Ladies Rule Jerseyville 100

“You’re back?  You are an addict!” – ultra runner Kinga Miklos

What on Earth was I thinking?  During our R2R2R adventure two weeks ago, I swore that I would not attempt the Jerseyville 100-miler.  As some time passed, I started thinking perhaps I could finish at least 50-miles.  Then, a couple of days before the event, something possessed me into believing that I could actually run the entire 100 mile distance.  Who do I think I am?  If it hadn’t been for Wade and Jackie, I would probably still be curled up in a ball somewhere at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, yet I was considering running one hundred miles this weekend?  Man, oh man I’m a Monumental Idiot!

The Jerseyville 100 is a “Fat Ass” event.  These runs usually have no entry fee, no prizes and no aid.  However, since this run was hosted by Monica Scholz and Phil McColl, the ever-helpful Dieter Scholz had his tent set up and all entrants contributed some vittles to stock the legendary “Scholzy’s Deli” along with a second aid-station (Hawaiian themed, complete with grass skirts, leis and hula hoops ) at the 5Km turnaround which was captained by Ontario Ultra Series faithful Sharon Zelinski.

Nineteen hardy souls had signed up for the event and promptly at 6AM on Saturday morning, the official starter (Monica) shouted “GO” and we were off.  We had a 2Km spur at the start then the course would follow the Hamilton to Brantford Rail Trail 5Km out, and 5Km back…repeated sixteen times for the 100-milers.  The Rail Trail is an abandoned roadbed of the old Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway (TH&B) which has since been converted into a hiking/biking trail between Hamilton and Brantford.  Our 5Km section was in the small town of Jerseyville, Ontario.  The cambered, stone-dust covered path between Field Road and Hwy 52 had runners pass by a buffalo ranch, a few cattle farms, a golf course and some marshy ponds.

Throughout the winter, Monica hosts “fun runs” on the Sulphur Springs course in the Dundas Valley Conservation Area and it was nice to see many of the regulars from these runs in attendance at the Jerseyville 100.  The pack stayed relatively close together on the first out-and-back which allowed runners to get re-acquainted.  As the day progressed, my plan evolved from running 100-miles to running (and I use this term quite loosely) one of my slowest 50Km times ever.  My calves were screaming at me, evidently not fully recovered from the R2R2R.  The beauty of a no-fee Fat Ass event is the reduced guilt factor if the runner chooses to drop out early.  So after 52K, I decided to throw caution to the wind and call it a day.

At this stage of the race, Steph Rahilly of Whitby, was leading and looked very comfortable.  Steph ran her first 100-miler in September 2009 in Haliburton in an impressive time of 24:50:40.  A lucky winner of the WS lottery, Steph will be heading to Western States in June.   Monica was her usual smiling self while encouraging all runners.  Having already completed seven of her projected thirty 100-milers this year, Monica began a stretch of four consecutive weekends of racing this incredible distance.  She will have a weekend off in mid-May, and then will have five consecutive races at the start of the summer.  I’m looking forward to crewing Monica at the Mohican 100 in June.  Moreover, The Jerseyville 100 marks Monica’s one hundredth 100-miler of her running career.  To my knowledge, only Germany’s Hans-Dieter Weissharr has run more.

Another compelling story that was developing on this day was that of the Swiss-Miss Gone Bad. Iris Cooper, who is looking for redemption at Badwater this summer, appeared extremely focused and ran effortlessly.  With less than 2 miles to go at last year’s 135-mile Badwater event, Iris was forced to turn back as forest fires threatened the area near the finish line.  Iris was eventually permitted to return to the course, but missed getting the coveted sub-48 hour buckle because of the 13-hour delay.  She looked extremely fit on this day.

As the runners continued to shuffle along the Rail Trail, my afternoon saw me attend a garden show, spend some time with my grand-children, order a pizza and have a short afternoon nap.  However, my shame for dropping out of the run was overwhelming me, so seven hours after I had stepped off the trail I found myself back at the start line in Jerseyville ready to do more running.

Dieter briefed me on the developments of the day, I checked the batteries in my flashlight and I resumed the run I had started at sunrise.  Less than one kilometer down the path I crossed Iris.  She looked as though she had just started running mere minutes ago.  Her pace was torrid, her stride relaxed and spirits high.  She apparently did not spend much time at Scholzy’s Deli because it wasn’t long before she passed me.  I had had a seven hour break and Iris had already completed more than 122Km, yet she cruised past me and disappeared into the darkness.

The other runners I crossed were generally surprised to see me back on the trail.  I guess they grew tired of seeing the same faces over and over again!  When I caught Steph, who was now in second place behind Iris, she informed me that she was pulling out at the end of her current lap.  I’m sure she will be recovered and ready to contend for the woman’s title at the Sulphur Springs 100 at the end of May.  Although the temperature had dropped, the atmosphere at the turnaround aid station was still warm and filled with the spirit of aloha.   Sharon and John greeted runners from under the glow of the disco ball hanging inside the aid-station tent.

Stephan and Kinga Miklos were still running and were determined to finish.  Fresh off a 100-mile finish two weeks prior, Phil was moving a bit slower then he would have liked but he had settled into a comfortable run-walk routine.  Steve and Adi also announced that their race was over.  They had covered just over 100Km.  On my restart I ran an additional 20Km before shutting it down…again.   Does that qualify as two DNF’s in one race?  At any rate, the fact that I forced myself back out there redeemed some of the guilt that was eating me up.

The five remaining runners on the course would all complete the 100 mile distance.  Iris crossed the tape minutes before her birthday in a time of just under 18-hours.  This time is a pending Canadian woman 50-55 age-group record and one of the fastest 100-miles times ever posted by a Canadian woman.  This Monumental Effort should indicate that the Swiss Miss is ready to take care of unfinished business at Badwater!  Monica was the next finisher some 40 minutes later, followed by the Miklos couple and then Phil.  Official results will be available soon.

Congratulations to all runners and thanks to everyone who made the Jerseyville 100 event possible.  I look forward to seeing you on the Sulphur Springs trails at the end of May.

Gotta run,

Vince