Summer Run Toto Run

Bad Ben's Trail Running Site

Summer Run Toto Run

Saturday, July 10, 8:00 a.m.

As of July 7, 2010, at noon: 322 entrants from 18 States!

Kansas City Trail Nerds' Present:

The Mizuno Cabrakan

"Psycho Psummer" Run Toto Run

50K & 15-Mile Trail Run

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Wyandotte County Lake Park

Kansas City, Kansas

A run on hilly bridle trails, single-track trails, and dirt roads.

This course will be different in many ways from the February "Run Toto Run" Race.

Starting times:

50-Kilometer race: 8:00 a.m.

15-Mile race: 8:30 a.m.

Ultrarunning Magazine article about the 2009 event.

All early entrants will receive a technical fabric" short-sleeve shirt and mug, with an original Jason Crosby design. (No guarantee for post-June 27 entrants).

Finishers of the 15-Mile and 50K events will also receive a finisher's medal.

Photo by Kristi Mayo

Deanna Culbreath and David Wakefield: 50K Winners

Photo by Rich Stigall

Gregg Buehler, Rick Mayo, & David Wakefield: 50K Battle

2010 Race, with 326 starters (total)

18 States and three other countries represented: Ireland, Spain & New Zealand.

Questions about results?

Please contact Raul: runsfar@kc.rr.com

A Few Comments About the 2010 Race:

"You guys put on an amazing race! Best food & volunteers of any race I've ever run!!" - Sheree Betta Reece

"Ben & Sophia--
Thank you so much for ALL the hard work you put into organizing this great race so we runners could come & have some tough fun!

It was a great course, very well marked, even to a newcomer like me. It included every type of challenge!

Thanks too to all your fantastic volunteers. They were not only highly efficient, but friendly every time. Nothing better than reaching another aid station after a hard run.

Thanks, I had a great time!"

"What a great race. The aid stations rocked, the volunteers were super helpful and the course was brutally wonderful......I will def be back for more!" -Erin Hennessey

"Thanks to all who made this race possible. This one put the hurt on me like no other." - Steve Pollihan

"Race Directors (Ben & Sophia),

Great job putting on the race as usual. The course was tough and a lot of fun, looking forward to Pysco Wyco winter already, not really my legs are still killing me.

BTW - You did have an Irishman (and yes Irish Citizen) win the 15mile so you can add to the countries represented.

Thanks again for the great time,"

- Ken Moran (Winner of 15-miler)

"Awesome race! Thanks for organizing a great event. Those hills were brutal! Hope to see you guys out on the trails in Topeka sometime."

"This was my first trail race (well, my first trail run, actually) and I enjoyed it thoroughly! Keep up the good work and I'll see you next year!"

- Belinda Ambrose

"This was my first trail race, and it was awesome - I had a great time! The volunteers and aid stations were great. thank you so much for putting this together and doing such a great job. I'll definitely be back!"

"Hey you two. Just wanted to say thanks for putting on such a fun event. Even though I came by myself, I definitely felt like I was amongst friends. Still waiting for that damn elusive sub 6!" - Mark Inbody

"I know I said this after the run on Saturday, but I wanted to make for sure you
heard it again...GREAT RUN!!!

Thanks for organizing a great event and thanks to the Trail Nerds for
outstanding preparations before, during and after the run. The aid stations
were well stocked and placed, providing much needed assistance at just the right
times on the course. The volunteers were fantastic, supportive and full of
friendly cheers arriving to and leaving from the stations. GREAT TRAIL!! I
loved every mile of the run. What a great way to start running trails and
complete my first 50k!

One final comment: ICE!!!! ICE!!! ICE!!! I never thought frozen H2O could be
such an awesome treat. I will never look at ice again in the same way
or de-value the merits of cold water on a warm day :-) I also appreciated the
water even more after getting to fill the containers before the run. Please let
me know if you are ever running short on volunteers.

