Stowsentry.com - Stow man to run 200 miles to aid hospital

Special to Record Publishing Co. Stow resident Kurt Osadchuk runs through a trail during a recent race. Osadchuk plans to run the Burning River 100-mile race twice Aug. 1 to help raise money for Akron Children’s Hospital.

by Michael Leonard

Sports Editor

For most people, going 200 miles by car or bus is a long haul.

Imagine trying to run 200 miles.

Stow resident Kurt Osadchuk isn't imagining. He plans on doing it.

Osadchuk will run the third annual Burning River 100 Aug. 1 and 2 and he'll be doing so for a good cause. During the last two years, Osadchuk has asked for per-mile donations when he runs the race, with all of the proceeds going to Akron Children's Hospital.

In 2007, Osadchuk raised more than $2,200 for the hospital and raised $1,648 last year.

This year, Osadchuk is again taking donations -- and he's upping the distance as well.

The 49-year-old network administrator plans to runs the course of the Burning River 100 -- then turn around at the finish line and run the course in the reverse direction.

It's a 200-mile round trip on foot.

Has trying to run such a distance caused Osadchuk's friends to question his sanity?

"Well, yeah, a couple have," Osadchuk said, with a laugh. "But for the most part, most of them have done 100s, so they don't think too much of it."

Osadchuk has been running ultra-distance races for about three years.

During that time, Osadchuk has run nine official marathons and 18 "ultras" -- five 50-kilometer races, two 60-kilometer races, two 50-milers, one double marathon (52.4 miles), one 100-kilometer race, two 12-hour runs, one 75-mile race and his two previous runs in the Burning River 100.

It's obvious Osadchuk takes distance running seriously, but why would he want to try a 200-mile run?

"I guess since I started running, I've always wanted to push the limits," Osadchuk said. "I started five years ago and just kept progressing. It's just been non-stop."

The training regimen for the 200-mile trek turns marathons into routine runs. In fact, Osadchuk has run at least 26 miles every Saturday and Sunday for the last nine months.

Osadchuk said his final warm-up will be to run the Buckeye Trail 50K race July18, then turn around at the finish line and run the final 39 miles of the Burning River course for a total of 70 miles. That will be followed by a 30-mile training run July 19.

According to www.burningriver100.org, 152 runners will participate in this year's run, including Stow residents Osadchuk, Brandon Russell, Jon Paul Preston and Jeff Burke and Munroe Falls resident Alex Moore.

The race will start at 5 a.m. Aug. 1 at Squire's Castle in Willoughby. 2Runners will have 30 hours to complete the course, which runs through the Cleveland MetroParks, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and the MetroParks Serving Summit County before finishing the Cuyahoga Falls amphitheater.

Last year, Osadchuk ran the 100-mile course in 25 hours, 41 minutes, so he realizes, after he makes the turn, he likely won't be able to utilize the aid stations along the course for very long.

"Probably just the first few," Osadchuk said. "The course closes after 30 hours. After that, I have a crew for the next 30 hours. They have a time slots to watch out for me."

Osadchuk's eight-person crew, which includes wife Shelley Osadchuk, will keep an eye open for him over more than two full days of uninterrupted running.

Osadchuk said he knows he's in for a painful experience but is determined to press on. In fact, barring any problems, Osadchuk plans to continue with more distance running this year, including running the Akron Roadrunner Marathon Sept. 29.

Osadchuk is still accepting pledges for Akron Childern's Hospital. Those interested in donating should visit his Web site at www.amileforachild.com.

E-mail: mleonard@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3113