Another Ultra Win for Undefeated Nowak?

By Alex Kurt

Duluth’s Christi Nowak isn’t necessarily aiming to remain undefeated as an ultramarathoner when she takes on the Wild Duluth 100K this weekend, but that could end up being the result for the emerging star.

“I’m planning to run it with a friend and treat it more as a fun run than a race,” the 23-year-old medical student said. “My hope is taking a relaxed approach, along with being familiar with the course, will make running the longer distance less difficult.”

This will be the longest race attempt yet for Nowak, whose debut season as an ultrarunner has consisted of wins at Wisconsin’s Chippewa 50K in April, the Superior 50K in May, the Voyageur 50-mile in July, and the Superior 50-mile in September. At the Superior 50-mile, she set the course record and finished second overall, only 11 minutes behind the men’s winner.

In this race too, Nowak said she might have trouble curbing her competitive side.
“If it turns out to be a close race, all bets are off,” she said.

Meanwhile, Adam Schwartz-Lowe of Minneapolis will look to add a Wild Duluth 100K title to his long list of ultrarunning accolades. The 38-year-old Western States veteran won the Zumbro 100-mile in April and the inaugural Black Hills 100-mile in South Dakota in June. In September, he came within seven minutes of winning the Sawtooth 100-mile.

“I feel like I’m fully recovered from the Superior 100, and ready to give it a go,” Schwartz-Lowe said. “I’m looking forward to finishing this one before it gets dark out.”

Schwartz-Lowe’s biggest challenge could come from 25-year-old Chris Rubesch, who was the top male finisher at the FANS 12-hour run around Lake Nokomis in June. He also notched wins at the 2010 Ice Age Trail 50K and Superior 50-mile – the latter in a course record. Rubesch topped Schwartz-Lowe in their only previous meeting, at the 2009 Voyageur 50-mile.

“I think I can be competitive,” Rubesch said of his chances Saturday.

Wild Duluth also features a 50K. The 100K is the last race in the Upper Midwest Trail Runners’ “Gnarly Bandit” series, which has a $500 pot for runners who finish the Zumbro and Sawtooth 100-mile races and the Kettle Moraine and Black Hills 100-mile or 100K races. Schwartz-Lowe is the only athlete still in the running for the prize.

Alex Kurt is Down the Backstretch's new ultra-running contributor.