One man, one weekend... 200 miles.

One man, one weekend…  200 miles.  No t-shirt.  No Awards. No results posted.  No fanfare.  No glory.  

Earlier this year, LPTR Craig Swartwout completed the Leadville 100.   In 2009 he joined a very small and select group of runners when he completed the McNaughton 150-mile event on the greasy trails of McNaughton park in Pekin, Illinois.  Beginning the morning of Thursday, November 4^th, Craig will attempt to up the ante.  He plans to cover 200 miles on the trails of the Southern Kettle Moraine by Sunday.

It’s not a race.  It’s not an official event.  There isn’t a time to beat.  Just one man, one weekend …and 200 miles.

Why would anyone do that?

There is no bravado here.  He hasn’t published his intentions (I had to badger him to let me blog about it). There will be no media.  He hasn’t dedicated his attempt to some noble cause.  He could have signed up for the Vermont 200 and gotten a t-shirt and had the possibility of having his name published in the UltraRunner magazine results.  He could have waited for a time of year when the weather was milder.   Or waited for a time when the hours of daylight were longer.  But Craig wants to do it right now.  

So why would anyone do that?  Probably to see if he can. 

With planning and crewing help from ultra-legend Tom Bunk and a host of other friends (thanks Robert, Beth and Mitch!), Craig will spend a long weekend head-quartered at the Nordic Trail shelter best known as the starting point for the Ice-Age 50 and the Kettle 100.    

Many of the LPTR’s will be out of town (A large contingency is headed to Mountain Masochist) - but everyone will be rooting for Craig!