Mike Morton, UROY, UPOY and My Own Awards for 2012

Huge congratulations to Mike Morton and Ellie Greenwood on being named Ultrarunners of the Year by Ultrarunning magazine. Mike and Ellie also earned Performance of the Year honors--Mike for his incredible win at the 24-hour world championship, where he set a new American record with 172.457 miles, and Ellie for her record-setting Western States 100 win. In my book, they both more than earned UROY and UPOY.

Pound for pound and mile for mile, I believe Ellie Greenwood is the best ultrarunner in North America. Period. Women's ultrarunning has achieved new heights and Ellie continues to be a dominant force in a sport with incredible talent. When and if she tackles a hardcore mountain race, like Hardrock, it'll be interesting to see how she does. Personally, I'd love to see her run Leadville.

Now, as for Mike, there are some folks out there who think Timothy Olson, who set a new record at Western States with a blazing 14:46, should have won Ultrarunner of the Year and/or Performance of the Year. I can see how UPOY could have gone either way--Morton or Olson. And Timothy, like Mike, is a compelling figure (Olson's overcome drug addiction and incarceration) and super guy. But, personally, I think Mike's record-setting world championship win trumps everything else, including a new record at Western States. I'm speculating on this, but, because Connie Gardner, who also set a new American record at the world 24-hour championship, didn't get UPOY for the women this year, we can only conclude that the voters gave Mike UPOY for his world championship win, with the new American record being icing on the cake. Also, it's worth noting that Mike became the first American to ever win an ultrarunning world championship.

Mike has an incredible story. As the de facto teller of his story (see March 2012 issue of Ultrarunning magazine), I feel like people need to understand a few things about him. First of all, Mike set the record at Western States in 1997, becoming the first non-Californian to win that race, but didn't earn UROY or even UPOY that year. Not long after that, he effectively disappeared from the sport for 10 years. His disappearance was due largely to two factors. First, he suffered a devastating hip injury that got worse and worse. Second, after 9/11 he found himself quite busy with other, more pressing matters, like defending America. As a member of Special Forces, Mike did multiple tours in Afghanistan, Iraq and other dangerous areas of the world where his life was literally on the line every day. Yes, I believe all of that factored a little into the voting for UROY and UPOY this year, but the ultimate factor was his performance in 2012.

Of course, as we all know, Mike reappeared in the ultrarunning world in 2010, surpassing 150 miles at the Hinson Lake 24-hour race that fall, and then the next year (2011) he racked up an eye-popping 167 miles at the same event, quickly reestablishing himself as one of the sport's best. Since then, he's been on a rampage. In 2012 alone, he set course records at several 100-mile races with times in the 13-hour range, including a very competitive Umstead, and also nearly broke the record at Badwater and surpassed Scott Jurek's American 24-hour record by five miles in the world championship. Just to be fair, he DNF'd at the Javelina Jundred in November--something Ultrarunning magazine overlooked when it said he won all five races he entered.

At the tender age of 41, Mike Morton is perhaps at his very best, and that's saying a lot because he was a dominant force in the mid-1990s. I know many will think I'm crazy for saying this, but I have every reason to believe he'll win Western States this June. Why do I think that? He's super fast. He's super tough. He's incredibly motivated. He trains ridiculously hard. He performs very well in the heat (see Badwater and Hinson Lake). He'll have an A+ crew (Eric Clifton crewed him at Badwater). And he's done Western States before. If Mike wins Western States this year, his two victories will have come 16 years apart.

***

Here are some of my own awards, and please pardon all the hyphens:

• Feel-Good-About-Things-Again Award: Anton Krupicka for finishing Leadville fourth overall after an injury-plagued 2011 and early 2012. Note: I'm hoping Geoff Roes wins this award next year.
• I-Didn't-See-This-Coming Award: Hal Koerner for winning Hardrock, which is kind of ridiculous because we all should have seen Hal coming. The guy is a beast.
• This-Guy-Is-A-Serious-Badass-on-the-Run-and-Bike Award: Tim "Lucho" Waggoner for his incredible Leadman record.
• Ages-Like-Fine-Wine Award: Karl "Speedgoat" Meltzer, age 44, for winning a competitive Run, Rabbit Run 100-mile in which lots of guys half his age were nipping at his heels.
• She's-A-Serious-Badass Award: Connie Gardner for her record-setting performance at the 24-hour world championship. Honorable mention: Lizzie Hawker.
• Eats-Nothing-But-Fruit-And-Still-Kicks-Everyone's-Asses Award: Michael Arnstein, aka "The Fruitarian."
• Blows-the-Door-Off Award: Timothy Olson for his new Western States 100 course record.
• We-Knew-He-Was-Good-But-Not-This-Good Award: Dakota Jones for his impressive win at Transvulcania.

