Dexter: the Punisher

"Stuff" Ultrarunners Say

2012-01-26T11:55:00.001-08:00

This was shared with me and I wanted to share it with you. Super funny stuff written by fellow ultrarunner Dax Ross.

Also can be viewed on YouTube at: www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=nq8lJEJr3xk

3,658 Running Miles in 2011

2012-01-10T06:59:00.000-08:00

When I posted my 2011 mileage last January I started the post with a quote from H.P. Liddon...

"What we do on some great occasion will probably depend on what we already are; and what we are will be the result of previous years of self-discipline"

The hardest part of making something a routine is starting it. The very first step. Whether it be the first step out the door on a freezing cold morning or the first step through the doors at your new job. Starting a new routine is the hardest. When I ran my first marathon in 1997 I never dreamed that I would be consistently averaging over 10K of running miles a day. I have been tracking my daily mileage since the start of 2006 and now have a daily 6 year average of about 8.5 miles/day.

Like many of you, I had goals in 2011 - many of which involved running. And like many of you - I did not achieve all my goals but still I am very proud to say I gave it my best.

Running Highlights:

3,658.43 total miles run in the year (10.02 miles/day avg; 70.35 miles/week avg; 304.87 miles/month avg) - my best ever.
Defended the title at the McNaughton 200 Mile Trail Run and took over 10 hours off my 2010 winning time.
Paced a marathon for the first time (actually 2 in 2011). The first was the Madison Marathon (3:20) 24 days after the McNaughton 200 Mile Trail Run. The second was the Haunted Hustle Marathon (3:30).
Was competitive in a few marathons: Finished 2nd overall at the Trailbreakers Marathon and 4th at the Dells Marathon.
Ran 3 official marathon races in the month of October.

Here's to the start of a new year. Anything is possible!

Brooks Running Shoes

2011-10-25T09:17:00.000-07:00

Let me start off this post by saying that I run exclusively in Brooks shoes and that I have been a member of the Brooks I.D. program for the last few years. Brooks I.D. From Brooks' website:

"Brooks I.D. stands for Inspire Daily. These two simple words guide the principles of the program. Brooks I.D. is made up of over 800 members who are active in their running communities and share a passion for the Brooks brand. They are runners who are winners in their own right: Winning their age divisions, accomplishing their personal goals, pushing their own limits, and, by extension, encouraging others to do the same. Brooks I.D. athletes members use their athletic talent to help carry out the Brooks mission: To inspire people to run and be active. We look for athletes who have a passion for Brooks, race and train in Brooks' shoes and apparel, and enthusiastically evangelize the brand."

I have personally found that Brooks makes a great shoe for my foot. I have worn every version of the Brooks Cascadias and used them during the McNaughton Park 150 mile trail run in Pekin, IL in 2007, 2008, and 2009 and again during the 200 mile trail run in Pittsfield, VT in 2010 and 2011. I have worn the Brooks ST Racers in dozens of marathons and ultra-track runs. Sometimes the shoes work well and hold up beyond 600 miles of use and sometimes they don't. But overall I am extremely happy with the quality of workmanship Brooks puts into their designs and products. The following photo is from the Badgerland 24 Hour Run Labor Day weekend 2011:

I am wearing Brooks ST Racers and am about to retire that same pair of shoes after running in them during that race, 3 marathons in October, and training in them over the last 3 months. Well over 700 miles.

It was with great excitement that I received my pair of Brooks new lightweight PureConnect Shoe. This is one of four different types of shoes in the Pure line:

http://www.brooksrunning.com/Brooks-PureProject/pureproject,default,pg.html

I wore these shoes on two runs - the second of which was my daily commute home from work (7 miles). My feet hurt so bad with these shoes on that I literally decided I would be better off removing the shoes and running the remaining 3+ miles home barefoot. Now, in speaking with Brooks, my feet are probably better suited for their other 3 Pure shoes (i.e., Pure Cadence and Pure Grit).

But this experience made me realize how much I absolutely love many of Brooks current line of shoes:

Cascadias

ST Racers

Launch

Green Silence

Your feet shouldn't hurt if you have the proper shoes - you shouldn't even notice them.

Motivating Signs

2011-10-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

Saw a sign right before the start of the Lakefront Marathon in Milwaukee yesterday that a woman was holding that read something along these lines: "A day will come when you can no longer do this. Today is not that day!".

That saying really motivated me and is something I will containue to try and remember. Don't wait on something. There may be no tomorrow.

God Bless.

Strong Enough?

2011-08-30T13:03:00.000-07:00

I know that I alone am not strong enough to run 145+ miles in a 24 hour period this weekend. I also know that I alone am not strong enough to do and deal with a lot of what happens to me each and every day. But it is so uplifting to know that I don't need to be.

There is a song by Matthew West that is currently on my playlist (because my loving wife Christina found it) called Strong Enough. The song has a great bible verse in it that I often use a mantra during my long runs: "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13)

I will set a new record at this weekend's race but not because I am an amazing athlete or because I am any different from anyone else. It will be because of God's grace and hopefully it will stand as an example that anything is possible.

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

The following are other prayers/verses that I have often though about before, during, and after I have placed a huge challenge or goal in front of me:

DEAR JESUS, help me to spread Thy fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with Thy spirit and love. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that all my life may only be a radiance of Thine. Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Thy presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me but only Jesus. Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as you shine, so to shine as to be a light to others. (Mother Teresa)

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind & straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philp.3:13b-14)

Let us run w/ PERSEVERANCE the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus…so that you WILL NOT GROW WEARY & lose heart. (Heb.12:1b)

Be strong & courageous & do the work. Do not be afraid or DISCOURAGED, for the LORD God, my God, IS WITH YOU. HE WILL NOT FAIL YOU or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished. (1Ch.20)

Have I not commanded you? Be STRONG AND COURAGEOUS. Do not be terrified or DISCOURAGED, for the LORD your God WILL BE W/ YOU WHEREVER YOU GO! (John 1:9)

Twitter Link for 24 Hour Race Labor Day Weekend

2011-08-22T10:37:00.000-07:00

The following link will take you to the twitter feed that we will be updating from 8 AM Central Saturday, September 3 until 8 AM Central Sunday, September 4 as I attempt to run over 145 miles in 24 hours:

http://twitter.com/dexterpunisher

Again, I will not be attempting this race alone and have a great crew coming to support me each and every 400 meter lap around a high school track in Germantown, Wisconsin (outside of Milwaukee).

The image below was taken at the end of the 24 hour race last year. You can see a lot of my crew in the background - it was a long day for all of us. We will be attempting to run 20 more miles this year in the same amount of time. Please pray for us and send us tweets during the event. My crew leader Demah will pass each and everyone on to me. I will greatly appreciate the extra motivation - especially during the night Saturday.

What's Next Run Wise

2011-08-03T10:16:00.000-07:00

I wanted to send a quick update on my next running race.

My next goal is to try and get on the 2012 US National 24 hour Ultrarunning team. The qualifying standard is 135 miles. I am going to attempt this at the Badgerland 24 hour race in Milwaukee, WI September 3rd (Labor Day weekend). I was only able to run 125 miles there last year – but I think 145 miles is doable and that will be the goal to try and secure a spot on the team (there are only 6 spots). I currently have the 12 hour record at this race as well (78.78 miles from back in 2006).

www.badgerlandstriders.org/home/Races/Badgerland24126HourRun.htm

We will again be updating via Twitter during the race.

Verona Press Article: Dexter outlasts field again in 200-mile footrace

2011-05-23T04:12:00.000-07:00

Ultramarathoner finishes with two other contestants in under 52 hours

This is a follow-up article from Seth Jovaag Group reporter for The Verona Press. Seth has done an amazing job reporting on my "big" races over the last three years to my hometown in Verona, Wisconsin. Thanks Seth!

http://veronapress.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=3608&TM=25891.35

Local NBC Interview Regarding 200 Mile Run

2011-05-18T18:26:00.000-07:00

The following is a link to a live interview from this evening's NBC 15 News at 5. Thanks to Leigh Mills for inviting me and for taking the time to discuss last week's race with the Madison area:

http://www.nbc15.com/video/?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=5864020&flvUri=&partnerclipid

Going the Ultra Distance: McNaughton 200 Mile Winner

2011-05-17T18:33:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday, Carrie Adams from the Spartan Race Blog interviewed me regarding the recent back-to-back victories at the McNaughton Park 200 Mile Trail Run. Her story can be found online at: http://blog.spartanrace.com/going-the-ultra-distance-mcnaughtons-200-mile-winner/

The photo below was taken at mile 190. We were getting ready to go out for the final lap. In the photo is my crew chief and friend Dema Nuertey whom Carrie writes about.

I think Carrie did a great job putting into words my events, my charity, the importance of my crew, my family, and my faith in Jesus Christ as the giver of my strength.

200 Mile Race Photos from 2011 McNaughton Trail Run

2011-05-17T18:28:00.000-07:00

The above photo is from the start of the 200 mile run with my father Joe and my brother Brett. They drove up from Pennsylvania with my Mom and were at the race the entire time. We all got to spend Mother's Day weekend together in Vermont!

I posted some photos that my brother Brett took during the 200 mile race that can be viewed online at: https://picasaweb.google.com/117323466332507606032/McNaughton2011200MileRace?authkey=Gv1sRgCKT8kOSxt5DYXA&feat=email#

Verona Man Wins Back-To-Back 200-Mile Ultra Marathon

2011-05-13T12:36:00.000-07:00

The following is a link to a local Madison news story from last weekend's McNaughton Trail 200 Mile Run: http://verona.channel3000.com/news/people/verona-man-wins-back-back-200-mile-ultra-marathon/52433

The photo below was taken of me and my crew after the finish!

McNaughton 200 Mile Trail Run Finish Line Photo & Race Splits

2011-05-11T09:32:00.000-07:00

The photo above was taken seconds before my finish at the 2011 McNaughton 200 Mile Trail Run after running nearly 52 hours. The race started at 6 PM on Thursday evening and finished a little before 10 PM Saturday night. This finish time was approximately 10 hours better than my winning time last year.

For those that were there and were following along via Twitter, I hope you know that I am not that strong - it was the strength of Jesus Christ working through me. We can do all things through Christ that gives us strength.

There were officially 14 runners signed up for the event but only 7 started. My crew was truly amazing and I'm not sure I could have covered 50 miles without their help. I will put together a race recap later, but wanted to get the "official" times out there.

The following are the lap splits (10 miles) for both Johnny and myself:
It was an honor to have again been a part of something so amazing.

"Dexter at it again" - Verona Press Article

2011-05-09T08:16:00.000-07:00

www.veronapress.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=3589

Running Man-"Dexter The Punisher" News Segment from Madisons CW

2011-05-09T08:07:00.000-07:00

or at: http://youtu.be/u3Dm0kmK7g4

Verona Man Continues Mission Of Mobility

2011-04-29T06:25:00.001-07:00

The following link is to a local Madison news story that was posted yesterday regarding the upcoming 200 Mile Trail Run that starts this Thursday at 6 PM Eastern.

http://verona.channel3000.com/news/community-spirit/verona-man-continues-mission-mobility/51625

Beautiful Explanation of Death

2011-04-27T17:50:00.000-07:00

Like many of you, I often get chain e-mails (most of the time sent from my Mom) that I often just delete without even reading. But, yesterday the e-mail that she sent me really touched my heart. A good friend of Christina (my wife) and I passed away last week. Her name was Rita Pabst. She dies of cancer at the young age of 56. My first date with Christina nearly 12 years ago was actually a double date with Rita and her husband Karl.

Christina posted the following in the Guest Book of Rita's online obituary: "I called Rita and Karl my "2nd parents" and I will forever feel that way. Rita was such a role model for how to live life. She brought joy to everyone that knew her and I feel blessed to have spent time with her. I will never understand "why?" - Heaven must have needed an Angel back. She will be missed dearly. My deepest sympathy to all of you."

Like many of you, I have questions about death. My Mom's chain mail provided some assurance that death is not the end:

A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said, 'Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side.'

Very quietly, the doctor said, 'I don't know.' 'You don't know? You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?'

The doctor was holding the handle of the door; on the other side came a sound of scratching and whining. And as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness. Turning to the patient, the doctor said, 'Did you notice my dog? He's never been in this room before he didn't know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear.

I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing... I know my Master is there and that is enough.

2011 McNaughton Trail Runs

2011-04-26T13:27:00.000-07:00

The McNaughton Trail Runs are run on a 10-mile looped course in Pittsfield Vermont (www.peakraces.com/mcnaughton). How many times you want to run the course is up to the individual runner. Officially, the McNaughton Trail Run event is a 30 Mile footrace, 100 Mile footrace, 150 Mile footrace, 200 Mile footrace, or a 500 Mile footrace. So runners will repeat the loops 3, 10, 15, 20, or 50 times. Each loop has 2400 vertical therefore the 30 miler will feature 7,200, 100 miler will feature 24,000, 150 miler will feature 36,000, 200 miler will feature 48,000 and 500 miler will feature 120,000 elevation change.

The 500 Mile race starts this Saturday, April 30 at 12:00 noon Eastern and has a 198 hour cut-off. The 200 Mile race starts next Thursday, May 5 at 6:00 PM Eastern and has a 72 hour cut-off. The 150 Mile race starts next Friday, May 6 at 6:00 AM Eastern and the 30 Mile/100 Mile races starts next Saturday, May 7 at 6:00 AM.

There are currently 4 people signed up for the 500 Mile race! I can't wait to see them out there in person - AMAZING!

Last May, I competed in the 200 miler. A short video can be seen at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnGVhGYmRR0

In addition to winning the race, I also raised nearly $12,000 for the Free Wheelchair Mission - enough to donate 200 wheelchairs! I am going back next week to do it again and have an awesome crew of 12 to help me in my attempt.

The reason for this post is two-fold:

(1) I would love it if you could pray for the competitors during this event. As ultrarunners, we are constantly pushing ourselves to see what our personal limits are. There will be many individuals pushing themselves to new limits starting this weekend and running into next weekend. My crew will be updating via TWITTER - although this is a dedicated feed for the 200 mile race - I'm sure they will post updates of all races once we arrive in Vermont next Thursday. You can follow us during the event via TWITTER at http://twitter.com/dexterpunisher

(2) I am again trying to continue to raise money for the Free Wheelchair Mission. I have no fundraising goals to achieve - but wanted again to put it out there. I know that there are a lot of needs in this world, but if you are moved, inspired, or feel anything toward making someone's life better by providing them with mobility please donate. Let's see how many more lives' we can change through these legs. You can donate securely online at: http://fwm.kintera.org/dexterthepunisher

200 Miler Training Update - Less Than 1 Month Away

2011-04-06T19:42:00.000-07:00

We are officially less than a month away from the start of the McNaughton 200 Mile Trail Run in Pittsfield, VT.

A few updates on my training - Last Thursday, I finished my 600th training mile for the month of March. That is 100 more miles than I have ever run before in a month. Currently I am at 1,364.9 miles for the year (over 13.5 mile/day average). Last Saturday, I ran the Trailbreakers Marathon in Waukesha, WI. I have run this race 4 times before. My time this year was nearly 7 minutes faster than last year's race and I finished 2nd overall in 3:19:39. I ran a very solid race and negative splitted the second half passing 2nd place at the last mile. The following is a photo from the finish line:

This Saturday, I will be running in the Mad City 100K National Championships in Madison, WI. Darren Fortney from my 200 Miler crew will also be participating in this event. This will officially be my 50th marathon or ultramarathon race. We will be running 10 laps through the Arboretum (10K course). Looking to just take it slow and easy - a training run that will cap off my 9th straight 100 mile training week (I'm averaging over 99 miles/week so far this year). If you are in town , feel free to come out and see us. They are very strick about running with us or anything, but we would love to see you. The following is a link regarding this race in the Milwaukee paper: http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/lifestyle/119331804.html

I have set up a page to continue raising money for the Free Wheelchair Mission. Please fell free to pass this link on to any of your friends or family that want to support our effort: You can donate securely online at: http://fwm.kintera.org/dexterthepunisher

Mountain Hardwear's Corvus Dome and Gravity Glove

2011-01-19T03:36:00.000-08:00

Many of you know that I live in the Madison, Wisconsin area and train mostly outside in the winter. Right now the temperature is 10F (feels like 0F). For me to be able to run in these types of temperatures, I need to wear a lot of clothes but particularly my hands and my head need to be well covered. I have found a couple products that have worked well for running in cold weather and wanted to share.

The following hat and gloves are made from an outdoor company called Mountain Hardwear.

The Corvus Dome looks like a normal winter hat but it has a built in comfortable & breathable face mask. I like this hat because the thin face mask is attached to the inside back of the hat and therefore doesn't fall down and fits tightly against my face while running - keeping both my face and my head warm.
This hat is not perfect though - there are some draw backs. The hat is referred to as a dome - which is probably a good thing because it does not cover your whole head. I end up wearing a thinner hat underneath which makes the Corvous Dome a little tighter than I would like (even in Large). The Corvous Dome is made of wool - which is a warm material even when wet and not as stinky as of materials; but wool is also itchy. I highly recommend air drying this hat after you wash it. The tags may have said not to use a dryer (but I'm a guy and almost never read those clothing tags). After drying, the hat just didn't fit as perfectly as it did new - but still good enough that I have been consistently grabbing it for runs.

