For the better part of this past Saturday, 32 gluttons for punishment embarked on the Homer Epic through the Kenai Peninsula’s Caribou Hills.
Racers get three choices of race length — 50 kilometers, 100K or 150K — and three choices for their mode of travel — bike, ski or good old fashioned running.
In the 50K tour, Tracy Ballard was the first biker across the finish line in 4 hours, 19 minutes, followed by Patrick Goodrich in 4:28, the first male to finish that race. Jennifer Bando was the only one to ski the 50K, and finished in 4:41.
The winner of the 50K run was Jonathan Richner in 4:26, and the first woman across the finish line for the run was Lila Johnson in 6:36.
In the 100K race, a lone runner attempted it. Fallon Connolly was not able to finished, but completed one lap in 8:28. Joshua Duffus won the men’s 100K bike race in 7:53, while Bobette Rowe won for the women in 11:04. Stephanie Schmit won the women’s 100K ski in 8:42 and Wilson Platt won the men’s 100K ski in 13:42.
Chris Robertson and Lee Fisher both began, but did not finish, the longest race of the Homer Epic, the 150K. Robertson finished 100K in 6:58, the fastest 100K time of the event, and Fisher finished 100K in 7:23.
100K bike: 1) Joshua Duffus, 7:53; 2) Bobette Rowe, 11:04; 3) Joseph Miller and Kori Marchowsky, tied at 12:37; 4) Chuck Slagle, scratched.
100K ski: 1) Stephanie Schmit, 8:42; 2) Jenny Neyman, 9:06; 3) Jacqueline Klecka and Wilson Platt, tied at 13:42. Scratched: Zack Strong, Zackery Wright and Andy Sterns.
100K run: Fallon Connolly, scratched after 8:28.
50K bike: 1) Tracy Ballard, 4:19; 2) Jessie Goodrich, 4:27; 3) Patrick Goodrich, David Story and Leisha Nolen all at 4:28; 4) Ryan Moody, 4:31; 5) Martha Story, 4:59; 6) Brett Roth, 5:30; 7) Joe Martin, 7:51.
50K ski: 1) Jennifer Bando, 4:41.
50K run: 1) Jonathan Richner, 4:26; 2) Torrey Short, 5:02; 3) Joshua Brown, 5:58; 4) Lila Johnson, 6:36; 5) David Johnson, Yvonne Leutwyler and Andrea Hambach, tied at 7:25.