Moore, Folcick win Sawtooth 100 with new course records

Records also go down in men's 50 Mile

By Alex Kurt

Cool conditions and a fast field contributed to a full-on shellacking of the course records at the Fall Superior Trail Races this weekend. Of six races contested on the north shore – over distances of 100 miles, 50 miles, and 26.2 miles, all run on the rugged Superior Hiking Trail with elevation changes that rival ultras in the mountains - new course records were established in three of them, and six individuals went under previous course records in their respective races.

“A lot of runners were well ahead course record pace early then Superior set in as it always does, dashing the hopes of most,” said Race Director John Storkamp. “We had a higher than normal finishers rate most likely do to the good cool weather on Friday; 127 started and 90 finished, so a 70% finishers rate when the average is usually 60.”

Sawtooth 100

Both the men's and women's course records went down in the hundred. Steven Moore, of Austin, Texas, clocked a 21:02:41, breaking the previous record of 21:42:11, set by Sean Andrish in 2006. Adam Schwartz-Lowe, of Minneapolis, was second in 22:41:02 (read our pre-race Q&A with him HERE) and Ryan Welts, of Goffstown, New Hampshire, finished third in 22:58:03.

Moore said he inadvertently found himself alone after the Beaver Bay aid station (near mile 20) and did not see another runner until he finished. “I wasn’t trying to push the pace or build a lead this early in the race,” he said.  "[I woke] up a lot of some late aid station volunteers who weren’t expecting us yet.”

In the women's race, the top three finishers were all under the previous course record. Kristina Folcick - also of Goffstown (a town of about 16,000 people) - passed early leader Christi Nowack to win in 24:49:06, under Helen Lavin's old record of 26:49:22, set in 2008. Nowak (read her pre-race Q&A HERE), of Duluth, finished second in 25:52:59, and Baxter's Becky George finished third in 26:05:25. Their times were good for 7th, 10th and 11th overall.

“It was very humbling,” said Folcick, who considered dropping out at mile 35 but was convinced by volunteers and her coach to keep moving. “The last seven miles were the hilliest, and I felt so tired and pushed on the best I could on that section. I thought for sure I would get caught but managed to finish in the lead and under 25 hours… I was proud, shocked and humbled.”

Complete results of the 100 can be found HERE.

Superior 50 Mile

Despite a mid-race rainstorm making the course considerably slicker and muddier, the top two men in the 50-mile race went under Chris Rubesch's previous course record of 9:09:18, set in 2010. Minneapolis' James Sorensen led from the start to win in 8:53:19, and Eric Nordgren, of Duluth, finished second in 9:05:10. Ethan Richards, of St. Paul, barely missed Rubesch's old mark, clocking a 9:09:24 to finish third.

“Being my first 50 miler I really didn't know what to expect…from the beginning I decided to lead not really knowing what pace was reasonable. After the first 7.5 miles I knew the roots and rocks would take their toll,” Sorensen said. “It's such a mental battle. I finally convinced myself that I was still in pain when running slow, so why not run a faster pace in the same pain?”

In the women's race, DeDe Gibbs, of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, won in 11:54:04, just over two and a half minutes in front of runner-up Shelly Groenke, of Mankato, who crossed the line in 11:56:48. Maranda Lorraine, of Ironton, Minnesota, finished third in 12:47:32. They placed 20th, 22nd, and 32nd overall.

“I had not trained well for this hilly course, and for all the rock bounding that was required,” Gibbs said. “This caused me to question whether I'd be strong enough to keep it rolling.  After the half-way point, though, I got a second-wind.”

Complete 50-mile results can be found HERE.

Moose Mountain Marathon

The marathon course records remained intact in 2012. Lane Johnson, of Bayfield, Minnesota, won the approximately 26.2-mile race in 3:55:38, barely edging out runner-up Ryan Braun, of Rochest, who finished in 3:56:07. Willie Tibbets, of Eagan, won the women's race and placed 11th overall in 4:39:03.

“I knew it would be tough, but I was still clueless on the race I was to experience,” Tibbets said, who recalled taking a short walk break late in the race – not typical for winners of a road marathon. “[Then] I remember that…it’s okay to do that here. It’s necessary to survive.”

Full marathon results can be found HERE.