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The BARC of Boston is a 100K Road Race to benefit the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund to help fight for a cure in the war against cancer in children. The race consists of 10, 10-kilometer loops, along the bike path on the Esplanade. 

8 October 2000 7AM EST: Good morning to the US, and good afternoon to Europe! We are here in Boston for the second annual running of the BARC of Boston / Chancellor Challenge 100 km road race to benefit the Jimmy Fund to fight cancer in children!

The morning is chilly (around 40F / 4C) and overcast with occasional sprinkles of very cold rain.  The forecast is for the weather to improve somewhat by this afternoon, but it's going to be a very cool day -- quite possibly too cold for the runners to post very fast times. 

The starting line features some of the best 100 km talent throughout the world.  Returning to defend his title at this race is American Jim Garcia, who just narrowly beat out Jan VandenDriessche from Belgium here last year in one of the closest and most spectacular 100 km finishes in ultramarathon history!

We will keep you posted throughout the day as the race progresses, tell you a little bit about the elite field, and post the official results shortly after the race. 

We should, at this moment, add a note that Ellen McCurtin (US) registered for the race yesterday and should be added to the list of the women's elite field.  She has been on the USA National 100 km Team three times, and was a scorer on the USA National team that took the bronze medal in Belgium in 1993.

8:00AM EST
The biggest news in the early stages of the event is that Jan Vandendriessche, from Belgium has dropped out of the race after running only the first kilometer.  He'd been having some knee inflammation and was concerned about it going into the morning.  His knee locked up on him immediately after the start and he retired immediately, knowing that he wasn't going to be able to compete.

10 km
38:30 Meiklejohn and Mattheus
39:10 Ganiev, Tiupin, Kharitonov
39:50 Garcia, Molnar, Wardian (from Virginia), Dunham
41:00 Zealand

The women's race has 5 women all together at this point, with Shatyayeva leadiing, followed by Berces, Neualt, Drach, and McCurtin.

8:10AM EST
Women at 10km: 
48:00 Berces and Shatyayeva
48:30 Neault, Drach, and McCurtin
49:00 Jennifer Devine

It is definitely turning out to be a cold day.  Temperature at the START was in the low-mid 40's (farenheit); the high for the day is only going to be in the mid-50's. The wind has really picked up and the runners are running into a stiff wind for half of the course.  Conditions could well be conducive to fast times if the wind dies down. 

8:30AM EST
At 15km, there is no change in the the men's race. Berces has opened a 30-second lead on Shatyayeva in the women's race.

8:45AM EST
20km Update (times estimated):
1:16:55 Meiklejohn and Mattheus
1:17:30 Ganiev
1:17:40 Tiupin
1:17:50 Kharitonov
1:18:30 Garcia, Molnar, Wardian
1:19:00 Dunham
1:21:30 Zealand

The sun is now warming the air a bit and the breeze has calmed a bit to make running a bit more pleasant.

8:50AM EST
Women at 20km: 
1:32:15 Berces and Shatyayeva
1:34:45 Drach and McCurtin
1:35:15 Neault
1:37:15 Devine

9:10AM EST
Who is Mike Wardian?
That's the question I asked this morning, much to my personal dismay.  I'm sorry I didn't recognize his name.  Wardian, a young ultrarunner (only 26 years old), is from Virginia.  He is having an excellent year as a top American runner and  was the top American at this year's Marathon des Sables.  He also finished 4th at the Vermont 100 in 15:34:00.  In the group of three (Molnar, Garcia, and Wardian), he is pushing the pace of the group.

~25km Men's Update:
Meiklejohn and Mattheus
Ganiev
Tiupin
Kharitonov
Garcia, Molnar, Wardian
Dunham
Zealand
Misteli Mikel (from Switzerland)
Godale
Ricklefs (winner of Leadville this year)
Vertiz-Pani

9:20AM EST
At 30km, there are no changes in the men's placings. The wind has picked up again off the river and the field is again being burdened by a 2-mile stretch into the biting wind.

Meiklejohn and Mattheus continue to lead, going through 30km at 1:55:15.  Miklejohn is clearly pressing the pace, but Mattheus continues to hang on.  The gap between the two South African and the three Russian followers is growing, with Ganiev, Tiupin, and Kharitonov now running separately. Kharitonov came through 30km about 2 minutes behind the race leader.

Garcia, Molnar, and Wardian continue to run as a pack, but Dunham is closing in on them, passing the 30km mark in just under 2 hours. 

