Uber Ultra

Jude, you’ll enjoy this post.

Kurt Decker of the Runner’s Edge on Grand Avenue recently competed in a 24-hour race around Lake Nokomis. Kurt set the Minnesota 100-mile record. Congratulations Kurt.

Three emails recounting the race are below.

For those who haven't heard, Kurt got the state 100-mile record, previously held by Brian McCollor, a little after midnight on Sunday morning. I don't have all the details, but imagine averaging 6 and a quarter miles for 16 hours. That's amazing. I went down and ran with him for a couple of the 2.5 mile laps on Saturday afternoon. He had already run over 50 miles by the time I saw him at 8 or 9 hours into it. To think that he kept up that pace for another 8 hours is mind-boggling. He never took any real breaks aside from a quick stop at his tent to grab some food. The hour before I saw him, he had taken a mandatory weigh-in and was a bit down on his weight. So his brother Kevin got him a DQ hot dog and a vanilla shake (or two) and he downed them along with a Nut Roll on the run. Needless to say, when I saw him, none of the other energy foods looked good to him.

I was struck by how Kurt could maintain his game face for so long. I must admit, I jumped in thinking I was just joining Decker on one of his long runs. Not so. This was truly a race. He was very methodical, running at about 8 minute pace and breaking the loop up with 3 short, quick walks. He kept up this same regime for every loop for over 16 hours. It is no wonder he was able to break the 100-mile record. Sean was with him when he broke it. When they found out how close he was to breaking it, they picked up the pace considerably. It sounds like they went to a sub-7 minute pace for a couple miles as Kurt broke the record by only a minute.

Not long after that, Kurt's legs began to loose strength. (Go figure.) He was able to conquer an additional 10 miles or so in the next few hours, but despite the fact that he was probably still leading the race after 19 hours, he called it quits. The winner, Scott Eppleman, ran 129 miles.

I always thought it was pretty incredible what ultra-marathoners could do, but I have a newfound respect for this end of our sport which requires more mental toughness and more race tactics than I ever imagined.

That was a heroic effort, Decker. Way to go.

-Matthew Waite

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Matt pretty much hit the nail on the head, but for those of you who couldn't be there here's my story of what Kurt did.

So I jumped in with Kurt when he had just under "four" laps to go to 100. He was 19 minutes or so ahead of pace. Or so we thought. Kurt was clipping off his 8-minute miles and walking at his designated spots. Each lap got a little bit quicker.

With "three" laps to go, it was in the bag. But Kurt continued to pick it up ever so slightly. His "39th" lap was in 22 minutes, a minute quicker than the lap before. As we approached the secondary checkpoint on the SE corner of the lake, the spot where the runner officially crosses 100 miles during their 41st lap, I announced proudly to the checkpoint personnel that Number 17 was coming and he had "one" lap to 100 miles.

The reply back was startling, befuddling -- "No he's got two laps to go," the timer said. "How could that be?" I thought. We continued on, but I was sure the timer was wrong, but we continued to pick up the pace, just in case.

We crossed the main checkpoint and they confirmed that Kurt had just under two laps to go and only 30 minutes to do it. It was time to see how hard Kurt could push. Sean Mulheron and I were running shoulder to shoulder ever so slightly picking up the pace. We hit one of Kurt's designated walking areas and I told Kurt we need to keep moving, it's only another lap and a half. Words coming from someone who wasn't at their 96th mile.

By now we were clipping along at 6:15 to 6:05 pace. We hit the secondary checkpoint. This time he did really have one lap to go. I shouted to the timer, "How much time do we have?" The reply "I don't think he's going to make it." I'm sure Kurt didn't hear it, but Sean and I did and it wasn't going to happen on our watch. Kurt had worked too hard for this and he sure as hell wasn't going to miss it by mere seconds.

It was time to throw the hammer down. Sean and I kept gradually increasing the pace. Jacob Hallen was running next to Kurt, helping him increase his stride. Sean and I were the tow cables. We got to the main checkpoint, with just under 10 minutes to go. We were flying.

"Weight Check!!" Shouted one of the race personnel. "You gotta be kidding me!!" I thought. Kurt flew on and off the scale. "Weight's good, let's go!!" We had no time to spare, let alone time for a weight check. Kurt caught up to Sean and I, Jacob at his side. We whisked by the Crew tent, we knew time was tight. We continued to accelerate on the backstretch. Time was running out.

"Come on Kurt!!" We shouted to him. "Let's go." We got to the south side of the lake, legs in overdrive, 400 meters, 300 meters. We rounded the bend and could see the checkpoint lights. Kurt's breathing was strained. He was running probably the fastest ever 100th mile. This was it!! This was to be his moment. I could see the eyes of the checkpoint personnel as we steamed into the line. They look bewildered, I yelled to them "What's our time???"

"16 hours . . ."

"Yes!!??!" I shouted.

"16 hours, 8 minutes."

"WOOOO . . . HOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!"

It was unbelievable. Simply unbelievable. Kurt literally ran his last mile at sub-6:00 pace. It was probably 5:45-5:50, maybe even faster. But without a doubt, THE toughest mile I've ever seen anyone run. He beat the record by 50 or so seconds. I think the timers are still wondering, "How the hell did he do that??" Everyone there was wondering, "How the hell did he do that??"

Hell, I even quietly wondered, "How the hell did he do that?" This is by far the toughest I've ever seen Kurt run. I was there when Kurt first subbed the 5:00 mile. I was there for his first marathon. I was there for his Marathon P.R. I was with him at his first 100 miler and Western States. Nothing compares to what he did this Saturday.

And it was an absolute privilege to be part of it. WAY TO GO Kurt!!
Congratulations and may that record last a long, long time!!

-Steve Hibbs

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Well what can I say huh. It was a very strange but so so wonderful day. As many of you know I have been training very well all winter and spring. I guess when you feel like you are in a good place in your life that can happen. Let me start by saying thanks so much to everyone who sent e-mails, called my phone for race day updates or all the people who came out to watch and or run with me on race day.

As for the race I can say without a doubt that was one of the best days I have ever had running wise. I felt great from the gun. I new what I had to do per lap to have a chance at the 100 mile state record and the 24 hour record. I thought well let's get close to the 100 and go from there after I saw how I felt. I figured I would run like 24-25 min laps. I was running 23-24 min laps and feeling very good. I had so many people out there running with me and cheering from the tent. It was great. Then came the d-day decision where to go after the 100 mile record. Well let's just say we miss counted a lap and I thought hell I am going to crush it. That was not the case. With just two laps ( 5 miles ) to go I need to haul ass to get it. Well with the help of Steve Hibbs, Sean Mulheron and Jacob Hallen we started running 6 min pace then with a huge 5:45 like last mile we dipped under the record. I could not have pushed that hard without them. Thanks guys !!! After that I new that I put my body in a bad place. I was able to walk like 10 more miles but then at 18 hours in said let's call it a day. No need to hurt myself. Maybe I could have kept walking and still won the race but maybe not. I know I did the right thing and know I can go back and get that state record of 136 miles. Plus heck I got to do my last walking lap with Sonya, my bro Kevin and my good friend Paul.

Now I have no idea how I was able to run that pace after running 95 miles before that. But I learned something that day. Sometimes you need to just turn your head off and just believe with all your body in what you can do. We all say that but myself included do not always do it. We humans and amazing and can push ourselves in many parts of our life to place we thought are not there. Thanks for believing in me and do not ever stop believing in yourselves !!!

-Kurt Decker