DECATUR — Brad Nelson of Florence and Brian Gramling of South Carolina outlasted strong fields in the Delano Park 12-Hour endurance runs March 4.
Gramling, 43, of Lancaster, S.C., won the 50-mile solo event in a time of 8:44. Crystal Clark, 49, of Morrow, Ohio, was second and first female in 9:31, and Lauren Villareal, 29, of Huntsville, was second (3rd overall) in 9:35.
See the 50-mile results here.
Nelson, 43, finished with 68 miles in the 12-hour event. Martin Heimbeck, 40, of Huntsville, was second with 67 miles.
Stacy Gagne, 46, of Madison, and Melissa Fritz, 42, of Huntsville, tied for third overall and first in the women’s division with 64 miles.
See all of the 12-hour results here.
About the Delano 12-Hour
The Delano 12-hour run is held on a USATF-certified 1.00 mile path in Delano Park, one of Decatur’s oldest parks.
Delano Park consists of 28 acres in the heart of Decatur’s old town. It is 130 years old, laid out in 1887 by renowned New York landscape architect Nathan Franklin Barrett. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Endurance running dates to the 1800s, at least for competition and viewing, with roots in New York City. Charles Rowell set a 100-mile record in 1882 in more than 13 hours at the original Madison Square Garden. More than 10,000 watched. Endurance events were held at other sites in New York and bigger cities. Organized events eventually were created, with the Boston Marathon now 127 years old.
In the early endurance events, competitors were fortified with a variety of foods and beverages including steak, beef broth, coffee, beer, liquor and other hearty fare. That’s a far cry from today’s variety that ranges from salty chips and peanut butter to endurance drinks and gummies.