I have been looking for good winter running gloves for a long time. There are a lot of running gloves out there that work great for cool spring or fall mornings but few that work for sub zero temperatures. Usually, I wear a pair of typical running gloves and then a pair of insulated ski type winter gloves over these to run in. And even then - my fingers are sometimes cold. This has all changed now that I have found Mountain Hardwear's Gravity Glove. These gloves look bulky in photos - but they aren't and there is absolutely NOTHING negative I can say about these gloves. My hands actually sweat in these because they are so warm. These are windproof and water-resistant.

The Gravity Glove comes in sizes S, M, L, and XL to fit virtually any hand. If you struggle with cold hands during your runs this is a must have running item.

3,303 Running Miles in 2010

2011-01-06T08:47:00.000-08:00

"What we do on some great occasion will probably depend on what we already are; and what we are will be the result of previous years of self-discipline" - H.P. Liddon

If anyone is interested in what it has taken me to become the best that I can be, I offer the following. It is my hope that this consistent training will provide the foundation to be ready on May 5, 2011 at the start of the McNaughton 200 Mile Trail Run.

I have been consistently tracking my daily mileage via an EXCEL spreadsheet since the start of 2006 (which was 4 years after I ran my first ultramarathon). Last year, I had the most mileage in 3 out of the 4 quarters which correlated to my highest yearly total as well: 3,303.11 miles.

That is equivalent to 9.05 miles a day for the entire year. I have maintained an average of nearly 8 miles/day for the last 5 years. The following graph is my monthly running log totals since 2006.

LAVA Magazine CarboPro Advertisement

2011-01-04T08:04:00.000-08:00

The December / January 2011 issue of LAVA magazine contained a 2 page advertisement for CarboPro.Com products near the front of the issue. It was to my surprise when I received a call from my friend Greg Almond that I was included among the awesome athletes featured in the ad. I am humbled to be pictured among great endurance athletes such as my friend David Goggins who actually introduced me to these products a few years ago.

If you are training for an upcoming endurance event you owe it to yourself to try these products and follow these recommendations on how to use them for training and racing.

Merry Christmas from the Dexters

2010-12-20T11:27:00.001-08:00

Wishing you another Super Year!

Steve Cabler's (Team Punisher) Account of the McNaughton 200 Mile Ultra Trail Run - May 6-9, 2010

2010-11-17T04:15:00.000-08:00

The author (Steve Cabler) with Ryan Dexter after the 200 Mile Run.

(italicized sections are random memories)

Most of the crew traveled on the same flight from Chicago to Burlington, VT on Thursday morning. We were coincidentally seated close together on the flight, a good omen. We met John Gruber at the airport as he had flown in from Detroit. John had helped me get through my first marathon a few years before. After a quick stop at the Vermont Sandwich Company for lunch and free bread samples, until they took the basket away (Ryan was eating too many free samples), and a stop at the local grocery store for supplies we were on our way to Pittsfield in our Suburban and Town Car convoy.

We met up with Greg Almond, Ryan’s neighbor from Madison, WI, Ryan’s parents and their friends Vinny and Claudia Spitzer from Lake George, NY at the race site and the crew was assembled.

Barbara, Ryan and Joe Dexter before the race.

Greg Almond in action with Ryan.

We learned that some cranky neighbors had complained about tents and our ability to place our command center near the start/finish line was in question. This somehow was worked out by placing the tents behind the barn and out of direct line of sight from the road. Ryan was a few hours away from starting a challenge that to most is unimaginable, running 200 miles, a distance he had never attempted and a race length that was new to the sport of ultra-running in North America.

John Gruber at tent command center.

Given the feat ahead Ryan was remarkably calm and did not let the last minute adjustments faze him. We were all here for one and only one reason – to support Ryan Dexter however necessary to get him across the 200 mile finish line and hopefully before anyone else. I was worried about Ryan getting up early for his flight and basically traveling and waiting around all day for a 6:00 pm start. This is a tough way to start a 200 mile quest.

Ryan laced up and toed the line for a 6:00pm start with 14 other tough competitors. A young athlete named John Dennis, who had just laid down a very fast 100 time of 15:21, was a late entrant, considered a top contender and was one of the 14. The 200 mile distance had not yet been accomplished by any of the field so there was an uneasy sense of the unknown as they milled around full of anticipation and nervous as Race Director Andy Weinberg gave last minute instructions. The following is a short video of the pre-race announcements and the start:

At precisely 6:00pm the horn blew and they were off. Ryan led the group around the left turn and down the first hill and they were off on an epic race that would play out over the next three long days.

Ryan Dexter, aka The Punisher, leads the 200 mile competitors around the first turn.

Demah Nuerty was our crew chief, a familiar role for him as he had led Ryan’s crew in several other ultra races. Demah is part preacher, part world class athlete, part psychiatrist and part diplomat and knows and understands Ryan’s needs extremely well and is able to motivate him when the going gets tough. And, you can be sure in a race of this distance that there will be incredible challenges to overcome. He directed our support activities and balanced things very well, especially given the fact that Darren and Mike were entered in the 100 race and a few others in the 30.

Demah Nuerty , crew chief , at the command center preparing nutrition.

One of the competitors told me she was “only” running the 100. Only in a crowd like this could a race of that length be downplayed like it was a trivial distance. A husband and wife team from Seattle was making good time and stayed together for at least the first 100 until she eventually took a considerable lead. I think they both dropped around 150 miles.

On the 30-40 mile lap Mike and I ran with Ryan, starting around midnight Thurs. We power walked up the steep slopes, ran the flats and flew down the down hills. Only a few wet spots at this time so the course was fast. The head lamps lighted the way but it was difficult to see the subtleties of the trail and Mike helped by calling out wet spots and other cautions in advance. Ryan was stubbing his toes frequently and this was extremely painful for him. Every time he would kick a rock or a root he would scream out in agony. And, there were rocks, roots, stumps and other obstacles everywhere. I later told Ryan that he needs to run at least 40 miles next time before I can keep up with him.

Team works on Ryan's Feet Early on in the Run.

Late Sat. night Darren was working on the blisters of one of the young 100 mile competitors from Texas. Darren was very good at this as he had learned from some of the best and his caring and careful approach was very much appreciated. Little details like rounding the corners of the blister tape helped prevent them from rolling back and creating a friction point. He had on his head lamp and was busy working away. When he finished one of the farm hands came up and asked him if he was a doctor and proceeded to get advice on a blister he had on his hand.

On Thurs night, technically Friday morning I finished up and took a shower and got to bed around 4:30am. The cots were better than the concrete floor but tough to sleep well or actually at all. There was a loud whining mechanical noise that started almost the second I hit the cot. I was up at 7:00am and had a great breakfast at the country store. The egg sandwiches were fantastic. I ordered two but they were so big I ended up giving Andy Weinberg half of one.

I ran the 110-120 leg with Ryan and John which was Friday early evening, with the first 5 being in light and the second 5 in the dark. I wore the big Petzl Ultra headlamp and ran as best I could over Ryan’s left shoulder, illuminating the ground in front of him. This often meant running just off the trail in the weeds. The light was very bright. I remember once I got caught up in some small limbs and whipped Ryan’s legs with them, he screamed out in pain. Sorry buddy. The lap seemed slow as we were having trouble getting Ryan to run as he was tiring fast. By now John Dennis had built up a considerable lead, more than lapped us at this point. We all knew he had gone out too fast and it was just a matter of time until he would regret the early speed and we kept telling Ryan this since he did not like being down by more than 10 miles. We had nothing but respect for John’s abilities and he was putting up some impressive times and as he stayed fast through 110, 120, 130 and 140 we were beginning to wonder if he would ever crack. He is an elite runner to say the least and could be a real force in the future.

Later I saw John Dennis after he had broken down and was unable to continue. Reportedly had blood in his urine and was dizzy and cramping. I saw him arm climbing the stairs with straight and almost inoperable legs. He ran 160 miles before dropping out. Tremendous effort!

Phil Rosenstein (211), John Dennis (201) and Ryan Dexter (202 )and others at start of 200 mile race. Mike Younglove (138) prepares to start 100 mile run.

I had a little food and needing sleep hit the cot for a brief night’s sleep Fri. night. I never could get the fact out of my mind as I was showering, eating or sleeping throughout the weekend that Ryan was always out on the course running and never really stopped.

Other than the first lap I believe we had at least two of the crew with Ryan on each subsequent lap.

The following is a short video at the barn after mile 170. We were trying to get warm clothes of Ryan and get some nutrients into him for the last 30 miles:

The rain had turned the course in to a muddy sloppy mess and by the time I ran the 170-180 lap with Ryan, (Darren and Mike) late Sat. afternoon many of the paths were active, flowing creeks and the footing was just terrible. Especially on tired legs that had run 170 plus miles like Ryan’s. Travis had done the previous lap and he told me Ryan was staggering and occasionally falling to the right (I think) and to get ready to catch him. Demah joined for the second half and it was good he did because Ryan was sleep deprived and tired beyond belief and mentally he was about gone. Almost exclusively walking by now he would frequently fall asleep while moving and Demah used every conceivable form of motivation to get him going. At the top of the mountain Ryan curled up in Demah’s arms like a baby and went to sleep. A few minutes was all Demah allowed of sleep and off we went after I ran up to the unmanned water table and got him some Vaseline as he was incredibly chaffed. Soon after this Ryan seriously asked Demah if he could run naked to avoid the chaffing pain. Demah calmly answering “no Ryan you know you cannot do that”. Lots of praying and encouragement but the crash was fast approaching.

When we wobbled to the end of the lap Demah asked me to run ahead and make sure we had a positive cheering reception for Ryan which I did. Darren soon ran ahead too and told me to go back and tell Ryan John Dennis had quit (DNF) which we found out from John Gruber when we arrived at the start/finish. I did that hoping to pump him up but Ryan was disappointed. He appeared to be thinking – why should I continue to kill myself when my main competitor is out. Whatever the case, Ryan was mentally done at this point and it was soon thereafter he said he was going to quit and Demah did not argue. I think he knew that Ryan was not really done but continuing to push a totally spent and broken Ryan was not possible. At this point although Ryan was mentally wasted, his well prepared body was still answering the call and although he was beyond tired he was not cramping and showed no signs of his physical systems being unworkable. All the long training miles were now paying dividends. The following short video is from this point in the race - mile 180 - when Ryan was ready to call it quits:

Ryan’s parents were just fantastic through this whole thing. Seeing your child suffer like this could not have been easy. But while balancing Ryan’s immediate well being with his need to complete a long focused upon objective was difficult, they always seemed to provide the right kind of encouragement and loving concern. You can see where he gets his strength, determination and genuine nature.

Bed and Breakfast Pittsfield, VT. $350/night upstairs, $25 on the basement floor. Not bad actually.

After 180 miles a broken Ryan regroups and rallies for a triumphant finish.

Ryan told us in a teary and emotional address to his crew that he was quitting the race. He headed for a hot shower and sat in the stall, his loyal Dad standing by while we all stood around concerned and wondering what was going to happen next. When he emerged we saw the gleam in his eye return and we knew he wasn’t done. He had trained so long and hard for this race he was going to finish if it killed him. He lay down with his mother and Demah beside him and slept for about an hour although he may not have actually slept. Then, against all odds he strapped back up with help from his crew and headed into the cold dark night for another grueling 10 mile lap.

Ryan’s Mom offers love and encouragement as Ryan heads out for 180-190 lap.

This one must have been very very tough but he got through it, showered, took about a 3 hour nap and headed out again. I did some community laundry until about 4:30am and then headed to the cot. I set my alarm for 3 hours later and crashed. Well before my alarm went off Mindy came by and woke John and me with news he was getting close. It was so cold the muddy and loose trail was freezing up and the course and a motivated Ryan were getting faster. After 190 plus miles Ryan was ahead of my estimated finish schedule, and kicking butt on the last lap in the freezing cold as the snowy dark of night welcomed the much needed warmth of the morning sun. We hurried over to the finish and quickly noticed it had snowed for several hours as the cars were covered and the mountain peaks were white. I decided to meet Ryan and the group out on the course and get some pictures of him coming in. Ryan and the crew were all smiles as the end was in sight. The following video was from the bridge at the bottom of the mountain roughly 1/2 mile from the finish line (199.5 miles completed):

It was 7:20am Sun morning. Ryan had been on the course since Thursday at 6:00pm, enduring his third night without sleep barring the 2 short naps. He stormed up the final hill and across the finish to cheers and congratulations. Andy put a medal around his neck and presented him with a plaque and a cool hammer trophy as the champion and first place 200 mile finisher. Hugs from his Mom on Mother’s day and from his Dad and the crew a call home and I am sure a huge sense of pride and accomplishment on completing such an arduous task. We were all proud to have been able to witness such an achievement and play a small supporting role.

Ryan’s support crew was a very dedicated and talented group. No other competitor had anywhere close to this level of support. Nine crew plus Ryan’s parents and their friends provided support and encouragement throughout the race.

Anthony was a hulking farm hand and a kind soul who was walking the AT and stopped off in Pittsfield, VT because he liked the area. He lived without heat in the animal barn. He was a very engaging and intelligent fellow for sure with a quirky streak that fascinated everyone. He wanted to see what this trail running was all about so he decided to go along on the 180-190 loop. It was just above freezing, raining and approaching midnight. He liked to run barefoot and that he did through the cold wet and muddy, not to mention incredibly rocky, 10 mile trail. You almost had to be there to believe this.

A barefoot Anthony in near freezing and wet conditions is unfazed.

Mike Younglove, 100 mile finisher.

Mike Younglove had been asleep on the couch prior to Ryan’s last lap. Mike had run 90 miles at this point. I believe he had run the last 50 or so in a row. I tried to wake him twice and could not get him up. Luckily Demah was more persuasive and got Mike going for his 10th and final lap to complete his 100 mile run.

Demah, Travis and Ryan power up steep section of trail.

Ryan chugging down some SportQuest Products late in the race.

Darren Fortney, 100 mile finisher.

Snow Sat. night made for tough going on the course.

Randy Steiner (Thor) at halfway point stocking up.

The course looped up and down the mountain.

Mindy Soderman and Darren Fortney.

Travis Liles running with Ryan in the rain.

Randy Steiner leads Ryan up another incline.

Race Director Andy Weinberg presenting the hardware to the 200 mile Champion, Ryan Dexter.

The Hammer Throphy

Ryan Dexter, 200 mile Champion.

Team Punisher at the Finish.

The Leader Board tells the tale. There was one other 200 mile finisher, Mike Siltman.

Together We Gave 200 People the Gift of Mobility

2010-11-06T04:22:00.000-07:00

About six months ago with the help of an awesome crew, I was able to complete the McNaughton 200 Mile Trail Run in Vermont. In conjunction with that race, we were trying to draw awareness for a charity called the Free Wheelchair Mission and raise enough funds to donate 200 wheelchairs (one for every mile I ran).

Last week, we were about $3,000 short of the goal of $11,840 - as each wheelchair costs $59.20 to manufacture and deliver to some of the most remote corners of the globe. These chairs are provided at absolutely no cost to the recipient.

As of earlier this week, with an extremely generous donation we have hit the mark of being able to donate 200 wheelchairs to 200 unique people who would otherwise have no mobility. I would like to share what the anonymous donor shared with me:

Thank you for opening my eyes to this charity. You know how much I enjoy running and forget that its a gift to be able to just walk down the stairs to fill up my coffee cup.
109 different people donated to help make this goal possible - many of which didn't know of this need or this charity before. The magnitude of being a small part of lifting, blessing, and transforming 200 lives touches me deeply and inspires me to want to continue to draw awareness for this cause.

If you are interested, check out the Free Wheelchair Mission's Christmas video to see the kind of transformation our hard work has made possible in the lives of 200 people:

As the Christmas holiday quickly approaches and we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, please consider checking out the Free Wheelchair Missions' Christmas program page at: http://www.joytotheworld2010.org/.

Post 24 Hour Track Run

2010-09-14T11:07:00.000-07:00

I ran the Badgerland F/X 24 Hour Run on September 4 - 5 in honor of Roger Lintz who was fighting for his life against liver cancer durning that time. Roger has since passed on to live with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and my heart goes out to his family. Click here to read about Roger and the many wonderful things he has done and will continue to do through his family

A fellow runner Steve Poulter came out during the 24 Hour race Saturday night. At this point, it was about 7:00 PM (11 hours into the event) and we had covered approximately 71 miles (284 laps). The video is a little bumpy at first but then I take a walk break:

We were running strong for about 15 hours and still hit the 100 mile mark at exactly 16 hours 49 minutes. Then I got very damp and cold and spend about an hour in our tent trying to warm up. The following photo pretty much sums up how I was feeling at that time:
I met some wonderful people out there on that track and was able to run with many of them. You are never more than 1/4 mile away from anyone. I know many people achieved their personal goals durning the 2010 event and I am so happy for them. We ended up running a little over 504 laps for a total of 125.352 miles. Final results are available online.

