7th Annual Wickham Park Marathon and 50, 100, and 200 mile fun runs Melbourne FL, May 27-30, 2001. The Wickham Park marathon and 50, 100, and 200 mile fun run is a race consisting of 4 50-mile stages in 4 days on flat, sandy trails. Each stage is 7 repeats of a 3.75 mile loop and 7 repeats of a 3.4 mile loop, and has a cutoff of 12:30 (7:30 AM to 8:00 PM each day). Runners are responsible for their own aid and lap timing. The course is marked with signs and arrows drawn with flour, and runners are supplied with maps. In typical conditions of 90 F and 75% humidity, the heat index (how hot it feels) is 109 in the shade and 124 in the sun. The course is about 25% shaded. The marathon and 50 mile fun runs started together on day 1. Out of 27 starters, 15 finished the marathon, and two of them went on to finish 50 miles. Jason Maki, a 32-33 minute 10K runner and 1999 marathon winner in 4:11, and triathlete Chris Seinkner, the 2000 winner in 3:54, ran head to head for 15 miles until Chris dropped out. Jason went on to lower the course record to 3:50:46 in brutal heat and humidity. Mike Farnsworth, a 2:55 marathoner, finished second in 4:00:23. Megan Harrison was the first woman in 4:45. Although many runners had their sights on 50 miles, only two made it, Mark Henderson of Houston, last year's 50 and 100 mile winner, and Army Ranger John Pugh of Savannah. Mark lowered his own 10:52 course record to 10:20:15. John was second in 12:04:12. Mark was the only official runner remaining for days 2, 3, and 4. On day 2, he ran 10:48:44 for a combined 100 mile time of 21:08:59, lowering his own course record of 22:19. The 100 mile distance was added last year, and Mark was the only finisher then, when high temperatures were 97 and 96 F on the two race days. Mark still remains the only person to have completed this distance. But Mark was not done yet. He was determined to be the first to complete the 200 mile distance, which was new this year. On days 3 and 4, battling fatigued legs, blisters, and diahrrea in the extreme heat, he ran 11:16:03 and 11:23:37 for a combined time of 43:48:39 for 200 miles in 4 days. It is difficult to appreciate the effort that goes into a run of this magnitude without attempting it. As race director, I have always run my own race to keep the other runners honest, and to make sure the trail is properly marked, but mainly because I like to run. Last year I finished the first 50 but made only 40 miles on the second day before the 12:30 cutoff caught up with me. This year I planned to run all 4 days, and made 43, 36, 30, and 11 miles, for a total of 120. I believe that such efforts are hard on the immune system, however. I rarely get sick, but did so both years by the third day. On the last two laps of the fourth day, with a sore throat and reduced to walking, I was unable to keep my body temperature down in the sun and was getting delirious. I decided then it was time to quit. 200 Mile Fun Run, days 1-4 1. Mark Henderson, 41M, Seabrook TX 43:48:39 CR Splits: 10:20:15 + 10:48:44 + 11:16:03 + 11:23:37 100 Mile Fun Run, days 1-2 1. Mark Henderson 21:08:59 CR, split in 200 Splits: 10:20:15 + 10:48:44 50 Mile Fun Run, day 1 1. Mark Henderson, 41M, Seabrook TX 10:20:15 CR, split in 100/200 2. John Pugh, 26M, Savannah GA 12:04:12 Marathon, day 1 1. Jason Maki, 25M, Cocoa Beach FL 3:50:46 CR 2. Mike Farnsworth, 37M, Indian Hb Bch 4:00:23 3. Mitchell Hait, 39M, Melbourne FL 4:03:52 4. Mark Henderson, 41M, Seabrook TX 4:38 split in 50/100/200 5. John Pugh, 26M, Savannah GA 4:41:05 split in 50 6. Megan Harrison, 36F, Geneva FL 4:45 7. Phil Little, 58M, Apopka FL 5:16:24 Andrew Colee, 54M, Valparaiso FL 5:16:24 9. Steven West, 46, Wesley Chapel FL 5:44:30 (29.6 mi in 6:57) 10. Jim Sullivan, 49M, Orlando FL 5:47 11. John Barrera, 37M, Savannah GA 6:00 12. Jay Ward, 28M, Melbourne FL 6:05 13. Matt Mahoney, 45M, Melbourne FL 6:34:48 (43.2 mi in 12:04) 14. Leili Van Dine, 38F, Boca Raton FL 7:59 (30 mi in 9:17) Beth Terry, 35F, Valdosta GA 7:59 16. Pete Cahill, 39M, Houston TX 8:57:55 (ran on day 2) Maricco Creopo, 30M (18.75 mi in 2:51) John Fensel, 45M, Sebastian Fl (18.75 mi in 4:15:57) Leah Olszewski, 26F, Atlanta GA (18.75 mi in 4:28:07) Chris Seinkner, 32M, Cocoa Beach FL (15 mi in 2:02:30) William Moro, 31M, Port St. John FL (15 mi in 2:29) David Thompson, 42M, Orlando FL (15 mi in 3:45) Don Taylor, 70M, Hagerstown MD (11.25 mi in 2:42) Joe Terry, 15M, Valdosta GA (11.25 mi in 3:15) Matt Roche, 25M, Cocoa Beach FL (7.5 mi in 1:14) Stu Gleman, 56M, Titusville FL (7.5 mi in 2:00) Candi Ashley, 39F, Temple Terrace FL (3.75 mi in 46:15) Chris Beck, 52, Kissimmee FL (3.75 mi in 55) Weather: Low 68, high 89 F and 45% humidity, sunny, 5% cloud cover. Day 2 1. Mark Henderson 50 in 10:48:44, total 100 Matt Mahoney (36.4 in 10:48, total 79.6) Stu Gleman (11.25 in 3:26, total 18.75) Beth Terry (3.75 in 1:20, total 30) Weather: Low 68, high 86 F and 77% humidity and overcast, light rain and cooler in afternoon. Day 3 1. Mark Henderson 50 in 11:16:03, total 150 Matt Mahoney (29.6 in 10:32, total 109.2) Mike Farnsworth (11.25 in 2:20, total 37.5) Weather: Low 68, high 90 F and 74% humidity, sunny, 20% cloud cover, thunderstorm at 3:30-5:00 PM and cooler afterwards. Day 4 1. Mark Henderson 50 in 11:23:37, total 200 Matt Mahoney (11.25 in 3:39, total 120.45) Mike Farnsworth (7.5 in 1:25, total 45) Beth Terry (3.4 in 1:08, total 33.4) Weather: Low 68, high 87 F and 77% humidity, 20% cloud cover. Note: Times and distances listed in parenthesis are not scored. They are shown for information purposes only. Race website: http://mahoney4.home.netcom.com/scr/wickham.htm Race director: Matt Mahoney, matmahoney@yahoo.com