Sri Chinmoy 100-Mile Race (Brochure). 1990.
"The Sri Chinmoy 100-Mile Race, in existence since 1986, has seen outstanding performances by both men and women runners. The course record, 11:56:48, set in 1986 is held by the great Yiannis Kouros. Another great runner, Cahit Yeter, ran 13:35:21 in the same race to set our over-50 record. Last year at the Sri Chinmoy TAC/USA 100-Mile Championship, Christine Gibbons from Elmwood, New Jersey ran 16:41:26 to become the Woman's National Champion and Rae Clark from California ran a super race, winning and setting a new American record of 12:12:19. Roy Pirrung from Sheboygan, Wisconsin won the Master's title in 13:15:50. World records for 100 miles on the road are 11:46:38 for men by Yiannis Kouros and 13:55:02 for women by Ann Trason. These records were set at Sri Chinmoy 24-Hour Races in different years, en route to record breaking 24-Hour performances by both runners."
"Sri Chinmoy 100M." Running Times. October 1990.
Men: Sid Christie, 44 (15:03:12). Women: Sue Ellen Trapp, 44 (15:05:51). 'It was obviously Sue Ellen's day, and I was just lucky to be there,' testified Sid Christie, who had won the 100-mile race by less than half a lap ahead of friend and fellow dentist Sue Ellen Trapp. Trapp not only caught second place overall, but her steady perserverance set a new standard for masters women at the 100-mile mark, lowering her old record by nearly an hour. 'I did a good job, but her achievement was outrageous,' Christie went on. 'I saw her behind me and I was rooting for her to catch me and win, but she was so inspirational that I said, I can't let her catch me. She'd never forgive me. When she gives her best, I give my best. When I see her giving her best, it makes me want to try to do my best, and that's what it's all about. Amen, Sid.
The Sri Chinmoy 100-Mile Runners (scanned from brochure).
Good Pacing Key To 100-Mile Wins; Trapp Sets Masters Mark. Ultrarunning. July-August 1990.
"All things come to him who waits. Sid Christie is a patient runner; for fifteen years he had been racing and training, like a craftsman who puts in his time. He'd never run a road 100-miler; much of his racing had been on trails, with limes that wouldn't compare to those in a r
oad race. He'd never really won a race. And he certainly never expected to win the Sri Chinmoy 100-Miler.
On a misty morning (reminiscent of Oregon, to natives like Sid) the front runners took off at a seven-minute pace, led by the formidable strides of Pat Cooper. The pack just behind him was strong: Don Jewell, Don Aycock, Frank DeLeo and Luis Rios.
Meanwhile, Sid Christie and Sue Ellen Trapp started at their own pace. The two leggy runners loped along, well behind the leaders on the scoreboard. Good friends and fellow dentists, they had run together in many a trail race and now both lived in the same metropolitan area of Fort Meyers, Florida, which might make Flushing Meadow Park look mountainous. Their superlative crew (Sid's sister Honey and Sue Ellen's husband, Ron) were also in the dental profession. Sue Ellen and Sid, both preparing for Western States, thought a rigorous 100-miler would stand in well for some mountain training. Sid planned on running Western States with a T-shirt reading 'Florida Peninsular Mountain Racing Team.' But this race was new territory for Sid. So, being of the sound mind of a seasoned runner, he opted for wisdom and started at just under a nine-minute pace.
In the lead pack, Frank DeLeo was opting for valor. With a string of powerful performances behind him in just this kind of race (Sue Ellen marveled, 'How do these people race so much?'), he nonetheless had some worries on his mind - an injury and less than his usual standard of training. He could see he might have to gut it out in order to maintain his standard. With a tense demeanor and laudable effort, he would manage to stay at or near second place throughout the race.
Sid's problem, on the other hand, was in holding himself to slow 8:30 miles, and watching the backs of the leaders who where lapping him repeatedly. He knew what he had to do, in his own terms, to make the distance, and he wasn't really here to compete. He would be thrilled if he could place in the top seven. 'If the guys that go out there at seven minutes or eight minutes a mile can make it stick, then we enjoy watching them and feel very happy for them. We're happy to be a part of that kind of performance. But if...well, we'll take what we can get.' After 15 consistent years, he knew his work.
Sue Ellen Trapp, another steady-pace adherent, is in the upper echelon of women ultra runners. She had run the Sri Chinmoy USA/TAC 24-Hour Championship last fall, where a major motivation had been the chance to see the great Ann Trason in action. Ann's world record at 100 miles and American record at 24-hours had been worth making the trip to see, but Sue Ellen's own performance was the race of her life, breaking her 11-year old PR and seating new age 40-44 records at 100 miles (16:04:21) and 24 hours (136+ miles). Like Ann, Sue Ellen disliked the limelight and actually avoided racing for about a decade. Now gracing the one-mile loop once again, her effervescent smile and masterful ability were stealing the show.
Pat Cooper held the lead for 30 miles. Then, as the emerging sun blazed through the clouds, the tempo of the race slackened a little and Cooper began to give way. By the 50-mile mark the race had changed is shape. At this point 52-year old Don Jewell seemed invincible as he hit 50 miles in 6:43, fifteen minutes ahead of Cooper, with DeLeo another two minutes back in third, while Sue Ellen and Sid, the flying dentists, cruised along steadily in fourth and fifth places.
At 100 km Jewell still led, now by 19 minutes over Frank DeLeo, who moved into second, but Don's feet - and face - were getting leaden. He would eventually have to drop out after 89 brave miles. Sue Ellen and Sid were in third and fourth respectively and looking good. The blazing New York sun was cooling down in a chill Oregon damp evening and Sid was cheering up considerably. 'this is my weather,' he assured his sister Honey.
Sue Ellen's cheerfulness had never been in jeopardy, 'I just loved the one-mile course and the people. I felt grand,' she said later. She was taking it just as she felt, armed with her ebullient smile and fifteen years of 10-15 miles a day. Fueling her with metabolol, Exceed and Coke, her husband Ron maintained the Trapp understated line, assuring everyone that she had not planned, and was not trying to win the race. But she could have fooled everyone.
In the dusk of Flushing Meadow Park the two dentists overtook Frank DeLeo at 66 miles. Frank kept up a courageous race as all the other leaders fell back. Also in admirable command of his effort was Joe Winch, who improved is position steadily throughout the race to an eventual fourth place finish.
A few miles later, a couple of park strollers, enjoying the air and oblivious of the race, slightly obstructed the galloping dentists who were running side by side. Sid and Sue glanced off the bystanders, and they split up, slightly jarred. But Sid's adrenalin was up and he shot ahead - leading his running pal, though never by more than half a lap. is moment had come...
