Maple Falls resident completes 100-mile running race in under 24 hours

Kelly Hambelton crossing the finish line. COURTESY PHOTO

by Emily Hewitt

Kelly Hambelton, our local long distance running freakazoid in Maple Falls, just finished 9th overall and was the second woman in the Pine to Palm 100-mile endurance run in southern Oregon last month.  Kelly finished the 100-mile race in 23 hours and 42 minutes. Her goal was to finish in less than 30 hours. However, there is a special belt buckle for those that finish in less than 24 hours and Kelly wanted that belt buckle. Well now she has it!
Kelly Hambelton, born Tuohig, was raised in Salt Lake City, and now lives in Maple Falls with her husband Jeff Hambelton. She came to Washington in 2006, planning to work the turnaround at the Shell Refinery in Anacortes for a month. She is still there after four years, now working as an industrial hygienist, which focuses on keeping people safe at the refinery. Refinery work can be quite stressful and running is a great outlet – running is her Zen time.
Kelly had run marathons before when she lived in Salt Lake City.  However, it was not until this year that Kelly started ultra running – anything longer than a marathon. Kelly decided to ignore the advice of running magazines and the rest of the world by just doing what she wanted to do; which is run a crazy amount of miles. If it’s too good to you, it’s gotta be good for you. Right on!
Kelly wanted to run a 100-miler since she was a freshman in high school. Her cross country coach, Debbie Wagner won the Wasatch 100-mile race, and is the most influential runner in Kelly’s life.  Glacier’s Jeannie DeBari and Kristal Sager, also of Maple Falls, are her local influences. Kelly watched Kristal, her neighbor, run every day, and decided she needed to get back into running and restore balance in her life. Kelly runs with a smile.
This past summer Kelly raced the Gortex Trans Rockies Run with teammate Jeannie DeBari. This was a 117-mile multi-day stage race from Buena Vista to Beaver Creek, Colorado, with 25,000 feet in elevation gain and altitudes of 12,500 feet. Kelly and Jeannie were sponsored by Erin Baker’s Cookies, and were called “Erin Baker’s Babes.” They came in second in the combined age of 80 years.
The Pine to Palm 100-mile race started in Williams, Oregon. From there runners climbed 20,000 feet over the course which traversed the Siskiyou Mountains. The course had less than four miles pavement with 20,000 feet loss and three climbs to 7,000 feet with views of Mt. Shasta.  The race ended in Ashland, Oregon.
Originally, 100-mile races were done on horseback. In 1974, the Western States’ 100-Mile Day Ride across the Sierra Nevadas marked the beginning of racing on foot.  Competitor Gordan Ainsleigh, who decided to run the race because his horse was lame, finished the race in under 24 hours, which was the same time limit set for the horses! Gordan initiated a new level of running races. Today there are plenty of fruitcakes who engage in running 100 miles for fun!
Kelly decided at the beginning of the Pine to Palm race to pace herself with a group of men who were trying to finish the race in 22 hours.  At mile 31, her husband Jeff Hambelton, said, “By the way, Sweetheart, you are in third”. Kelly responded by waving her hand and said, “I gotta go!” Knowing she was in third awakened a competitive edge and her goal shifted.
The weather was terrible, there was low pressure and it rained an inch in 24 hours. It was 40 degrees and blowing sideways. Runners dropped out from hypothermia. There were around 160 registered runners, but only 72 finished. The high mileage and conditions made this an extreme challenge for the racers. Kelly had to focus on the rational part of her brain. It was a game she played, “I’m not hungry but I think I should eat, I’m not cold, but I should put on more clothes.” She grabbed food at the aid stations and ran with the food. Her kidneys began to hurt so she forced herself to drink water.
At Dutchman Peak, mile 65, Kelly changed clothes, ate, and picked up her pacer. The aid station here weighed racers and made sure they were healthy before moving on.  Kelly looked so strong, they let her pass without weighing.  Her friend, Chris Lubreki, of Lake Tahoe, drove up to pace her and provide encouragement. He ran the rest of the race with her. At Dutchman Peak, Kelly had moved from third to second place.
Kelly’s race was smooth going until mile 80. Chris made her eat a pomegranate blueberry gu shot, which bounced back from her esophagus like an Enron check.  Chris was telling her a story when she interrupted him, “Wait a minute”, then she projectile vomited. He continued his story and then, “one second”, and once more she vomited like the little girl in the Exorcist movie. After her third vomit, she knew she was good to go, but the gu shots were no bueno!
Chris was the voice of encouragement the rest of the way.  Anytime she walked, Chris said, “Walk with purpose, we are getting you to the finish within 24 hours.”
Kelly’s brain kept her positive, when her body was breaking down. “I just stayed positive the whole way through,” she said.
At the finish line, someone asked Jeff when he thought Kelly would finish.  He responded, “Well her goal is within 24 hours and she is pretty punctual.”  Sure enough, Kelly came in with a smile on her face in second place, and under 24 hours!
Kelly was grateful for the race staff, aid workers, Chris, and her husband’s support.