Live Report from IAU 100K World Cup

Race Day: November 16, 2003, 9 a.m. Tainan County, Taiwan

Contact: Nancy Hobbs, Chair, USATF Mountain Ultra Trailrunning Council.  Remote in Tainan County, Taiwan

The day is overcast with NO wind, NO breeze. The only air moving is that caused by the runners moving forward. It is in the 70s and humid, probably 80% humidity. Hopefully the cloud cover will remain for the better part of the day. There is shade on many parts of the course which is a good thing.
All of our athletes started, looking as fresh as possible in the toasty conditions. I snapped a few photos at start. It was tough to catch anyone after the start as there were nearly 4,000 competitors in the four races. It took five minutes for all of the runners to cross the start line. Concurrent races included a 10kmm, 25kmm, 50kmm, and a 100kmm citizen’s race. At the aid station just past the 25kmm which the athletes will visit three times, our USA table is less than six feet long and we are sharing with the masters USA team and also Australia. We are at the end of all of the country tables so the athletes will most likely stay on the road way and not go into the "team" chutes until the end and they won't have to contend with all the other countries (this ended up not being an issue as the athletes were pretty well spread out throughout the entire race). Not sure how the other aid stations are set out on the course. We have heard that they will be in the middle of the road. We have hired three bicycles, but are not allowed to use them to shuttle between stations during the race. Howard brought walkie talkies, but we’re not sure if they will work between the aid stations which are 5kmm apart. It will be tough to get reports except from the athletes on each loop.

Live Update #1

At the 25.3KMkmm (approx) Dan Verrington and Bob Sweeney are in the lead for the Americans in 22 and 23 place in 1:44:50 followed closely by Howard Nippert in 1:45 - Howard pulled up a few spots during a 1.8KM out and back prior to heading up a hill toward the 25KM mark (The initial course that was measured was apparently about 3kmm short so a small out and back loop is run on each of the first three legs). Japan was in the lead for the men, but our US men looked strong gliding through the aid station. Chuck Hubbard was our fourth man in 1:52:48 and then Dave Dehart in 1:53:20. For the Women, Japan in the lead in 1:51. Our US women were led by Nikki Kimball in 19th position with 2:06. Second through was Anne Riddle followed by Ann Heaselett both looking refreshed in spite of the heat and humidity. Ann H (27 place) in 2:09. Not far from Anne H was the pack of Laura Nelson, Connie Gardner, Anne Riddle, and alternate Jenny Capel in 2:09:18. Tania Pacev in 36th position overall among the women complained of a foot ache and knee issue on the first lap in 2:17, but she is encouraged and running as strong as she can, though conservatively. The sun is peaking through the thick cloud cover interspersed with a soupy haze, and it is getting warmer and stickier by the hour.

Live Update #2

At the 50kmm the conditions have taken a toll. It is hot, according to our athletes, much hotter on the upside of the dam (dam is at 6kmm) on the way back to the s/f line. Not sunny, but overcast. Dan Verrington has dropped, not sure where on the course. (Due to quad tightness and cramping Verrington dropped near the 50kmm* mark.)

For the men, Howard Nippert came through the 50KM in 20th position in a time of 3:37:12 (actually the 50.3KM) looking very strong indeed. The second through the aid station for the USA was Chuck Hubbard in 3:59:10, followed by a wobbly Bob Sweeney in 4:14:30. Bob had to sit for a few minutes to regain his legs and cool down. We sent him out at a walk to the next aid station and told him to evaluate his condition there. Next through was our final runner still in the race, Dave Dehart. Looking better than Sweeney but feeling the heat in 4:25:12.

