Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 Mile run ... Here I Come!

Ultra marathon runners fascinate me.

The ones I have met since I began working on my photography project have impacted me deeply in ways I never expected. Like many people who don't understand why anyone would run 100 miles for a belt buckle, I thought they had to be at least a little crazy. For the most part, the ultra marathon runners I have encountered are some of the nicest people I have ever met. An example: I stayed awake the entire 36 hours photographing the MMT 100 this year. I just couldn't bring myself to sleep or to stop shooting. Watching these people deplete themselves, some to the point of 1000 yard stares for miles, I just had to keep shooting, and moving, and shooting some more. Watching these runners accomplish such an unbelievable journey through those mountains was one of the most incredible things I have ever witnessed. ROCKY times 100 and I love me some ROCKY.


So there I was, exhausted and still snapping away at runners in different stages of pain or exhilaration - and a lot of both - when a runner comes up to me and says, "You were out there all night taking pictures. You were everywhere. You must be exhausted, can I get you a drink or something to eat?" That explained a lot to me about ultra marathon runners.

I had recurring thoughts during my experience shooting the MMT 100 . Could I do this? Do I have it in me to be like these people? But mostly, with every person I snapped crossing the finish line, the thought was, 'what does that feel like?' Capturing that feeling in a photograph is in the eyes for me. Seeing the eyes of ultra runners before and after 100 miles led to my before and after portrait project. A series I look forward to continuing and growing.

A photograph has always held the answer for me. Mostly in portraits because it's the gestures of people that interest me. My camera is and has been my key to open the doorways of the unknown. This time it's different for me.

I am going to run the Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 Mile run May, 16th 2009. Some people have asked me "Why?" I don't know how to answer that. I really don't.

I know this.

Somewhere inside of me is the courage to try. Somewhere inside of me I feel like a kid again watching ROCKY for the 100th time and crying because ROCKY wouldn't go down because he refused to be just another bum from the neighborhood. Maybe I am running 100 miles to find some self esteem. Maybe I am looking for something spiritual and I hope to find it running up and down a mountain for 100 miles and the many, many training miles I will run to get to the starting line. I really don't why.

I do know this. Running 100 miles is the simplest task of finding out who I really am.

Shooting the JFK 50 Mile Ultra Marathon - While Running It

After so many months of training, I can't believe the JFK 50 is behind me. The race began at 5 a.m. Saturday and 12 hours and 41 minutes later I crossed the finish line sprinting as fast as I could run and with my arms in the air yelling like a wild man. It truly was one of the greatest days of my life. It was so cold in the beginning of the race that the water in the pack I was wearing on my back froze solid. The temp on the bank sign at the start line read 14 degrees. It did not warm up much the entire day. The Appalachian Trail section of the run was a highlight of the race for me. The surroundings were beautiful and I loved the challenge of the terrain. The people at the aid stations and the runners I chatted with during the day were amazing. The food during the race was also great. I will never underestimate the power of a cup of soup, jelly beans or a salted potato again.

I photographed the JFK 50 with a Panasonic LX3 while running. I chose this camera because of it's ability to shoot RAW and it's superior lens. The camera worked great all day and I am very happy I chose this camera to photograph my first ultra marathon while running.

I am planning on this becoming another one of my personal projects - photographing ultra marathons while running them. I look forward to my next one - hopefully, my first 100 miler in May!