The next photo was when I finally stopped running...It is Finished.

I want to thank my wife Christina for allowing me a day's break from my responsiblities to participate in this event. Thanks also to the many people that followed us along via Twitter during the event. Although we didn't break the course record of 137.99 Miles (555 laps), we gave it our best. Maybe we will try it again another time.

The next video captures me crossing the mat at lap 504:

What main running gear did I use?

As always, I maintained my energy through the use of SportQuest products. This photo was before the race with my good friend Demah Nuertey (without whom I wouldn't be able to do half the things I have done endurance wise). I was also fortunate enough to have some other friends help me during this event: Darren Fortney (who ended up winning the 6 hour event) and his kids, Mindy Soderman, Ken Woodford, and Diana Garin-Widmer.

I wore an awesome windbreaker from Mountain Hardware called the Stimulus Jacket that is extremely lighweight and breathable. If you are looking for a good running jacket for the upcoming fall season, you should check this one out.

I wore Injinji toesocks along with a pair of Brooks Racer ST 4 the entire 24 hours and they performed awesome!

If you are interested, there are a bunch more photos online from the event.

Follow Us Via Twitter During the Badgerland 24 Hour Run Starting this Saturday

2010-08-31T10:22:00.000-07:00

I will be running this Saturday for 24 straight hours in part to honor my friend and neighbor Katie Sloat's father Roger Lintz who is currently fighting for his life against liver cancer.

There are several ways to follow our attempt to set a new course record (current record is Roy Pirrung's 1985 run of 137.99 Miles) in honor of Roger at the Badgerland 24 Hour Run held at the Germantown High School Track starting this Saturday at 8 AM Central Time and finishing Sunday morning at 8 AM Central Time.

1. Point your web browser to http://twitter.com/dexterpunisher
- No need to sign up for the service just go to the web page and manually refresh it to check for updates

2. Go to http://dexterthepunisher.blogspot.com/ and watch the twitter badge on the right side for updates. The badge will update automatically.

3. Not going to be by your computer but still want to follow along?-- Sign up for a twitter account at twitter.com
- Go into Settings (upper right hand corner of the screen)
- Once in Settings, go to the Mobile tab and enable your phone
- Go to Ryan's Twitter page at http://twitter.com/dexterpunisher (pictured below)
- Choose to "Follow" (pictured below)
- Click the icon of the phone and updates will be delivered to your phone via text message

What follows is our goals (600.3 total laps around the 400m track for a total of 149.2 miles):

HOUR / LAPS / MILES
8:00 AM / 0.0 / 0
9:00 AM / 26.2 / 6.5
10:00 AM / 52.3 / 13
11:00 AM / 78.5 / 19.5
12:00 PM / 104.4 / 25.95
1:00 PM / 130.4 /32.4
2:00 PM / 156.3 /38.85
3:00 PM / 182.1 /45.25
4:00 PM / 207.8 /51.65
5:00 PM / 233.4 /58
6:00 PM / 258.9 /64.35
7:00 PM / 284.3 /70.65
8:00 PM / 309.6 /76.95
9:00 PM / 334.7 /83.2
10:00 PM / 359.9 /89.45
11:00 PM / 384.8 /95.65
12:00 AM /409.6 /101.8
1:00 AM /434.1 /107.9
2:00 AM /458.5 /113.95
3:00 AM /482.6 /119.95
4:00 AM /506.5 /125.9
5:00 AM /530.3 /131.8
6:00 AM /553.8 /137.65
7:00 AM /577.2 /143.45
8:00 AM /600.3 /149.2

The weather is looking awesome for Saturday with currently a 0% chance of rain and a high temp of 66 degrees F and a low temp of 48 degrees F. I also have three members of my All-Star McNaughton 200 Mile Crew (Demah, Darren, and Mindy) coming to Germantown, WI to help me out during this event.

4th of July Weekend "Family Fun Run" in Wilkes Barre, PA

2010-07-29T08:42:00.000-07:00

I had been meaning to post this for a while and finally getting around to it. While in PA visiting my family over the 4th of July, Christina and I spent the night with my brother Brett and his wife Malissa. The next morning we convinced Brett, Malissa, and their son Chris to join us at a local 3 Mile race. Here we are before the start:

Chris, Christina, and I entered the run in the "family division" - where teams are made up of at least 3 relatives and the 3 fastest times are averaged to determine the winner. Although far from the fastest overall times, our team won the family division.

My wife ended up coming in 1st in her age group and my brother ended up coming in 2nd in his age group for the walk division. I ended up 3rd in my age group...but the awards only went 2 deep. The following photo shows my deflated feeling of both my wife and my brother with medals and me with NOTHING. For those that know me know that I am totally kidding here (well mostly).

The local newspaper "Times Leader" was there and ran a story in their newspaper on July 5. Our family team was featured in the story:
The full article can be read online.

August Issue of TrailRunner magazine

2010-07-29T08:40:00.000-07:00

I am quoted in the Overheard section near the front of the August 2010 issue of "TrailRunner" magazine. This was regarding the McNaughton Park Trail Runs that I have competed in six different years at varing distances (50 miles, 100 miles, 150 miles, and 200 miles). Check it out below:

What's Next Run Wise?

2010-07-26T18:31:00.000-07:00

Labor Day weekend, from Saturday, September 4th at 8 AM until Sunday, September 5th at 8 AM I will be running around a 400 meter high school track in Germantown, WI (outside of Milwaukee). This will be part of the Badgerland F/X 24 hour run. Information can be found online.

We are going after Roy Pirrung's 1985 record of 137.99 Miles. I have at least two friends from the McNaughton Trail 200 Mile Race that will be there helping me out.

We are hoping to be able to post updates via Twitter on the hour - will post something on that as we get closer.

WNEP 16 Newscast Featuring Jim Cook and Ryan Dexter

2010-07-06T16:17:00.000-07:00

Some background: I am originally from the Scranton, Pennsylvania area (Clarks Summit to be exact). It turns out Jim Cook (who was the winner of the 150 mile McNaughton Trail Run that took place over the same time period as the 200 mile run) is also from Northeast PA (Nicholson to be exact).

When my Mom got home from Vermont the Monday after the race, she received a call from Jim Coles (who is the head sportscaster from WNEP 16 News that serves Central and Northeast PA) stated that he would like to do a story on Jim Cook and I and was wondering if I would be coming home at any point soon.

Not sure how they heard about the race or any of those details - but my family and I just returned home from driving out to PA) and the following aired during the 6 o'clock and 11 o'clock news last night.

Verona's Dexter over halfway home in 200 mile run

2010-06-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

This was a video from my local news channel updating viewers on the status of the McNaughton 200 Mile Trail Run Friday evening, May 7 - 100 miles down.

After Thoughts on Running 200 Miles

2010-06-16T09:38:00.000-07:00

The McNaughton 200 Mile Trail Run epitomizes what the sport of Ultrarunning is to me. As long distance runners, we seek a challenge – how far can I go? As athletes, we seek competition – how well will I perform today? Fifteen runners toed the line on a Thursday evening in Pittsfield, Vermont ready to try and answer the questions.

Andy Weinberg (the Race Director) stated that this was a monumental day in Ultrarunning - the first 200 mile trail run in North America. It was humbling to be a part of something so big.

Over the course of a 200 mile run, you are destined to see a lot of weather changes even when you are just doing a 10-mile loop. Over the course of Thursday evening until Sunday, we got to experience bright sunny skies, thunderstorms with over 2 inches of rain, hail, high winds, more sun, more rain, a rainbow (see photo below), and even snow. With the heavy rain came extremely muddy trail conditions. I know many of the runners were ready mentally and physically to run 200 miles – the conditions just made the course unbearable at times.

With a looped course, there were 20 different opportunities to stop. I was fortunate enough to not only have my parents at the race but also a crew of 9 additional friends. I hit a point at mile 180 when everything in my body said stop – I just didn’t want it anymore. To have an experienced crew to help you with decisions in a race of this distance is priceless.

My hat goes off to Mike Siltman who went at this race solo – the mental toughness he showed through his perseverance was amazing!

It is my hope that this race will continue to grow in its new venue and ultrarunners asking the how far and how long questions will find their answers in Pittsfield, Vermont.

SportQuest Products: My Secret Weapon for Endurance

2010-06-01T17:47:00.000-07:00

Many people have asked me how I could keep moving for 61+ hours and 200 trail miles at the McNaughton Park Trail Runs a few weeks ago in Vermont. Besides having an all-star crew, the number one thing that keep me going was the awesome products from Sports Quest. I didn't use every product - but the products above are what my crew gave me every hour on the hour throughout the event.

Carbo Pro is a tasteless powder that mixes easily with anything. I had a serving of this stuff mixed with water or sports drink every hour. One serving of Carbo Pro provides the same amount of Carbohydrates as a pound of potatoes. If you are planning on doing something long - seriously try this stuff. It will keep you going. The Carbo Pro 1200 is a concentrated drink that we mix with water to provide extra good calories. When I am running, I burn approximately 125 calories a mile. You have got to find good sources of energy to put back into your body. This stuff works for me.

Interphase provided me with the necessary protein. My Mom brought a blender from home and we mixed Interphase (along with Carbo Pro) with chocolate milk for a great tasting shake once every five hours.

I have got to be honest - I'm not sure what is in the Recovery Amino Power but it aids in my recovery and I learned from my friend David Goggins to take these pills during the events to keep providing nutrients to your muscles. These pills in combination with the VO2 Max Endurance kept my muscles feeling strong throughout the event.

I also take Recovery Amino Power religiously during training - 3 pills in the morning on an empty stomach - 3 pills immediately after a workout - and on hard training days another 3 pills right before going to bed. I know it sounds like a lot of pills - but trust me - it works.

Thermolyte MetaSalt is taken just like any salt pill - the hotter it is and the more you sweat - the more you would want to take. These are easy on the stomach and keeps the sodium in your body for the long haul.

We are all an experiment of one - you have got to see what works for you. But if you are like a lot of endurance athletes out there you are still looking for it. Sports Quest is a great company. The athletes that use these products use them because they work. You owe it to yourself to try - these products were essential for me to not only be able to finish but win the McNaughton Park 200 Mile Trail Run with over 48,000 ft. of elevation change in conditions (with over 2 inches of rain falling during the event) that many have called pure hell.

It's one thing to go out and run a race - its another to be able to day in and day out train for an event. I have run over 3,000 miles in each of the last few years because of the aid and recovery of these products. Check them out at: www.carbopro.com

Free Wheelchair Mission Newsletter: Two Feet, 200 Miles, 200 Lives Changed

2010-05-27T13:24:00.000-07:00

The Free Wheelchair Mission featured our fundraiser in their quarterly newsletter (Spring 2010). Click on the image above to enlage the write-up or better yet you can view and read the entire 4-page newsletter online at: www.freewheelchairmission.org/atf/cf/%7BDC270143-044C-4334-B0F1-4BFC36C9CCED%7D/10_366_04bro_FWM_News_Spr10_web.pdf

I am still $3,458.80 short on the fundraising goal of 200 wheelchairs ($11,840.00). Please prayfully consider donating toward this cause. You can donate securely online at: http://fwm.kintera.org/dexterthepunisher

Team Injinji Athlete of the Month

2010-05-24T09:48:00.000-07:00

Injinji Performance Toesocks recently named me "Injinji Athlete of the Month" for emboding Injinji’s core values and mission to help everyone achieve their best.

Follow this link to read more: www.injinji.com/team/ultra/ryan_dexter.html

McNaughton Park 200 Mile Trail Run Race Report via EndurancePlanet Interview

2010-05-19T04:29:00.001-07:00

I had the pleasure of talking with Kevin Patrick from EndurancePlanet on Monday. Our interview, along with Lou Joline, was part of the Endurance Planet Hour program that was just posted yesterday.

You can listen to the interview online or download it at: www.enduranceplanet.com/the-endurance-planet-hour-15

From the website's description: This week on The Endurance Planet Hour we hear from two guys who have a tremendous understanding of what it means to persevere. Lou Joline is an accomplished runner and race director who discovered running in his 40's and is still going strong thirty years later. He is our "Trail Nerd of the Month." We also check in with Dexter the Punisher---aka Ryan Dexter---who won the 200-mile McNaughton Park ultra marathon. He tells us about the experience and what it took to keep going when he was convinced his race was over.

Although the 200 mile goal has been reached - we still have the goal of 200 wheelchairs and I'm a little short. Can you help me reach this goal? I know we can hit 200 wheelchairs. You can donate securely online at: http://fwm.kintera.org/dexterthepunisher

Petzl ULTRA BELT ACCU4 - An Essential Trail Running Tool

2010-05-18T07:21:00.001-07:00

Many people have asked about what supplies my crew and I brought with us to battle it out over 200 trail miles. The Petzl Ultra Belt ACCU4 was one of the most "game changing" supplies we had.

I was fortunate enough to have been given a Petzl Ultra Headlamp as a loaner from Petzl before the start of the McNaughton Park 200 Mile Trail Run. This race is run over a 10-mile looped trail that is not lighted and without a flashlight would be pitch dark. The Ultra Headlamp lit up the course. On medium setting it had more than enough light to brighten the dark woods and also had enough juice to last through the night. Everyone on my crew marveled about how bright the light was - but were also surprised that that battery pack was not very heavy.

The light can certainly be worn by the runner - which I did on one of the laps. But works best when worn by a pacer running right next to you or slightly behind you shooting the light over the runner's shoulder. If the pacer gets too far behind - the light creates shadows that make it hard to see ahead. But when running side-by-side or slightly behind, this light is worth its weight in gold. On the third night, it was raining/snowing and very dark, without the Petzl Ultra Headlamp lighting up the un-runnable spots - I am certain that at least one person from my crew would have been injured during the night. Thank you Petzl - your lights are amazing!

In the following photo, you can see that I was wearing the Petzl MYO XP headlamp and my pacer Darren Fortney was wearing the Petzl Ultra Belt ACCU4.

Wisconsin man wins 200-mile foot race - Rutland Herald Article

2010-05-18T07:13:00.000-07:00

A local Vermont newspaper the Rutland Hearld ran a story regarding the McNaughton Park 200 Mile race. You can read it online at:
www.rutlandherald.com/article/20100511/NEWS01/5110349/1002/NEWS01

The following is a photo of my parents and I minutes before the start of the race on Thursday, May 6, 2010. You can see the beautiful mountain in the background that we ran up and down 20 times!

Dexter wins 200-mile footrace - Verona Press Article

2010-05-14T06:56:00.000-07:00

My local paper The Verona Press ran a follow-up story on the last weekend's 200 Mile Race. you can read it online at the following link:

http://www.veronapress.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=2595

The following photo was taken at Mile 180. I was ready to stop and had made up my mind to quit. A friend recently watch the YouTube video from the race and stated that a passage from The Message (bible translation in contemporary language) came to their mind. I couldn't agree more.

"My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness."

Photos from the 200 Mile Run - McNaughton Park in Vermont

2010-05-11T09:25:00.000-07:00

1) Photos taken by Randy Steiner from my crew. Click here to view them.

2) Photos taken by Steve Cabler from my crew. Click here to view them.

You Tube Video: Ryan Dexter wins the McNaughton 200 in Vermont

2010-05-10T19:10:00.000-07:00

200 Mile Victory

2010-05-10T11:29:00.000-07:00

The following is a link to some photos that Steve Cabler from my crew took throughout the 200 mile event. Extremely humbling experience and I hope people noticed/know that I am not that strong. It was the strength of Jesus Christ at work through me.

Click here to view photos

I will put together some type of report in the next few days and post it on the blog. It was a great experience and something I will never forget.

Although the 200 mile goal has been reached - we still have the goal of 200 wheelchairs and I'm a little short. As of today, we have raised $7,637.60 - enough for 130 wheelchairs. Can you help me reach this goal? You can donate securely online at: http://fwm.kintera.org/dexterthepunisher

Verona's Dexter Goes the Distance to Help Others - NBC 15 News Story From Last Night

2010-05-06T01:20:00.000-07:00

Follow Us As We Run The McNaughton Park in Vermont 200 Mile Race

2010-05-05T04:37:00.000-07:00

There are several ways to follow the McNaughton 200 in Vermont starting tomorrow (Thursday) night, May 6.

1. Point your web browser to http://twitter.com/dexterpunisher
- No need to sign up for the service just go to the web page and manually refresh it to check for updates

2. Go to http://dexterthepunisher.blogspot.com/ and watch the twitter badge for updates. The badge will update automatically

3. Not going to be by your computer but still want to follow along?
- Sign up for a twitter account at twitter.com
- Go into Settings (upper right hand corner of the screen)
- Once in Settings, go to the Mobile tab and enable your phone
- Go to Ryan's Twitter page at http://twitter.com/dexterpunisher (pictured below)
- Choose to "Follow" (pictured below)
- Click the icon of the phone and updates will be delivered to your phone via text message

Please note that updates will depend on the availability of cellular reception and/or internet access. We will do our best to update as often as possible.

