Paleozoic Trail Runs
Carboniferous Spring II

10th Annual Spring-Season Paleozoic 50-Km and 25-Km
Trail Runs!

This rollicking tenth annual spring celebration of "going long" made its triumphant return to our `north racecourse` within the Palos Trail System - Region 6.  Due to retrictions caused by the Coronavirus / COVID-19 pandemic we haven't been able to chart this course in over two years... so nice to be back.  Our north racecourse has a wonderful mix of wide crushed gravel paths, narrower more rugged dirt trails, occasional grass stretches, and even segments of eroding asphalt.  Each out-n-back lap totals a running distance of 7.767 miles. 50-Km = two laps; 25-Km = one lap.  Set up with its start/finish aid station at Pioneer Woods Grove #2, and satellite aid station at Wolf Road Woods Grove #2.  Carboniferous Spring II marked the sixth time on our `north racecourse`, and eighteenth running of our semiannual race, which has always featured the event distances of 50 kilometers and 25 kilometers.

Official statistics for our 2022 Paleozoic Trail Runs - Carboniferous Spring II...

Rather raw conditions endured throughout the day with temperatures ranging from 39˚ - 44˚F, brisk winds, persistent light precipitation, and a supersaturated racecourse, softened with long stretches of shoe-sucking mud and slippery hills.  Paleozoic runners are a resilient breed and despite slips, falls, bruises, one-step-forward-half-a-step-back-striding this version, Carboniferous Spring II boasted an astounding finishing rate of 96.5%!

The 25 Kilometer race...
Defending their races of November 2021, past Paleozoic champions Elias Theodosis and Matthew Thompson topped podium positions in their respective Overall and Masters divisions.  In his Paleozoic debut Justin Jacobson raced to second place overall.  Paleo-vet Becky Patch led the fairer sex with another top-of-the-podium, persued by first-timer Valentina Ricupati who finished second female overall.  In yet another Paleo-debut Leah Young topped the Female Masters podium.

The 50 Kilometer ultramarathon...
Never separated by more than a few minutes Zachary Pligge and David Curtin maintained a-blistering-for-conditions sub-8-minute pace to win their respective Overall and Masters divisions, with defending champion Jimmy Kasper in third overall.  Yumi Spiller, who now hails from Lone Tree, CO earned Overall Top Female honors.  Lily Medina defended her position as Masters Top Female.  Lindy Lorenz finished as third overall female.

Circling the uphill `parade loop`, through the Paleozoic feather flags, under the race banner, across the finish line timing mats, awaiting all runners... customized finisher-medals, special awards, optional beer, and the drawing-them-in-siren-sound of cheering race enthusiasts.  First-time ultramarathon finishers earned "My First Ultra" pint-glass awards.  Five-time Paleozoic finishers collected special zipper-draw-string shoe bag awards.  Ten-time-finisher special pint-glasses were earned by Julie Glowacki, David Curtin, and Edna Jackeline Vazquez.  Leading all veteran-paleo-dinosaur-multitime finishers are Les Hockenberry with 16 finishes - 341.886 miles, and Margie Hockenberry with 14 finishes - 264.147 miles!