We have top quality tank tops ($8.00) tee shirts ($10.00), long sleeve tee shirts ($12.00) and sweat shirts ($18.00) for sale. We hope you can help us, because we need to sell these to help the Child Abuse Prevention Council.

You can still order the COOLMAX tee's for those wanting any of these ($20.00).
At the time this was written these sizes were available:

Tank tops:  11-small, 11-medium and 11-large

Short sleeve tee's:  8-small, 1-medium and 10-large

Long sleeve tee's:  14-medium, 7-extra large and 1-double x large

Sweat shirts:  4-large, 13-extra large and 7-double x large

COOLMAX: 6-small, 6-medium

HATS:  OTHTC, RIDGECREST, CA.=$15.00

I ran the 30K.  After running the Ultra for a few years, the 30K is a nice change.  It's a good workout and is long enough to make you feel good to finish the race standing up.

Then comes race day.  What's the day going to provide as far as our running goes?  Will we have a good day or a long day?  When we're all done, it's back to being excited about finishing and talking about future runs.

This year, the weather was so beautiful and warm that it was comfortable standing outside seeing the 50K runners finish.  It was nice to visit friends I hadn't seen for a while.  The runners all looked as if they enjoyed the run and talked about coming back again next year to participate in another adventure.

First things first.  We marked the course on flex Friday when the marking crew was off work.  The crew consisted of Phil Martin, Chuck Lewis, and me in one truck; Joe Oliver and Eric Kajiwara in a second truck; and John Burmeister, Jim Murray, and Andrew Mitchell in a third truck.  I want to thank the crew very much.  It went smoothly.

Early on Saturday, I started putting together the aid station supplies with two helpers: John Schillings and Sig Nakashima.  After we laid out nine rows of aid station stuff, the aid station captains could come by and pick it up.  John would be running tomorrow, and Sig would be manning an aid station.  Thanks very much you guys.

Now I was ready to load my truck with all the race headquarters stuff.  My wife, Debbie, and her friend Terry Wiendel were in the house stuffing goodie bags for 200-plus runners.  We loaded boxes with coolmax race tee-shirts, race numbers, maps of the course, ribbons on clothespins, goodie bags, and assorted tee-shirts, sweatshirts, and race hats for sale.  I got to race headquarters, a local pizza parlor, at about 4:00 p.m. and started setting up for a 5:00 p.m. start.  Runners were hanging around and kind of in the way.  They were ready to pick up their race stuff.  It seems that I had put a 4:00 p.m. time for pick up on the entry form.  I had thought that I had written it up for a 5:00 p.m. pick up.  I apologized.  The runners were very patient, and we did get started at 5:00 p.m.  It looked like the runners were a having a good time.  They could purchase an all-you-can-eat banquet for $5.95.  Not bad for all you can eat.  I was enjoying the evening.  I had a pitcher of Mojave Red, a local micro-brewed beer, and was greeting lots of my Ultra buddies and meeting lots of new Ultra friends.

Things were hectic.  I was overwhelmed by the number of sign ups this year.  I had thought if we were lucky, we would get about 200 runners.  Our race went from 184 sign ups last year to 266 this year.  Also, throughout the evening, I called out bib numbers for raffle winners of many items donated by our fine sponsors.

Well, 8:00 p.m. rolled around, and we loaded all of our headquarters stuff into my truck.  I drove home, added some of our start-finish stuff, and drove up to the college.  I unloaded everything on the curb and went back home.   I had to make two trips this year for the first time.  Other years, I just took the start-finish stuff on race morning. 

Sunday morning - race day.  The race starts at 7:00 a.m.  I got up at 4:00 a.m., showered, put on my race director clothes (just kidding), and headed up to the college, stopping at Denny’s for a large cup of coffee.  I arranged all the start-finish stuff I had dropped off last night.  Some of the runners who arrived early helped me take some things up some steps for the runners who hadn’t made it to headquarters on Saturday.  That took awhile, and before I knew it, it was 6:00 a.m.  Some early starters came by.  I took their bib numbers, and off they went.  A little later, I got some chalk and marked START/FINISH and some arrows around the parking lot.

Soon it was time to get on the course in my truck with chalk and ribbons.  For a number of years, I have driven the course at the last minute making sure no one has messed with the course markings and ribbons.  I do this while the runners are out running, otherwise, I’d be sitting on my behind.  This year I had company.  Rick and Liz Hodges joined me.  Rick was going to run this year but decided to help instead.  He did the Grand Slam this year.  Liz was going to pace her friend Pat DeVita from the 17-mile aid station.  All went well as we drove the course.  We added some chalk and some ribbons as we drove along.  We got back to the start-finish line before any of the 50K runners.  One year, Ian Torrance and Rob McNair passed my truck while I was marking the course. 

