A Record Year

August 26, 2023 - North Section

Many records were set this year. We had a record number of participants, a record number of female runners, a record female finish time on this section (the seventh iteration), and a record number of rolling pin displays earned.

The starting temperature of around 60 warmed into the upper 70s, somewhat overcast in the morning but becoming mostly sunny in the afternoon.

From the start, Jason Tanner took the lead, with Neal Krone, Anna Balouris, and Barry Main remaining close. Barry Main briefly took the lead before AS4, but Jason regained it not long after. In fact, somewhere between AS4 and AS6, Jason and Anna moved into first and second, respectively, and held that lead to the finish.

Anna finished with a record time of 8:29:33, beating the previous female record on the North section of 8:48:52 established by Morgan Windram way back in 2005, the UltraChallenge inaugural year.

We had 116 solo runners start, with 96 finishing within the 14 hour time limit.

In the relay race, Grannies & Geezers held a commanding lead throughout the race, finishing more than an hour ahead of second place Victory.

These eighteen solo runners earned the the final piece of the medal and the accompanying rolling pin display:

  • Nathan Beissel
  • Andrew Brosius
  • Craig Caylor
  • Jennie Couch
  • Amanda Dando
  • Mark Frey
  • Traci Hanna
  • Katie Hogg
  • Neal Krone
  • Dan Mcmeans
  • Julia Mericle
  • Shannon Mick
  • Stephen Mick
  • Travis Ritenour
  • Mikala Shremshock
  • Matthew Varrato
  • Matthew Willett
  • Levi Wilson

Congratulations to all!

Special thanks to the Brookville Evangelical Methodist Church for the use of their facilities. Many thanks to our volunteers, without whom the UltraChallenge would not happen: Alex Baker, Joanie Baker, Dewaine Beard, Lisa Beers, Stephen Beers, Timothy Boback, Charles Brethauer, Paula Brethauer, Patty Brunner, Lloyd Clarke, Richard Cook, Jim Crist, Jeff Fairman, Kate Fissell, Larry Fuksa, Troy Gavazzi, Mark Gibson, Jerry Hoffman, Andrew Karnavas, Alynn Kramer, Vera Krekanova, John Krofcheck, Heather Kulbacki, Joe Kulbacki, Phil Light, David Lindahl, Frank Matousek, Sylvia Mays, Kara Mostowy, Karen Muirhead, Jeremy Neff, Paul Sauers, Kevin Snyder, Holly Stefanski, Donna Stolz, David Syiek, Aimee Tatrn, Terri Thompson, Robert Vickers, and John Watts.

— Steve Mentzer