Julie Suhr,Tevis Cup,Wendell Robie and Western States Trail

 "I learn by going where I have to go."– Theodore Roethke

This Thursday, the 29^th at 6 PM, will be a fundraiser for the Western States Trail Foundation. Julie Suhr, a Tevis Cup legend, will be the principal speaker.  In fact, Julie has 22 completions, to her credit, on this historic ride.  Her first Tevis was in 1965  and her last in 2000. Join us at the fairgrounds in Auburn, to celebrate and honor Julie.

This historic one day 100 mile ride currently begins at Robie Park and ends at McCann Stadium in Auburn.  Historically the ride began in 1955 when five riders:” Nick Mansfield, William Patrick, Pat Sewell, Richard Highfield, and Wendell Robie said they could ride over 9,000 feet of summit, go through deep canyons, and follow a trail that no other horseman had traveled on such a ride.  This ride has a lot of unknowns.  One major question was, could a horseback rider travel and cover 100 miles in a day?”   For more tales about Wendell Robie, consult my book “It Has Nothing to Do with Age”; and Bill G. Wilson’s book, “Challenging the Mountains: the Life and Times of Wendell T.  Robie.”

Specifically, the Tevis riders ascend approximately 19,000 linear feet and descend approximately 23,000 linear feet during this 24 hour ride.  In addition to the ups and downs, temperatures, during the event, can range from 40 to 120°F.   Since this is a 24 hour ride, and the trail becomes difficult to follow, Glow-sticks tied to branches are used to mark the trail.   This difficult ride could not be accomplished, on these narrow, hazardous trails, even during a full moon, if the equines did not have night vision.

 Jeff Herten M.D. a Tevis Cup competitor, Western States 100 mile endurance runner, a ride and tie participant in the world championship ride recommended the following for Tevis participants: 1. Show up, at the starting line in your best physical shape .2.  Do as much heat training as possible:  have enough water to keep you hydrated, since dehydration can impair judgment. 3.  Make sure that you take electrolytes. 4.  Check with your family doctor regarding medications and heat tolerance.5.  Make sure that you eat early and often during the ride. 6.  Make sure that you have clothes that does not chafe. 7.  Keep emergency medical information with you during the ride.

A few risk factors during this ride are as follows: 1 Injury from falling .2.  Wildlife hazards .3 Vehicle hazards. 4 Motorcycles and mountain bikes .5 Altitude sickness. 6 Overuse injuries. 7. Fatigue and dehydration .8 Getting lost.  9.  Difficulty in gaining access to, or locating injured participants.

Ride and tie competitor, Carrie Barrett plans to compete in this year’s event. Secretariat and I told her that we would run while she rides to familiarize herself with the trail.  There is an open invitation to join us when we accompany Carrie.   There is plenty of room for more riders and runners on the trail between Devils Thumb and White Oak Flat a distance of approximately 40 miles. Incidentally, Secretariat has 10 completions from 1985 through 1999.  Do not forget to join us tomorrow evening.

PS. See link on blog for reviews of It Has Nothing To Do With Age by Jeff Herten MD and Julie Suhr.

Secretariat,Tony Brickel,Julie Suhr, and the Tevis Cup

I would like to introduce my friend and running partner Tony Brickel, otherwise known as Secretariat.  Tony a motorcycle racer, Jeep enthusiast, endurance rider, ultra runner, and ride and tie competitor first became interested in the Tevis Cup about 30 years ago.  Because of his competitive nature, he was attracted to this 100 mile endurance ride, because it was known as the toughest 100 miler on the planet.  He quickly learned that in order to do well, on this historic ride, it was important for him to become an accomplished and tough ultra runner.  According to him, “I am not one to let my horse do all the work, it is important for me to do my share too.”  As you can see, he had two goals.  The first was to complete the Tevis and the second to become a well conditioned long-distance runner.   Translated, this meant he had to learn to run up the hills and canyons as well as being able to tackle the steep, switchbacks at Devils Thumb. If you ever climbed Devils Thumb, you know what I mean.

Tony became very efficient and talented as an ultra runner.  That ability served him well in running competitions, ride and tie events, as well as earning 10 Tevis Cup buckles including a top 10 finish. After a brief retirement from running and putting on extra weight, he has returned to running with a vengeance.  I refer to him as Secretariat, because of his ability to never give up, grind it out, and to pull away from other runners as the one and only Secretariat did.

Tony is famous for his wonderful deep laugh, his nature and his goodwill.  He has wonderful stories about his childhood, including his mom and dad and brother and sister.  His mom, at the age of 96, lives in Southern California.  Sister Penny, a couple years older, is a personal trainer and a century bike rider.  His wife Debbie, recently retired, has three Tevis completions, and just last week, spent three hours at the gym exercising.   There are many more stories about Tony, and I will hold them for a later date.  In essence, Tony’s competitiveness and his spreading goodwill define him as a person.  Thank you Tony for being the friend you are.

On another note, Matt Scribner of the Western States Trail Foundation is putting on an evening with  author Julie Suhr on March 29, 2012 at the Auburn Gold Country Fairgrounds.  Julie, an endurance riding legend, has ridden over 30,000 endurance miles, has 22 Tevis Cup buckles including three Haggin Cup wins.  Join us on this occasion.  Additional information can be found on this blog.