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Mongol Derby

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The Mongol Derby is the longest, toughest horse race in the world. It’s the Khaan’s mother of equine adventures, a 1000 km multi-horse race across the epic wilderness of the Mongolian steppe.  Its mammoth network of horse stations is a recreation of Chinggis Khaan’s legendary empire-busting postal system.

The planet’s toughest equine adventure across Mongolia with 26 riders and 700 horses has set a new and ground breaking benchmark! Recreating the network of horse stations Chinggis Khaan used to deliver messages across continents to facilitate a 1000 kilometre multi-horse race has raised many an eyebrow in the equine world.

Brüttisellen, 17.9.09 (mk) On 22nd August 26 riders saddled up to take on the wild and stunning Mongolian steppe, swapping horses and undergoing a veterinary inspection at each of the 23 horse stations positioned 20-40 km apart along the course. Well within the two weeks allowed the pioneering riders from around the world, including one Mongolian rider, made adventuring history.

Just over 7 days after the start from the Great Khaan’s ancient capital, Kharkorin, the first two riders completed what many thought was impossible.

South African architect Charles van Wyk, 28, was joint winner along with Mongolian rider Shiravsambo Galbadrakh, reaching the finish line in Dadal on Saturday 29th
August.

Charles said: “The hospitality and welcome of the Mongolian people was amazing. We have been brought into their homes and looked after like members of their family, it felt like being at home. Overall it has been a great experience to live in the steppe and ride Mongolian horses”.

The two winning riders beat a field of26 highly experien- ced equestrians from ten different countries round the world including Argentina, Spain, USA and the UK. There we brilliant idea for an adventure and the horses were awesome. Some of the horses were pretty wild and feisty … but they were really fun to ride. “At the finish line if you’d have said ‘off you go, ride back 1000 km’ I would have done it, definitely! And it wasn’t just me – there were a few people that said that.”

27 year old Annelie Simmons from London, UK said at the end of the race: “I was consistently amazed and overwhelmed by the strength and tenacity of the Mongolian horses; they were tough,hardy and strong. There was never a single point whereby I felt we were asking too much of them, if anything we could have ridden harder and faster but I treated each horse as if it was my own – with care and respect.”

Two riders unfortunately suffered concussion and one of those also sustained back injuries after falling off their horses in the first stages of the race so they had to withdraw. Champion jockey Richard Dunwoody rode the first two legs of the race before returning to the UK due to prior commitments. A further rider received medical attention after a fall but was deemed fit and healthy to continue.

That left 23 riders in the Derby after two days of racing and they were all reunited when the final three riders crossed the finish line together on Wednesday September 2nd, just in time for the rescheduled party. The arrival ceremony and celebrations were brought forward after the riders finished the race faster than everyone expected.

All the other riders were on the finish line to welcome the final three in and witnessed the completion of an outstandingly successful first edition of the Mongol Derby.

Jenny Weston, an FEI accredited 4* endurance vet was one of the team of world class foreign vets flown into Mongolia to oversee the extensive horse welfare and veterinary provi- sions for the race. There were no equine emergencies during the Mongol Derby and all the vets involved had much posi- tive feedback for the organisers after the race.

The Ride: Mongol Derby Promo from Robert Beugelink on Vimeo.

“FIGHT TO MAKE THE WORLD LESS BORING” the adventurist 

Article from Sport-Heute.CE News

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Bitter the Beast – Q&A with Zach Bitter

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This past weekend I got the chance to met and race (well at lest for a few miles) Zach Bitter. Zach who in addition to having run the fastest 50 miler in the nation last year also won the Midwest North Face Challenge in 2010 and placed 2nd in 2011. I can honestly say this is a fun guy to cheer on. His passion for the sport really comes through in his dedicated outrages training schedule and sticking around hours after his race to chat it up with fellow runners. Below are a few Q&A’s about Zach’s record braking John Dick 50k (his first 50k) this past weekend and his up coming 2012 ultra races.

Zach Bitter Leaving an aid station during the Midwest Regional North Face 50 Mile with pacer Brian Finnel. In 2010 Zach won the race in 6:02 and came back the following year to place 2nd with a 6:08

This past weekend you just smashed the John Dick Memorial 50k course record by over 20 minutes setting the new mark at 3:32. Were you expecting to run such a fast time on the icy course going into the race?

To be honest with you no. I planned to treat the race as a training run. I had a total of 246 miles logged in the 13 days leading into the race, so I wasn’t sure how my legs would feel. Usually at the end of a running cycle like this my legs feel pretty heavy, but for some reason at JDM 50k I felt really smooth, so I just went with it.

