My heroes

Today at the pool, I met a woman who was in her 80's. She told me she swims 4 days a week, a mile each time. And, you know what? She was fast.

A man I met 2 yeas ago is from my husbands hometown, Crescent City, CA. Mr. Ralph Hirt, a year ago when he was 71 runs 100 mile races.

When I grow up, I want to be like them. Those people are my heroes, people I look up to.

I think they are awesome.

Hirt completes another 100-mile marathon at 71

Written by Bill Choy, The Triplicate February 20, 2009 08:35 am

Plans to take part in another ultra run this weekend in Ore.

Local resident Ralph Hirt, 71, poses for a photo during the Rocky Raccoon ultramarathon in Texas, which is a 100-mile race. Submitted photo

At 71 years young, local resident Ralph Hirt recently completed the 100-mile Rocky Raccoon ultramarathon in Texas.
Hirt finished the race in 25 hours and 48 minutes on Feb. 7, besting his 27-hour, 32-minute time at Rocky Raccoon last year.

“It feels good,” Hirt said. “I think I was a little bit disappointed by my performance last year. I thought I could do better than that.”

Hirt finished first in his age division, although he was the only one in his age group taking part. In November, he placed first out of three runners in his age division at an ultramarathon race in Arizona.

Overall, he finished 96th out of 239 people who started the Rocky Raccoon race, although only 162 finished the grueling 100-mile marathon.

“I thought I ran well and I did not have trouble with blisters,” Hirt said. Last year, Hirt was troubled by blisters at Rocky Raccoon, which slowed him down.

For several years, Hirt has taken part in ultramarathons, which are races longer than 26 miles.

Hirt is active in the racing community in Crescent City and has been race director of the Redwood Wild River Run and the Fourth of July Run.

Hirt takes part in a number of ultra races each year and plans to compete in another ultramarathon race in Forest Grove, Ore., this weekend.

For Hirt, ultra racing is a passion. “That’s what I do,” he said.

He plans to race in another 100-mile race in June at the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run, which goes from Squaw Valley to Auburn.

“It’s the Super Bowl of 100- mile marathons,” Hirt said.

For more information on ultra racing go to run100s.com.