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Novelty of Ultimate Runner keeps athletes coming back
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Published: June 28, 2008
The Ultimate Runner shows no signs of going stale.
The five-race competition, dreamed up at a local bar years ago, will have its 22nd running today at Hanes Park starting at 5 p.m., with about 115 runners competing in races of one mile, 800 meters, 400 meters, 100 meters and 5 kilometers (3.1 miles).
"They said this thing would never last," race founder Sandy Wetherhold said, "but for some reason it just keeps on going.
"I just think that the reputation of the race has grown, and there seems to be more of an interest each year."
One of the reasons the Ultimate is so popular is its novelty. And with four of the races run on the Hanes Park track (all except the 5-K), it's easy for fans to see most of the action.
"Road racing has changed a little through the years, and I think because this is an unusual race and it's a multi-event race, it's a different challenge," Wetherhold said.
The waiting list for the Ultimate is long, and Wetherhold said that runners have called and begged for spots. But the field is capped for a reason, he said. "We'd never finish before dark if we had more runners."
Keith Stone, another Ultimate Runner regular who also helps Wetherhold with registration, said that the race filled up two weeks ago, earlier than it had in a number of years.
Tim Rusterholz, a rising senior at Virginia Commonwealth and former all-state runner at Forsyth Country Day, is the defending men's champion. He's in the field again and has the fastest seeding time in the mile at 4:18.
Jocelyn Sikora, last year's women's champion, is not in the field, but 2007 runner-up Molly Nunn, a two-time winner, is.
Wetherhold, 59, and Jack Ibraham, 72, have competed in every Ultimate Runner. Ibraham will be the oldest competitor today, and 8-year-olds Elijah Kunkel and Jack U'Ren the youngest.
Through the years, Wetherhold and Ibraham also have waged a battle to see who will outlast the other for most consecutive appearances. It appears that Ibraham might win. Wetherhold has registered but might not run.
"I'd have to say I'm on the doubtful list," Wetherhold said. "I actually haven't run at all since last year's Ultimate Runner, so I'm not in the best of shape."
■ John Dell can be reached at 727-4081 or at jdell@wsjournal.com.
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