Verona ultrarunner goes for 200-mile marathon - Verona Press Article

2010-05-03T19:29:00.000-07:00

My local paper The Verona Press ran an article this week, if you are interested you can read it online: www.veronapress.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=2564

Thanks to the generosity of many of you, we have currently raised $5,871.40 – enough to donate 99 wheelchairs to the Free Wheelchair Mission! We are still looking to donate 101 more chairs.

The race starts this Thursday night at 6 PM Eastern. If you were thinking about donating and haven’t yet – please do so soon. You can donate securely online at: http://fwm.kintera.org/dexterthepunisher

Thanks for your support!

The following is the elevation profile for the 10 mile loop of the upcoming McNaughton Park in Vermont 200 Mile race. We will run this loop 20 times with a total elevation change of 48,000 ft.

"Going Long..." Interview from runtheultras.com

2010-04-28T09:04:00.001-07:00

A little over one week away from the start of the 200-mile race in Vermont. Snow fell in the mountains last night and continues to fall today. This race is going to be an epic experience. There are now 15 competitors that will be toeing the line at 6 PM Eastern May 6 in Pittsfield, VT.

We now have a 9 person crew coming to VT. We plan on posting updates via Twitter during the race if you are interested. You can follow along through the link at the top of the right side of the blog or via http://twitter.com/dexterpunisher

One of the guys from my crew (Travis Liles) interviewed me last week regarding the upcoming race. If you are interested you can check it out here: http://runtheultras.com/

Regarding our fundraising goal for the Free Wheelchair Mission, to date together we have raised enough funds to donate nearly 70 wheelchairs ($4,126.40). That's 70 lives that have changed because of your generosity. Thank you!

As I stated in the interview with Travis, we may not hit the 200 wheelchair goal by next week but we will hit the goal of running 200 miles through the Green Mountains of Vermont next week.

Why "The Punisher"? - Endurance Planet Interview (Lisa Smith-Batchen, Sam Thompson, and Ryan Dexter)

2010-04-22T06:25:00.000-07:00

On Monday, Kevin Patrick from Endurance Planet interviewed me for part of the "Endurance Planet Hour" along with Sam Thompson and Lisa Smith-Batchen.

Sam was the first to run 50 marathons (actually 51) in 50 states in 50 days. Sam did this to help raise funds for Katrina relief.

Lisa has done and just started another amazing feat (50 miles in 50 states). She is running to raise funds for orphaned children.

You can listen online or download it at: www.enduranceplanet.com/the-endurance-planet-hour-11

From http://www.enduranceplanet.com/: "This week's Endurance Planet Hour focuses on 3 unsung heroes of the endurance sports world. Who are these heroes? Well, there's "Dexter the Punisher" aka Ryan Dexter. There's "Sam the Unseen" aka Sam Thompson. And there's "The Amazing Lisa" aka Lisa Smith-Batchen. Superheroes? I'll leave that up to you to decide. But, without question, they are people who are quietly achieving great things."

I am completely humbled to be a part of the stories from these "heroes".

McNaughton Park in Vermont 200 Mile Trail Run is only 2 weeks away! (www.peakraces.com/mcnaughton).

If you have wondered why the nickname "The Punisher" - you will have to listen to find out.

56 Wheelchairs Have Been Donated So Far ($3,316.80 Raised to Date for the 200 Miles for 200 Wheelchairs Fundraiser)

2010-04-20T06:12:00.000-07:00

Help me reach the goal of 200 Wheelchairs through the Free Wheelchair Mission before the start of the McNaughton Park in Vermont 200 Mile Run on May 6, 2010.

3 Ways to donate:

1) You can donate securely online at: http://fwm.kintera.org/dexterthepunisher

2) You can click here to print out a donation form and mail it along with a check payable to Free Wheelchair Mission to:

Free Wheelchair Mission
P.O. Box 513538
Los Angeles, CA 90051-3538 or Fax to: 949-273-8471

3) Call and donate over the phone: 949-273-8470 (Monday thru Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PST)

Please make sure you include the following if using options 2) or 3) so your donation can count toward our 200 wheelchair goal:

Event ID#: 249777
Event Name: Ambassadors for Mobility (200 Miles - 200 Wheelchairs)
Name: RYAN DEXTER
Participant ID#: 285865496

163.80 Training Miles for Week (April 4 - April 10)

2010-04-12T07:05:00.000-07:00

Last week was my biggest training mileage week ever with 163.60 miles (previous best was 129.60 in 2008). The week's mileage was capped off on Saturday with a peak run of 62.78 miles during the Madcity 100K National Championships in Madison, WI.
My friend Travis Liles (who will be part of my crew in Vermont during next month's race) drove up to visit with me a run the 50K. Travis ended up finishing 4th with the last 4 10Ks run in negative splits.

I had the pleasure of meeting and running (at least a little while) with an ultrarunning legend - Annette Bednosky. Annette ended up finishing 2nd woman and ran the first marathon in around 3:15 and keep going! I realized right around the marathon mark that I would not be able to maintain and still be able to run this week. Ended up with a 9:15 min/mile pace for the 62 miles.

I have averaged 105.35 miles/week for the last 9 weeks. We will be ready for Vermont in a little over three weeks!

I am humbled by the generosity towards the Free Wheel Chair Mission fundraiser that we are trying to do in conjunction with the McNaughton Park 200 Mile Trail Run May 6 in Vermont (http://fwm.kintera.org/dexterthepunisher).

Our goal is 200 Wheelchairs for the 200 Miles. So far we have raised enough money to donate over 25 wheelchairs to the mission ($1,839.80). Thank you so much! Please help me spread the word on this - it is a great cause and much needed in developing countries. It is sad to think that people are having to crawl around on their hands or wait around for people to carry them everywhere when a wheelchair is available for around $60. Please help me change people's lives!

200 Mile Run for 200 Wheelchairs Fundraiser

2010-04-08T14:28:00.000-07:00

Many of you may already know this, but I’m upping the stakes and running for a reason on May 6, 2010 and I want to let you in on it - a 200 mile trail run through the Green Mountains of Vermont at a race called McNaughton Park in Vermont: http://www.peakraces.com/mcnaughton. I’ve been preparing for this adventure for years – now, it’s even more important to me to get the word out.

So here’s how I became an Ambassador for Free Wheelchair Mission – I’d been thinking about my race and how I could make it into something that would help others. My church (http://www.blackhawkchurch.org) did an offering this Christmas for a charity that sends wheelchairs to people with disabilities living in developing countries. At the time, I didn’t think much about wheelchairs, or how hard it would be to survive without one. It all made sense to me, I put the two together, and now I’m part of the FWM team.

I’ll have a great crew helping me out this May, but the 200 miles we are attempting to run pales in comparison to what many people have to do each and every day of their lives. We’re going to suffer for what, maybe 48 hours? Put that up against a lifetime of pain - there is really no comparison.

Now, this is a race and we are in it to win it, but I am bolder than ever knowing that I’ll be running while raising money for Free Wheelchair Mission. My goal is to WIN, and to raise enough funds for a wheelchair for every mile we are running! That’s 200 miles to run and 200 wheelchairs to raise. I definitely think we can do it. Please help me make a difference, not just in Vermont, but in lives around the world.

Thank you for your consideration. You can donate securely online at: http://fwm.kintera.org/dexterthepunisher

100.27 Training Miles for Week (3/28 - 4/3)

2010-04-06T06:37:00.000-07:00

We are exactly one month away from the McNaughton Park in Vermont 200 mile race (http://www.peakraces.com/mcnaughton). As of today, there are officially 16 runners signed up for the 30 mile event, 34 runners signed up for the 100 mile event, 5 runners signed up for the 150 mile event, and 12 runners signed up for the 200 mile event.

This was a recovery week for me with a peak daily mileage of 18.32 miles. Have averaged 98.04 miles/week for the last 9 weeks and 12.25 miles/day through 2010 thus far. Ran 481.92 miles in March.

This week's photo is from the 2002 FoxCities Marathon. I was one of "those people" that would carry their kids across the finish line. That is my oldest son Chase who is now 8 years old!

113.61 Training Miles for Week (3/21 - 3/27)

2010-03-29T09:42:00.000-07:00

With less than 6 weeks remaining before the 200 mile race, ran 113.61 miles this past week with a peak training day of 26.54 miles. This occured during an official marathon in Waukesha, WI called the Trailbreakers Marathon. Finished the race in 3:26:04. This was my 27th official marathon (26.2 miles) finish since I started running in 1997 - with an average finish time of 3:31:38 - not too bad for a slow ultrarunner.

The photos below are from this weekend's race. In the bottom photo, I am running with my friends Mike Younglove (on my left) (who came out of a 20+ year marathon retirement to run a 3:35!) and Robb Linnemanstons (on my right) (who has run a gazillion marathons and ultramarthons and was actually with me when I ran my first trail 50 mile race back in 2003).

Over the last 7 weeks, I have average 97.72 miles/week in preparation for the big event. I hope to peak in mileage in 2 weeks with a goal of hitting 175 miles the week of 4/4 - 4/10. During that week, I will be competing in the MadCity 100K race in Madison, WI.

124.05 Training Miles for Week (3/14 - 3/20)

2010-03-22T11:12:00.000-07:00

We are now seven weeks away from the McNaughton Park in Vermont 200 mile race. This past week ran 124.05 miles with a peak day of 22.50 miles.

This week's photo is from the 2009 North Face Endurance 50 Mile Run in LaGrange, WI. This was a case where you have a goal in mind and find out that on that given day you are just not going to succeed. The goal then changes from a "time" goal to a "finish" goal. Sometimes just finishing a race is enough. Hopefully, in a few short weeks we will succeed with our time goal of well below 48 hours.

109.91 Training Miles for Week (2/28 - 3/6)

2010-03-08T07:52:00.000-08:00

As promised, I will post my weekly training mileage for the next 9 weeks as we approach the 200 mile run in Vermont. I will also include some random photos for past events.

This week ran 109.91 miles with a peak day of 20.03 miles.

This week's photo is from the 2009 Milwaukee Marathon in which I paced my friend Randy Steiner to a Boston Qualifying run of 3:31:01. Randy needed 3:30:59 to qualify but Boston personel said we can't deny you over one second. I thought that was pretty nice of them and says a lot about the people running the Boston Marathon. Randy along with many other runner will be toeing the line next month in Boston.

Donations for the 200 Miles for 200 Wheelchairs Goal

2010-03-06T05:14:00.000-08:00

Friends -

I have set up a personal page on the Free Wheelchair Mission website to help share the gift of mobility with others (http://fwm.kintera.org/dexterthepunisher ).

We are going to run 200 miles nonstop through Vermont's Green Mountains starting May 6, 2010 to try and raise enough funds to purchase 200 wheelchairs. Information on the race can be found online.

The following is an excerpt from the Free Wheelchair Mission's website:
In wealthy countries, a disabled person can get a wheelchair, however, there are over 100,000,000 disabled adults and children for whom the dream of a wheelchair is worlds beyond their expectations. They live without this basic form of mobility by crawling through life or waiting for a loved one to carry them to fulfill the simplest of needs--the disabled and the family members are thereby restricted from a full life. The average cost to manufacture, ship, and distribute one of its chairs for $59.20, an extraordinarily modest investment that changes the lives of the disabled and their families.

The Free Wheelchair Mission is a nonprofit public corporation with exempt status under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our tax ID number is 31‐1781635. All contributions are tax deductible as allowed by law.

I have started off the fundraiser by purchasing 1 wheelchair - please help me raise enough funds for 199 more. Thank you for your consideration and kindness.

Love,
Ryan

McNaughton in VT 200 Mile Run for the Free Wheelchair Mission

2010-03-05T13:03:00.000-08:00

It has been too long since I posted a blog and for that I apologize. I wanted to let you know about what I have been training for - a 200 mile trail run in the Green Mountains of Vermont in May (www.peakraces.com/mcnaughton/).

I have been preparing for this adventure for years - having run the McNaughton Park 150mile race the last three years placing 3rd, 2nd, and 1st, respectively (www.mcnaughtonparktrailruns.com/index2.htm).

My training in 2009 was my highest mileage yet. I averaged over 60 mile/week for the entire year. In fact, I have average nearly 7.5 miles/day for the last 4 years (8.5 miles/day for the last two years). I have been thinking about how I can mix this race into something that would be beneficial for others. My church did an offering this Christmas for a charity that I knew not much about. In fact, I never really thought about wheelchairs and how hard it would be for people that were disabled to be mobile without one. I have a great crew coming out to Vermont to help me and what we are attempting is mind-blowing to some (200 miles on foot - not rest), but it pales in comparison to what many people have to do each and every day of there lives. Although we are in it to win it, we are going to suffer maybe 48 hours - there is no comparison.

My plan is to try and raise money for the Free Wheelchair Mission.
www.freewheelchairmission.org

The mission is: to transform lives through the gift of mobility to the physically disabled poor in developing countries as motivated by Jesus Christ. Our vision is to provide 20 million wheelchairs.

I would personally love to raise enough funds to help with 200 wheelchairs - one for every mile we are going to run. One wheelchair costs $59.20.

The race starts at 6 PM, Thursday May 6, 2010. From this point forward, I plan on blogging at least once a week to provide an update on my weekly mileage as we prepare for the 200 mile race that is just 2 short months away.

Wishing You a SUPER Christmas

2009-12-17T14:11:00.000-08:00

From my family to yours -

wishing you a Super Christmas.

In Christ -

Ryan, Christina, Chase, Cruz, & Dash Dexter

McNaughton Park 100 Miler 2005 Race Report

2009-11-05T11:36:00.000-08:00

In going through my old e-mails, I came across my race recap from the 2005 McNaughton Park 100 Miler. This was my second 100 mile race and the first time I went sub-24 hours.
__________________________________________________

Many of you know about my 100-miler last year in CA. Although I finished the distance in the cut-off time of 30 hours, I was still a little disappointed with myself- I believed that I could/should run it in 24 hours. With the blessing of my wife- I set my sight on 24 hours with the McNaughton Park 100 in Pekin, IL. A friend from Madison (Kathy) was also going down attempting her first 100 so I caught a ride down with her and her brother Paul.

The McNaughton Park 100 is a ten-mile loop of rugged trails and open fields. Each loop contains about 1600 ft. elevation change- so over the 100 miles that's over 15,000 ft. elevation change. When I went down there last year and competed in the 50-mile race option I was shocked that there were hills like that in IL. But in Pekin there are. With my cell phone in my drop bag, I called Christina after every loop. I had predicted times for each loop to reach 24 hours. The first two loops needed to be done in 2 hours with about 5 minutes added to each consecutive loop and leaving 3 hours for each of the last 3 loops which would be done in the dark. I ran the first 10 miles in 1:40 and did not slow down until the 4th loop. By mile 40, I had a 1 hour cushion for my 24 hour goal. Miles 40-50 were tough (that was the only time I thought about stopping). It was a hot day around 80 and that was around 1 - 2 PM Saturday afternoon. I hit the 50 mile mark still an hour over schedule at a time of 9 hours 40 minutes (5 minutes faster than my 50-miler last year on the same course). I wanted very badly to lay down a take a 30 minute nap at 50. I thought, let me rest and then I will still have a 30-minute lead over my goal time. I did not- just keep moving- slow and steady like a machine.

Things began to get better and I continued covering the miles. I kept maintaining and reached my goal of 70 miles by 9 PM at 8:15 PM (still 45 minutes ahead of my aggressive game plan). Besides miles 40-50 there was never a doubt that I was going to finish, but still the question was can I run 100 in a day? By working hard all day Saturday, I now had 9 hours and 45 minutes to cover 30 miles during the night. Perfect- that is a steady walk. But running alone at night is still tough- but God works in awesome ways. Miles 3-5 of the 10 mile lap are extremely rugged with steep inclines and declines. I had just come out of that section on my 7th lap- so it was about mile 75 and 10 PM at night. I was walking up this hill into an open field-it is completely dark. Then I hear this voice, "RYAN DEXTER". It was my friend Terry Alberti whom I know from racquetball and church. We usually see he and his wife Donna and their sons at Panera after church on Sundays, he knew about the race and I had sent him the website information. I thought if they were going to come down it would have been during the day (which was when my mother-in-law Judy came to see me - thank you so much for your support). Terry had driven all the way down from Madison to see me. He had gotten to the race start/finish and Andy (the greatest race director in the world!!!!) told him where he might find me along the course. Terry had parked his car and walked up about 1/4 mile to the field and waited for a headlamp in the darkness. We walked to the aid station about 1/4 mile down the field together and talked. It was AWESOME and carried me the rest of the night. Terry you are an angel and I was not ready or expecting that! Basically, Terry drove 8 hours just to spend 5 minutes with me. Can you believe that? He ran his own ultra.

