By Jane Kirsch
Photo by Nick Atkins
Congratulations to our very own staff member, Andy Marchal, for running in the Rocky Raccoon 100 Trail Race! The Rocky Raccoon 100 is an annual 100-mile endurance race with about a 4,100 foot elevation gain held in Huntsville, Texas in Huntsville State Park during early February. Huntsville State Park is a 2083.2 acre wooded recreational area within the Sam Houston National Forest. The current record for the race is 12:44:33 for men, and 14:22:18 for women. Well done, Mr. Marchal!
I interviewed Mr. Marchal about the Rocky Raccoon 100 and the experience of running it.
Kirsch: When did the Rocky Raccoon 100 take place?
Marchal: February 4th.
Kirsch: How did you prepare for the race?
Marchal: I did a whole lot of running. In December and January, I ran 440 miles total, so 220 miles monthly.
Kirsch: How long did it take you to complete the 100-mile race?
Marchal: 24 hours and 3 minutes.
Kirsch: How would you describe the experience of running in the race?
Marchal: It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Prior to this race, the longest I’ve ever run was 50 miles, so to run twice was pretty intense. Also to be moving for 24 hours in the dark was challenging.
Kirsch: What was the biggest challenge you faced while preparing for/running in the race?
Marchal: I faced no challenges during my preparation for the race. In running the race, though, I lost three toenails, which is pretty gross.
Kirsch: Did you have previous experience running in races similar to the Rocky Racoon 100?
Marchal: I’ve done a few 31 miler races and a 50 miler, but I’ve never done something this intense.
Kirsch: Would you run the Rocky Raccoon 100 again?
Marchal: Undecided. I probably would, though it’s one of those things where once you do it, you’ve done it.
Kirsch: What place did you finish in?
Marchal: I finished in 87th place out of 450 racers total.
This is an impressive feat for anyone! The next Rocky Racoon 100 will be held February 3-4, 2024 in the same location, Huntsville State Park in Huntsville Texas. If running is your thing, check it out!
