EXTRA! EXTRA!

I interrupt my regularly scheduled broadcast for important breaking news!

Nebraska Run Guru Elite dominates weekend of Trails and Ultras!

My lead story after Saturday’s USATF Nebraska Association 12K Championships was originally Ivan Marsh making it a six-peat and Kaci Lickteig making her successful debut at Ni-Bthaska-Ke. How by All Counts this was the best edition ever of the Toughest Trail Run in the Midwest. How we’ve finally nailed the course marking and had only a couple of people stray from the saturation of flagging. Kaci’s quote “You don’t follow anyone else in a trail run, you follow yourself” summing it up perfectly. How our NRGE mates Kyle Clouston (4th) and Mike Wasson (5th, 1st master) and Stacy Mangers Shaw (3rd, 1st master) showed their range and prowess. How Kyle now has jumped into the top spot of the Grand Prix Series.

How our volunteers, led by John & Cindy Tully and Carrie Dayton and Mike Manna and Chef Draper (Guru of the Griddle) and John Hall addressed every issue with aplomb. How they get my attention deficit and somehow make things right. My analogy of being a dyslexic spelling bee champ being perfect. How our sponsors provided the BEST (spelled f-r-e-e) Post Race party of the year. Omaha Steaks hamburgers and Upstream Brewing Company beers, seriously can you beat that? The support by Cabela’s and Rotella’s Bakery and Complete Nutrition and Gretna Family Health and SUBWAY making this a local, Nebraska event.

Shame on those other races this weekend that hired from Kansas rather than Omaha’s Precision Race Results to do their timing! Something about walking the Nebraska walk if you’re going to pretend the Nebraska talk.

How our participants, from near and far, challenged themselves and came out with Bragging Rights for conquering the 8th most challenging trail run in the United States.

How NRGE, LLC set a high early bar on hosting our USATF Nebraska Association Grand Prix Championships. We didn’t enjoy having an “official” presence outside of Linda, myself, and the member athletes, though the offer was made to provide a table to promote the rest of our champs and especially the Grand Prix. Those in attendance did see multiple instances of our pride in hosting, replete with signage and announcements. As author and architect of the program I wanted to show our new leaders and membership how to do it right, and we did! Outside of Kyle there wasn’t a single board member present. They’ll have to trust to the fine photography of Gary Dougherty for tutorial.

How Lincoln Running Company Racing supported the notion of Real Racing at the Association level by having a host of runners on the line. How Brian Wandzilak led LRC and how much I appreciated Frankie Petersen and their tough ass masters cadre for Bringing It. Scratched my head that only Jimmie Doherty and Casey Kear represented Team Nebraska. I would find out later some information that helps explain the ongoing lack of support from my former team, that bombshell will drop later this week. How Shannon Stenger made his debut and finished a very solid 3rd overall.

All that was to be my lead.

Until I heard from our boy Pete Kostelnick. How he freaking rocked the Brew to Brew 44.4 Miler. His Overall Victory in 5:24:37, the fastest time since Henshaw’s course record in ’09.

Until I heard that our mate Jeremy Morris crushed the Rockin K 50 Mile course record by over 30 minutes.

Until I realized that Nebraska Run Guru Elite, these cats that are proud to say “I run for Will”, are more than just a bunch of crazy ultra and trail runners. They are the best damned Ultra and Trail runners in the Midwest.

What? You expected less?

Pete! Hells yeah!

See, Racing is Fun! Stacy fears no distance or discipline or competitor.

Gary captured the essence of the morning. No better shot than Kyle wishing Ivan good luck prior to the gun. LRC, Team Nebraska, NRGE, and Ndorfnz all represented on the line. It might have taken me over a decade but folks here’s your pudding!