Thanks for the run!"
- Dan Thomason

"I ran in your race this past Saturday and it was awesome. It was cool running up and down the hills, climbing up a rope and running through the mud. I have never had that much fun in any races before. Thanks again for you and everyone else whom helped out on Saturday. It was a great event." - Chris Notestein

"Terrific, and humbling event. Superb organization and execution by folks who obviously love what they do. Glad to have been a part of it." - Jon O'Neil

"WAS SO FUN UNBELIEVABLE > Hope you all had fun as well!" - Jarod Reisin

"Great race! Psyco Wyco annihilated me!!! Thanks race directors and volunteers for an epic day!!! Good times."
- Matty J Mullins

"What a CRAZY run! Thanks (SO MUCH) to all who organized, weed-whacked, volunteered and supported. Was definitely the MOST difficult run of my life. Was my first trail run ever - what a challenge and quite an emotional end for me. CHEERS to all psycho trail runners!" - Tracy Speiss

"AWESOME race, swore I was NEVER going to run another ultra again and it is a good thing no one was around to hear my language the last 1.2 miles (I personally think they altered the route and added 10 more) but after a day went by I will definetly return! The volunteers were amazing and I think I would still be out there if it werent for them!!! Thank you so much for putting on such a great event!" - Michelle Elliott

And yes, someone has to always complain:

haha! Labeled as a complainer, eh? Now that you mention it there are a few items that need addressing....

Where were the ticks? In previous years they have been a bit scarce, but I’m afraid they are approaching fabled status. Everyone talks about them, but no one has actually seen one in years. Rumor has it that the course was rerouted to avoid a tick reintroduction colony, so I’m cautiously optimistic that following years will improve, but know better than to count the ticks before they hatch.

Much was made in the pre-race briefing about poison ivy awareness. What runners should be aware of is that very little poison ivy remains on the course! I found it difficult to earn even a mild rash after many hours of effort. One fallen log had poison ivy deliberately placed on it, but I’m afraid too many opportunities were missed and there was a lack of overall suffering because of it.

Now, on to the most egregious offense….WATER! Why even bother to have a run in the middle of summer if you are going to provide water around every turn? I could have carried a mouthful of water between aid stations at some points! Where is the thrill of dehydration? Where are the water rationing and the fear of running dry for hours? 10 water stations on a 15 mile loop? Are you mad? It’s like you were intentionally trying to weigh runners down with water they couldn’t possibly drink before the next opportunity to refill…hmmm, perhaps you are an evil genius?...

Finally, you are hampering the development of future runners and threatening the good name of masochistic athletes everywhere. By staffing aid stations with experienced runners with all the supplies anyone could need, you are preventing the next crop from learning the hard way! Paying for mistakes - GONE! Monday morning horror stories - GONE! If this continues, you’ll have scores of average people romping around the woods having a good time – with none of the ultra style pain and suffering. Is that really what you want? Seriously?

Joking aside - I had a blast. It was not my best time for the course, but was my best time ON the course. Well done!

Thanks again!

Photo by Rich Stigall

Jessica Secrist and other runners climb Hedgehog Hill

Photos by Kristi Mayo

Rick Mayo is FINISHED!

Photo by Kristi Mayo

Co-Race Director Sophia Wharton talks with Darin Schneidewind after his 15-Miler

Race Entrants will receive:

A beautiful mug with the race logo on it.
A technical short-sleeved shirt.
A well-marked, beautiful and challenging course.
Nine aid stations (per 15-mile loop), staffed by experienced ultrarunners.
Great aid station food, along with S-Caps, Succeed sportsdrink, GU, and GU-Chomps.
Post-race food and beverages.
A nice medal to take home (for finishing).

Race directors:

Ben Holmes 816-810-0440

and

Sophia Wharton 816-808-7758

Dick Ross Photo

Race Directors Sophia & Bad Ben

Active service members and coaches: Please ask for "discount codes" for online entry.

Wounded Warrior Project:
The mission of this group is to raise $25,000 for the Wounded Warrior Program and to raise awareness of the plight our Wounded Warriors face. See Tony Clark's blog. We raised $375 for Tony's project at the 2010 race.