My brother-in-law Brad came down from Madison also and he and Paul ran the last 10 mile loop with me. We ran that last loop in about 2:45- my legs were still fresh and runnable. I sprinted across the line in 22 hours 51 minutes and some seconds. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could run a 100 that fast. I trained hard for this race having logged over 300 miles in March training. And mentally I was ready- I knew I could cover the distance- I was not afraid.

The following photo is Kathy and I before the 6 AM start Saturday morning. Kathy covered 60 miles in the race and then decided to rest. I am very proud of you Kathy- 60 miles is nothing to laugh at- JOB WELL DONE.

The second photo is me at mile 60 right after leaving the start/finish area.

The last photo is me about a minute after finishing at 4:52 AM Sunday morning (Just add 20 hours to that clock and you got my finish time).

I feel night and day better that after Western States last June. Really the only thing hurting me are the bottoms of my feet and some rather big blisters on my heels. Other than that I am good to go. By following Jesus all things are possible- this was just one small thing that we did together. Without HIS strength and perseverance this goal would never had been obtainable.

Thanks to all of you for your thoughts during the day/night and for those of you that I ran with training for this race- thanks for pushing me to do better.

Ryan

Tim Twietmeyer - Ironman WI

2009-09-17T12:52:00.000-07:00

So I am standing there watching some friends compete Sunday during the marathon portion of the Ironman Wisconsin in Madison. Along comes this tall guy with a North Face t-shirt and a mustache. I thought man that looks like Tim Twietmeyer.

Photo Courtesy of Auburn Endurance Capital Web Site

For those of you who do not know who Tim is - his accomplishments are LEGENDARY: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Twietmeyer

Tim was also voted as one of the Runners World Heroes of Running in 2006.

I started screaming like a teenager at a Jonas Brothers concert! TIM TWEITMEYER! TIM TWEITMEYER! It was so cool and unexpected to see him out there competing in a triathlon. Tim ended up finishing 3rd in his age group in something like 10 hours and 30 minutes.

I heard from Tim Twietmeyer early this week now that he is back in CA and at work. He said that he had to catch 12 people in his age group during the run to qualify for Kona. Tim got enough of them to take third and a Kona slot.

For those of you thinking about a 50 miler this October. Tim said that he may be back in the Madison area in October for The North Face Endurance Challenge.

200 Mile Trail Run

2009-09-17T12:43:00.000-07:00

For the past three years I have competed at the McNaughton Park 150 mile event in Pekin, IL in April. In the past, every mile I run has been in preparation for that one event. There is now a new event to train for.

Andy Weinberg (the former race director from Pekin's race) has moved to Vermont and is putting on a "McNaughton Park" trail run in May. I have officially signed up for McNaughton Park 200 miler in Vermont which starts at 6 PM, Thursday May 6, 2010. I will be properly trained and have a super crew that is willing to support me. It is not too early to think about your 2010 plans. Please think about competing in this event. You will not be disappointed I am sure. There is also a 100 and 150 mile event. It is a 10-mile looped course with an aide station at mile 5/10. For many of you Pekin, IL veterans - I am told by Andy that there are NO WATER CROSSINGS.

I have also spoken to David Goggins about this - he may be training to compete at this as well.

Registration is available at: www.runrace.net/findarace.php?id=10128VT

Multidays.com lists the race at: http://multidays.com/2009/08/03/mcnaughton-in-vermont-2010/

Once an official race website is available, I will post it.

All the best -
Ryan

Endurance Planet Audio Interview

2009-05-21T19:25:00.000-07:00

If you are interested, Kevin Patrick from Endurance Planet (http://www.enduranceplanet.com/) interviewed me a few weeks ago after the McNaughton Park 150 miler. The podcast was posted today and is titled Ordinary and Extraordinary: http://travisliles.tumblr.com/post/418951753/this-is-an-audio-interview-of-my-friend-ryan

From the Endurance Planet website:

"For the vast majority of the population the thought of running 150 miles is unfathomable. A person who, for example, has a goal of running a 5k may find it difficult to relate to a person who runs an ultramarathon. But, believe it or not, both of those individuals have a lot in common. Listen to the stories of extraordinary endurance athletes and you will find that they're ordinary people. Case in point: 32-year-old Ryan Dexter...the winner of the 150-mile McNaughton Park Races. He is both ordinary yet undeniably extraordinary."

New Self Renewal Center - My Wife is a TV Star

2009-05-08T08:46:00.000-07:00

A local television station (Madison's CW) interviewed my wife Christina earlier this week about New Self Renewal Center (http://www.newselfrenewal.com/) in Madison where she is the Fitness Director.

The video can be seen online at: www.madisonscw.com/SubPage.aspx?page=2651

New Self Renewal Center provides a small community that offers both fitness and rest, focusing on health and wellness for the whole person. If you are ever in Madison, WI stop in.

Letter From My Mom

2009-05-01T09:04:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, I received a letter from my Mom (Barbara Dexter) who lives in Pennsylvania regarding the 150 mile race I ran a couple weeks earlier. I was recently interviewed by Kevin Patrick from Endurance Planet (www.enduranceplanet.com) and referenced this letter, so thought I would include the entire note. Although this is written to me, I think it emodies all of us and the unlimited potential we all have.

Dear Ryan:

When I saw the picture of you at Mile 140, I was overcome with emotion. I could see that it was your mind that was in control – no question. You displayed strong-will, determination, focus- great concentration, and I knew nothing could have stopped you then!

When we cheer that spirit of a true athlete, what we are applauding is the demonstration of courage, tenacity, commitment, alignment with principle and purpose, a demonstration of excellence, honor, respect, and humility. You displayed all of that in that single moment captured on film. But, as all good coaches, CEOs, military commanders, and YOU know, it takes a team effort with a great deal of team spirit to determine the difference between victory and defeat. You had a great team with you. I could tell from your blog that they forced you to go beyond the very real human level of SELFISHNESS to SELFLESSNES! You moved from personal pride to an esteem that is an expression of unconditional love – one that also honors one’s opponents for their dedication to the same lofty principles. Top performers like you, are imbued with the belief that your excellence isn’t a personal accomplishment, but a gift from God, belonging to all mankind as a demonstration of man’s potential. That’s why you were strong and remained so through the event. That gift needs to be respected and defended at all costs. I’m very proud of you, Ryan.

Just as you said, athletes do express gratitude, inner awe, and awareness that their performance wasn’t merely the result of an individual effort – that maximum personal effort brought them to the breakthrough point from which they were than transported by a power greater than that of the himself. Always keep that higher motivation toward excellence because it will give you access to the realm of grace and power.

True athletic power is characterized by grace, sensitivity, inner quite, and paradoxically, gentleness in the noncompetitive lives of even fierce competitors. We celebrate the champion because we recognize that he has overcome personal ambition through sacrifice and dedication to higher principles. A great athlete becomes legendary when he teaches by example. Always set that example for others to follow. It isn’t what you have, or what you do, but what you become that inspires all of mankind, and that’s what we honor in you.

An athlete must hold in his mind the honor of his God, his country, or his sport; the dedication of his performance to someone he loves; or even the sheer joy of maximum effort for the sake of excellence; if he is to be powerfully strong and excel. You did this, and did it well.

You, as an athlete of the highest caliber, have a powerful influence on all of mankind, literally the power to lift the world on your shoulders. The nurturing of excellence and recognition of its value is the responsibility of all men, because the quest for excellence in any area of human endeavor inspires us all toward the actualization of every form of man’s yet unrealized greatness!

Thanks for being you!

With love and respect,
Mom

2009 McNaughton Park 150 Mile Race Videos

2009-04-19T19:07:00.000-07:00

The above photo is from Mile 140.

This video is from Mile 130 and at the Finish Line 34 hours 42 minutes and 16 seconds after we started. A 13:52.9 min/mile pace.

Click here to see the video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAaEbrhFvAk

Below were the top three times.

1. Ryan Dexter, age 32, 34:42:16.0, 13:52.9 min/mile, Verona, WI
2. Mark Tanaka, age 42, 40:56:43.0, 16:22.7 min/mile, Castro Valley, CA
3. Paul Stofko, age 33, 41:49:27.0, 16:43.8 min/mile, Loveland, CO

Dexter Wins Ultramarathon - Verona Press Follow-up

2009-04-16T10:44:00.000-07:00

http://veronapress.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=1424

Dexter wins ultramarathon

Ryan Dexter, a Verona resident and "ultra-marathoner," last weekend won a 150-mile foot race in Illinois by more than six hours.

Dexter started the McNaughton Park Trail Run at noon Friday and finished 34 hours and 42 minutes later. Rainy conditions early in the race forced him to scale back his original goal - a 30-hour finish - but he still barely missed the course record by an hour or so.

On Monday, the father of three was back at work - swollen feet and all - at Qualtim, Inc. in Madison, where he's a civil engineer."

I am very much fatigued and am hobbling around," he said in an e-mail. "No injuries, just sore."

As we reported last week, Dexter had run the 150-miler in each of the last two years, finishing in 40 hours and 36 hours.

Leading up to this year's competition, he ran up to a marathon a day, including running seven miles to and from work each day.

Dexter lives on Ridgeview Trail with his wife, Christina, and three sons, Chase, 6, Cruz, 4, and Dash, 2.

McNaughton Park 150 Mile - Ryan Dexter Race Photos

2009-04-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

We just finished Mile 140 in this photo above. You can see my crew member/friend Randy Steiner as well. You can see it in the eyes - only 10 more miles!

Finished! 34 hours 42 minutes and 18 seconds = 150 miles. We won by over 6 hours and would have won the 100 mile race by nearly 2 hours.

This is part of my amazing crew at the finish line. Pictured L to R: Mike Larson, Jay Edgar, Christina Dexter (my wife), Jerry Davison, myself, Demah Nuertey, Greg Almond, Jason Sloat, Mike Younglove, and Randy Steiner. Not pictured: Burt Dehaven, Tom Rodenkirch, Dan Prevenas, and Steve Cabler.

My friend Jay Edgar came down on Saturday morning to run a little with me at McNaughton as well take some additional photos. So, these photos are probably around the last 40 or 50 miles of the race. If you are interested, take a look.: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=jayedgar&target=ALBUM&id=5324353027684643345&authkey=Gv1sRgCNriwfDwmMDfGg&authkey=Gv1sRgCNriwfDwmMDfGg&feat=email

McNaughton Park 150 Mile Victory

2009-04-13T06:35:00.000-07:00

Before the race started in the pouring cold rain Good Friday afternoon at noon, my crew and I prayed the following prayer which was taken from a great book that my wife Christina has been reading (The Christian Athlete by Dwayne Smith):

"I am a warrior for Christ. My number one goal is to glorify Him, for He made me and He gave me my talents. So I will work hard, play hard, and fight to be the best. When I am at my best, people will notice, and in me they will notice Christ."

I hope people noticed that I am not that strong. It was the strength of Jesus Christ at work through me.

Final results are available online at: www.timetorun.net/Results/McNaughton%20Park%202009/overall.htm

We won the 150 mile race by over 6 hours and would have won the 100 mile race by nearly 2 hours.

The rest of last week's Verona Press newspaper article with extended Q&A can be viewed online now at: www.veronapress.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=1396

A couple excerpts:
Obvious question - why do this?
I'm not sure. The challenge? It's the challenge... Also, it opens door for talking about my religion and my faith and what gives me strength... I couldn't do it if I didn't know there was a higher power out there.

What have ultramarathons taught you?
Probably the biggest lesson is that if you set a goal and put the time in to make that happen... there might be variables that might change the outcome that you plan, but your overall goal will be achievable... For me right now, that goal is a 150-mile race. That's what gets me out the door. I can't just go out and run. I need a goal... Mentally, I need this.

Verona Press Article

2009-04-09T12:14:00.001-07:00

Many friends have come down to Pekin, IL to help me compete in one particular event every April for the last 2 years. This year’s race starts tomorrow (April 10) at noon central. The local newspaper Verona Press interviewed me a few months back and the story ran in today's weekly paper. If you are interested, the cover page is viewable online: http://veronapress.com/ftp/VPfront.pdf.

If you have a second this weekend – send me some positive thoughts. I have a great crew coming down to help bring back the title. This is definitely a team effort. Information regarding the race can be found online at: http://www.mcnaughtonparktrailruns.com/

If you are interested in seeing how things are going during the run, give my crew chief Demah Nuertey a call (608-658-3309)

Click on the image below to enlarge the rest of the article so you can read it.

150 Miler - 3rd Times A Charm

2009-03-31T14:51:00.000-07:00

This is our third time going down to Pekin, Illinois and competing in the McNaughton Park 150 mile foot race. The graph above illustrates the three months preceding the event over the last three years. I approached this year's race a little differently by trying to keep a more gradual increase in week-to-week/ month-to-month increases in mileage. By doing so, my overall mileage is up from previous years and I feel stronger. I have run every day this year and for the first quarter of 2009 have averaged over 11-1/2 miles a day. I truly believe this will payoff at next week's race.

Peak Training Miles For McNaughton Park 150 Miler

2009-03-22T17:02:00.000-07:00

Saturday ended my 5-week hard core training mileage for the upcoming 150 mile race. I had the kids to watch all day, so I ended up running 9 different times on Saturday for a total of 31.01 miles (129.3 total for the week). A few of those 9 runs were completed by running up and down my street - others were done in circles around the backyard while the kids played. The rest was done on the treadmill. All of which is good mental training. Mental toughness is what is necessary to complete this race. God willing we have done enough this year to improve our performance to under 30 hours. That is still the goal. In less than 3 weeks we will know if we prepared enough to make it a reality.

The Distance of Truth - Ferg Hawke Movie

2009-03-02T05:28:00.000-08:00

These are my two youngest sons (Cruz and Dash) watching The Distance of Truth with me this morning. The movie can be ordered online at: http://www.thedistanceoftruth.com/

Let me be honest - this movie is hands down the best running movie I have seen. This movie gets my blood boiling and makes the hairs on my arms stick up. Over the last week, I have watched "The Distance of Truth" three times while training on my treadmill. It is motivational to say the least and made my training miles fly bye.

The movie follows ultrarunner Ferg Hawke during his 2nd run at the Badwater 135-mile foot race from Death Valley to the portal of Mt. Whitney (http://www.badwater.com/). Although this movie covers the 2005 Badwater race, it could have been any foot race and it truly captures the feeling of competing in a race.

I have rewound the movie over and over again starting at the fourth leg of the race (Battle for Darwin - Mile 90). This is the point in the race when Mike Sweeny is in 1st place after running like an absolute rocket for the first 12 hours. Ferg Hawke is in 2nd place and Scott Jurek (arguably the best ultrarunning since Yiannis Kouros) is in 3rd. Ferg's family came and were part of his crew during the race. There is footage of his son Carter running with him right around this time. As a father of three who one day hopes to have his sons be a part of a race together, I was truly moved by the father and son experience.

The narrator of the movie states something like "strange how the smallest bit of hope can linger even while the odds stack up." Scott Jurek went on to set a new course record in around 24.5 hours. Ferg never stopped believing that he could win. This is an awesome movie - one in which we become part of Ferg's crew hoping that he can pull off the impossible.

Leg 6 of the race is from Lone Pine to Mt. Whitney. At this point, the movie cues to an interview with Ferg stating that "no matter how well you train, things at some point are going to fall apart." The scenes after Jurek finishes the race are what really got my heart beating and are now my go to part of the movie when I need inspiration and motivation while running on the treadmill. This is where the director (who does as well of a job as any Hollywood production) cuts to scenes of Ferg Hawke suffering up Mt. Whitney and then fades to his earlier running in the race to show the contrast. This is where you can look into Ferg's eyes and see his true spirit. Long after the body said stop - the spirit said no.

With Ferg fighting up Mt. Whitney, his daughter Connie comes running down from the finish to greet her father. Holding hands Ferg and his children along with his wife and crew cross the line together for a 2nd place finish at the 2005 Badwater Ultramarathon. Simply amazing and there is no limit to the number of times I could watch this finish. Even the music gets me going.

There are a lot of extras in this dvd. I loved the finish line footage of some of the other 80 competitors at the 2005 race. The most memorable to me was the scenes of this french runner with what I assumed to be his wife. He is sitting in the interview chair after finishing just holding his wife's hand and comforting her as she cries. To me it is symbolic of the extreme scarifies of runner's families to make these pursuits possible. Ferg has a wonderfully supportive family and like I said you almost become one of the family as you watch the race unfold in "The Distance of Truth".

Training Miles - A Thin Line Between Perfect Conditioning & Injury

2009-02-19T06:38:00.000-08:00

Friends -

This week marked my first week of serious running mileage in preparation for the McNaughton Park 150 Mile Race April 10. This will be my third time running this race and my goal is to win it. I thought adding some more training miles earlier in the year would help create a more solid base in an effort to keep a decent pace during the race. So, this week starting on Sunday I began a quest to run a total distance of a marathon (26.2 miles) each and every day for 30 days. When I got home from work last night I was at 100.33 miles in 4 days - that meant I needed to cover an additional 4.47 miles after the kids went to bed. My legs were tired and my body ached a little. I thought "what am I trying to prove"?

