Run 101 - 101 km from Niverville to Altona, May 3, 2008

The Start at midnight at Rat River Landing-May 3, 2008

The never ending lonely parairie roads

The famous Post Road, near Emerson, Manitoba

The feet are totally messed up agin with 5 blisters

Nearing Altona, a dog feels for me.

The finish is here - wow what a relief

Dale, Paul, Walter and Albert

The Run101 crew, runners, and the "Queenie" my mother

Run 101 Life’s Long Journey
May 3, 2008

Run 101 was a celebration run for my mother, 101 kilometers for the 101 years of my mother 101 years.
On Friday, May 3rd, Dr. Paul Piplani arrived at the Winnipeg Airport dressed in his light-weight running clothes, but oh my, when he felt the shock of the cold Manitoba air he realized he had left Phoenix, Arizona behind him.
The runners, Walter Unrau, Dale Wohlgemuth, Paul Piplani and I, together with our crew all met at the Rat River landing at 20 minutes before midnight. What an eerie feeling. There is no night lighting at this point along the river. After initial introductions, I gave the runners and their crew member’s instructions on basic road running etiquette, as well as a few more instructions on handling the long battle ahead of us. I prayed just before midnight, trying not to think too much about what lay ahead of us.
Reflectors and head lamps, filled water bottles, full of energy and excitement, we started, heading east along Fontaine Road. This road quickly became a grassy path with deep ruts. Running with more feeling in the feet than actually seeing anything, we made our way towards Highway 59, about 13 kilometers. Fortunately no one sprained an ankle on this uneven terrain, and just after passing the area where the original Shantz Shelters had been located, we arrived at the 59 Highway, turning south. The Canadian true north winds soon register with all of us. It was a biting, cold wind. The wind cut right through several layers of sweaters, jackets and running pants.
Near Tourond, a pickup truck stopped and the driver rolled down his window, “May I ask what you are doing?” This was around 2:00 a.m. I replied, “We are running to Altona.” He answered, “Aren’t you on the wrong road for that?”
Just south of Tourond Walter took off; he left us without saying good-bye. We did not see him again until the finish in Altona. Maybe he thought the Canadian wolves were after him.
Paul, Dale and I stuck together for the rest of the journey. Nearing St Pierre, we heard the birds chirping, it was so quiet. I stopped on the bridge to listen to the river. Turning around, we saw the Northern lights displaying their colourful show.
We had also heard dogs barking at us at various locations.
At St Pierre the RCMP came to check out the action. Three vehicles with flashing lights, and runners on the left side with headlamps and lots of reflective clothing were enough to attract their attention.
The dawn light was slow in coming even though we remarked how short the night was. By the time we reached La Rochelle we no longer needed the headlamps. The sunrise was beautiful with the red and orange colors, but cold. The cold did not stop the frogs from singing however.
The cold wind was creating a huge challenge for all of us. We had water bottles strapped to our waists, and the water in the bottles froze. I ran out of clothing, so finally grabbed a big towel to wrap around my head and neck to keep warm. My running tights were totally inadequate protection for minus 9° Celsius. My right thigh muscles ‘froze’ so that I needed help. Jacquie wrapped a heat pad around my leg and I had to take a ride for about 4 kilometers.
We regrouped at the site of the St Malo deer. The three runners stayed together, Walter was long gone.

