terrain March/April 2022
43
H
ave you ever wondered how far you could run from your front door in 24 hours? Me neither. But now that the question is out there, it does make me think. In a nutshell, this is the idea behind the 24 Hours from Home (24HfH) Challenge that was launched last spring by St. Louisan Mark Fingerhut - you plan a route, pick 24 hours any time within the three-day event window, and then go for it. When you step outside your door, the clock begins ticking. Whoever walks or runs the furthest on a map as the crow flies (ATCF) is declared the winner. You can imagine the unique concept would appeal to endurance athletes who like to push themselves. Several dozen locals, some serious and some not- so-serious, have taken the challenge. And many said they'd do it again, despite the grueling nature of a race where the competitor, the clock, the Universe, and the road must work in harmony for one to succeed. It all started when Fingerhut, an avid runner, was competing in the Missouri River 340 (MR340) paddle race, which typically takes anywhere from 45 to 80 hours to complete. On the river, in the dark of night, possibly a bit delirious from fatigue, he had an idea. Chatting with his canoe partner about races, Fingerhut thought it would be fun to kidnap willing participants from their homes and make each person find their way back on foot. That notion didn't stick. But another one did: see who can travel the farthest distance from their home in 24 hours. No vehicles, no wheels, just their own two feet. The idea sprang to life last April when Fingerhut launched the first 24HfH. He figured that, since a lot of races were being canceled due to the pandemic, this would be a great alternative to a crowded course. He put together a website, talked it up to friends and fellow runners, and got his wife, Sara, on board as the race monitor. Twenty-one people competed, some as tandem teams, others going solo. At the second race held last October, 35 people joined in the fun. Half were repeats. For the first Challenge, competitors tracked their trip using their own apps. The second time around, though, everyone used RaceOwl, an app that Fingerhut's friend, John Marble, developed for the MR340. It tracks locations in real time and allows participants to see where their competitors are and see everyone's finish times and routes. "That was a gamechanger for us," Fingerhut said. "Anyone could log in and see where the others are."
HOW MANY MILES COULD YOU TRAVEL ON YOUR FEET IN ONE DAY?
By Terri Waters
Previous Page