Photo by Rick Mayo

Andy Henshaw, Ivan Marsh, & Darin Schneidewind

Photo by Dick Ross, www.seekcrun.com

Race Details:

Brief Description:

Loop course on rocky, rooty, and hilly bridle trails & single-track trails. Time limit: 10 hours. Estimated Participants:250. 4th Annual. Both Race Distances: Early-bird Fee: $45. Amenities: Hot food at end of race, finisher's medal, commemorative mug, technical tee-shirt.

Online Registration Closes:

Registration is officially closed.

Course

The 50K and 15-mile are a loop course on rocky, rooty, and hilly bridle trails & single-track trails. Each loop is 15.92 miles long.

Course Map

The course has been slightly different every year, and this year is no exception, as more singletrack trail is added to the park. Here is a map of an older version of the course. The main changes are to these sections: Shane's Debacle, Spillway, Fall Down Hill, and the Boy Scout Honor Trail (and road sections).

"Single-track" Course Sections:

There are a few very nice sections of single-track trail on the loop course that were built by the Trail Nerds. "Fester's Wander" was designed by the race director's dog, "Fester," and built by Nerds.

Food and Aid Stations

We will have food for all participants (regular and vegan), after the race(s). Yum! On the course, all staffed aid stations will have food and "SUCEED!" brand sports drink and water for participants. Our water is composed of the finest organic hydrogen and free-range oxygen, blended to perfection as H2O. There will be at least 7 staffed aid stations per 15.9-mile loop You will not travel more than 2 miles between aid stations. Despite all of these aid stations, we will require all participants to carry their own water bottle or hydration device. This is not only for sustainability reasons, but for your safety. You will be disqualified, if you don't have a water bottle or hydration device of some kind.

Shirts

Well-designed short sleeve "technical" t-shirts for all participants that enter prior to June 25. No guarantee of a shirt or proper size for later registrants.

Medals

All event finishers receive finisher's "hardware." The 50K and 15-mile finishers receive a large medal, that is appropriate for the effort they put in.

Charities:

The Trail Nerds group is dedicated to having affordable and fun trail events, and it's our mission to add and maintain singletrack trail systems in an environmentally proactive and responsible manner. The Trail Nerds are part of the Kansas City Track Club, which is a federally recognized 501(c)3, not-for-profit corporation. Any proceeds leftover after race expenses are funneled back into trail advocacy activities and putting on even more fun and inexpensive (future) events.

ERTA Earth Riders Trails Association:
Earth Riders Trails Association, or ERTA, is a recreational trails advocacy group created to increase the quantity and quality of sustainable singletrack trails throughout the Midwest. ERTA is a federally recognized 501(c)3, not-for-profit corporation whose board members, officers, advisory board, and volunteers are outdoor enthusiasts dedicated to achieving it's mission of adding and maintaining singletrack trails in an environmentally proactive and responsible manner.

Wounded Warrior Project:
The mission of this group is to raise $25,000 for the Wounded Warrior Program and to raise awareness of the plight our Wounded Warriors face. See Tony Clark's blog. You can either give (conveniently) when you register online, or participate in the raffle that we'll have at the race event.

Packet Pickup:

Packet Pickup: Friday, July 09, from noon to 7 p.m. at Garry Gribbles Running Sports, at NW corner of 119th St & Quivira Rd, Overland Park, Kansas (Or you can show up on race day 45-minutes early).

Pacers:

(Human) Pacers are not allowed for the either race, unless there is a special need for one. Please contact the race director, if need be.

Dogs as Pacers:

We are a dog-friendly bunch, within reason. You can run with your (well-mannered) dog, but it must be on a leash, and you must not let it get entangled with another runner. Your dog will be issued a bib number that needs to be attached (with your name and cell # written on it with a sharpie). Your dog will be included in the official results, if you sign it in at the starting line. There is no additional cost to you. Please keep in mind that we won't allow any cruelty to animals, so you must attest to your dog's "trail conditioning." If it appears that your dog is heat-stressed or otherwise physically stressed or injured, we will ask you to pull out of the race and seek out veterinary help. Please provide water and food for your dog. You can refill your dog's water at the aid stations.

