June 28 was the 5th running of the North Fork 50 Mile/50K in the Pike National Forest, starting and finishing at Pine Valley Ranch Park in Pine. The course is challenging, with 7,350 feet of climb in the 50 Mile, especially for those attempting an ultra for the first time (48 first timers started; 47 finished). Yet it is quite runnable for talented runners with experience, as the footing is mostly good and the climbs, though long, are not terribly steep. The scenery is spectacular, with everything from thick pine forests to areas burned by fires that opened wide vistas of high peaks and beautiful rock formations. The course is mostly single track trail, with no repeated loops. The well-stocked aid stations are tended by veteran ultrarunners who offer encouragement and humor. It all blends together to make a very special ultramarathon experience.
A new course record was set in the 50K by 43-year-old Chuck Radford of Castle Rock, Colorado. He ran alone for almost the entire race, besting second place Dan O’Connell, 36, by 25 minutes. Women’s winner Rebecca Much, 28, from Ft. Collins, was running North Fork for the second time. She took 26 minutes off her previous time. A highlight of the 50K was the finish of 11-year-old Miles (aptly named) Salzer. He trained under the coaching of his dad, Todd Salzer and mom Carly Schulaka, both veteran ultrarunners. He ran the entire race with his mom until near the finish, where he crossed the line a minute ahead. Asked where his mom was, Miles said he had to leave her behind because she wasn’t running fast enough. But when Carly crossed the finish line, Miles gave her a big hug and said, “Thanks, Mom.”
Jessica and Nathan Miller ran the 50K in a very unique way. Both are captains in the Army’s 10th Sustainment Brigade, stationed at Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan. They “shadow ran” the race at Bagram, starting at 2 a.m. to avoid, as Jessica put it, “the dust, the heat . . . and the enemy, of course.” They ran their 50K around the perimeter of the airbase and finished in time for breakfast.
The 50 Mile men’s race started out as a closer contest than the 50K. At 10 miles, 2013 2nd place finisher Evan Kimber was in the lead, followed by Rick Scott, Adam Harmon and Willie Kinney. Scott took the lead and held it through 22 miles as the others fell behind and 36-year-old Michael Friedberg of Boulder crept closer. Friedberg passed Scott before the turnaround on an out-and-back section of the Colorado Trail at 27 miles, and he never looked back. He was 7 minutes ahead of Scott at 38 miles and ended up winning by 16 minutes.
Cindy Stonesmith of Louisville, Colorado, at age 50, also came from behind to take the women’s 50 Mile race. Elizabeth Gold of Englewood, 42, led for most of the race, followed closely by Amanda Morgenstern, 26. Running a controlled and confident race, Stonesmith trailed Gold and Morgenstern by several minutes through 27 miles. Then Gold and Stonesmith came in at the same time at 38 miles, after which Stonesmith pulled ahead to take the race over Gold by over 4 minutes. It was a thrilling competition.
The finish area at Pine Valley Ranch Park in Pine adds to the special atmosphere of this race. The barbecue goes all day for runners, families, friends and volunteers. The big stone picnic shelter next to the rushing North Fork of the South Platte River provides a beautiful setting for families and friends to await the arrival of their runners and for runners to cool down, refuel, socialize and glory in their accomplishments. People hung around for hours to eat, drink and cheer for the finishers. Runners are allowed unlimited pacers for the last half mile of the race, and many finished accompanied by their families and friends—a happy end to a very special day.
Report provided by Janice O’Grady.