Courtesy Photo | James Callihan, second from left, stands with friends after completing the Umstead 100...... read more read more
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FORT LEE, Va. - A lot of people run these days, many aspiring to finish a local 5 kilometer race or maybe even a half marathon. To most, a full marathon – 26.2 miles – marks the ultimate challenge. One Defense Contract Management Agency employee, however, sees triple digits when putting in the miles.
James Callihan with the Quality Assurance Directorate Information Management division recently ran the Umstead 100 Mile Endurance Run, a trail run in Raleigh, North Carolina. It was his first 100 mile race, one he prepared for by running marathon, 50 km, 50 mile and 100 km events.
For over 27 hours, Callihan ran. It may sound like a lonely endeavor, but Callihan sees it differently. “Ultra-running is a very friendly community where you get to actually meet and talk to various runners along the way,” he said. “Unlike marathons and triathlons where it is more of a race, ultras have the feel that we are in this together.”
In fact, two DCMA co-workers kept Callihan company on the trails, running up to 25 miles with him. “Pacers help keep you moving,” said Callihan, “Most importantly they give much needed company when running at 3 a.m. through the woods.”
Bret Wilbun, a DCMA engineer, joined Callihan from miles 50 to 75. “There was a lot of camaraderie and support during the event,” said Wilbun, “It was a really good time.” The two had run events together before – including a full marathon just three weeks before the Umstead.
Steven Ollek is a project manager in the agency’s Engineering and Analysis directorate. He paced Callihan with Wilbun from miles 62.5 to 75. Ollek said watching the run was awe-inspiring. “It's a lesson to all of us working towards a goal. You face so many obstacles and adversities on your way. To see one person achieve a feat of this magnitude, it’s truly an inspiration to us all.”
Callihan runs on average 40 to 50 miles a week, and up to double that leading up to an event. He has two young children, so his typical training runs of 10 to 15 miles are done either at 4 a.m. or at 8 p.m. “It has been very hard to train this winter because of the weather since I hate the cold and treadmills,” he said, crediting a larger team for his success. This includes his wife, mentors, and friends like Wilbun and Ollek.
Callihan said the Umstead run was exceptionally well planned. “I have never been to a better race than Umstead. The staff was incredible and uplifting.”
It went better than he’d anticipated, but his body still took a beating. “The most challenging part of the run was fighting the last 32 miles with blisters.”
Callihan isn’t done with the long runs. He’s already setting his sights on future events to include running Umstead next year in hopes of breaking 24 hours. He’s also hoping to run the Western States 100, the world’s oldest 100 mile trail run, which he qualified for with his Umstead time.
| Date Taken: | 05.08.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 05.20.2014 14:30 |
| Story ID: | 130494 |
| Location: | FORT LEE, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 266 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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