***

All that said, there were some head-scratchers with the voting this year. Questions that come to mind:

• Why did Joe Fejes get overlooked for his performances this year, including that insane 329-mile outing he had at Across the Years?
• Why are only North American runners eligible for UPOY and UROY when ultrarunning is a very international sport? Arguably the best mountain runners in the world, like Kilian Jornet and Anna Frost, aren't even eligible for UROY or UPOY.
• Also, if we're going to "count" performances for races outside North America, like Comrades, Transvulcania, world championships and Mont Blanc, then why not also make all ultrarunners around the world eligible for UPOY and UROY? There's a lack of consistency here.
• Why did Max King place third in the UPOY voting this year for his record-breaking JFK 50M run when David Riddle, whose record Max broke, won UPOY last year for his JFK record?

I would love to know more about the voting process. Also, I wish Ultrarunning magazine's website would become more interactive, like iRunFar.com, so that we could all have some dialogue on things like UPOY and UROY.

***

With my marathon in Phoenix a little over a week away, I'm now in the taper stage and very excited. I do think my weekly mileage for the past four months--about 70 a week--has been slightly low. But I also think I've done super solid quality, including intervals, tempos and long runs with fast miles worked in. My quality has been spot on, but I suspect my volume has been a tad low. It'll be interesting to see how things turn out next Sunday. If I turn in a good performance, then I'll know moving forward that my body responds well to quality and that I don't necessarily need huge volume, though in training for 100s I think volume is critical.

Mike Morton Feature Article for Ultrarunning Magazine

I was honored to write a feature-length story about Mike Morton for the March 2012 issue of Ultrarunning Magazine, the longest-running provider and gatherer of news about our sport.

This photo was taken back in the day (mid 1990s).
Pictured are (L-R) Courtney Campbell, Dave Horton
and Morton.

Morton is no stranger to the sport of ultrarunning. He previously held the course record for the Western States Endurance Run, running a scorching 15:40 at the 1997 race, and, with Eric Clifton and Courtney Campbell, was a dominant force in the mid-1990s. Just when it seemed he was on top of the ultrarunning world, Morton, a member of the Special Forces, suffered a devastating hip injury and essentially walked away from the sport for over 10 years, losing touch with many old friends, like Campbell and Clifton.

Now 40 years old, Morton has made a remarkable comeback, running 163.9 miles at the Hinson Lake 24-Hour in 2011 and recently winning the Long Haul 100M in Florida with a fast 13:18. Yesterday, my story about Morton went live on the Ultrarunning Magazine web site and it will also appear--with many more photos--in the March issue.

Mike is too humble to tell his own story. I felt it had to be told. See, I believe in our society today we don't know who the real heroes are. We confuse people like overpaid pro athletes, singers (except Bob Seger--see below), actors, politicians, trust fund babies, rich people and reality TV "stars" as heroes when the real heroes are folks like Mike Morton, who put their lives on the line every day to protect the American Way. Mike is a true hero whose story needs to be told. It was an honor working with him to tell it. So here you go. Enjoy and be sure to check out the story in the magazine, too!

Additional reading: Click here for an interview I did with Morton back in the fall.

In that spirit, Bob Seger will always be among my all-time favorite singers. Here's a tune of his I love--"I've Been Working." Seger sang this song live "for all you workin' people in the house tonight" during his Silver Bullet tour back in the 70s when he was trying to make it. I consider myself a "workin' man's runner," kind of like how Seger sung to workin' folks like truck drivers. Where's Bob Seger today?

Ultrarunning Magazine Feature Story / Western States 100 Lottery

If you're a frequent visitor to this blog, you might have noticed I haven't been posting a lot lately. I know, I need to get on it! And I will...now that I'm about done with an amazing feature-length story about Mike Morton that will appear in the March 2012 issue of Ultrarunning magazine.
 
I previously interviewed Mike, and that interview provided some great content to build out an enrapturing story. This is the project that I'm most proud of, by far. I'm proud of it for a few reasons. First off, I think it's going to be a nice edition to ultrarunning lore. Second, Mike Morton's story, which goes way beyond that famous 1997 Western States 100 course record, is something you'd ordinarily find in a Hollywood movie--not real life. Yes, his story is that good. Third, the whole process of writing this story was so rewarding and made me feel like a sportswriter. All I was missing was a travel budget!