The women on the other hand looked exceptional with Nikki Kimball leading the group in 11th position in 4:18. Next was Anne Riddle in 13^th timed in 4:21:22 followed by Connie Gardner in 16^th (4:26:00). The fourth through was Anne Heaselett in 20^th position in 4:36:26, then Laura Nelson in 24^th with a time of 4:44:02 and finally Tania Pacev who with some orthotics has more stability in her foot and is looking much stronger - Tania in 31^st position in 4:50:32. Alternate Jenny Capel came through the 50KM in 18^th position in 4:30:26 with a bit of soreness in her legs, but she applied some Flexall which made her feel better and she headed out for the 3^rd lap. Our job at the aid station included grabbing bottles of water and dousing the athletes as they picked up their prepared drinks, but the water provided only a brief relief from the heat. One of the aid station workers (Ruth) traveled to Taiwan to support her sister Katie who was running on the masters USA team, was able to score a small bag of ice cubes from the host hotel — no easy task — and although the athletes were craving the cubes, we had to use them sparingly throughout the day for fear of running out (which we did before the third lap through our station).

*These splits are approximate, the positions are unofficial and the distance of 50.3KM is approximate.

Update #3

The first finisher was an Italian who posted a mark just over seven hours. As day turned into night, only one of our athletes had reached finish line and the war of attrition had taken a toll with Hubbard joining Verrington as a DNF and several of our athletes struggling to reach the finish line. With an excellent effort in spite of the conditions, Howard Nippert ran under eight hours to finish in 12^th position. We had to wait more than one hour to see our second finisher cross the line, Nikki Kimball with an 8^th place among the women (45^th overall) in just under nine hours.

US Women turn in Solid Performance at IAU 100KM World Cup
Tainan County, Taiwan — Led by Nikki Kimball's 8^th place finish in 8:51:35, the US women's team, based on cumulative finish time at press time, finished 4th overall (behind Italy-Germany-Japan) in the IAU 100KM World Cup competition. The depth of the US women's team was apparent with Anne Riddle joining Kimball with a top 10 finish in 9^th place (8:55:03). Not far behind was Connie Gardner's 13^th position (9:25:57) to round out the top three US scoring members. Alternate Jenny Capel ran a consistent race to finish fourth for the US women in 9:33:45. Also finishing for the US women was Anne Heaselett in 9:56:46, Tania Pacev in 10:22:07 and Laura Nelson, 11:25:01.

The challenging four loop course (25km each loop) coupled with temperatures in the upper 70s and humidity topping 80% was sure to result in a race of attrition. From the 9 a.m. start time conditions remained unchanged throughout the day. Only those finishing after dark enjoyed slightly cooler conditions. There were 294 starters in the competition and just over 100 had finished by 11 hours into the race. Throughout the day ambulances traveled in and out of the medical aid stations with dehydrated and heat exhausted runners. By 2pm more than 200 athletes (from all races combined) had been transported to medical tents.

The US men's race was led by Howard Nippert who ran "like a metronome" according to team manager Lin Gentling, "Howard is such a pro, consistent and strong." Nippert moved up one position from his 13^th place finish in 2002 to 12^th position this year in a time of 7:59:02. The US men experienced problems mostly due to the heat with cramping shutting down Dan Verrington's quads near the 50km and stomach problems sidelining Chuck Hubbard at 75km. Dave Dehart was the second US men's finisher in 10:24:33, with Bob Sweeney the final US finisher in 11:19:00.

There were other running events as part of the 100km celebration including a 5km, 10km, 25km, 50km, and 100 km Citizens race. In addition the WMA Masters 100 km championships were held with age group individual and team awards presented. The US fielded a masters team comprised of national team members and unattached runners. Roy Pirrung, fresh off an American record at the USATF 24 Hour Championships last weekend, won the 55-59 year age group with a time of 9:43:07. The women's team 35-39 of Heaselett, Nelson, and Riddle won bronze and Connie Gardner won silver in the 40-45 age group.

Men's Finish
1- Howard Nippert, 12th overall, 7:59:02
2- Dave Dehart, 10:24:33
3- Bob Sweeney, 11:19:00

Women's Finish
1- Kimball, 8:51:35 (45th overall, 8th among the women)
2- Riddle, 8:55:03
3- Connie Gardner, 9:25:57
4- Jenny Capel (ALTERNATE) 9:33:45
5- Anne Heaselett, 9:56:46
6- Tania Pacev, 10:22:07
7- Laura Nelson, 11:25:01