Relay runners wrangle records at 2008 race
A record field of 94 relay teams entered the 2008 race.
The Supra category was abuzz this year, with a record 13 two-person teams taking up the challenge. The Cumberland Valley Athletic Club duo of Pete Breckinridge and Andy Mason plowed under their own Supra course record from last year by more than 6 minutes, posting a steaming 5:10:29 to take the men’s open category with the 9th fastest time ever by a team. “We were moving along out there today,” said Mason, 36. “I thought, ‘Man, I almost I wish I was in a regular marathon today.’” Top women’s open honors went to PSU Chickadees, Bianca Baier and Julie Stover, who ran a 7:39:46. The four teams in mixed open contention were led by Miserable X 2, Becky Green-Dixon and Luke Riley, in 6:27:55. The men’s masters title went to Team Inside Track, Tim Schuler and Gregg Cauller, who also notched a new Supra master’s course record in an impressive 5:40:55. Mixed masters glory went to Tortoise & Hare, Faye and Kev Hawn, who ripped 32 minutes off their 2007 time and set a new mixed masters mark of 7:50:16.
Twenty-six teams entered the Tri/Quad action, and the course was lit up with the performance of 3 Hawks 1 Hound, Track Cult, a men’s open quartet who hammered out a 4:57:39 for the second fastest Tri-Quad finish ever and the second fastest circuit on record. (Will anyone ever take down that overall course mark (4:51:39) set by four Penn State Tri-Club members back in 2002?) The women’s open title went to Salute Your Shorts, in 6:43:07. Mixed open honors went to Darn Near Dead, who we presume gave their all to post a 6:38:02. Men’s masters first place went to the Hexadecimators, whose 5:20:42 slashed 65 minutes off the previous record. In their defense, the previous record holders, Hair Today Gone Tomorrow, trimmed 19 minutes off their previous record time. Mixed masters honors went to Erie Running Club, who logged a 9:16:39.
In the Standard (5 and 6 person) relay division, 36 teams took part. The lead men’s open team was Boshank’s Buds, who zipped off a 5:11:28. Women’s open honors went to the Happy Valley Harrierettes, in 7:21:57. Tops in the mixed open action was Luke and the Millenium Falcons, who dashed to a 5:46:34 finish. The first ever Standard women’s masters team, Sole Sisters, clocked an 8:36:42.
Nine of the Standard teams formed by draft to compete against each other in what’s become known as the Draft Challenge Relay. Teams are chosen draft style, so they include a diverse range of pace and ability. The three men’s open DCR teams finished 3rd, 4th and 5th and within 3 minutes of each other; the six DCRs in the mixed open category took six of the first seven spots out of 22 and finished within a 25-minute span.
Twenty Mega teams covered the distance. Men’s open honors went to Sofa King Fun, logging a 6:06:37. The women’s open was won by Big Valley Broads in 7:43:01. First in the Mixed open division was Croptopus, whose eight agri-tentacles posted a 6:51:00. Men’s masters honors went to The Old Men of the Mountains, an over-65 octet led by team captain George Etzweiler, 88. Their circuit was completed in 10:01:22, within 11 minutes of their 2007 time. The group’s average age was almost 77, up from just under 73 last year, and Etzweiler covered not one but two segments this year, the challenging leg 4 and the mostly downhill leg 12.
Military Might
The race introduced a Military awards category last year. Top military honors went to the Green Machine, whose 6:03:14 sliced nearly 2 minutes off their own ROTC course record from last year. Military teams have participated in 7 of the 9 years of the race, including teams from Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Fiends for Footing the Forest Fifty
The distinction for most total miles logged in the ultra division belongs to Warren Renninger, Muncy Valley, Pa., who has completed six mOUnTaiNBACKs, for 300 miles. Scott Ferrari, Patricia Klaus, Joe Shuta and Morgan Windram-Geddes have each completed four. On the relay side, top mileage honors goes to Marvin Hall, at 140, if you include his ultra effort in 2004. Hall also has the distinction of having done the race in every possible team size, from 2 to 8. Going strictly by relay mileage, Ken Davis gets the nod, at 123.6 miles over six runs, three of them Supras. Second in relay-only mileage is Vicki Gauntt, at 111.9 in eight runs of the course, including two Supras.