In telling Mike's story, I've been in contact with the two guys who knew him best back in the '90s--Eric Clifton and Courtney Campbell. Eric, of course, has won lots of races and is still going strong. Courtney, like Mike until a few years ago, has been largely out of ultrarunning for a while, but back in the 90s he and Mike often ran together in--and won--many big races out East. They were once called "The Dynamic Duo."

The story, which is a whopping 4,000 words (every word carefully selected, like grapes for a fine wine), is set to appear in the March 2012 issue of Ultrarunning magazine--you know, the year-end/stats issue. I couldn't be more thrilled that my story is going to run in Ultrarunning magazine, much less its most popular issue of the year!

***

Tomorrow the Western States 100 lottery registration opens. Yes, I'll be among the billion people trying to get in. We'll see how it goes. I think the lottery results go out on December 11. If I do get in, I'll be gunning for a time under 20 hours. The max 9,000 feet and the snowy stretches at Western won't be too bad for me, since I'm a Colorado runner and I think this is probably the hardest place in the US to run. What's gonna be hard--actually very hard--is the constant downhill the last half and the hot canyons. I imagine at Michigan Bluff I'll be contemplating life, like the rest of 'em.

Interview with Mike Morton

In the film “The Natural,” Roy Hobbs is a baseball prodigy destined for greatness. While en route to his Big League tryouts, Hobbs visits a carnival, where he strikes out a mighty slugger reminiscent of Babe Ruth, shocking onlookers. Roy predicts one day people will pass him on the street and say, “There goes Roy Hobbs, the best who ever lived.” Tragically, injury shatters Roy’s dreams before he ever got his shot. Years later, he returns to baseball, a no-body his teammates call “gramps,” and leads them to a pennant, capturing the glory that had once slipped through his fingers.

If the cinematic Roy Hobbs tale seems unlikely or even far-fetched, consider the story of ultrarunner Mike Morton—a story of prodigious talent befallen by injury, of disappearance from the sport, of a jaw-dropping comeback.

L-R: Courtney Campbell, Dave Horton and Mike Morton.
Mike and Courtney had many epic battles back in the mid 1990s.

It all started 14 years ago in Northern California.

June 28, 1997. To those closely associated with the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run, that day is summed up with one name: Mike Morton.

Going into the ’97 Western States, it didn’t matter how talented this 25-year-old kid was, or even what he’d done back East at races like the Old Dominion, Massanutten and Vermont 100s. This was the Western States 100, where only Californians won. Or so went the conventional wisdom of the day—conventional wisdom Morton, despite a serious hip injury, stomped all over with near-reckless abandon.

As Morton, a Navy diver from Stevensville, Maryland, blazed through the hot, arid canyons, no one thought the 5’4”, 145-pound speedster, who’d dropped from the previous year’s race, could hold his breakneck pace. Morton will be toast on the California Street trail, they said. When that didn’t happen, they said he’d be done by the river crossing. But Morton wasn’t listening to his naysayers—not on California Street, not at the Rucky Chucky River, not anywhere.

“I was fortunate enough to watch Mike come through highway 49 and then again at No Hands Bridge,” recalls Craig Thornley, who’s been involved in Western States for several years. “He looked so fresh as he pranced across the bridge in daylight. It was beautiful to watch.”

When Morton ran his victory lap at Placer High School and then blew into the finish line first overall at 8:40 PM that Saturday night, he did so in a most spectacular fashion. Not only had he broken Tom Johnson’s course record by 14 minutes with a stunning 15:40:41, but he became the first non-Californian to win Western States.

Just when it seemed Morton had reached the top of his sport, it all came crashing down.

“Morton would never return to Western States again,” Thornley reflected a few years ago. “Where are you, Mike?”

Morton and Campbell in a race back in their primes.

 ***

Last weekend, Mike Morton let the world know where he is--and that he's back and maybe better than ever. Now 40 years-old and 14 years removed from his epic Western States record-setting win, Morton ran 163.9 miles at the Hinson Lake 24-Hour Ultra Classic, a hilly trail race in North Carolina with 16 bridge crossings. He came within 1.8 miles of the American record, held by Scott Jurek, who set the record on a flat, hard-surface course. Morton battled 90-degree heat and heavy congestion in spots. This wasn't his first big 24-hour performance. Last year, he nailed over 153 miles at Hinson, but it wasn't until last weekend that the ultrarunning world really took notice of his return.