Additional placings (not all through 30km yet):
Zealand
Misteli Mikel (from Switzerland)
Godale
Ricklefs (winner of Leadville this year)
Vertiz-Pani
Torrence

9:30AM EST
30km Men's Update: [TOP 15, note the gap between 1st and 15th]
1:55:15 Meiklejohn and Mattheus
Ganiev
Tiupin
Kharitonov
Garcia, Molnar, Wardian
Dunham
Zealand
Misteli Mikel (from Switzerland)
Godale
Ricklefs (winner of Leadville this year)
Vertiz-Pani
2:12:15 Torrence

9:50AM EST
Who is Henri Girault?
Ultrarunners are those who attempt to cover distances that are far beyond the comprehension of most people. There is one ultrarunner who has undertaken a quest that has almost reduced the running of such distances to a routine task, something that can be done week after week. The mental and physical endurance required to be able to complete such a self-imposed task should not be underestimated.

On April 17th, 1999, Frenchman Henri Girault completed his 400th 100km race at Belves in France in a time of 12:40. This remarkable achievement is the equivalent of running 40,000 competitive km, or 25,000 miles - more than the equivalent of running around the world at the equator, a mere 24,902 miles.

Girault is well known to ultrarunners across the globe because in his quest for 100km races he has travelled around the world. His latest expeditions include 100km races in French Guiana in northern South America, Minisek Podbrny in the Czech Republic, Greenwich in England, Buenos Aires in Argentina, Nanisivik in northern Canada, Odessa in the Ukraine, Ain Zhalta in the Lebanon and Lake Hovsul in Mongolia. He has competed in 30 countries on six continents.

To give some idea of just how hectic Girault's schedule can be, he ran his 402nd 100Km race when he competed in the World Challenge at Chavagnes in France on Saturday, May 15, 1999. Incredibly, he had run his 401st in Orleans, France, the previous Thursday, meaning that he  completed two 100Km races in three days! His second was understandably a little slower than usual - 14:12:20.

Race Update
At this point in the race, Miklejohn continues to lead.  Mattheus has slowed a lot, and is now running in a pack with Tiupin and Ganiev. Of the three in the pack, it is clearly Mattheus who is struggling.  Kharitonov has fallen 30 seconds behind and is still running 5th overall.

Garcia and Molnat continue in 6th and 7th, with Molnar pushing the pace.  They seem to be dueling for position and are trying to maintain a slim lead over Dunham, who is surging and has surpassed Wardian for 8th place. 

Remaining positions of the top men:
Zealand
Mikel
Godale
Ricklefs
Vertiz-Pani
Torrence

On the women's side of the race, Berces is clearly taking control and is pushing Shatyayeva to stay with her.  Shatyayeva appears to be struggling a bit after 30km.  The American women are making the race for 3rd place very interesting.  Devine is coming on strong and has caught the pack of Drach, McCurtin, and Neault.  They are allrunning together now, with Devine clearly controlling the pace.

Women at 30km:
2:17:00 Berces
2:17:05 Shatyayeva
2:25:00 Devine, Drach, McCurtin, and Neault

10:00AM EST
Meiklejohn has just posted his fastest lap yet and has broken away from the rest of the field to lead through 40km in 2:33:39. Mattheus has drastically fallen off pace in this last lap, losing close to 3 minutes in this lap and passing 40km in 2:36:13.  Mattheus has now fallen to 5th overall behind the Russian trio of Ganiev, Tiupin, and Kharitonov.

Men after 40 km
2:33:39 Meiklejohn
2:35:13 Ganiev
2:35:13 Tiupin
2:35:43 Kharitonov
2:36:13 Mattheus
2:40:00 Garcia, Molnar, and Dunham
Wardian
Zealand
Mikel
Godale
Ricklefs 
Vertiz-Pani
Torrence

10:15AM EST
Michael Wardian has had a bout of nausea and has had to stop briefly, allowing Zealand to pass him by to take over 9th overall in the men's race. 

Miklejohn appears to be running his typical 100km race. All of his world 100km performances feature him in the lead pack early in the race, then typically struggling through the last 10-20km.  He has obviously not chosen the conservative route this morning, so the real question is whether or not he'll be able to hold the lead during the later stages of the race. Will he hold on? 

Tiupin is pushing the pace of the Russian trio, and is in command of second place.  He appears to be keeping Meiklejohn in sight, possibly aware of the South African's history of falling off the pace later in the race.  Is Tiupin waiting to pounce on the lead if Meiklejohn starts to falter?

In the American women's  pack, Drach and McCurtin have accepted the challenge from Devine and have now pulled back in front of her at ~35km.  At 35 km, the women's race is still being led by Berces and Shatyayeva, with the Americans several minutes back.  This certainly appears to be a 2-woman race. 