Sustainability:

The Trail Nerds have been working diligently to encourage Sustainability issues. Our goal is to minimize the effects of our events and activities on the environment. We want to leave the trails better then how we find them. As part of this race, we will require all participants to carry their own water bottle or hydration device. This is not only for sustainability reasons, but for your safety. You will be disqualified, if you don't have a water bottle or hydration device of some kind. In 2009's humid race, this practice probably helped many to finish their race.

We also use removable course markings and require everyone to carry out what they take in. We treat litter bugs............just like whiners.

We also encourage you to carpool to this race (and all of our races) and to any training runs.

Kansas is Not Flat

Course Profile: One 15-Mile Loop

Ben Holmes 816-810-0440

Sophia Wharton 816-808-7758

2009 Race

Thanks to all of the volunteers for a fantastic race. And thanks to the participants for coming out on such a humid day.

Results 2009

When it's hot, it's hot...

2008 Race Reports:

Mark Stovall: Complaints

Mookie Thompson (first 50K): Thanks

The 2008 Race is in the bag...race reports and photos are below.

Thanks to all of the wonderful volunteers (or volundears) that made this event happen. Our volundears did: 10 miles of weed-whacking, lots of food preparation, packet-stuffing during a storm and power outage, set-up and staffed aid stations, worked the finish line, and provided runner and course support. They are the best out there!

Photo Montage by Gary Henry

Photos by Dick Ross www.seekcrun.com

Photos by Dick Ross & Ben Holmes

Well, We had a fabulous event in 2007:

The volunteers were hard-working and wonderful; the runners were par-boiled but cheerful, and the course was grueling, yet beautiful in its own way. Check out all race reports, photos, etc, HERE.

RESULTS 2007!

More information:

Brief Description:	50K Run, 15-Mile Run and Psychopathic 5K. All on bridle trails, single-track trails, and dirt roads. This is a rocky and hilly UNPAVED loop course. 10-hour time limit. Aid stations with food, water, and sports drink. Nicely-designed, high quality "technical" event shirts & unique "finishers hardware". We will have DAG Chip Timing by Raul Flores RaceDay Timing Solutions Participants must carry at least one water bottle or hydration device.
Fees:	50-Kilometer Trail Run: $30 (early bird) $40 (after June 1, 2008) $60 (after June 20, 2008) 15-Mile Trail Run: $30 (early bird) $40 (after June 1, 2008) $60 (after June 20, 2008) Psychopathic 5K Trail Run: $25 (early bird) $30 (after June 1, 2008) $50 (after June 20, 2008)
Online Reg. Closes:	July 02, 2008 Noon Pacific Time
Course:	The course consists of rocky, rooty, and hilly bridle trails, single-track trails, and dirt roads. The longer events are a Loop course, and the 5K is an out and back. You will be in the woods, for the most part. THIS IS NOT A SISSY PAVED EVENT. 50K and 15-Mile Course Map.
Special Instructions to Runners:	All runners will carry their own water bottles or hydration system. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS. Failure to do so will result in disqualification. This is for your safety. Even though there are aid stations, it will be hot and/or humid, and we want a safe race for all.
Directions to Wyandotte County Lake Park:	From the west side of the I-435 loop, take the Leavenworth Rd exit. Head east, take a left at N 91st St; enter the park and follow the signs.


Vehicles:	Carpooling to the event is highly encouraged. Parking can be an issue. The park opens at 7:00 a.m.; please don't block the gate prior to opening. Crews for solo runners are allowed one vehicle on the course and that vehicle must display the team number that we supply in the windshield. No vehicles larger than a van or SUV will be allowed on the course. NO BUSES, RV'S OR LARGE VEHILCLES, PLEASE. All vehicles must follow the rules of the road and the park. Maximum speed is 20 MPH in the park. There will be no riding in the back of pickup trucks or on the outside of vehicles.
Packet Pickup:	Friday July 4, 2008, noon to 4:00 p.m., at Garry Gribble's Running Sports, Stoll Park Shopping Center, Quivira Rd & W 119th St, Overland Park, KS. There is also a race day packet pickup from 7:15 a.m. to start. Late entries should register by check at packet pickup at Garry Gribbles on July 4th.