2007 Orange Curtain 100k/50k

2007 Orange Curtain 100k/50k

Many thanks to Jay Anderson for putting on a great event.

 It was well-organized and very-well managed. Jay’s wife

put together turkey and croissant sandwiches at the

finish that were absolutely delightful. The
course consists of a 5k-out and 5k-back on an asphalt

 bike trail in Cerritos, CA. The 50k runners take 5 laps,

and the more adventurous 100k runners get to do 10 laps.

 The course can be mentally challenging due to the

repetition but at the same time, the runner develop

 course knowledge quickly, and it provides a continuous

reminder of where you’re at and how
fast (or in my case, how slow) you’re moving.

If you’re feeling fairly good,
it’s fine, but if you’re struggling, you don’t want

 to know where you’re at
and far it is to the next turn-around.

Akos Konya, who went on to win the 100k in under 8

hours and looked awesome the whole time. He passed

 me just before I completed 30k (18.6 miles) as he

completed 40k (24.8 miles). Each time he passed,

 moving in the opposite direction, you had an opportunity

 to witness his focused countenance and his unrelenting pace.

 What a pleasure to watch a runner attack a 100k course as

if he were running half the distance or less.

His 7:53:27 reflected the relatively warm weather.

At the finish, he walked over to a grassy area, and

laid on his back for awhile with his arms crossed over

 his face, spent and taking a well-deserved rest after

 his successful race. As he cruised to the

finish moments before, his stride was still long and powerful.

Michelle Barton, who won the 100k last year,

won the 50k this year. Each time you passed her,

she was relaxed and beaming ear-to-ear. Running is

obviously pure joy for her. After her break-through

 run at the Javelina Hundred last November, she’s

established herself as not only a talented 50k

runner, but now also having excellent potential

 at the 100 mile distance. Javelina was her 3rd

 attempt at the 100 mile distance and it was charm as

she broke 20 hours. After a DNF at Western States

and a 28 hour finish at Rocky Raccoon, Javelina

provided a clear indication of her potential which

had been under-realized to that point. She has

unfinished business at WSER and her next race there

 will be a dramatically different experience.

The conditions in Cerritos were almost perfect,

albeit a bit warm. The high temperature was about 85ºF on

 Saturday, and the cool early temperatures were
quickly replaced by the dry heat. A number of

 runners, who originally planned to run the 100k,

 wisely opted for a 50k finish when they realized

their 100k goal would require a serious discomfort dividend, and perhaps
setback their training for future races.

I had the opportunity to sit and relax after the

 race and chat with Lorraine Gersitz. In her younger

 days, she was a member of the US National 100k team
and at one time, held the American master’s record

for that distance. We reminisced about our road-racing days

 in the early 1980s. What I find particularly inspiring

 about Lorraine is her love of running and the fact
she continues to run and compete despite a physical

 limitation that would thwart most others. Several

 years ago, she unfortunately suffered permanent
damage to her left Achilles tendon to the point that

 it is no longer functional. Both of upper legs are

strong and fit, and her right calf is
well-developed, but her left calf is thin and clearly

 atrophied. She has no ability to lift her toe nor toe-off

 after planting her left foot in stride.
Despite that limitation, she continues to run.

Not once did she express any regret or frustration,

 only a love of running and pushing her body. I look

forward to returning to the Orange Curtain 100k/50k

 next year to learn a little more about myself and lot

 more about my fellow competitors. Although
she would be pretty humble about it all, I want

 to thank Lorraine for being an inspiration.

See you at the 2008 Orange Curtain 100k/50k!