The inaugural Midwest Grand Slam of Ultrarunning came to a close at the Run Woodstock festival in Pinckney over the weekend.  Seventeen brave endurance runners set out at the beginning of the summer to conquer the four 100-mile races, with thirteen reaching the pinnacle of endurance running.

Runners began the incredible challenge on June 2, at the Kettle Moraine 100 Mile Endurance Run at the Ice Age National Scenic Trail outside of Madison, Wisconsin.  This trail run featured over 12,000 feet of elevation throughout the race, as the course traveled through several kettles (glacier-created valleys) and moraines (glacier-created peaks).

Just two weeks later, the ultrarunners found themselves in north central Ohio for the North Face Mohican Trail 100 Mile Run.  In its 22nd year of competition, runners again faced extreme elevation changes—14.920 feet over the course of the race.  Runners completed four marathon-length loops on their way to the halfway point of the Grand Slam.

After completing two 100-mile courses in two weeks, participants had the chance to relax and regroup before the third race—the Burning River 100 Mile Endurance Run, held in the northeast portion of Ohio during the last weekend of July.  Ultrarunners took to the trails of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and along the Cuyahoga River to complete the point-to-point test of endurance.  This race also hosted the USATF 100 Mile Trail National Championship.

With the Midwest Grand Slam of Ultrarunning just 100 miles away, thirteen of the fourteen remaining runners joined the field at the Hallucination 100 Mile Run in Pinckney, part of the Run Woodstock festival.  Runners followed the 16.6-mile loop six times, experiencing a total elevation gain of 7,806 feet throughout the day, before finishing in front of live bands and hundreds of fans gathered for the festival.

After four races and 400 miles, Pennsylvania native Bill Thompson outlasted all others, posting a final time of 90 hours, 48 minutes, and 14 seconds, averaging less than 23 hours for each race.  Todd and Emily Bello of Kentucky finished second and third, posting near-identical times for all four races.  The Bellos completed the Grand Slam in 94 hours, 9 minutes, and 20 seconds, giving them a pace of roughly 23.5 hours per race.

The Midwest Grand Slam of Ultrarunning hopes to bring the tradition and prestige of the original Grand Slam of Ultrarunning to our region, and has gotten off to a fast start already.  Although no Michigan natives registered and completed the four races, the thirteen Grand Slam finishers represented seven states, ranging from New Jersey to California.

For more information, and for upcoming race details, visit the Midwest Grand Slam of Ultrarunning website.