It wasn’t long before the first big-dog runners started coming across the finish line.  Ian Torrance (28) came around the corner and across the finish line in a time of 3:28:19--off his fast 1999 finish of 3:23:58, which was just one minute off the course record of 3:22:58.  It was good to see Ian back at our race.  He had come all the way from Seattle after having a very busy running year with many fine victories.  His story of how the race unfolded for him follows below.  I saw Jorge Pacheco (33) come in second at 3:28:54 with a fine effort.  He’s a guy to watch in future races.  In third place was my friend Rob McNair (46) with a time of 3:35:41.  Rob is our course record holder at 3:22:58 and is still kicking butt against those younger runners coming in after him on this day.

I wasn’t around to see many of the top dogs because Rob and his friend Bob Steel (he ran the 30K) and I jumped into my truck and drove down to my house to pick up the coveted keg of micro-brewed Mojave Red for the runners.  Soon we were back at the start-finish line and watched as both 30K and 50K runners finished.  A good time by all seemed to fill the air.  Many happy faces and stories of this day’s race were being told and retold.

It was time to order the pizza and soda for the runners.  I ordered the pizza in waves so that the middle of the pack and the back of the pack would have some too.

Before you knew it, it was time for the awards.  I started calling out bib numbers for the age awards and the raffle items donated by our fine sponsors and local merchants.  I called out the overall time and name of the winner.  When I called out the first female finisher, Kati Gengler (29), time 3:54:33, seventh overall, she came and accepted her award.  I thought that was it and was going to go on to the next award when Rob McNair said, "that’s a course record."  After downing some of those Mojave Reds, her time hadn’t registered.  I looked at my sheet, and it hit me how fast she had run this course today.  I called her back to the award table, announced her time again, and told the crowd that indeed she had set a new course record, breaking none other than Paula Newby-Fraser’s course record of 4:06:25.  I didn’t know who Kati was, but I’m sure she will be known in the Ultra running community.  I hope to see her enter other Ultra events.  I found out later in the week that she had been the overall female winner at the Bull Dog 50K held in September.  Coming in second for the women was Susanne Zifhlmann (36) at 4:19:35, and right on her heels was Kim Meggison (45) at 4:20:31. 

We had many fine times in all the age groups.  Of note was a new 70-79 age group record of 6:48:43, set by Robert DeVita.  The Papa Big Dog of the DeVita running family.  The 70-79 age record had been 8:01:13 set by John Lordarski in 1997.  John broke that record this year as well with a fine 6:51:00.  The women’s 70-79 course record of 6:27:35 set last year by Yukie Mochida was broken this year by none other than Yukie Mochida in a time of 6:27:32.  Congratulations to these fine examples of keep-running-no-matter-what-age-you-are athletes.  I hope to just get to the starting line when I reach 70.

Not to be forgotten were the fine performances by our own Ridgecrest runners.  Of the 72 starters and 72 finishers in the 30K, 12 were local runners.  First in and fourth overall was Eric Frisbee (31)--a fine job.  I hope he moves to the 50K next year.  Finishing after Eric was Mike Mumford (52)--not bad because he had only recently recovered from an injury.  Following them were Bob Steele, Chuck Jones, Phil Martin, Andy Mitchell, Elaine Riendeau, Jo Kajiwara, Maik Schurman (our German Air Force friend), Mel Miles, John Anderson, and Oscar Wickliff.  Of the 173 starters and 173 finishers in the 50K, 15 were local runners.  First in and 30th overall was John Shillings (45), who has always run well in the 50K.  Next were Joe Oliver, Eric Kajiwara, Rick Miller, Elaina McMahon, Mark McKinney, Tim Tyson, Dan Goriesky, Joe Harder, Carol Ann Wolfe, Curtis Davis, Mark Lambert, Tom Sakai, Barb Miller, Joy Lewis, and Randy Klassen.

Many, many thanks to all of our fine sponsors.  Some old and true friends of our race returned to sponsor us again.  And now we have some new sponsors to call our friends.  Patagonia was very generous again, donating many fine garments for some lucky winners in our raffle.  Montrail was back again, donating a couple of pairs of their fine trail running shoes.  Race Ready was back, donating a bunch of gift certificates.  Karl King was very generous again, donating his “S” Caps for our aid stations and his Ultra running products.  SuperFeet, Minigaiters, Bison Lights, and John “Fixing Your Feet” Vonhof joined us this year, donating their products.  We had Cool-n-fit in each goodie bag as well.
Trail Running Magazine sent us a magazine for each runner and a couple of one-year gift subscriptions.  Our friends at the best running magazine, Ultrarunning Magazine, sent us some one-year gift subscriptions.  ClifBar and Gatorade were back again.  We placed a ClifBar in each goodie bag and Gatorade at all the aid stations. Boulder Bar jumped in this year and was a great sponsor.  We had bib numbers from Runner’s World.  We also want to thank the RRCA, the BLM, and the Southern California Grand Prix Series.

