed powered) and Angela Ivory who flew in from Nashville.

Rick “I don’t run 100s anymore” Palmer didn’t want to break his streak of four consecutive Delaware 100 starts, and finished the afternoon watching football, but returned to do some pacing at night.

One motivation, I think, along the way for hosting a fat ass 100-miler in Delaware was to prove that it can be done, and to say to the ultra-running world that we have some beautiful trails here in Delaware (as I’ve learned from my Trail Dawg friends). It is not all flat around here, and we do have at least one world class ultra-marathon runner, Dave Bursler, who is one of the toughest competitors one will ever meet.

The first Delaware 100, as John Harper quoted me as saying in his 2005 race report on the Team Slug website, “was a bad idea”. Our fat asses didn’t get burned off, but just got frozen on a very cold December day.

The next edition of the Delaware 100 (which I don’t count, since no one was there and so it really didn’t happen) was a solo run. I forget the date, but it was a true fat ass experience. I ran loops around the trail, using my car as the aid station, but could only manage about 70 miles before the mental wheels came off, and I returned home to a hot shower.

The 2007 version was a new concept motivated by the Mother Road 100 on Route 66. It included about 50% public roads being run at night and was set up so that I could finish a 100 miler in Delaware. The course was changed in 2008 to increase the difficulty a bit (Earth Day trail and an out-and-back road section).

In 2009, the course was again modified. The Earth Day trail was replaced by the slightly longer Lenape trail. The trail loop was measured by GPS at about 11.3 miles, but only published as 10.25, so you can do the math. The DE100 2009 was perfect.

My Korean mother is superstitious about even numbers being unlucky, but my dad has roots on the other side of the world, so this can create some ambivalence on how I view numbers. It does appear, however, that the number four has some magic in my life. I have four kids and they are all perfect, so “stop before anything bad happens” is one way of looking at it. This year, I finished my toughest 100 miler ever, MMT2009, in just under the cut-off to a standing ovation at the Skyline Ranch, and now realize it may have been the last time a runner will finish there since the venue is being shifted for 2010. That was my fourth MMT finish. This year, was the perfect Delaware 100. The fourth version. Since I’m at least half superstitious, I’m going to say that four is my lucky number, and say that there may not be a Delaware 100 Mile Endurance Run in 2010. Too many even numbers. But, stay tuned … right now, we are not accepting entries into 2010.

The Delaware 100 2009 was perfect. The weather, the group of runners, the pre-race, the post race, and the laughs. We did have great fun this year.

Thanks to Fred’s wife Flo for the laughs, helping at the aid station, and being so good to my girls. Thanks to Rebecca Moore for helping at the aid station.

Thanks to Mary Vish and Jeff for working the aid station day and night. You two are great!

Thanks to Steve Wilkinson, Tony Portera, and Amanda “Pokey Slug” Bundek for pacing.

Special thanks to my wife Mary for all of her support, patience, and love.

p.s. thanks to Randy for the Tröegs Sunshine Pils, Jessica for the “California beer”, and Steve for the PA beer