Did you have any low points during the race? If so how did you pull yourself through them?

I didn’t really have any real low points. I guess the toughest part of the course for me was round four up the big hill on the out and back section of the course. My quads were burning a little more there than in other places. With tough spots like this I usually try to break the race down. I stop thinking about finishing and just focus on getting to a certain point on the course. It helps reduce becoming overwhelmed.

This years Ice Age 50 is shaping up to be quite the show down. With yourself, Timothy Olson (2012 100k USATF Champ) who is more of a pure trail / mountain runner and Matt Flaherty who seems to race just about everything distance and definitely has some leg speed with a 4:17 mile pr, 2:22:53 Marathon PR. And the list goes on from there… How do you see the race playing out?

I think the talented field will cause the race to get out fast. I see this resulting guys testing their limits and someone coming out with a spectacular time, maybe even a course record.

Now for some fun questions…  Whats your favorite kind of GEL?

I like anything fruity with a pinch of caffeine

Are you growing your hair out?

As of now, yes. But I can be a bit impulsive with my hair style based on convenience.

Favorite Running Book or Movie?

I would say Born to Run is my favorite running book. I think it really captures the drive inside an ultra-runner. I am eagerly anticipating the arrival of Bryon Powell’s book, Relentless Forward Progress, which I just recently ordered.

Who’s Your Running Hero?

Roy Pirrung. He is a great story, and a timeless ultra runner who truly embraced the sport, and continues to push his limits.

In Wales there is a 22 mile race where runners go up against riders on horses back. In 2004 Huw Lobb became the first and only runner (on foot) to win the race. If we all pitched in and flew you to Wales do you think you could take down those horses for us?

Haha! I would certainly be willing to try. That sounds like an adventure impossible to turn down.

Read Zach’s Race report of the John Dick 50k and follow his running blog Here. Zach’s product Sponsors - Fuel Belt, Illuminite, Sportmulti, Feed the Machine, Vespa, and Drymax.

Door County Fall 50 - Zach Cruising to the 2011 fastest 50 miler finishing in 5:26

Interview after winning the Midwest North Face 50 in a time of 6:02

2012 Men’s Olympic Marathon Trials – Report

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With two miles to go in the 2012 Olympic Trials Meb Keflezighi was running towards a PR finish and a history. A win would make him the oldest U.S. trials champion in history. At the age of 36  many had given up on Meb and his chances of ever coming back to top forum. In 2007, Meb suffered from dehydration and after a broken hip during the 2008 U.S. Olympic Marathon trials in Central Park he finished in eighth place and did not qualify for the team. Fast forward four years and Meb is once again in top shape after a PR race of 2:09:13 at the 2011 New York City Marathon he appeared ready to make another push for the Olympic marathon team. His last Olympic appearance was back in 2004 when he won the silver medal making him the first American to place since  Frank Shorter won the gold in the 1972 Summer Olympics and took the silver medal in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. As the race wore on it came down to the favorites Meb Keflezighi, Ryan Hall, Abdi Abdirahman, and Dathan Ritzhenhein. Meb, Hall and Abdi dropped Riz first. I was really bummed that Ritzhenhein’sstrong finishing charge was not enough to over take Abdi. Instead the 2008 Olympic top U.S finisher (ninth) will have to seattle with arguably the hardest finishing spot of all, fourth. One spot away from the Olympic team. Abdi was the next to falter with about two miles to go he kept looking back over his shoulder to make sure the closing Ritzhenhein would not prevail.

From left to right, Dathan Ritzenhein, Ryan Hall, Mohamed Trafeh, Abdi Abdirahman and Meb Keflezighi run through a turn during the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

At the front Meb Charged on looking very strong and defiantly going for the win. Hall who set a blistering 2:06 pace lead much of the way and looked comfortable and content with 2nd as Meb charged ahead for the win. Meb crossed the line in 2:09:08 setting yet another PR only 69 days after his NYC PR. He became the oldest men’s Olympic trials champion. 22 seconds later Hall crossed (2:09:30) Hall was the pre-race favorite after his 2:04:58 at Boston last April (the fastest ever by an American) Abdi finished at 2:09:47 closely followed by the charging Ritzhenhein in 2:09:55. Over all it was ideal marathon weather and you could not have asked for a better race up front. It was the first time 4 Americans went under 2:10 ever in any race. Which I think says alot about our improvements in the sport. It will be exciting to watch these three men represent our country in the London 2012 Olympics. They are all proven veterans that will make an out standing team.

Congratulations Team USA! Bring on the WORLD!! The top three men finishers, Ryan Hall, left, second, Meb Keflezighi, center, first, and Abdi Abdirahman, third, pose after the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)