I'm excited to have caught up with Mike for this interview.

WH: Mike, thanks for talking with me. I first heard your name in 2007 or 2008, a few years after I took up ultras. During a Sunday morning run with the Cleveland Southeast Running Club, I remember Mark Godale and Tim Clement talking about your legendary 1997 Western States 100 win. On that day, you not only broke Tom Johnson's record, but also became the first non-Californian to win Western States, a once unthinkable feat. What was that day like, and did you realize at the time the magnitude of what you'd just accomplished?

MM: To be honest, the non-Californian stat was not really something I concerned myself with. I didn’t see how it could be such a large factor. It is not like going to altitude or to run an unmarked course. East coast weather is always very humid so I think going West made it easier really. That was an amazing day--one of the rare times when everything just goes well. I had some great folks crewing me and helping and that made it even more memorable. I’m still very proud of that day and the work that went into making it all come together.

Morton en route to his 163.9-mile performance at the 2011
Hinson Lake 24-Hour Ultra Classic.

WH: My understanding is that shortly after your Western States course record you experienced some injuries that more or less derailed your career. What happened?

MM: I had been having some hip issues that caused some pain. I dealt with it as long as I could but it became very hard to train. I eventually had a bursectomy of the right hip as a last ditch effort to relieve some of the pressure and hopefully resolve the nerves from being pinched. It didn’t work, and still to this day I have to make sure I warm up and not start out too fast. I have issues when I increase my stride length or run at a faster pace. At the time, I decided to accept an overseas tour (in the Navy) and focus on healing and see what would happen.

WH: Now, 14 years after your historic Western States win and at the age of 40, you've busted out an amazing 163.9 miles at the Hinson Lake 24-Hour Ultra Classic, a trail loop course with some 16 bridge crossings and more than a few hills. I also heard the heat index was around 90 degrees. Tell me about what went down at Hinson Lake over the weekend--because I think a lot of people are quite interested.
 
MM: About two years ago I decided I wanted to set a goal for myself and pick a race/run to focus on. About the only thing that lined up with my schedule and was close to home was Hinson Lake. I switched from the Navy to the Army in 2001 and have been very busy. I’m gone a lot and, when I’m home, I don’t have the chance to travel much, so Hinson Lake was the perfect venue for me to focus on. Last year I learned a lot about the miles later in a 24-hour run! This year I was able to be prepared mentally for the challenge of telling myself after 120 miles that I still had 30 more to meet my goal. This year I didn’t focus on what was left to meet my goal; I just focused on what was working and keeping me moving forward. Also last year I was over-trained. I had been running 150-mile weeks for about 5 months. This year I didn’t plan on running anything. I came home from overseas and had the chance to enter Hinson Lake again and I took advantage of it. I had been getting in about 70 to 90 miles a week for the last 5 months. I was in better shape last year but on the fine line of being injured due to overuse. I think the body responded better this year later in the run. I think I could train a bit more if I planned another race. Between the two Hinson Lake runs I have learned a ton. I think it was just one of those days where things go good.

WH: You seem to have evolved into a runner who, like Matt Carpenter, excels on just one or two big races a year; whereas many elites are running in six or seven big events annually. Do you plan to stick with this approach or maybe start racing more often?

MM: I would love to make it to races more often! The problem is balancing a military career, a family, and everything else we all deal with. The military has been my priority. It has been a tough decade for our country and that [military service] was and is more important to me. In the near future, my family and I are moving and I will have a more 9-5 job. I think it will give me the chance to look into the future and feel comfortable committing to a race. I dream about doing some of the 100s. I have always loved the challenge of 100-mile trail runs! The guys that are running at the top these days are amazing. I’m always shocked at the depth at races all over and the number of races. Maybe when I retire I will have time to get back into more races, but, until then, I will just take advantage of the chances I do get.

WH: Getting back to your hip injury, was it the result of over-training or an injury?

MM: I fell while at work and that was the start of it all. In hindsight, I should have taken more time to recover from the fall but I got back to running when I thought I was ready. I think there was a lot of compensating going on and it just took its toll.

WH: Were there ever moments when you thought your running career was over? I guess what I’m wondering is if what we’re seeing now is a story about beating the odds.

MM: I never really thought I would come back to a high level. Every time I tried to increase my mileage my hip and back would hurt. I think what helped me was being preoccupied with new challenges and the focus I was giving to the military. I wouldn’t call it beating the odds. I’m at a time in my life when I want to focus on running again. I never thought running would be as fulfilling as it was back in the 90’s, but I now know never to take a run for granted, because you never know when it will be your last run.