The truth is by pushing my body beyond "normal", I am getting closer and closer to injury. Running a marathon a day just to say I have run a marathon a day is egotistical. In the big scheme of things, it does not matter. And if I am meant to win this race it won't be because I ran such and such miles, it will be because I prepared well - both mentally and physically - and through the grace of Jesus Christ.

My training this week will still be better than any non race week's mileage total for me (previous best was 129.60 miles - March 16 - 22, 2008). I am going to continue to maintain 100 + mile weeks for the next month but if I don't run 26.2 miles a day I'm not going to loose any sleep over it.

There is going to be a lot of great competition in Pekin, IL for the upcoming 150 mile race. My friend Paul Stofko is coming back for a third time as well. He forwarded me a great article on his attempt to regain the title which he won in 2007.

McNaughton Park Video (David Goggins)

2009-02-02T17:46:00.000-08:00

We are about 2 months from the start of yet another McNaughton Park 150 Mile Race. This will be my third year competing and God-willing after finishing third and second this will be my first win. Some of you have asked about the course. Last year a camera crew from Lexus was out on the course filming my friend David Goggins (who eventually won the race over 2 hours ahead of me). The short film can be viewed online and shows some of the course.

The Long Run: http://lstudio.lexus.com/#vid346

There is also a video out there of the entire course at Peak Races' website: www.peakraces.com/index.php?inc=videos-mcnaughton

The course website is: http://www.mcnaughtonparktrailruns.com/

San Diego Running

2009-01-28T18:44:00.000-08:00

I had a business trip out to California this week and was able to run a couple times in San Diego with my friend Keith Kirby. We had a nice 15 mile run near a lagoon Sunday night and then again this morning we ran about 12 miles on some trails . Was able to meet Keith's bride-to-be Jakie at dinner Sunday night.

There is nothing like some nice warm weather running to help break up the long Wisconsin winter training. As January is coming to an end, it looks like 300 miles will be the total running miles for January 2009. A good start and we will continue to rack up the miles for a target peak month of March for April's McNaughton Park 150 mile race.

I was also able to stop in and visit with Injini this morning in San Diego. I am honored to be a sponsored athlete with Injinji socks and it was great to meet everyone there.

2008 Running Miles

2009-01-07T17:01:00.000-08:00

I have been keeping a very detailed daily log to keep track of the miles I have run since the beginning of 2006. With the end of 2008, I decided to graph my monthly averages and see how each of the last three years compare (I guess my engineering side is coming through).

I have been gradually increasing my mileage over the last few years. I do not run everyday. In 2008, I "rested" 83 days. Basically, every time I laced my shoes up for a run I averaged over 10.5 miles but taken over the entire year, my daily average is only 8.2 miles/day. The goal for 2009 is to raise my daily average to over 10 miles/day. It's off to a good start. Looking forward to seeing what all these miles on my legs will equate to at the McNaughton Park 150 Mile race in a few months.

Getting Ready For Another 150 Mile Race

2008-12-08T10:11:00.000-08:00

It now feels like winter here in Verona, WI. It is getting harder to walk out that door in the mornings for my run to work. It is the thought of the McNaughton Park 150 mile race that keeps me motivated. At the start of December, I have covered 2830 miles by foot in 2008. I am targeting 3100 miles for the year (basically the distance from LA to NY). Mentally, I am ready for the challenge that the race will provide in April 2009. The first goal is to win the race. The second goal and for whatever reason seems more important to me - is to finish in under 30 hours. One would think that if the race in run in under 30 hours one would win. But you never know. I know that for me 30 hours would represent a perfect race. And that is really all I can concentrate on - my perfect race.

My Wife is a 3-Time Ironman Finisher!

2008-09-09T08:07:00.000-07:00

Gotta brag a little: Christina did it again Sunday night finishing her third IM at Ironman Wisconsin in Madison with a personal best time of 12:58:17. Finishing 34 out of 134 in her division, my wife was 1104 overall, with a 59:01:00 swim (that's her in the pink swim cap), a 6:44:43 bike and a 4:58:41 run.

Friends are God's Way of Taking Care of Us

2008-08-27T13:30:00.000-07:00

My Mom sent this to me and I thought it was really awesome. The following was written by a Metro Denver Hospice Physician:

I was driving home from a meeting this evening about 5, stuck in traffic on Colorado Blvd., and the car started to choke and splutter and die - I barely managed to coast, cursing, into a gas station, glad only that I would not be blocking traffic and would have a somewhat warm spot to wait for the tow truck. It wouldn't even turn over. Before I could make the call, I saw a woman walking out of the 'quickie mart building', and it looked like she slipped on some ice and fell into a Gas pump, so I got out to see if she was okay.

When I got there, it looked more like she had been overcome by sobs than that she had fallen; she was a young woman who looked really haggard with dark circles under her eyes. She dropped something as I helped her up, and I picked it up to give it to her. It was a nickel.

At that moment, everything came into focus for me: the crying woman, the ancient Suburban crammed full of stuff with 3 kids in the back (1 in a car seat), and the gas pump readin g $4.95.

I asked her if she was okay and if she needed help, and she just kept saying 'I don't want my kids to see me crying,' so we stood on the other side of the pump from her car. She said she was driving to California and that things were very hard for her right now. So I asked, 'And you were praying?' That made her back away from me a little, but I assured her I was not a crazy person and said, 'He heard you, and He sent me. '

I took out my card and swiped it through the card reader on the pump so she could fill up her car completely, and while it was fueling, walked to the next door McDonald's and bought 2 big bags of food, some gift certificates for more, and a big cup of coffee. She gave the food to the kids in the Car, who atta cked it like wolves, and we stood by the pump eating fries and talking a little.

She told me her name, and that she lived in Kansas City Her boyfriend left 2 months ago and she had not been able to make ends meet. She knew she wouldn't have money to pay rent Jan 1, and finally in desperation had finally called her parents, with whom she had not spoken in about 5 years. They lived in California and said she could come live with them and try to get on her feet there.

So she packed up everything she owned in the car. She told the kids they were going to California for Christmas, but not that they were going to live there.

I gave her my gloves, a little hug and said a quick prayer with her for safety on the road. As I was walking over to my car, she said, 'So, are you like an angel or something?'

This definitely made me cry. I said, 'Sweetie, at this time of year angels are really busy, so sometimes God uses regular people.'

It was so incredible to be a part of someone else's miracle. And of course, you guessed it, when I got in my car it started right away and got me home with no problem. I'll put it in the shop tomorrow to check, but I suspect the mechanic won't find anything wrong.

Sometimes the angels fly close enough to you that you can hear the flutter of their wings.

Maine to Florida Run for Ronald McDonald House

2008-08-26T07:28:00.000-07:00

It was brought to my attention that tomorrow (August 27, 2008), a runner from Virginia Beach will be starting his run from Bangor, ME to Miami, FL. He is doing this in support of Ronald McDonald House (RMH). Below is a clip from his website that pretty much explains Tommy's passion for this and the RMH. It is very personally emotional for him.

http://runnerssociety.com/4millionsteps.html

Below from Tommy's website.

In The Beginning

Around about 2004 I got an idea about running from Maine to Florida and visiting as many Ronald McDonald Houses as I could along the way. The hope is to not only raise some much needed funds for such an outstanding cause, but to raise the awareness as well. See, I know just what a place like this means . . . unfortunately.

Back in 1998, my youngest daughter, Randi, was diagnosed with brain cancer a few weeks before she was to turn two. Randi's battle lasted 6 1/2 months before it over took her life. In that time my family was able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House in NYC.

Life spins seemingly out of control in these times and when things like having your family together, instead of being split apart, are times when you can breath and feel relaxed. With my wife staying with Randi in the hospital during the week and I staying with her on the weekend, things got stressful. However, when we learned that we could be together by staying at the Ronald McDonald House, believe it or not, there were moments where we had great memories.

You see, the doctors, nurses and the medications were there to treat Randi, the Ronald McDonald House was there to treat the whole family. That in the end is what motivates me to run 30 miles a day for weeks on end down the east coast.

There is an Chinese Proverb that goes:
If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap.
If you want happiness for a day, go fishing.
If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune.
If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.

What are you doing for happiness? Me, I'm going for a run.

Art Monk Hall of Fame Induction Speech

2008-08-21T10:18:00.000-07:00

If you didn't catch this a few weeks ago - take the time to view this. Probably one of the best acceptance speeches I have ever heard and an awesome use of "the world's stage" to speak the truth. I never knew much about Art Monk before his National Football League Hall of Fame induction but now I am a fan.

www.truveo.com/Art-Monk-HOF-speech/id/3630945818

A Teenager's View of Heaven

2008-08-19T11:43:00.000-07:00

Although this is not running related, I wanted to add this to the blog as it is truly awesome. My Mom sent me this story via e-mail a few weeks ago. This is really worth the read when you have the time.

17-year-old Brian Moore had only a short time to write something for a class. The subject was what Heaven was like. 'I wowed 'em, ' he later told his father, Bruce. 'It's a killer. It's the bomb. It's the best thing I ever wrote..' It also was the last.

Brian Moore died May 27, 1997, the day after Memorial Day. He was driving home from a friend's house when his car went off Bulen-Pierce Road in Pickaway County and struck a utility pole.. He emerged from the wreck unharmed but stepped on a downed power line and was electrocuted

The Moores framed a copy of Brian's essay and hung it among the family portraits in the living room. 'I think God used him to make a point. I think we were meant to find it and make something out of it,' Mrs. Moore said of the essay. She and her husband want to share their son's vision of life after death. 'I'm happy for Brian. I know he's in heaven. I know I'll see him.'

Brian's Essay: The Room...

In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features except for the one wall covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order.. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endless in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read 'Girls I have liked.' I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one.. And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was.

This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn't match. A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching.

A file named 'Friends' was next to one marked 'Friends I have betrayed.' The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird 'Books I Have Read,' 'Lies I Have Told,' 'Comfort I have Given,' 'Jokes I Have Laughed at .' Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: 'Things I've yelled at my brothers.' Others I couldn't laugh at: 'Things I Have Done in My Anger', 'Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents.' I never ceased to be surprised by the contents.

Often there were many more cards than I expected Sometimes fewer than I hoped. I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my years to fill each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature.

When I pulled out the file marked 'TV Shows I have watched', I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of shows but more by the vast time I knew that file represented.

When I came to a file marked 'Lustful Thoughts,' I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content..

I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded. An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my mind: No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!' In insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it.

Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh.

And then I saw it.. The title bore 'People I Have Shared the Gospel With.' The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.

And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that they hurt. They started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key. But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him.

No, please not Him. Not here.. Oh, anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own.

He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes Why did He have to read every one? Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn't say a word. He just cried with me.

Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card. 'No!' I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was 'No, no,' as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn't be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood. He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side.

He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, 'It is finished.' I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door. There were still cards to be written.

Badwater 2008

2008-08-14T19:11:00.001-07:00

I went out to Death Valley last month to help my friend David Goggins race at the Badwater Ultramarathon. This race starts at the lowest point in the western hemisphere (Badwater Basin in Death Valley, CA) and runs to the highest point in the western hemisphere (Mt. Whitney).

David finished this race the last two years (3rd place in 2007 and 5th place in 2006). There is a really cool video of his 2007 race at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbwyEVb3hSo

Anyways - things don't always work out the way one wants. There is always a lesson to learn at any race - at any distance. Just like every day we live...there is always something to learn.

All the Best -

Ryan

McNaughton Park 150 Miler - April 10, 2009

2008-08-08T04:16:00.000-07:00

I'm going back for a third time to finish the 150 mile course at McNaughton next year. My intentions are clear - I'm going back to win. After next year's race, we will have covered 600 miles during races on that course. I say "we" because I never go out there alone. I have a great crew and it looks like I will have most of them back in 2009 as well.

My friend David Goggins said that if I go back he will have to go back. I am glad to hear that and encourage anyone and everyone to sign up to run 15 ten mile loops on that course. I wouldn't do it if it wasn't fun.

McNaughton Park 150 Miler - April 2008

2008-04-17T18:56:00.000-07:00

Written, Thursday April 17

Runners -

Having completed the 150 mile race in 2007. I really felt nothing more to prove. But McNaughton has a way of calling me back. McNaughton has a way of bringing me and my friends together - giving us a common goal. Just as in life, we are not alone. Last year I could say that we covered 150 miles. This year I can say that we ran it. Having never run that distance before in 2007, everything was new. There was a small fear of the unknown. I knew we were going to finish the race this year - there was no fear of the distance. But there is no denying the distance is long and the course is hard. Information on the race course can be found at: http://www.mcnaughtonparktrailruns.com/

My friend David Goggins and I have been talking strategy for a while. There is strength in numbers and we were planning on maintaining a 2:00 hour pace (10 miles) the entire time. If we could rip the 100 mile mark in 20 hours and keep going we could finish in 30 hours and be done before nightfall and get some dinner and only lose one night's sleep. Every mile I have done since last year's race has been in preparation for this race. The only way to truly prepare for the 150 mile distance is to run a lot of miles. I think it takes years of cumulative miles to be prepared to run this race. This is not something you can train for in a few months. This is also not something that I could do on my own. My crew was first class - they deserved this victory more than I. I am amazed with their sacrifice. Although I still needed to cover the distance, this would have been impossible without all of you. The race started at 12 noon central time on Friday, April 11. The following are what I remember:

Lap 1 (Miles 0-10): 1:45:30 (10:33 min/mile): David and I ran together but right from the start it felt like he had just a little bit extra - almost like an extra gear than I had that day. We remained together until Mile 30. Our hope was to run in the back and maybe be around 10th place after the first lap. 10th place I believe would have been around a 2:01:00 lap - so we were a little fast out the gate. I very much enjoy spending time with David and wished that we lived closer to hang out more. Last night we talked and he asked me to help crew/pace him at Badwater this summer.

Lap 2 (Miles 11-20): 1:46:53 (10:41 min/mile): Still feeling good - felt like we were holding back and taking it easy - which is extremely important in such a race. We were building a little cushion for the 30 hour goal. The course was surprisingly in great shape - very runnable. But, that would change.

Lap 3 (Miles 21-30): 1:48:38 (10:52 min/mile): Another well paced lap. At this point, I think David and I were running 3rd and 4th in the race. Actually, one of the 50 mile runners Brian Gaines was at the start/finish area and captured the 30 mile mark with his video camera: www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDb7CAtC3XM&eurl=http://briangaines.blogspot.com/2008/04/mcnaughton-park-trail-50-mile-race.html As you can see in the video, my friend Demah met me and told me to walk with him. He was telling me to let David go and for me to run my race. That was the last David and I saw each other until very much later. But his wife Aleeza kept me informed.

Lap 4 (Miles 31-40): 2:11:15 (13:08 min/mile): This is the only lap I ran alone and was probably the only point in the race that I had a mental breakdown of sorts. I realized that my game plan was not going to workout and for a short while I worried about that. David gained about 25 minutes on me with this lap. During this lap I asked myself OK Ryan 2:00 per lap is just not in the cards today as the course was beginning to get a little sloppy. What pace do you think you can maintain for the long haul. This had yet to be decided.

Lap 5 (Miles 41-50): 2:33:41 (15:22 min/mile): My friend Steve Cabler had driven up from St. Louis and picked up my friend John Gruber up at the airport. John flew down from Detroit for the weekend to run a couple laps with me a hang out. It was great to see some new faces in addition to my crew that drove down from the Madison area with me - CJ Werley, Demah Nuertey, and Mike Younglove. Steve and John joined me on this lap and although it was my slowest lap - it didn't feel slow. My pace was starting to slow down - although we were still a little under 10 hours for the first 50 miles. Steve and John told me I was 1/3rd the way done. I liked the sound of that.

Lap 6 (Miles 51-60): 2:36:40 (15:40 min/mile): This was now around 10 PM of the first night. I usually go to bed around 9, so my body is tired. CJ joined me on this lap and kept me motivated and going strong. We didn't slow up too much - but I didn't like how long the laps were taking. This was a turning point in the race. We needed to stop slowing down and pick up the pace.

Lap 7 (Miles 61-70): 2:35:54 (15:35 min/mile): Now around 12:30 AM Saturday morning, Mike joined me for a lap. He kept me going great. My whole crew was awesome - keeping me going - keeping our eyes on the prize. I knew that once the sun came up and the other runners started the 100/50 mile races at 6 AM I would get another kick of energy. We actually ran this lap faster than the one before. We were moving in the right direction.

