Run Across America 2004
Results of Stage 68
Lancaster (368’) to Kutztown (417’)
50.3 miles/81.0 kilometers
It was warm and humid when I exited the motel room this morning and it is overcast and “feels like rain.” Despite runners and crews sitting on the motel office steps ogling the coffee and donuts, the clerk did not open the office door at the Travelodge until exactly 6:00 AM when the runners set off for Lancaster, PA. Mary kindly got me a donut and coffee as I set off immediately after the runners to mark turns.
The absence of donuts at the Start was more than made up for by the dazzling choice of donuts put out by Will Campbell and the Lancaster Running Club at Mile 3.3. I felt obliged to sample their offerings whilst waiting for Bob to run through so I could get a photo. I think this is the largest group of supporters we have seen – more even than Ed Loud rustled up at The Summit a few days (or was it weeks?) ago.
After Bob came through I hurried to try and mark turns ahead of him, but like Martin Wagen did in 2002 he beat me to Mile 4.5 although I did arrive in time to at least point to the right road! I breathed a sigh of relief when we got out of Lancaster. Have I said before that I do not like cities?
Now I’m parked on the outskirts of town to make sure everyone made the turns OK. Bob is already ahead of me and now Russell has gone past a few yards in front of Luc. Olivier is next so just two more to go…And here comes Kaz looking good but I guess I’ll drive back to check on Taka so I can mark the next turn for Bob. He was at 5.1 miles, just inside the cut-off.
My preoccupation this morning is with the road works that Mary described to me so graphically when we got back to our room last night and discussed the Course Description for today. She had unsuccessfully tried to find a way around yesterday. So, instead of hanging around taking photos, I drove ahead to check them out, stopping only at McDonalds, on the way. I had to use the bathroom (which was very clean) so felt obliged to purchase an Egg McMuffin and coffee to recompense them!
Then an easy drive up to the road works when all Hell breaks loose! The road conditions are worse than bad – they’re positively lethal! But, I have plenty of time in hand so I decide to work on the problem in stages. First I find one detour, on Old Lancaster Pike, of 1.1 miles that cuts out one awful spot, and mark that and go back to tell Bob what I’ve done. Then I work out a second detour and mark it as I go back to tell Bob. Instead I find Roger waiting to give aid to Bob – even better! I ask Roger if he can go back and tell all the crews what I’m doing and for the runners to follow the arrows. I tell him I think the crews can re-join their runners at Mile 30.0.
Now I have only a few minutes to find the final detour. Luckily some guys are mending the road so I ask them if the road I am on will work – they say it will. Trusting that they know what they are talking about, and not having time to scout it before Bob will need it, I go back to draw the necessary arrows As I finish drawing the first one I look up to find Bob a few yards behind me!
So, I hurry and mark the part I know and drive ahead to a main road that must intersect with Hwy 222 – I go into a café to check, and it does! WOW! I go up to mark a crossroads and realize that the right hand turn might cut off a corner so I quickly check it out – it does! I’m deleting the first mark with water from my cooler when Bob arrives. I send him down the new road and tell him to turn left at the end! No problem! I mark the road behind him!!!
And there where my final detour ends is the Days Inn Mary and I stayed at on my walk in 2000! What a coincidence!
Now I need to measure the detour and tell the crews exactly where it comes out, or tell them how to drive it, which is probably better. When I was crewing I never liked being on a different road from the runner.
I see Luc on the detour OK, but not Alix, his crew. Robbie is waiting to give aid to Russell so I brief her OK. Next I see Olivier, but no crew; then Kaz and his crew and Taka and his so I’m all done except for Olivier’s and Luc’s crews.
Now I’ve got a measurement of the detour and I need to get a measurement of the route on the Course Description and check for crews, so I follow the Course Description route. No crews, but I find I have just added a mile to the route!! So, having said earlier that we do not have another stage of over 50 miles, I just created one!
Now I have more turns to mark through Reading so as fast as I can (45 mph maximum!) I drive ahead. I see Olivier’s crew and stop to talk to them. They’re fine and say Olivier’s fine. No problem.
But I do not see Luc or Luc’s crew! I mark a tricky turn at the far side of the Schuylkill River Bridge and hope that either I’m in front of Luc or else he has read his Course Description carefully!
Now we go along 9th Street through a very poor area of Reading -- still no sign of Luc or crew.
I mark the turn onto Kutztown Road – another one I hope Luc gets OK -- and drive up to Mile 39.8 where a giant Wal-Mart is located. There on a side road is Dario Forti (Olivier’s father). He says Bob and “another runner” went past five minutes ago. He hasn’t seen Luc since before the road works.