When it comes to our own Ridgecrest merchants, we are lucky to have such wonderful, generous businesses.  Many thanks to Arzell Hale from IMC, A & L Tire Co., and Bud Eyre for their monetary donations.  Many thanks to Tom Frisbee of T J Frisbee Bicycles; Wal-Mart; Albertson’s North and South; Vons; Larry Lewis, H&E Hardware; Gail Walker, Carriage Inn; Barbara, Indian Wells Brewery; Barney, Jack-in-the-Box; Chip Holloway, Hamburger Stand; Victor, Santa Fe Grille; Sandy, Blimpie’s; and Nick Young, John’s Pizza, for their donations and help.  Many thanks to Linda Sappington for her photos, Mike Youngblood for his awards, Bill Surget for his great ceramic medallions, Paul for his tee-shirts, and Nancy Webster for use of the college gym.
I don’t know that I can find all the right words that can convey my appreciation to these fine sponsors.  Many thanks go out to these fine folks.  I hope that the runners enjoy their products and will support and tell their friends about these sponsors.

Again, as always, thanks a lot to all the help from the best volunteers anywhere to be found--the marking crew, goodie bag fillers, aid station preparers and helpers, race headquarters help, and the start and finish help.  You guys and gals are wonderful.  And of course, thanks to my loving wife, Debbie.  You’re the best.

Well, it was a great day for an Ultra, and I want to thank all the runners who made this great day possible.  See ya all on December 9, 2001.

Rob and I ran together till about 12 miles (where I had to make a pit stop).  Angel was in the lead.  The pace was fast, very fast (I felt).  Right before the second road crossing aid station (mile 16ish), I passed Angel but still followed Rob by quite a bit--but could see him out in the lead.

At the 20ish mile aid station (Double rocks?) I caught Rob, and as we walked out of the aid station together downing fluid and bananas. We turned to see Jorge coming strong and fast.  About a mile later (maybe less) he passed Rob then me.  I had the lead here until Jorge went by.  He went by on an uphill and kept going.  I was pretty much settling for 2nd here.  I regained some composure about two miles later and realized that the gap was not widening between Jorge and me.  So I decided to make it really hurt--nothing to lose right?  I slowly worked up to him and caught him on the downhill right before (Gracie's Mansion) aid station (mile 26ish).

We stayed together on the downhill toward the finish.  I was basically hanging on to his shirt tails!  He was flying, and I was just trying to hang with him.

Jorge ran a smart race.  His splits were most definitely more even than mine.  He has come on and improved over the time I have known him.  He really surprised me on Sunday.  You wait.  He'll kick my butt next time.

We exchanged a few words as we passed each other.  He was very encouraging.  But by no means were we lolly-gagging and "running together" to the finish.  It was a real race.  We both wanted the win.  I thought I was hurting the first 20, but I really found what hurting was in the last six miles!

The first year, we went out early in the morning and set everything up.  It was fun, and we said, "Let's do it again next year."  So this past year, we decided to go out Saturday afternoon and camp overnight. 
It was great!  We had a campfire and plenty of food and drink!  There's nothing like camping way out in the desert on a beautiful night.

After breakfast next morning, we watched for the first runner to come through.  It was exciting.  We also played music.  "Chariots of Fire" is OK but getting pretty time worn.  Marches seem to go fairly well, but the runners seem to really like polka music.  Some of them even start to dance.  But it really wears thin with the crew.  "Oh, do we have to hear that again?"

Last year we had some ideas on decorating the place and make it cheerful for the runners to come into.  This year we were trying to make it a little better than last year.  One day, while walking in the hills south of the college, we came across many stuffed toys that someone had strung along the trail.  (Maybe some little kid had not been behaving well, or maybe someone just wanted some new toys for Christmas.)  Whatever the reason, we gathered them up and, along with our own, added them to the decorations. 

So, what will we do for next year?  You'll just have to come by and see what we do.

We received our directions from host (run director?) Rick Miller. We were wearing our jingle bells on our shoes and, since it was dark, the course was marked with chemlights. 

We lined up for the start and ran through the desert and then through some Ridgecrest streets which were brightly lit with Christmas lights.

Barb showed off her baton twirling with a lighted baton out in the dark backyard.

The picture of Barb is with a flash. She really looked more like this.

We all had a great time at this social event and enjoyed the fun run, the delicious potluck dinner, and some of the "interesting" running outfits. Thanks to Barb and Rick for hosting the event again this year.