Wasilla runner tests his limits in Susitna 100

WASILLA — Completing a 100-mile race on foot is a remarkable feat. To cover 100 miles without walking is amazing. And to do all of that over a 26-hour span, while only taking about 50 minutes worth of breaks, is unbelievable.

But believe it, because that’s exactly how David Johnston spent his weekend.

Johnston posted a time of 25 hours and 56 minutes to win the foot division of the Susitna 100, a 100-mile trek through the Southcentral Alaska wilderness that tests both body and mind.

Johnston was one of 18 hearty souls who made the round trip from the Point MacKenzie General Store and out as far as Alexander Lake and Flat Horn Lake and back. Johnston won the division for the second straight year, and managed to better his 2009 time by about an hour and 40 minutes.

And even better for Johnston, he managed to complete the 100 miles without breaking a stride.

“My whole goal was not to walk a step,” Johnston said. “At times I ran pretty slow, but I ran.”

Johnston, of Wasilla, did take breaks, maybe 50 minutes worth.

“I planned on 10 minutes at each (of the five) aid stations and stuck to it,” Johnston said.

Johnston, like the other 17 who finished, also drug a sled behind him for the entire race. Johnston estimates his sled full of gear weighed about 22 pounds. Race rules specify that each participant was required to carry items such as a sleeping bag that’s rated to 20 degrees below zero, a sleeping pad, clothing, a head lamp, water and 5,000 calories worth of food.

Johnston is no stranger to these endurance challenging events. He’s finished a number of marathons and is a regular participant in the Boston Marathon. He’s also a veteran of the punishing Crow Pass Crossing.

Any long-distance race is mentally challenging, but Johnston said the Susitna 100 is as mentally demanding as races can get.

“Your body can only go so far,” Johnston said. “The rest of the time, you have to use your brain.”

Johnston said simply staying awake was also a real challenge, especially toward the end of the event.

“For the first few hours it was dark (Sunday) morning, I started nodding off while running.” Johnston said. “I looked for anything (in the sled) with caffeine in it.”

Another obvious challenge, Johnston said, is running on difficult terrain. In some areas he’d sink an inch into the snow, in others he’d sink four inches.

Johnston suffered broken ribs from a fall during the Crow Pass Crossing over the summer. That set his training back. He didn’t start running seriously again until September. But once he could start training, he hit the trails to prepare for another run at the Susitna 100 title. Johnston finished more than two hours ahead of second-place Laura McDonough, who completed the race in a time of 28:12. The Susitna 100 is separated into three different classes. Peter Basinger won the bike class, finishing with a time of 15:11. Christian Fehrmann finished the course on skis with a time of 14:26.

The Susitna 100 takes participants from the Point MacKenzie General Store to the Nome Sign, and up to Flat Horn Lake. At Flat Horn Lake, the trail leads up the Susitna and Yentna Rivers to Luce’s Lodge. Once there, participants head for Alexander Lake to Flat Horn Lake, and take an alternate route back to the general store.

Susitna 100

Individual results

Foot:

1. D. Johnston, 25:56; 3. L. McDonough, 28:12; 4. J. Khajavi, 32:15; 5. C. Bennett, 34:34; 6. J. Begin, 36:59; 7. A. Watkins, 36:59; 8. P. Hjellen, 38:58; 9. A. Sebby, 39:27; 10. D. Benhammou, 40:04; 11. M. Civardi, 40:57; 12. K. Totten, 40:58; 13. S. Johnson, 41:43; 14. E. Basset, 41:47; 15. J. Teh, 41:48; 16. G. Manciagli, 42:51; 17. K. Greenberg, 44:26; 18. J. Hadlock, 45:43.

Bike:

1. P. Basinger, 15:11; 2. L. Andre, 15:12; 3. J. Tower, 16:30; 4. K. Wolf, 16:36; 6. E. Christensen, 17:50; 7. M. Silverman, 18:40; 8. B. Hartman, 18:40; 9. J. Brekken, 21:22; 10. B. Garcia, 21:42; 11. B. Koitzsch, 21:42; 12. P. Millwood, 22:04; 13. C. Brady, 22:04; 14. T. Kelly, 23:04; 15. D. Hart, 23:40; 16. S. Berglund, 23:59; 17. S. Mitchell, 24:45; 18. L. Fancher, 25:57; 19. K. Schaaf, 27:21; 20. M. Morgenson, 27:15; 21. E. Bennett, 27:15; 22. B. Donaldson, 31:05; 23. J. Morehouse, 31:58;