I mark the turns here and do some thinking. Bob has 10 more miles to do without any turns so I have time to back track and look for Luc. This is what I do. After a few miles I find Alix but she last gave Luc aid before the Schuylkill River Bridge!! She says if he made it OK he should be here in a few minutes. I can’t wait so set off again and there he is just around the corner! All accounted for – phew!
Now to get to the Finish before Bob – no problem! I pass him on the way and the mystery runner is Roger, Bob’s crew, doing a few training miles with Bob. He certainly picked an awful day for it in my opinion! I mark the line and sit down to wait. Amy, Bob’s wife, arrives first and confirms that in her opinion the road works that she rode through, were the worst of her trip. Then Jan arrived and shared some excellent plums she’d bought at an Amish fruit stall. And after a few minutes a tired-looking Bob came across the line in 8:30:24 (10:08 pace). When Bob checked on his time his first words were, “You added another mile to the course!” I had to admit I did. Bob did, say, however, that he enjoyed the detour – it was a nice road.
Now, on a 50-mile day Luc must be an hour behind Bob so, since Mary checked in earlier and left the computer for me, I can go and get the Results page up – no problem!
When I finished my work and came out of the room to check on Luc, Bob was being photographed and interviewed by a reporter from The Times (London) newspaper. Good PR!
And a few minutes later Alix, Luc’s crew, drove up followed shortly afterwards by Luc. He was relaxed as always, and when asked how he’s managed the new detours he said,” no problem, just follow the arrows!”
And a few minutes later Robbie, Russell’s crew, arrived and said Russell was just a couple of miles away. When Russell finished he said, “I’m like a kid on Christmas Eve! I’m so excited I can hardly stand it.” We know how it feels!
Oh, I forgot to say that waiting for these runners is very pleasant. I have a picnic table that is in the shade of two nice cherry trees (no cherries), and there is a cool breeze blowing as well.
And Olivier’s crew arrived at exactly the same time as Mary. They reported respectively that Olivier is three miles away and tomorrow’s course is OK except for about a mile of more road works!
Olivier remarked on the hills that I’d found on the detour. He used his hands on his thighs to help himself up one of them, something he hasn’t done since Utah!
When Kaz finished he said he was tired but was looking forward to watching TV tonight as some Japanese are competing.
At last I was able to go back on the course to check on Taka and give him the new cut-off time. He’s at Mile 45.8 and is about 30 minutes inside the cut-off! Great.
I now had time to go down into Kutztown and get some take-out Chinese that we ate at the picnic table. I think it is still about 80ْF but cooling down now the sun has set. We have just finished our meal when a figure appears in the distance and slowly approaches the Finish line, which it crosses 27 minutes inside the cut-off! Good job Taka.
Now I quickly downloaded the photos and created the photo page; printed some of Bob’s fan mail and delivered that and then called it a day at 8:30. Lights out by 8:45!
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Results
of Stage 68 August 18, 2004 |
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Time |
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Time |
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Behind |
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Pos |
Name |
Country |
Age |
Sex |
Taken |
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Winner |
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1 |
Bob Brown |
ENG |
35 |
M |
8:30:24 |
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2 |
Luc Dumont St. Priest |
FRA |
39 |
M |
9:48:53 |
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1:18:29 |
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3 |
Russell Allison |
USA |
39 |
M |
10:31:18 |
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2:00:54 |
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4 |
Olivier Forti |
FRA |
32 |
M |
11:05:34 |
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2:35:10 |
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5 |
Kazuhiko Horiguchi |
JPN |
36 |
M |
12:14:01 |
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3:43:37 |
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6 |
Takasumi Senoo |
JPN |
21 |
M |
13:55:57 |
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5:25:33 |
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Journey Runner |
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Louis Rodriguez |
USA |
58 |
M |
11:39:54 |
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Overall
Results At End of Stage 68 |
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Time |
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Total |
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Behind |
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Pos |
Name |
Country |
Age |
Sex |
Time |
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Leader |
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1 |
Bob Brown |
ENG |
35 |
M |
493:48:21 |
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2 |
Luc Dumont St. Priest |
FRA |
39 |
M |
554:06:06 |
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60:17:45 |
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3 |
Russell Allison |
USA |
39 |
M |
577:37:14 |
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83:48:53 |
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4 |
Kazuhiko Horiguchi |
JPN |
36 |
M |
665:40:30 |
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171:52:09 |
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5 |
Olivier Forti |
FRA |
32 |
M |
686:29:59 |
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192:41:38 |
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6 |
Takasumi Senoo |
JPN |
21 |
M |
786:22:37 |
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292:34:16 |
For photographs taken during Stage 68 please CLICK HERE
For the results of Stage 67 please CLICK HERE
For photographs taken during Stage 67 please CLICK HERE