Lap 8 (Miles 71-80): 2:25:11 (14:31 min/mile): Demah took over at this lap with the intention of running the next 3 (yes 30 miles) with me and getting me into a rhythm and start chopping down the lead that David and Paul Stofko had on me. As you can see from the pace, we were speeding up. Demah stayed with me from around 3 AM until 10:30 AM Saturday morning. We decided that 2:20 - 2:30 would be the new goal to maintain. And maintaining that to perfection is just what my crew and I did. www.printroom.com/ViewGalleryPhoto.asp?userid=bpadilla&gallery_id=1032871&image_id=11: This is a race photo of Demah and I running probably at the end of this lap.

Lap 9 (Miles 81-90): 2:22:49 (14:17 min/mile): Faster, Faster, Faster. Stay in the zone. I was hurting but we worked through the pain. This was a breakthrough performance for me in that I learned that I could still run even though my muscles ached. We ran this lap 7 minutes faster than David. I knew were weren't going to catch him but thought maybe Paul could be caught. Aleeza had told us that he was slowing down a bit. We passed though the start/finish area a little before the other races started at 6 AM.

Lap 10 (Miles 91-100): 2:28:32 (14:51 min/mile): Demah brought me through the night and we finished the first 100 miles around 22 1/2 hours. www.printroom.com/ViewGalleryPhoto.asp?userid=bpadilla&gallery_id=1032871&image_id=5: This is a race photo of me running through the start/finish area at night probably at the end of this lap. As you an see, I had a lot of clothes on pretty much throughout the race. My crew kept me dry constantly changing me into dry clothes. I think I had at least 3 upper layers on at all times throughout the race.

Lap 11 (Miles 101-110): 2:25:59 (14:36 min/mile): It was around 10:30 Saturday morning at the start of this lap. There were a lot of runners out on the course and it was very slippery. Mike and another friend Stacy Langenecker ran with me this lap. We ran it a little faster and realizing that we were more than 2/3rd the way done was pretty awesome. This was only the second time I had been beyond 100 miles. www.printroom.com/ViewGalleryPhoto.asp?userid=bpadilla&gallery_id=1032871&image_id=324: A race photo from around this time.

Lap 12 (Miles 111-120): 2:24:38 (14:28 min/mile): CJ joined me around 1:00 PM for the start of the lap. We were always really quick in the transition areas- not trying to waste any unnecessary time. In a race of this distance minutes add up quick. I calculated that I spent about 20 second each and every time I urinated- which occurred about 3 times a lap. This equated to more than 15 minutes of 'extra' time on the bottom line. David and many other ultrarunners have learned to pee on the run. A skill that I have yet to master but think I might begin to practice in the future. At the end of 120 miles we had put together an impressive string of ten mile laps with not much slow down.

Lap 13 (Miles 121-130): 2:31:41 (15:10 min/mile): John and Steve joined me again around 3:30 PM Saturday afternoon. Also, my friend Jay Edgar drove down from Madison and ran with me. He does an awesome job describing the lap on his blog: http://blog.jayedgar.com/2008/04/mcnaughton-10.html I quote from some of his entry: '...We were all falling down. Steve fell right on his rear end at one point; luckily he didn't hurt himself. Ryan fell down eight times in my time with him. At about mile 8 he fell on a grassy, muddy hill and just lay there for a moment. Finally he said quite simply, and perhaps a bit weakly, 'That hurt.'...' It was great running with these guys. We ended up catching Paul at the end of this lap. I stopped and shook his hand and kept running. The photo at the top was taken by someone who had just finished the 50 mile race. You can see Paul in yellow in the background. We were now in 2nd place.

Lap 14 (Miles 131-140): 2:54:42 (17:28 min/mile): My friend Randy Steiner had driven down from Madison Saturday morning and had been out there all day cheering me on and helping me. I was really looking forward to running with him. He even gave me the shirt off his back when the one I was wearing began to chaff my nipples. The course was very slopping and it would be getting dark on this lap. We passed Sherpa John on this lap and he was with Tracy Thomas. It was great seeing both of them.

Lap 15 (Miles 141-150): 3:41:14 (22:07 min/mile): We started this lap around 9 PM and finished around 12:30 AM Sunday morning. There was no longer any urgency. I knew Paul wasn't going to catch us and David was just about finished. Who cares if we finished in 35 or 36 hours? My body was shutting down and this was now survival. It is funny how things can change so quickly when you let your mind get the best of you. Mike, CJ, and Demah helped bring me home in 36 hours 33 minutes and 17 seconds. Which was an over 4 hour better performance from last year's finish. Final results are available at: www.timetorun.net/Results/McNaughton%20Park/MPTR2008.HTM

My quads began feeling normal again probably on Tuesday. Yesterday was the first day that I could see the veins and bones in my feet as the swelling is now down. I ran for the first time this afternoon since the race and it felt good to get back out there. I love to run and I love the fact that it can bring so many of us closer together. Since returning home from Madison, Jay Edgar has signed up to run the Madison 1/2 Marathon in May. I have spoken to my friend Jerry Davison who was there cheering us on all day about the possibility of running the 50 miler at McNaughton next year. The bottom line is - there are no limits.

Thanks to my lovely wife Christina, my Mother and many distance friends who kept me in their constant prayers during the race. You in addition to my amazing crew gave me the strength to carry on. I look forward to telling my sons Chase, Cruz, and Dash about this adventure in more detail when they are older. Maybe someday the Dexter boys will come back to McNaughton and capture the top four spots :-). Thanks to Andy Weinberg for always running a great race. Congratulations to my friends Darren Fortney and Julie Berg for winning the 100 mile race. Also to Jessi for finishing her first ultra. Well done. It was great seeing you both out there. It was comforting to me to know that by the time you started at 6 AM Saturday you had more miles to run than me. To all the runners that toed the starting line, you are winners. That course is tough. To the warriors that finished - enjoy the accomplishment.

In Christ,
Ryan Dexter
Verona, WI

Ultracentric 24 Hour - November 2007

2007-11-01T03:42:00.000-07:00

The first report is from me and the second is from my friend Darren who went down with me:

Runners-I went down to Dallas ready to race with thoughts of 135+ miles in 24 hours. Within the first two hours I had a few bouts of stomach issues and lost roughly 10 pounds by 5 hours into the race. I was not in good shape but time heals all things and my body came back to life and finished strong.But that is only half the story....

I had e-mailed my friend David Goggins a copy months ago about coming to this race and doing the 24 hour- he responded that he was working. And even last week he told me good luck at the race. My friends Gregg Fielder, Darren Fortney, and myself arrived at the race site a little late do to running a red light :-). There was also a 48 hour event at this race and those runners were about a day into the race when we arrived. Darren said to me there's Goggins. I couldn't believe it - he was planning on coming all along. He was destroying the course covering about 132 miles in the first 24 hours! I went and found Aleeza and said what is he doing, why is he here, 48 hours!!!??! Aleeza summed it all up "David loves pain!".

After one of my trips to the bathroom, I was sitting in my chair and looked down the road and saw David sitting in his with Aleeza. He had torn a muscle in his right leg and had been getting many ice breaks and rub downs trying to get it better. He must have been very high on all that pain that he loves so much. Anyways, I waved at him to get up and come over. I said 200 miles is definitely doable- we just need to keep moving- just a steady walk will do it. So that is what we did.

There was a few times while he iced his leg I snuck away for a quick out and back loop (2 miles), but for the most part we just hung out and enjoyed the day. There were some great people out on the course - very inspirational performances. Hopefully we will hear about some more of them. Roy - you are the man!

At about 6 AM I banged on Gregg's truck and opened the door and told Darren and him to be ready for when we returned from this loop we would hit the 200 mile mark- get the camera ready! After 200, David was going to call it a day. He had a goal of 200 and that was all. (attached is a photo of David and I right after the 200 mile mark). He climbed into his car while it was still dark yesterday morning. I sat in my chair for awhile and although there was almost 2 more hours left in the race, I was thinking about packing it in.

I called Christina (my wife) and told her I was just going to shower and I was taken back by her response- "You are going to do what?" "Are you kidding me? " So I jumper out of my chair and ran a quick one around the loop. At this point it was close to one hour left in the race. For the final hour, you run around a 0.25 mile loop. I just made it out of the start/finish before the hour so I was back out on the 2 mile loop. I knew that there would not be many people on the course and thought man this would be the way to end this race. So I paced by David and Aleeza asleep in their car and turned around and (I guess I like banging on car doors waking people up) woke them up. I said David "get out here and put some gravy on it!". We walked another lap and just enjoyed the new morning.

Once we got on the 0.25 mile loop, I gunned it and even turned in a couple sub 7s. With about 3 minutes left in the race, David and I ran (yes he was running) to finish at an even mileage. I glad I did not read about this performance and that I was able to witness it first hand.

I meet David last year at the McNaughton Park 150M and truly enjoy him and Aleeza. I was glad that Gregg and Darren were able to be there also. It was a great weekend. David told me he would not have been able to do it without me. I am not sure I believe that but maybe that was why I was there.

In Christ,

Ryan Dexter

Verona, WI

Results from the Ultracentric races are available at: www.doitsports.com/results/page.tcl?id=153747

Event was just awesome to be a part of.Ryan was planning on running the 24 hour race and I was going to pace him for hours 6-12 of those 24 and crew for the rest. Ryan was solid for hours 1-2, but then seemed to be having "issues" with his stomach. He had logged a good 7 miles per hour for the first few hours and it seemed like he was strong. After about 2 hours, he was developing a blister on his heel so we went right for the Badwater blister treatment that I learned this summer and addressed it right off the bat.........turns out that treatment held for the full 24 hours.

Anyhow, after about 3-6 hours into his race, we were just trying to keep Ryan moving and battling through the stomach issues. It was also about 80 plus degrees out and the wind made it somewhat deceiving. I had heard that the heat index climbed up over 90 degrees but it did not seem overly hot to me......or Ryan I think. There was not a cloud in the sky the entire day.

About hour 4, Ryan decided that this race was not going to be a record breaker for him, but found a trememdous amount of satisfaction helping out David G (see earlier) reach a monumental goal of 200 miles over 48 hours. Ryan decided to hang with David for nearly the ENTIRE rest of the race. That told me a lot about how unselfish Ryan is and how much respect he has for David G.At Ryan's 6 hour mark, my 6 hour run was about ready to fire up (original plan was for me to run/pace with him those 6 hours). We had decided that I sign up for the 6 hour event so I could "officially" be a pacer for him during the event....pacers were not legally allowed. I left it up to Ryan if he wanted me to continue to work with him (or he and David) those next 6 hours..........or get after it and race the 6 hours.

Ryan seemed to be getting back into his groove slowly but surely but he was unselfishly helping David out versus worrying about his own mileage. David was doing a lot of walking after tearing his leg muscle but he was still moving......and Ryan was right by his side. Anyhow, Ryan encouraged me to "race" the 6 hour event........which I did. I could then join back up with him for the last 1/2 fo the event (remaining 12 hours).I had looked at last years 6 hour distances and decided to hammer it and see if I could win it outright (or come close to winning it). The only problem was that I really have not been training for any distance running and my longest run after Sept Ironman was 11 miles... Not exactly in ultra running form at the moment however I have been running 40-50 miles per week in prep for the Feb marathon in Austin. I really had no idea what I could do considering my lack of training for this event.Anyhow, the race went well and I ended up logging 38.5 hours in 6 hours. I was happy with that considering my lack of any distance running in the past 3 months. I felt decent for the first 26 miles or so, then struggled a bit miles 27-39. I ended up being tied for 2nd place........missed first by a 1/4 mile! (=: Running nearly 40 miles and missing first by only a 1/4 mile was probably the funniest thing that I have experienced in a while........lol. Really, I will get over it eventually......ha!6 hour race results are at: www.doitsports.com/newresults3/client/153747_219909_2007.html

In all, it was a truly amazing day of events.......many stories within stories. I was fortunate to be with my friend Ryan for the weekend in Texas. What a cool event to be a part of. It was a time to remember.By the way, Ryan racked up over 93 miles along the way (he forgot to mention that).........mostly unselfishly helping out his friend David. That showed me a lot about Ryan............. 93 miles put him in the top 3rd overall........even though he did not have his "A" game going. That is impressive!

Darren

Baderland F/X 24 Hour - September 2007

2007-09-01T18:52:00.000-07:00

Friends-

This is a hard one to write. I didn't do what I planned at this race. I didn't even finish the race. I didn't even run half of it. But I feel great.

I was on target - actually a little aggressive running a little over 7 miles in the first hour. After about 4 hours (noon), my body starting wondering what was going on. It was hot and the bottom line was I just wasn't having fun anymore. I struggled for the next 4 hours and finally decided to hang it up about 4 PM. I just didn't have it in me to go 16 more hours. This is a hobby and I just didn't feel like doing my hobby anymore on Saturday so I stopped after about 38 miles.

This was the first time I have dropped from a race. The lesson learned is - you gotta have fun. I love running. I just wasn't loving it that day. Saturday night was like a bonus night - man did I sleep well.

Mike Younglove and Kathy Braun both completed 12 hours on the track Saturday night. I am sorry I wasn't there with you.

I ran 13 miles yesterday morning and it was fun again.

The following link is from a Milwaukee newspaper writer Tom Held: http://blogs.jsonline.com/offthecouch/archive/2007/09/04/the-heat-takes-its-toll.aspx

"The high on Saturday reached 76 in Milwaukee, but must have felt a lot hotter on that track away from Lake Michigan. Ryan Dexter, a 31-year-old from Verona, had planned to go after Roy Pirrung's event record of 137.9 miles, but succumbed to the conditions just under 40 miles into the effort. Dexter is no rookie, either. He claimed third place earlier this year in the 150-mile event at the McNaughton Park Trail Runs in Illinois. "

McNaughton Park 150 Miler- April 2007

2007-04-01T18:50:00.000-07:00

Friends-

Not sure many of you know about what I did last weekend – did not want to worry many of you. But I do want to share my experience:

I am having trouble putting into words this running adventure. Maybe because I still can’t begin to get my mind around the distance and time it took to complete the 150 mile journey at McNaughton Park in Pekin Illinois. This was a first annual and the longest foot race in the Western Hemisphere.

I’ll be upfront and frank about this – I trained hard for this race. Having logged about 2500 miles since August 2006 (1100 of those miles between Jan. ’07 and March). I ran 425 miles in the month of March. I wanted to win this race. I knew there was going to be serious competition and I thought 30 hours would be a reasonable goal. With that in mind, I pasted four numbers on a small picture of my three sons (Chase, Cruz, and Dash), and laminated it and taped it to my Road ID bracelet. These were my absolute cut-off times for the 4 aid stations along the course based on a 12 min/mile pace or 2 hour 10 mile lap. 30:30 (2.55 miles) for Totempole Aid Station, 1:09:29 (5.79 miles) Heaven’s Gate #1, 1:22:41 (6.89 miles) Heaven’s Gate #2, and 2:00:00 (10.00 miles) Start/Finish. I just reset my watch every time around. In my mind, these created a very large task seem small and doable.

The start of the race was exciting. There were maybe 45 of us toeing the line at 6 PM Friday evening, April 13. I had been communicating with my friend Jerry Davidson (the race Website guy) and he had told me that he would be in Michigan at his son’s track meet until Saturday night probably around midnight. About a minute before the start, Andy Weinberg (the greatest Race Director around) yelled for me- so I left the starting line to see Jerry. Because of the expected weather his son’s meet was canceled.

The local newspaper was there raking photos and actually captured this moment (last photo- number 14 of 14):
http://pjstar.mycapture.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=255725

Photo 9 of 14 is Paul Stofko who ran a near perfect race- very consistent. He deserved the victory. Paul has now won every race at McNaughton Park (30 mile, 50 mile, 100 mile, and now 150 mile).

Photo 3 of 14 is the start of the 150 mile race.

The newspaper also ran a story on the race if you are interested: http://pjstar.com/stories/041507/TRI_BCUHHL64.049.php

Jerry hung around cheering on runners the entire time – I’m not sure he missed me coming through except for maybe a couple times during the night. Let me begin by saying this was by no means a solo journey. After a day’s reflection, I can truly say that I had the greatest crew that was totally committed to helping me achieve my goal. My friends from work Peggy Pichette and Mike Younglove were meticulous with keeping me hydrated and feed and getting me in and out of the start/finish area. I never stayed there longer than 5 minutes- most of the time I bet it was less than 2. I would drink a protein drink during the first mile or so of the race and they would meet me at the top of the hill and exchange that with GU20.

A group of us that included last year’s 1st and 2nd place 100 mile finishers (Scott Myers and Paul Stofko) ran the first lap fairly fast – around 1:40. But there were still a couple runners in front of us including David Goggins. Because of my quick crew, I got the jump on the other runners and hit the course again for miles 10-20 around 7:40-7:45 PM grabbing my new headlamp that Peggy convinced me to purchase the day before at REI. It is the Myo XP and it did a great job lighting that trail up. I caught up to David who was running about the exact same pace as me around mile 13 or so. We stayed together until mile 91. David Goggins is a stand up guy and it was a pleasure getting to know him over the miles. I truly hope we stay in touch. He is a great ambassador for the sport and is using God’s gift to help others. If you are fortunate enough to have some extra funds, please consider donating to his cause: http://www.specialops.org/. We ran number 1 and 2 for a majority of the race. My friend CJ Werley joined David and I around 1 AM of so and ran the 40-50 mile loop with us. That helped mix things up and made the night not seem so long. Mike Younglove also joined us for the next loop during the night – miles 50-60.