Drach and McCurtin lead Devine by about 15 seconds, and Neault follows about 30 additional seconds back.

Men after ~ 45 km
Meiklejohn
Tiupin
Ganiev
Kharitonov
Mattheus
Garcia, Molnar, and Dunham
Wardian
Zealand

Women at 40km:
3:02:10 Berces
3:02:50 Shatyayeva
Drach, McCurtin 
Devine
Neault

10:50AM EST
Who is Jennifer Devine?
Jennifer Devine is a fast, young American ultrarunner from California who has posted some very fast times in recent months, including 3:35 at the Jed Smith 50km earlier this year.  She also has a 2:53 marathon to her credit!

Race Update
The men's race at 50 km continues to be led by Meiklejohn who came through the half way mark in 3:12:35, just under 3 minutes ahead of the Russian pair of Tiupin & Ganiev.  Kharitonov has fallen from the other two Russians and is suffering from a hamstring injury.  He is limping and has had to stop and wrap his leg with an ace bandage, but continues to struggle on.  Matteus continues to fade badly and has fallen to 8th place overall.

Men at 50km:
3:12:35 Meiklejohn
3:15:17 Tiupin
3:15:17 Ganiev
3:17:22 Kharitonov
3:19:01 Dunham 
3:19:17 Molnar 
3:19:48 Garcia
3:20:55 Mattheus
3:26:04 Zealand
3:30:32 Godale
3:35:06 Mikel
3:35:20 Ricklefs
3:36:26 Vertiz Pani
3:42:14 Torrence
3:46:17 Wardian

11:10AM EST
Who is Shaun Meiklejohn?
Born in Pretoria, Shaun Meiklejohn took a Bachelor of Commerce degree at Maritzburg Univeristy where he began his running career. He was fourth in the 1994 and 1995 World 100km races, being passed in the closing stages in both races. Between these two performances, he won the legendary London to Brighton race in England in 6:01:02.

His greatest achievement was to win the Comrades in 1995, one of only two South Africans to win the race since it became open in 1993.

11:30AM EST
In the men's race, Meiklejohn has extended his lead to over 4 minutes on the rest of the field.  Tiupin and Ganiev continue to run together to round out the top 3 places after 60km.  Kharitonov took an extended leave from the road in order to receive medical assistance on his left hamstring, but is now back out on the course, continuing to struggle. 

Fourth place has been taken over by American runner Dave Dunham, who has just run the last 10km loop 30 seconds faster than anyone else in the field.

Men at 60km:
3:53:00 Meiklejohn
3:57:00 Tiupin & Ganiev
3:59:00 Dunham
4:00:30 Molnar
Garcia
Mattheus
Zealand
Wardian
Godale
Vertiz Pani
Mikel

The women's race continues to be a struggle of the old guard versus the new guard. Berces and Shatyayeva continue to run together at 50km with neither of them showing any signs of weakening.  Shatyayeva, once a prolific 100km specialist, has not run a 100km race in over four years.  Berces, however, has blistered the international 100km scene recently, having completed 11 100km events over the last 3 years with an average time of under 8 hours each!

Women at 50km:
3:48:54 Berces & Shatyayeva
Drach & McCurtin 
Devine
Neault

11:40AM EST
Who is Valentina Shatyayeva? 
Valentina Shatyayeva first came to international attention when she won the Soviet Union 100km title at Arkhangesk  in September of 1991, running 8:35:40. Her first trip to the West seems to have been in April 1992 when she improved to 7:55:58 at Rodenbach, Germany.  1993 saw her make her first major impact on the Ultra scene, when she was second at Torhout, Belgium in June [7:44:30], then returned to place a very close second in the 100km World Challenge, again at Torhout [7:27:39]. She finished the season with a 7:43:35 at Amiens, France. 1994 saw her finish second in South Africa's Comrades Marathon behind countrywoman Valentina Lyakhova, and then in June,  win the World 100km at Saroma, Japan in 7:34:58.  Later in 1994 she ran 7:56:12 at Santa Cruz de Bezana, Spain. In 1995 she finished 3rd in Comrades and then 4th in the World 100km Challenge in Winschoten in September. She won her second World 100km title in Moscow in 1996 in 7:33:10, the second fastest time of the year, and in December she won an 80km race in San Pedro, Mexico, in 6:08:40.  Unlike some of her fellow countrymen, Valentina Shatyayeva seems to have run ultras sparingly, often peaking for the World title.  Prior to this race, she has not run at the 100km distance in over 4 years.