You might say mid-May weather in Missouri is more easily predicted with a coinflip than a forecast: choose “heads” and you get sweltering humidity and sun or, select “tails” and it’s a bone-chilling drizzle. Flip a few more times and you’ll probably get even more options for both.
As the fast times and high finish rates suggest, this was a good weather year for the Berryman Trail Races near Potosi, Missouri. A big storm came through the day before, while packet pickup was in progress at race headquarters in the Berryman Campground. As we huddled in the vault toilets (the only enclosed solid structure at campground), warnings sounded, but the hail and tornados missed us in the forest. The next day offered great conditions for the runners and a beautiful backdrop for the passing of the torch to new race leadership.
The phrase “labor of love” is beyond cliché in the world of race directing, but it couldn’t be truer for events like the Berryman 50-mile and Marathon Trail Races. Like many other small races across the country that are hosted by local running clubs, this event shines because of the community behind it and how much they enjoy sharing their best local trails.
Three generations of race directors: (left to right) Victoria and David White, Jen and Tommy Doias, Deirdre Nunan and Joe Lyons. Photo: John Knepper / Mile 90 Photography
David and Victoria White of the Saint Louis Ultrarunners Group (SLUG) served as race directors for nearly all of the SLUG races for more than 15 years—until they gradually began to “retire” and recruit others to fill their shoes. Those shoes have not been easy to fill as they managed to put on more than 70 races throughout their years of volunteer race directing. That included 16 years of Berryman, plus other SLUG classics like the Double Chubb Trail 50k/25k. It has taken multiple groups and individuals to continue their legacy, as SLUG races are passed from one set of dedicated volunteers to another. Meanwhile, David and Viky continue to show up and support the races by volunteering at aid stations and maintaining the SLUG equipment trailer. Their dedication has left a lasting legacy in the local trail running community, and we are forever grateful.
The Berryman 50-mile(ish) race is a double-running of the 26.4(ish) Berryman Trail in the Mark Twain National Forest. It is a single-track loop that is part of the more than 400-mile Ozark Trail system, a designated National Recreation Trail. When the race first began in the late 1990s as a “fat ass” (free) event, the Berryman loop was slightly less than 25 miles long. An out-and-back along the gravel road at the start/finish area (now paved) was used to create the marathon and 50-mile races. Over the years, trail improvement projects have gradually lengthened the trail, eliminating the need for the out-and-back. Now, the current “50-mile” race is more like 53 miles, but who’s counting?
Well, 50-mile winners like Zach Boyle and Amy Davis are counting, because it’s increasingly difficult to compare stand-out performances against historic records. Despite the elongated course, Davis managed to crack the top 10 all-time fastest finisher list with her performance at this year’s race. In the marathon, Christopher Sandefur (3:15:22) and Allegra Pierce (4:07:29) also grabbed top 10 spots in the all-time fastest finishers list.