WH: If you’re able to at this point, can you tell me where you’re planning to move?

MM: We are moving to Lithia, Florida, which is just east of Tampa. Our plan is for three more years in the Army and then I will retire with 25 or so years of service. We all like the weather there and it is a great place for our daughter to grow up.

WH: Are your best years as an ultrarunner behind you…or ahead of you?

MM: I think it is all relative. It is hard to compare what I did 14 or 15 years ago to anything I’ve done lately. I had it made back then! The Navy was great for having time to train and it was easy to predict when I could go to a race. That is not the case now! I recognize that my obligations to the Army are the priority. So with changes in the near future I think I will have time again and also some control over my schedule. I hope the best years are ahead!

WH: Is a return to Western States on the table? If so, describe what you think it would be like standing on that starting line all these years after the record.

WH: I would love to go back. I can’t tell you how many times I have been overseas in June and tried to convince myself I’m on the course there instead of some .9-mile dirt road or a treadmill. Western States is a special place because it is the father of all the 100’s. I have been trying to work any 100 in but timing has not let it happen yet. The sad thing is I don’t even know what the qualifying requirements are!

WH: All you have to do is just finish a 100 or a 50 to qualify for Western States. With your Hinson Lake time, I would imagine you're qualified! But you have the lottery to deal with--the odds of getting in these days aren't so good! More relevant to your abilities, though: You can also get an automatic bid into Western States through a win at one of the Montrail Ultra Cup races.

Let's talk about racing. When you’re in a big race, what’s going through your head?
 
MM: I have learned a lot about myself in the last ten years. I know not to focus on the big picture in a race. I focus on what I can affect and control what I can control. Sadly, I have learned to always plan and expect the absolute worst conditions and you will never be disappointed and you will be adequately prepared. I’m sure we all think about the same stuff when we're in the “doldrums”: family, work, guys who have had their last run, politics, humanity….

WH: One last question. Looking at the rest of 2011 and into 2012, what’s your race schedule look like? Would you consider joining Team USA for the 2012 24-Hour World Championship?

MM: I committed to the team last year but the lack of fidelity of when and where brought the support I was getting at work to an end. I’m sure with the position I’m heading to that any opportunity to represent our nation will be embraced. I would make it my mission to prepare for that run. Last year I was very motivated with the idea and that helps when you need to run twice a day and get in 150 miles a week. It is hard to sustain that effort without the motivation of a race, so the two complement each other.

WH: Mike, thanks so much for this opportunity!

MM: I've enjoyed this opportunity. Thanks!

All rights reserved. No part of this interview may be reproduced or reprinted without the express written consent of Wyatt Hornsby.

Mike Morton, Ultrarunning Legend

>>Go to my interview with Mike Morton!

>>Also see my in-depth story about Mike's life in the March 2012 issue of Ultrarunning magazine

Every so often an ultrarunner does something that makes your jaw drop. Among the truly great performances/achievements in recent memory:

• Matt Carpenter's record-setting 15:42 at the 2005 Leadville 100. Legend has it that Carpenter, the Pikes Peak Marathon king himself, ran every step of the course. My suspicion is that only two or three guys today could come close to what he did on that August day in the unforgiving Rocky Mountains.
• Scott Jurek's seven straight Western States 100 wins from 1999-2005.
• Ann Trason's 14 straight Western States 100 wins from 1989-2003. I doubt this record will ever be matched, much less surpassed.
• Karl Meltzer's six 100-mile wins, including four course records, in 2006 (HURT 100, Hardrock 100, Wasatch 100, Bear 100, San Diego 100 and Javelina 100)
• Bruce Fordyce's world record 50-mile time of 4:50, set in Chicago, in 1984. Folks, that is insane.
• Don Ritchie's world record 11:30 for 100 miles, set on a London track in 1977
• Yiannis Kouros' world record 188+ miles for 24 hours, set in Adelaide (Australia) in 1997. This record will stand for generations.
• Kyle Skaggs' record-setting 23:23 at the 2008 Hardrock 100. People were stunned.

Those are just a few that come to mind.

Legends, indeed. L-R: Courtney Campbell, Dave Horton and Mike Morton, apparently at the Rattlesnake 50K in 1997. From http://www.extremeultrarunning.com/album.htm.

This past weekend, we saw a remarkable performance at the Hinson Lake 24-Hour Ultra Classic, a trail race in North Carolina with 16 bridge crossings. As a historian by academic training, I feel obligated to write about this performance--because it was truly legendary.