Ski:

1. C. Fehrmann, 14:26; 2. J. Jager, 15:20; 3. R. Beebee, 15:28; 4. T. Coolidge, 21:37; 5. C. Frehulfer, 22:25; 6. L. Beattie, 23:58; 7. C. Wrobel, 23:58; 8. J. Lokken, 24:53; 9. M. Stewart, 28:03; 10. D. Frehulfer, 28:23; 11. S. Doody, 29:07; 12. D. Beutel, 29:15; 13. M. Beiergrohslein, 29:32; 14. R. Voris, 31:58; 15. T. Hunt, 34:51; 16. S. Hell, 34:51; 17. A. Smith, 39:19.

Little Su 50-K

Individual results

Female bike:

1. J. Berberich, 4:21:39; 2. J. Valerius, 5:02:26; 3. J. McGauley, 5:51:58; 4. K. Koger, 7:10:08; 5. A. Brennan, 7:41:25; 6. S. Teel, 10:06:40; 7. N. Berube, 10:06:49.

Male bike:

1. J. Lackey, 3:25:52; 2. T. Berntson, 3:36:55; 3. J. Stull, 3:49:50; 4. J. Douglas, 4:23:07; 5. S. Ryan, 4:23:55; 6. C. Restall, 4:57:06; 7. B. Holm, 5:00:39; 8. D. Hull, 5:03:02; 9. B. Walsh, 5:04:24; 10. S. Digert, 5:32:56; 11. K. Heck, 5:45:53; 12. A. Wells, 6:01:48; 13. T. Watson, 6:39:38; 14. J. Maryott, 7:31:51; 15. M. Boydston, 7:51:35; 16. H. Brugge, 8:01:08; 17. C. Gilchrist, 8:24:10.

Female foot

1. H. Gaines, 7:03:50; 2. J. Schaaf, 7:05:10; 3. C. Bouffard, 7:23:11; 4. I. Schultz, 7:43:39; 5. K. Fink, 7:57:10; 6. L. Stokes, 8:02:18; 7. Y. Letwyler, 8:04:30; 8. A. Hambach, 8:04:31; 9. B. Edberg, 8:57:40; 10. R. Rudd, 9:02:34; 11. B. Martel, 9:48:58; 12. K. Meck, 9:48:58; 13. E. Hoover, 10:24:32; 14. T. Harris, 11:16:41.

Male foot

1. B. Lavigueur, 5:29:13; 2. S. Crow, 5:56:23; 3. T. Burton, 6:01:15; 4. D. Morgan, 6:12:36; 5. A. Muhr, 6:13:23; 6. J. Peterson, 6:34:38; 7. J. McDonough, 6:47:39; 8. J. Parrish, 6:57:02; 9. M. Moon, 7:10:48; 10. M. Valiquette, 7:52:31; 11. C. Simpson, 8:01:21; 12. B. Stone, 8:02:00; 13. T. Ballantine, 8:07:10; 14. S. McDowell, 8:3:14; 15. J. Hoppe, 8:41:00; 16. T. Hartman, 8:41:01; 17. R. Castorena, 9:42:58; 18. T. Cubit, 10:07:16; 19. G. Russell, 10:22:19; 20. J. Hoover, 10:24:32; 21. D. Hren, 11:16:41.

Female ski

1. A. McDonough, 4:34:52; 2. A. Agee, 4:44:09; 3. L. Robbins, 4:56:01; 4. S. Radonich, 6:12:38; 5. I. Eng, 6:12:42; 6. D. Huff, 6:33:18; 7. E. Binnian, 7:20:27; 8. R. Glenn, 8:43:14; 9. P. Cravez, 8:48:2; 10. A. Beiergrohslein, 9:33:41; 11. V. Tillman, 9:33:41; 12. C. Van Tol, 9:33:41.

Male ski

1. R. Buchanan, 3:42:42: 2. N. Strohmeyer, 4:19:51; 3. J. Walsh, 4:48:49; 4. R. Lohr, 5:05:35; 5. A. Berberich, 5:30:55; 6. P. Hill, 5:45:49; 7. T. Chapman, 5:57:23; 8. B. Gengler, 5:59:50; 9. R. Werner, 7:05:21; 10. J. Whitt, 7:12;10; 11. C. Paldanius, 8:28:14; 12. K. Bittlingmaier, 9:33:04; 13. N. Woods, 9:59:05; 14. C. Utermohle, 10:02:08; 15. J. Trapp, 10:07:14.