2002 Report

EIGHTH ANNUAL FLAT ROCK 50 & 25K's
ELK RIVER HIKING TRAIL/INDEPENDENCE, KS
SEPTEMBER 28, 2002

ETERNAL FLAME
By: Eric Steele RD

Every once in a great while, one gets to experience a miracle in life. Yeah sure...I know, miracles abound all of the time spiritual experts say. I´m talking about a miracle in the sense of the fact that something probably can´t happen, or won´t occur...no matter how much praying, meditating, or conjuring one does.  Well, this year at Flat Rock...one occurred.  Yes, with less than two minutes remaining in our 10 hour cutoff for the 50K, when the fire was nearly out and the ashes began gently stirring in the cool afternoon breeze...when the proverbial "Pastor E  was about to get up and begin his eulogy of a "Flat Rock Faithful  whom today we would have to bury...out of the smoldering fire, a blue flame doth appeared.  A blue flame to remind us all that even though sometimes we can´t see the light or feel the heat and warmth of the blue flame, that it is always there, under the ashes, burning ever so warm for the few who are faithful enough to maintain their vigil.

Thirty-nine runners from nine different states (25 in the 50K & 14 in the 25K) toed the line for the eighth annual Flat Rock 50 and 25K´s.  The day started with sunny skies that would last throughout the day and send temperatures into the low eighties.  After last year´s new 50K course record of sub 4:50 set by some thoroughbred from Raytown Missouri, we were all anxious to see who would be vying for the men's Flat Rock Crown, not to mention how many of the returning female champs might show up to do battle. Evidently, once you break 5 hours on the 50K course you have proven your ultra-acumen though, as none of our three sub-five hour finishers decided to re-engage with "The Rock.   Either that, or they decided once was hellish enough, or maybe it was just too much value for their money and they felt like they were taking us for a ride.  Regardless, the brave souls who showed up to participate were, as always, treated to the best hospitality in the ultra community and one of the most challenging 50/25K courses in the US.

Twenty-five runners started the 50K and saw Jess McNeely, Paul Schoenlaub (returning Men´s Masters Champion) and Dave Wakefield jump out to an early lead, which would last until the turn around when Wakefield bonked bad due to going out too quickly and Mark Crisman pulled into third.  A few hours later, McNeely crossed the finish line as the 2002 Flat Rock Men´s Champion in a time of 5:07:34, with Schoenlaub close on his tail in a time of 5:12:06, to place second overall and score his second consecutive Men´s Masters Title.  Crisman maintained his position in third, finishing in a time of 5:50:19, while Mindy Wilson cruised in at 5:55:17, to snag her second Flat Rock Women´s Champion Title.  A few minutes later David Wakefield came power walking in to finish in a time of 6:04:58 and undoubtedly score the fastest finishing time for anyone who walked the entire second half of the race.

In the 25K, only our overall winner, Greg Martens, broke 3 hours on the course, finishing in a time of 2:40:23.  Overall Women´s 25K winner was Angela Diedrich in a time of 3:29:13.  Evidently the majority of the 25K runners were heeding the course motto of; "If you look up, your going down  and had therefore decided to stop a number of times to enjoy the many picturesque bluffs and scenic vistas, which the 25K ever so magnificently serves up the our competitors.  In a little over five and a half hours, Bob Bishop rolled in and we had all fourteen of our 25K competitors accounted for.  Needless to say, I am quite certain that every last one of them was converted to a future 50K entrant and I am looking forward to all of them getting "a lot more money´s worth  out of next year´s event when they will get twice the fun for only five more bucks.  Not to mention, if they take advantage of next year´s gracious referral program they will all be able to have twice the fun for less money than they spent this year...what a bargain!

As the afternoon rolled on, 50K competitors continued to roll in to the sounds of clamoring cowbells, clapping hands, hootin´& hollorin  and the whistling of a choo-choo train! A what...a choo-choo train?  Yes, this year I got a new toy, or should I say a new noisemaker.  A whistle that sounds amazingly identical to an old steam locomotive.  After putting several people´s ear drums out in past years with my infamous blue horn, the new whistle was pure delight for not only neophytes to the "Flat Rock Experience  but to the seasoned veterans as well.  Equally as pleasing was the fact that I didn´t have to listen to lawsuit threats or my own ears ringing for several days either...and who says relentless forward progress can´t be fun!  Meanwhile, two of our competitors who have finished this race seven consecutive times (and have nearly earned lifetime free entry into this event and induction into the Flat Rock Hall of Pain) came strolling in to make it eight consecutive times...just two more times for "Flat Rock Fame.   Dennis Haig in a time of 6:52:14 and Dave Noltensmeyer in a time of 8:34:58.