Details are still a little sketchy, but apparently 40-year-old Mike Morton, a Navy diver from Maryland, covered 163.9 miles, running about 108 laps around the 1.52-mile trail loop. That's about 2 miles under the American record, held by Scott Jurek, who set the record on a flat, hard-surface course. Apparently, Morton battled 90-degree heat and course congestion in spots. Oh, and by the way, he nailed over 153 miles at Hinson last year.

Here are Mike Morton (L) and Courtney Campbell (R) at the 1997 Trail Run Across the Commonwealth. From http://www.vhtrc.org/events/trac.htm.

Folks, this is remarkable.

That's only part of the story. Here's the rest. The name Mike Morton may not mean much to newcomers to the sport and/or those who haven't studied the history of ultrarunning, but to those who have been around a while and those who have read their ultrarunning lore, Mike Morton is a legend. Here's some history from former Western States 100 race director Norm Klein:

The Morton Comeback

The only words necessary to describe the 1997 [Western States 100) race are "Mike Morton." A U.S. Navy diver from Maryland, Mike had a difficult time in the 1996 race, withdrawing after 86 miles. Certainly no stranger to ultramarathoning with victories at the Old Dominion 100 and the Vermont 100, Mike returned to Western States with just one thought in mind: make up for 1996.

It has been repeated a thousand times over that no runner can win Western States without having the advantage of training on the Western States Trail. Most experienced runners will contend that knowledge of the trail is worth at least two hours off the total time. Further proof of this is that in the first 23 years of the race, there had never been a men's winner who didn't live in California. And furthermore, every winner since 1987 had lived in Northern California. Well, Mike Morton apparently wasn't privy to the prevailing knowledge.

Fortunately for everyone involved, weather conditions on raceday were the finest in the history of the race. Temperatures never topped 80 degrees, and the night was very cool, although by the time Morton arrived in Auburn, the sun hadn't even had a chance to go down.

Mike took the lead at 17 miles, and when he arrived at Robinson Flat (30.2 miles), everyone felt he would "lose it in the canyons." All he lost when he hit the canyons were the runners who were pursuing him. At Foresthill (62 miles) people said, "he'll crash and burn on California Street Trail." The only things Mike burned were the rocks as he blazed over them. At the river crossing (78 miles), the sentiment was "he'll never finish at that pace!"

Not only did Mike finish at that pace, but he also became the first non-Californian to win the race, defeating Tim Twietmeyer (who finished second) by an hour and 33 minutes. To those who thought he'd crash and burn, instead Mike burned Tom Johnson's course record by 14 minutes. Skeptics felt that if an "outsider" won, he wouldn't be accepted by the "Western States family." I've been involved in 15 Western States awards ceremonies, and Mike Morton received the loudest and longest standing ovation I've ever witnessed.

That was taken from a May/June 1998 Marathon & Beyond article, which you can read here. Apparently Morton, who also won the Vermont 100 in 19955, the Massanutten 100 in 1996, and the Mountain Masochist 50M in 1997, soon after endured a rash of injuries that more or less derailed his career. When I searched his results, it looks like he didn't do much, if any, racing from 1997 to 2009. (Update, thanks to Footfeathers' investigative work: Morton ran in the 2007 JFK 50M, finishing 26th overall with a 7:15, and finished second overall at the 2010 Weymouth Woods 100K with an 8:57). From what I've seen, Morton seems to have evolved into a once-or-twice-a-year racer who has a penchant for opening up a can of whoopass when he shows up to an event. When Mortons' toeing the line, you better be wearing your fast shoes.

Morton at the 2011 Hinson Lake 24-Hour Ultra Classic. From http://lowmileageultra.blogspot.com/.

I wonder what my own performances would be like if I raced only once or twice a year, instead of 7 or more times like I've done so far this year with the Eisenhower Marathon, Cheyenne Mountain 50K, Jemez Mountain 50M, Mount Evans Ascent, Leadville Trail Marathon and Leadville 100M....

The Hinson Lake leaderboard at 23 hours. From http://lowmileageultra.blogspot.com/.

Anyway, in my book, what Mike Morton did at Hinson Lake over the weekend is Performance of the Year. When you consider the course and the conditions, it's a slam dunk in my book. When you consider the runner, it's the stuff of legend.

Norm Klein wrote of Morton's 1997 Western States as a comeback. Fourteen years later, at the age of 40, are we seeing yet another Morton return to domination?

>>Go to my interview with Mike Morton!