Maude Ariosa of Colorado zipped to the win in the 28th Recover From the Holidays 50K at John Hunt Park on Dec. 31.
Under leaden skies and warm temps, Ariosa won by more than six minutes in the final local competitive running event of 2022 for north Alabama. The 34-year-old from Denver crossed the line in 4:28:24, a pace of 8:38 per mile.
Sixty-five runners completed the event. Conditions were good, albeit a bit unseasonable with temperatures in the 60s, and the forecast rain held off. The Bermuda course was in good shape with exception of a couple of muddy spots. Runners did 10 3-mile loops with a nice variety of flats and inclines. More than 100 registered.
Finishers of all 10 laps received a t-shirt, and Ariosa won a cherry pie for being first. Ariosa’s husband’s grandfather was one of the founding members of the Huntsville Track Club. Megan Lehr, 40, of Huntsville, was second in 4:34:47, and Stacy Juckett Chesnutt, 51, of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, was third (8th overall).
Martin Heimbeck, 39, of Huntsville, was the first male finisher (third overall) in 4:35:35. Drew Tjechman, 23, of Marietta, Ga., was second (4th) in 4:43:07, and Tyson Jouglet, 35, of Huntsville, was third (5th) in 4:52:05.
About the Race
The Recovery From the Holidays 50K has an old-school vibe, dating to its beginnings 28 years ago with a group who wanted to do a year-end, no-frills ultra. Runners get a bib. If they finish, this year they got a t-shirt. Didn’t finish the 50K? No shirt, medal, ribbon, ice cream, sprinkles or side-eye, either. Do 10 laps or one, whatever you want. It’s laid back, with runners bringing chairs, snackies and other stuff (shoes, socks, Fireball, shirts, etc.) should they want or need it. Some crossed the line for each lap and didn’t stop, and some plunked down for a bite, bev and maybe a laugh with friends.
Twenty-three women were among the finishers, which included runners from five states and Nova Scotia. Dartmouth, where Chesnutt is from, is across the inlet from Halifax. Race co-director Kathy Youngren said two runners from Colorado were visiting and got stranded by the weather, and so they jumped in for the fun. Several runners also completed their first 50K, and others hit milestones on personal journeys. The course and 8-hour cutoff are conducive to good, consistent times for veterans or novices.
Heimbeck and Jouglet are battling for the Huntsville Slam, which comprises the Recovery From the Holidays 50K, Mountain Mist 50K, Rocket City Marathon and Dizzy 50s 50K. Jouglet claimed the 2021 crown just a year after having surgery to remove a brain tumor. Heimbeck was second, and with only the Mountain Mist 50K remaining on Jan. 28 the roles are reversed. Only 11 people competed in all four events in 2021.
About John Hunt Park
John Hunt Park is a 428-acre complex. Along with the running course, the complex includes rubber walking paths and fields for soccer, baseball, softball, multi-purpose use, sand volleyball, playgrounds and biking. The running course is considered to be one of the best in the country. Fast speeds in the 2021 regional championship along with the return this year, and in 2025, support that.
Biking continues to grow and evolve at the park, with a super trail system created that can host events and local recreational riders. The park was created in the 1960s on the site of the old Huntsville airport after a new (and the existing) one was built in Madison.
John Hunt Park is an economic generator for the city and area. It previously was a municipal golf course that had deteriorated in condition. After closing in 2017, city officials created the existing multi-use complex. NCAA collegiate regional championships and Garmin RunningLane Cross Country Championships have attract thousands of runners, coaches, team staff and family to the city.
See the full standings of finishers from the Recovery From the Holidays 50K here.
PHOTO: Maude Ariosa of Denver celebrates winning the Recovery From the Holidays 50K with a cherry pie, which was this year’s top prize. Sixty-four runners completed the event at John Hunt Park in Huntsville on Dec. 31. (Photo: Kathy Youngren)