Shortly thereafter, Mark Meers, a past 25K competitor who decided to maximize his bang for the buck and find out what "true grit  is all about by stepping up to the 50K, gleefully ran through the finisher´s tent in a time of 8:40:01.  The look of exhaustion, yet sheer exhilaration on Mark´s face has become a trademark of this event and is a constant reminder that our "little gem  down here in southeastern Kansas packs major carat weight and forces nearly every competitor to go deep inside and find their own shiny pearl, which they didn´t even know existed...and to personally know what they are feeling, always sends chills down my spine and a big smile to my heart.  Ah...the joys of being Chief Bottle Washer! A few minutes later, six-time consecutive finisher, Tom Lasater, chugged across the finish line and made it seven in a row.  Apparently, Tom is pretty fervent about being inducted into the FR Hall of Pain as well.  Along with him was Bradley Youngblood, both in a time of 8:48:52.  A little over 35 minutes later we cheered Hiram Byrd through the tent in a time of 9:24:50.

So, nearly all of our participants had found their way home, were cleaned up and well on their way to indulging in copious amounts of chili, while spinning tales of the beast that nearly swallowed them whole earlier in the day.  All except for…Dinkel, David Dinkel.  Where was Dave?  Our first KUS member and the most devoted amongst the "Flat Rock Faithfuls.   As the clock dwindled down to less than thirty minutes remaining before cutoff and Dave had yet to be spotted on the nearly one mile stretch of road leading off of the trail and to the finish line, doubt began to creep in as to whether he would make it.  Sure, two years earlier Dave had came rolling in with less than twenty minutes to spare, however, now there was only about twenty minutes left and he was nowhere to be seen.

Then, I reminded myself that an ultrarunning Master was accompanying Dave and that every fiber of strength Dave had would be skillfully pulled to the surface by this Master and manifest itself in Dave´s eighth consecutive finish of this event…if it was meant to be at all, with these two then so it would be.  After all, I too had been in this same ultra-master´s care a little over three years earlier and was graciously guided to my first completion of the Leadville Trail 100, after two previously failed attempts. I also reminded myself that ultras have taught and shown me more about the power of faith than literally anything else in life and at that moment I saw several of our members, including a couple KUS co-founders, walking down the road…out to meet Dave and the Master Scott Demaree…who they intuitively knew were very close to home and emphatically sought to help pull in.

Well, time was nearly out, in another five minutes it would be fully expired and time to torch the funeral pyre in remembrance of a dearly departed Flat Rock faithful, David Dinkel.  However, for those who are unaware, Dave´s nickname is "the Blue Flame  and true to form of a blue flame, which might burn low, but burns very hot…Dave never went out…he never quit.  And with less than three minutes to go he rounded the last turn on the gravel road and headed towards the finishers tent, burning low…but burning still…the blue flame had not gone out.  Dave crossed the finish line with a little over a minute to spare and looked into my eyes in a way that can only be described as;  "I know I scared the crap out of you, myself and everyone else, but I made it…we made it…number eight in the bag…thank God!  Yes, our own "blue flame  was still glowing and even though it was weak, was smiling, as he knew he had just finished his eighth consecutive Flat Rock 50K and was only two more away from eminent Flat Rock glory.

In closing, we were really impressed to have a regimen of runners from Wichita and Mulvane, whom several of us KUS members have been persuading to tackle this course for several years now, that finally showed up and not only had a great time, but added much to the camaraderie of the KUS family and the event´s overall character.  I am quite certain we will see most of them return next year, bringing with them some "fresh meat  of course.  As always and forevermore, my deepest of gratitude to all Flat Rock volunteers who give of their valuable time and resources to help make this event happen.  Please always remember that none of this is possible without all of you that make up the KUS family and choose to continue supporting this event which started it all.

Even though our field of competitors was a little short this year compared to the past several years, the rich and colorful lore that was spun (and has become a legendary trademark of this event), was more bountiful than ever. Our campfire on Saturday night after the event saw seven race participants joining in the activity that has grown into the primal KUS initiation....we actually had a second row of seats going around the campfire, not to mention we were entertained by the "Not Ready for Prime Time KUS-Kids  performing several skits to nearly everyone´s amusement.  Also, if you ever want to get the purest glimpse into the jaded nature of the "Founding Fathers  of KUS, I highly recommend attending the post race campfire in future years.  See ya´ll next year on September 27th, 2003, for "Round Nine  of pure, unadulterated ultra-fun...KUStyle!