Local woman wins 100-mile trail race in Ozarks

Ashley Nordell of Sisters won the overall individual title at the Ozark Trail 100 Mile Endurance Run in Missouri on November 4.

The race for first came down to the final miles, making her first mixed 100-mile race victory a real barn-burner.

Nordell and runner-up Tommy Doias of Missouri were together at the final aid station with 6.5 miles to go, but Nordell prevailed, pulling away from Doias to win in 19 hours 58 minutes and 58 seconds. Doias came through in 20 hours 7 minutes and 17 seconds.

Nordell, 36, had completed 11 100-milers prior to her trip to Missouri, and did not have her sights on winning, but had checked the course record and made some tentative splits prior to the race.

"It's hard to know what the day will bring until you are in the moment," she said. "I try to have an open mind before every race and not take a performance for granted."

The course, which is actually 101 miles, runs almost entirely on the Ozark Trail and included at least 20 creek crossings, some knee-deep, according to Nordell.

"One of the challenges of running the race in November is that all the leaves are off the trees, which cover the rocks and make it much more technical," she said. "In places leaves were a few inches deep."

She appreciated that on some sections Forest Service workers had used leaf blowers to clear the path so she could actually see the ground.

Endurance races often include mountainous stretches on which runners will power-walk rather than run, but the Ozark race did not include much steep climbing - which presented a challenge of its own.

"The course is actually more runnable than I am used to," she explained. "There were lots of rolling hills versus steep mountain climbs, so it was harder to know when or if to walk. In a situation like that your legs can feel more tired early on due to all the running versus having power-hiking breaks."

Nordell's other challenge was simply staying awake.

"Due to the time of year we had less daylight, and there was a 15-mile stretch in the race where there was some 'sleep running' going on," she recalled.

Eating and drinking during endurance races is challenging for most runners, and Nordell said that her stomach, as usual for her, gave her some trouble along the way.

Help in overcoming the obvious challenges of running for nearly an entire day came from her support crew.

"I was super-lucky to have two friends from Arkansas (Billy Simpson and Steve Kirk) drive out to help crew and pace me. Both are long-time friends and ultra-runners, so having them made things work like clockwork. I saw them at mile 14, 40, and 65. Billy paced me from mile 65 to 78, then Steve went through 94.5 miles before Billy jumped back in to get me to the finish. I give huge credit to these guys."

Nordell, who is sponsored by Drymax socks and Ultraspire packs, appreciates the camaraderie and supportive culture that permeates ultra marathons.

"I had never met Tommy Doias, but when I passed him around mile 47 he was the most gracious and encouraging person. He made sure to tell me about a challenging turn up ahead and congratulated me on my performance at Bighorn," she said. "I think he is a perfect example of the culture of the sport and how people who are racing can still support one another. We were both in the final aid station together with 6.5 miles to go and literally raced to the finish. Although we were competing, we were also pushing one another to run our best to the very end. I've never run so hard the last miles of a 100 before."

When asked what the best part of running 100-mile races, she exclaimed, "The finish!

"I can't compare that feeling with anything else," she said. "The harder the race, the more amazing crossing the finish line feels."

She added, "Also, the friendships you create in these events are meaningful. There is a special bond that forms when you endure and suffer so long with other people."

Nordell established a new course record for women, making the end of her 2016 race-season all the better.