WILLIAMS JUNCTION -- Something about the Arkansas Traveller 100 appealed to Hal Koerner.
He is among the world's elite ultra runners. He has won two Western States 100-Mile Endurance Runs, in 2007 and 2009, and the Hardrock 100-Mile Endurance Run in 2012. The Western States 100 is widely regarded as the most prestigious ultra race in the United State, and Hardrock 100 is considered by many as the world's toughest 100-mile race.
At a glance
WHEN 6 a.m. Saturday to noon Sunday
WHERE Lake Sylvia. Near Williams Junction on Arkansas 324, approximately 4 miles west of Arkansas 10 and 35 miles west of Little Rock.
ENTRY Closed
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Men: Wes Hunt, 15:49:12. Women: Shelley Egli, 21:28:03
The Traveller is a much more low-key event, and while it's difficult by the very nature of it being a 100-mile foot race, it is relatively fast compared to the Western States, which is run through and over mountainous terrain between Squaw Valley and Auburn, Calif., and the Hardrock, a grueling test held in southern Colorado's San Juan Range of the Rocky Mountains near Silverton, Colo.
Koerner's best time at Western States is 16 hours, 12 minutes, and 16 seconds. His one attempt at Hardrock was completed in 24:50:00.
The Traveller course record is 15:37:26, set in 2005 by James Kerby of Seattle. Koerner also lived in Seattle during that time, and Kerby told him of his experience on the Traveller course, which winds through the Ouachita National Forest on the eastern edge of the Ouachita Mountains.
Koerner said he was impressed, which is why he is on his way to the Traveller, which is scheduled to begin at 6 a.m. Saturday.
Koerner, 39, lives in Ashland, Ore., where he owns a running apparel and shoe store. He said Kerby's comments were his first hint that he might like to run the Traveller. He also was encouraged by stories he read in Ultrarunning magazine and on dozens of Internet blog sites.
When he found out this year's race was the Traveller's 25th anniversary, Koerner said he was convinced that he needed to make the trip.
"Everything worked out so that it fit perfectly into my schedule," he said. "James Kerby told me the race was very well-organized and that the course was one where you can run a fast time if everything works out. I just wanted to experience the heritage of the Traveller."
Wesley Hunt, 32, was the overall winner of last year's race with a time of 15:59:12, the third time that the race has been completed in less than 16 hours. Stan Ferguson, who serves with wife Chrissy as Traveller's race director, said the count could be five by Saturday night.
"If everything goes well, I wouldn't be surprised if both of those guys break 16 hours," said Ferguson, who also included three-time Traveller champion Robert Vogler of Russellville as a potential contender.
Ferguson said he also expects the women's race to produce a competitive field with Allison Jumper and Carmen Cheadle of Fayetteville and Melanie Rabb of San Antonio, who finished third among the women Jan. 31 in the Rocky Raccoon 100-Mile near Huntsville, Texas, with a time of 16:17:25.
Weather should aid all 170 entrants if Thursday's forecast for this weekend holds true. Weather.com predicted low relative humidity and a temperature of 51 degrees for Saturday morning's start, with a high of 75 in the afternoon.
Hunt, in part, credited weather for his improvement last year from his second-place time of 18:06:42 in 2013, when runners faced high humidity and an afternoon high of 81, which dropped to 55 degrees and was accompanied by hard, chilling rain throughout the night. Last year the extremes were 72 and 44, but with humidity low enough to render the climate comfortable for competitors from start to finish.
Like Ferguson, Hunt said he believes fast times are likely.
"If we have 50 to 70 degree temps and everybody's feeling good out there, I think you could see them," he said.
Hunt, a Little Rock attorney, said he believes he can compete with Koerner, even though he believes Koerner has a good chance to break Kerby's course record.
"Barring getting lost or the kinds of things we can't control in 100-mile races, I have every expectation that he will break the course record on Saturday," Hunt said. "Do I think I'm capable of running a 15:37? Yes, I do, but it's hard to say what he's capable of running. These guys are the elites."
Chrissy Ferguson, 50, who is entered for the 18th time, said she was unsure of Koerner's recent training but that if it were targeted toward a course similar to the Traveller's it would be difficult for anyone to stay with him.
"Running a race like Hardrock requires a completely different strategy than the Traveller," she said. "I mean, we're talking massive mountains that you're going up and down. You're going up and over 13,000 feet a ton of times. Whereas the Traveller, this course is completely runnable. I've run every step of the way. You can do it. If you've trained for that, you can do it.
"It's one thing if he's only trained to run mountain races, but it's another if he's trained to run whole 100-mile races without stopping. If he has, then there's a good chance the guy's going to kick some major ass."
Koerner sounded prepared when he spoke from his home Thursday.
"I've been running a little more flats," he said. "That's one thing most ultra runners don't really look forward to, but aiming for the Traveller I've tried to do it as much as possible. We'll see how it works out."
Sports on 10/02/2015