Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2007 23:07:59 -0600
From: “Dorion, Mark G”
Subject: 10 Hours Left/ AZ 6 Day Race
10 Hours Left in Arizona 6 Day Race:
(just before 10 p.m. M.S.T. Friday night)
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Douglas, Arizona– 15th Street Park.
1320 yard grass/ dirt/ gravel/ paved loop/ NOTE– course elev.3,980′
Current temperature=3D 67F with high winds
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1. John Radich, 52, CA 347+ miles
2. John McGuire _____(on long break)
13-year old Flor Cuevas, a charming young lady and talented runner, went to all her middle school classes this week, competed in several events in a track meet, AND has run 60+ miles at the 6 Day!!!
Most of the youngsters running in the Douglas event are from “the hood” and the projects, and represent all that is good about the youth of the USA.
Race Director Gary Cross (former 15:10 100 mile runner, 425 mi/ 6day runner/ 8:30 100Km etc.) is at 110 miles for the 5+ days. He plans to rest up and then tackle the New York Self-Transcendence 6 Day starting April 29 on the historic Flushing Meadows (Queens) loop.
John Radich is keeping up a steady 3.25 to 3.5 MPH and hopes to run most of the way till the end at noon Saturday.
THINK of everything you have been doing during the past 130+ hours– working, commuting in traffic, shopping, cooking, babysitting, going to the gym and Starbuck’s, posting to the ultralist, etc.. THEN think that these guys have been running and walking– and running and walking some more– and taking short naps– and running and walking some more.
400miles in 6 days is a national class performance.
500 miles in 6 days is a world class effort.
600 miles in 6 days has only been achieved by 12 (twelve) men, with hundreds of race opportunities, in the past 130 years.
***Germany’s Wolfgang Schwerk (#2 all-time at 24 hours, etc.) has come close this week in the 7 day in Greece, splitting 582 miles after 6 days.
(more on Schwerk’s effort in later post)
There is a big Easter egg hunt in the park adjacent to the Douglas running course on Saturday morning at 9 a.m.
The official name of this event is “THE ARIZONA 6 DAY RACE.” It was first held back in the 1990s and resurrected 3 years ago.
Plans are already afoot for next year, with a faster, smoother loop, etc.
–M. G. Dorion
SOUTH ARIZONA HERALD-DEMOCRAT
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