After running all night together, we got a major mental boost when we crossed over the Start/Finish line around 5:40 AM Saturday- 20 minutes before another 200 runners began their quests for 100 or 50 miles. Andy made a load speaker announcement that Ryan Dexter and David Goggins were leading the 150 mile race and were at mile 60. Everyone cheered- it was very cool. That and the addition of some much needed sunlight gave me hope for the day’s trek. The additional runners caused the track to degrade rapidly and the rain muddied the track up so much so that it was almost un-walkable much less runable.

The trails did drain well and the course did dry out a bit. Things could have always been worse. I began to hurt around mile 90 and like I mentioned above David and I went our separate ways at about 91. I lay down in the flat field shortly after leaving the Start/Finish. This was the first point that I got some new pacers since the morning. My friends Keith Feiler and Eric Olson joined us on the loop. I had some great people out there with me. Both Keith and Eric ended up running 30 miles with me at different times. My friend Burt Dehaven ran 40 straight miles with me. My friends Tony Piek, Steve Cabler, Dirk Racine, and Scott Nelson ran 10 miles. These friends help carry my spirit to the finish. I also had friends Al Derus, Mary Langer, Tom Rodenkirch, Tom Grabot, Michael Oftedahl, and Rachel Smith there supporting me. Rachel came all the way from Canada. The rest made the nearly 4 hour trip from Madison.

This was by no means a solo effort. I finished the first 100 in around 22:30. That was about 20 minutes faster than my course PR of 22:52 in 2005. I crossed the 110 mark and yelled to Andy that I was getting my second wind. My race ended a few miles later around mile 116.

The Book of Proverbs reminds us that there is a friend that sticks closer than any brother. In our time of need, Jesus will send angels to protect you. In their wings, you will find refuge. On their wings, you will soar like eagles. If it weren’t for the many angels that my friend Jesus sent my way, I most certainly would not be writing a finisher’s race report. I could probably write a book about the mountain highs and the valley lows that I experienced during those final 40 miles. But in the end, we were still standing. I think I stopped for about 15 minutes one time and tried to warm up around a campfire. But other than that, it was a constant push for a 40:40:45 finish (yes 40+ hours).

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. Three of my friends became ultra-runners this past weekend just to help me achieve my goal. They had nothing invested and nothing to gain. There was no reward for their effort. They did it out of love. Mike and Peggy stayed up as long as I did just to be a part of the journey. I am forever grateful to all of your efforts and the time you committed to this.

My wife was in Phoenix and finished the Ironman Arizona Sunday. I know she was there with me in spirit. She has been a great inspiration for me – taking care of three small boys and still finding time to train. Although she doesn’t understand my deep desire to run, she supports my endeavors. My in-laws watched the boys all weekend for us – I know that was not easy either (thank you). My Mother hung by the phone and Peggy called her EVER lap regardless of the time. My friend Demah called Peggy almost hourly for updates as well. I had a lot of prayers carrying me up and down those hills as well.

The finish line was a great experience. Paul Stofko had showered up and come back to the Start/Finish. David passed me in what seemed like a full out sprint with about a mile to go in the race. That inspired me to run and I think I finished in third place about 5 minutes behind David. There were some pictures taken with Paul, David, and I. It was so extremely cool to be a part of such great runners. David told me that we would get him next time. Next time?

All the Best-

Ryan Dexter
Madison, WI

Results: A little over 40 people started the 150 mile event, 10 finished. - Over 70 people started the 100 mile event, 21 finished. For one of the lowest finishing rates in ultra-running history. Official results will be available sometime soon at: http://www.mcnaughtonparktrailruns.com/

Badgerland F/X 12 Hour Race - September 2006

2006-09-01T19:07:00.000-07:00

I Can Do All Things through Christ Who Strengthens Me. Philippians 4:13

Saturday evening, September 2, 2006 the most improbable thing occurred during the Badgerland F/X 12 and 24 Hour Runs (www.badgerlandstriders.org/1224hour), a new course record was set for the 12 hour run breaking Roy Pirrung’s 1997 total of 77.81 miles. It was amazing to just be a part of the atmosphere and is something I will never forget.

I thought maybe a track run would be a good way to get some miles in for the month of September. Although I prefer trail running, I do most of my running commuting back and forth to work on the streets of Madison. Last month, I logged about 245 miles but never more than 10 or so at one time. Besides a few speed workouts last year training for a marathon, I have spent no time on a track.

Who am I? At best, I am an average ultrarunner. My Marathon PR is only 3:34:06. 50-mile is 9:18:27 and 100-mile is 21:51:00. I run races to finish...never to win. Sometimes life has plans other than what we expect- even in our wildest dreams.

There are 3 different 12 hour runs at the F/X Races: the first runs from 9 AM – 9 PM, the second from noon – midnight, and the third from 8 PM – 8 AM. I chose the evening version because it would mean less time away from home. I felt like a complete imposture toeing the line Saturday night at 8 PM to run laps on the 400 meter track. I had a plan to run 7 laps and then walk one. It was a plan, but I had not practiced it. My goal was to cover about 60 miles. I thought the most mileage I would ever be able to do in 12 hours would be about 70.

Every 3 hours runners change direction on the track to help the muscles. This also breaks a 12 hour race up into 4 equal parts. After the first turn around, I covered a little under 20 miles (80 laps = 19.88 miles)- a little better than 6.6 miles/hour. I thought to myself, WOW – multiply that by 4 and that is roughly 80 miles!

I have often forgotten about the law of diminishing returns. In my first 100 mile attempt in 2004 at Western States I thought a 9:18:27 50-miler should most certainly correlate to a sub 24 hour. I crawled across that finish line with about 15 minutes under the 30 hour cut-off.

The next 3 hours proved to be very similar and at the half way point, I had covered about 40 miles (161 laps = 40.02 miles). I thought, WOW – I am not slowing down. How is that possible? In my mind, I began to jokingly think that maybe 80 miles was obtainable. That is usually a mistake of mine. I start running the numbers in my head before a race is over instead of just enjoying the race itself.

9 hours into the race found me a little slower having covered about 59 miles (239 laps = 59.40 miles)- but still extremely consistent. To put this evening into perspective, I covered 50 miles in roughly 7h30m – nearly 2 hours better than anything I had done previously. At this point, with three hours left in the race, I actually began to believe the unbelievable. Marty Malin (the Race Director) told me I needed 314 laps to break the record. Who am I to think I can break any records?

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 1 Corinthians 9: 24-25

I began to run for the prize. I became a machine. I had set myself up with 9 hours of steady work to make a run for it...to possibly set a new record. With 2 hours left in the race, I had only 50 laps to go to set a new record. I cut walking breaks out all together. 38 out of the last 50 laps were each competed in 2:10 or less with 11 of those in under 2:00. In the end, I covered a little more than 317 laps and 79.038 miles (6.587 miles/hour).

Sometimes, I have a hard time maintains that pace for a 10 miler much less for nearly 80. Even saying that I ran 79 miles in 12 hours sounds unbelievable. Everything just came together for me physically and mentally Saturday night. I would like to personally thank all the volunteers and fellow runners who were out on the course encouraging me to go for it. Paul Braun was a major help throughout the race- thanks for being there. My wife Christina and sons Chase, Cruz, and Dash must have been sending some major positive thought my way – thanks for your continued loving support.

Many more stories took place in Greendale, Wisconsin over the weekend. Below are the results of those adventures. Congratulations to all and thanks for making this so memorable for me.

Ryan Dexter
Madison, WI

Badgerland F/X 12 & 24 Hour Runs Results
24 HOUR RUN
Name Distance (miles)
Kent Roberts 105.882
Mike Harner 101.408
Gerard Prilutski 100.165
Edwin Cook 89.477
Dan Roberdeau 62.386
Constance Karras 61.640
Doug Wielgat 56.420
Barbara Lips 50.704
Robert Wehner 50.455
Terry Hawkins 49.213
Rick George 47.721
Patrick Gorman 40.016
Shelby Roberdeau 35.045

12 HOUR RUN – DAY
Name Distance (miles)
Jeffrey Kin 61.906
Casey Lopez 59.403
Karen Vanrite 57.166
Audrey Drake 56.918
Lorraine Bunk 54.690
Scott Novak 53.958
Brad Drake 43.496
Elizabeth Gionfriddo 38.028

12 HOUR RUN – NOONER
Name Distance (miles)
Kristine Hinrichs 50.207
Jeff Weiss 37.034
Jeff Schultz 32.063
John Rodee 31.566

12 HOUR RUN – NIGHT
Name Distance (miles)
Ryan Dexter 79.038
Paul Braun 61.391
Kevin Magin 47.224
Keith Dunn 31.814

"What Ryan left out of his excellent race report is the classy way he ran the race. As someone who unfortunately was in his way more often than not Ryan was constantly smiling and giving encouragement to every runner out there. It was a real treat to watch such a graceful runner maintain that pace all night long. Congrats Ryan on breaking the record!" - Kent Roberts, IL (the 24 hour winner)

"Congratulations on a magnificent self-surpassing record! Sometimes things just work right. Obviously it was your day."
- Lynn David Newton, AZ

“Thanks for passing along Ryan-that inspires me greatly! Dude, 79+ miles is HUGE!! Great work out there.”
- Dean Karnazes, San Francisco, CA

"I enjoyed your post...congratulations on an amazing run. That is a great record...Roy Pirrung is one of our sports best! You must be thrilled to have had such an amazing day...enjoy the accomplishment.- Suzie Lister, San Ramon, CA

"Nice story on your accomplishment! I'm sure you will inspire many with it. I know you inspired me during the event."
- Marty Malin (The Race Director)

"Never thought I'd enjoy going in circles around a track all night but, let me tell you, watching this man run so strong all night was nothing short of amazing. I've told a number of people about your experience, of which I'm still in awe. You were great, man, and I was glad I could be there to watch. My first all night run; as I look back on it in future years, one of the outstanding memories will be chatting with you, watching you pass me every lap, and our greetings back and forth .Really enjoyed meeting you. Thanks for being.”
- Keith Dunn, VA (12 hour participant)

"Ryan - what can I say but congratulations! I am in absolute awe of what you accomplished last Saturday. As I was explaining to a couple of local running buddies over the last few days, you did three consecutive sub 4:00 hour marathons and then threw in a couple of extra laps - it is so far beyond what I am capable of that it blows my mind."
- Robb Linnemanstons, Milwaukee, WI

"As I was running the track today, I realized (blown away really) how impressive your numbers are. Basically 3 simultaneous marathons with a sub-4 average. I would guess the number of people who have done this in the history of the world number in either hundreds or low thousands. Truly amazing. You were on my mind in the marathon of the Ironman, used your 12 hour run as a motivator"- Dirk Racine, Madison, WI

"I don't know you but way to go. That is so awesome. Congrats on this great accomplishment. It's so inspirational."
- Deborah

“Just the greatest!”
- George, FL

“All I can say is WOW!!!!! Impressive!!!! Congratulations!!! You are a machine!!”
- Melina, CT

"Congratulations on your good run! Doesn't it feel great to turn in a strong performance like that? It's nice to read a post like this every once in a while from a runner who is actually RACING!! Good job."- Brian

“Congrats buddy. Thanks be to God. All things are through him. You are a good example of his strength. Nice Job!”
- Kevin Keyes, WI

"Thanks for sharing this with me!! It's inspirational, to say the least, and you've got my heartfelt congratulations."- David Horne, NC

"Awesome run...Glad to see you get one of Roy's records.... He has too many...CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!! Enjoy!!!!"
- Danny Ripka, MN

“You did something amazing - we are all just floored and impressed!”
- Amy Sanborn, WI

“Congratulations on an unbelievable achievement!”
- Eric Olson, WI

“Ryan that is truly amazing. I had to read over your email a couple of times before it sunk in what you were able to do.”
- Jon Anderson, WI

“You are amazing!!! Congrats.”
- Rich Henderson, WI

“Ryan- Congratulations on your excellent run!!”
- Karl King, CA (S! Caps)

“You Are A Machine!! WOW! I know my body would never be able to come even close to that.”
- Tom Carlson, WI

‘Ryan...good run...great story...†”
- Bruce

“If you had gone into the race thinking I am going to do so and so your result may have been different, but you just got into the flow and flew. Nice going”.
- Jim Skophammer, UT

“Ryan, Congrats on an excellent run at the F/X!!!!”
- Mary Gorski, WI

“Amazing, Ryan! Great run!”
- Mark Swanson, CA

“You've demonstrated the awesome power of mind over body- I'm very proud of you!”
- Rick Cashman, FL

Western States 100 - June 26, 2004

2004-07-26T18:38:00.000-07:00

To All-

What a day. Never in my mind did I ever think it would take me nearly 30 hours to finish that course. I really did not know what to expect having never run over 50 miles and having never run at that elevation. I totally hit the wall around 50 miles- it was brutal. The course was brutal- I knew there had to be something out there that just sucked time. It was the canyons. There is one section of the course right around the 45-50 mark up to a checkpoint called Devil's Thumb. I died on that part of the course. It contained 37 switchbacks all the way to the top. I would take about 5 steps and stop- lean against the side- rest for about a minute- take another 5 steps. I ran out of water. By the time I hit the top checkpoint I had started to shiver and I was well beyond dehydrated. My plan was to drink a mixture of hammer gel and sustained energy all day. That lasted about 30 miles- I just could not drink it. I stopped peeing about 7 hours into the race. I had the urgency but could not go- so I stopped using the Succeed! tablets. That caused my muscles to ache. I reached Michigan Bluff where my crew was- I think it was mile 52 or something. I was so ready to pack it in. My friend Demah was my first pacer and I would never had finished it without him. He is an African runner with a 1/2 marathon PR of around 1:06. Someone that knew pain and knew how to get me through. Demah probably logged at least 50 miles during this race running around. He just said let us get to Foresthill and we will take care of you and get you ready to finish this. At that point I was behind the 30-hour pace cut-off. I thought how in the hell can I finish this when I have almost half yet to do. My crew (Mike, Erin, Ryan, and Demah) took care of me at Foresthill. They helped massage my legs and get me mentally ready for the journey to come.

This was the slowest 50-miler I have ever done and I felt the worst after it. I always thought that at some point I would zone out and mentally remove myself from the situation, but it never happened. I laid down on a dirt road right after Michigan Bluff and told Demah- "I'm Done". I was not peeing, I was extremely dehydrated and my muscles were burning. This was about 9:30ish at night. I could not even think about continuing. Demah said "What do you want to do?". "I just want to go to bed." Everything said no- stop. We arrived at Foresthill and they started loading me up with fruits- melons, bananas, watermelons. That is what got me through. The Dr. at Foresthill was concerned that I have not peed in so long. He wanted me to pee before I left- which somehow I was able to do. Typically they do not allow pacers to mule for the runners, but the Dr. let Demah bring a bag full of fruits for me which he feed to me throughout the night. This is where we turned to race around- I have no idea how, but we slowly chipped away at the aid station cutoffs. Somehow between the hours of 2 AM and 4 AM we were able to gain an hour. When we reached Rucky Chucky River crossing around 4:30 AM and saw that we were 1 hour over the 30-hour pace mentally I knew we could do it. Up until that point I had determined that I would just keep moving and if I got pulled that was how it was going to be. I was meant to finish this race- the temperatures felt hot to me, but they were very mild compared to most years. I do not think it ever raised above 90.

Around mile 80 we switched pacers and Ryan and I just hiked at a consistent pacer for about 13 miles. The bottoms of my feet were raw from the constant pounding- the terrain was difficult. Rocks everywhere. We had 1-1/2 hours to finish 3 miles in the end. Gordy the guy that started it all let me know that while we were climbing up to the finish at Auburn. My crew was still trying to push me up those hills. It seemed like there were hills everywhere. You went up and over every mountain- it seemed to never end. Gordy says forget those guys and come back here with me- we can cross the line together. While we were walking up the hill into the town Gordy passes me and says you should have taken me up on the offer- to that I responded something like you will still need to beat me. And we went into what seemed like an all-out sprint. Even at mile 99.5 you can shit-talk! That lasted about 10 seconds and Gordy continued on his way. I knew I was going to finish.

Everything said stop don't keep going you are not going to make it. Somehow I got a second wind. I came from death and was reborn during the night. I feel honored to have experienced that- it was hands down much harder than I ever imagined. I always said if I was going to do a hundred I want to do WS. I am now done with 100's- it is just way to far :)

Thanks for the positive thought during the race- I know that helped get me through it. There were a lot of people watching. My wife and mother were up most of the night monitoring the race. I sure did cut it close.

In Christ,

Ryan Dexter