Going west on Highway 201 a vehicle stopped offering us a ride. We declined, and then another person came and asked our crew to give him a ride. We came past the Roseau River First Nations Reserve, and crossed the green bridge spanning the Red River.
At the bridge another police car came and took a look, but did not get out to ask any questions.
Just west of the bridge we came to the junction of the old Nr 14 highway and we headed south again. We were back on gravel road, which our blistered feet did not appreciate. By now we were feeling some of the warmth of the sun. Farmers were out in full force with their huge spring seeding equipment.
These farmers must have wondered why we were not out their getting our crops into the ground.
Coming past Fort Dufferin was meaningful in the historic route, knowing that some of our ancestors arrived here and stayed at this location awhile. The North West Mounted Police were also stationed here and help the settlers, as well as the British engineers who came here and began surveying the land from this point to establish the 49th parallel to be the border between USA and Canada.
Just south of this Fort there is a farm with white fencing containing oxen.
As we approached and ran through Emerson, we were met by Arvid Loewen from Winnipeg, who had come out to greet us. Arvid has also been challenging the elements as a biker and will be competing in RAAM (Race Across America) this summer, cycling across USA in 12 days. Arvid has become a good friend to me and we like to encourage one another.
‘West, go west young man’, along the famous historical Post Road for 6 miles. By this time Arvid had left us and both crew vehicles had taken off. We were facing the second half and the wind was still icy, the road was gravel and I was fighting blisters.
Edna (my wife) called me, and I told her I was in pain. She had no sympathy, “Bite the Bullet, I have fought pain for the last 3 weeks – go for it.” I spent time thinking about my wife and her post-op knee complications and this weighed me down. I felt a blister on one of my heels pop. I knew I had 5 blisters by now and didn’t know what to do. Sit down on the gravel, take off socks and shoes and look at them, or take some more pain killers and carry on. My brother Bill and sister-in-law Grace had arrived, Grace is a nurse, so she took a look at the foot and patched it as good as she could.
A local farmer had recognized me and came to greet me and watched the surgery on the feet. He told me he lived right there and I was welcome to come over and use one of their beds.
Another person stopped Dr Piplani and asked him where Greg Penner lived. Paul told him that he came from Phoenix so did not know where Mr Penner lived.
We got a call from Walter; he was 20 kilometers from the finish and going strong. We were still battling the Post Road gravel.
We turned north into the wind along the Halbstadt road. This road ran past my sweetheart’s home farm when I dated her. Some warm feelings went through me at these thoughts. A few kilometers north we came past the site where the famous Halbstadt store and Credit Union had been situated. After a few more kilometers we turned west once more onto Hwy 421, pavement and going towards Sommerfeld and Neubergthal.
Another low point when my phone rang and my brother Bill told me he was set up, ready to start frying fish. He was suggesting that we abandon the run, get driven close to Altona and just finish the race. I knew there had been measurement errors, and Paul, Walter and Dale had a 5 kilometer credit. I had already used mine up back when I had the muscle cramps.
I proposed to Paul and Dale that we move in closer and run in. Paul objected vehemently, “They can eat, I flew here to run, I have suffered this far and I will finish the 101 kilometers.” We did however, leapfrog far enough so that Dale and Paul would do 101 kilometers and I would have a deficit of 4 kilometers.
As we headed north once more, with Altona in sight we picked up the pace. I had a sudden adrenalin push which took away all my blister pain. “The horse was smelling the barn”. This was truly exciting and we experienced a huge high. The rewarding and mixed emotions after 18 hours of struggling cold, wind, muscle pain and blisters is beyond description.
What a feeling to see the end, when one has endured to the bitter end.
Walter had come in after15:01 hours. He really had a tiger in his tank all the way.
Paul came in at 18:15:01 and he ran on crude oil – he had been staggering and weaving near Neu Bergthal due to nutrition deficiency and fighting sleep.
Dale was running on empty. He had run right out of energy. He came in at 18:15:02.
I was running on flat tires. I had blisters. I came in at 18:15:02.

Run 101 was a tough run. My blistered feet and the cold wind had been my biggest challenges, even though blisters had been worse in other races.
I struggled as much as ever mentally, tempted to give up several times. At one point along 421 I was thinking of lying down in the middle of the highway and cry, waiting for someone to come pick me up. But my wife told me that when children pout and cry, we close the door on them and leave them for awhile. That was exactly what I was afraid of.
At the finish we were rewarded by a smiling mother. We were rewarded by being met by 40 family members and friends. We were happy for chairs to sit down. What a joy to be surrounded by loving people. What a feeling, hard to describe. I knew here was a family that was supportive.
My brother Bill together with his wife Grace had prepared a tasty fish fry for the whole gang. What a celebration. We had set up a flag display together with a 4 ft x 8 ft painting red rose for mom. Run 101 mugs and t-shirts were presented. Photos were taken with the runners and mom. My mother was so honored by each runner that came to greet her.
Dr. Piplani said, “This run had much more significance than running kilometers, it was about honoring a person that has reached this venerable age with dignity. It was about mother and all that she had done for her big family. It was about her example of peace, contentment, love and care. She has lived to be 101 due to her hard work and her strong faith in her Lord. There are few people and families like this in the world.”
Dr. Paul Piplani’s name for her is the ‘Queenie’.

Albert