Buffalo Chips Ultra Runners
The Buffalo Chips Running Club is comprised of all types of runners. We have everyone from walkers, pavement pounders, and trail junkies. Here you’ll find out about our ultra trail junkies…
On any given weekend you can find our herd roaming the Folsom trails, the Cool and Auburn forests, and in the wilderness on the famous Western States Endurance Race 100 trails. Here are some popular places we start our trail adventures:
Willma Cavitt Junior High School, Granite Bay, CA
Auburn Dam Overlook, Auburn, CA
Foresthill Elementary School, Foresthill, CA
Tales from the Trails
Ernie Takahashi – Way Too Cool 50k 2013
It was an ideal morning for a 50K, cool, a little overcast and no wind at 8:00 AM March 9th, 2013. I wish the race started earlier but there was a large field (about 900 registered runners) and a two wave start for an ultra!
The first loop is 8 miles and relatively flat but the single track portion gets slow at times in long Congo Lines. But I probably spent too much energy trying to pass runners in this section.
After the Fire Station, the course is mostly down hill and again I probably ran too fast. It was down hill but many runners passed me.
From Lower Quarry to Maine Bar is mostly up and down and my energy was fading and it wasn’t half way! I walked the up hills and ran slowly on the down hills.
From Maine Bar the ALT is mostly flat and runable but I was getting very tired. I took a long break at ALT and tried to eat as much as I could stomach to boost may energy level.
Again the course from ALT to beginning of Goat Hill is mostly flat and should be and easy run. But not today. Many runners passed me on this section. The “walk” up Goat Hill was very slow but I knew if was basically down hill from there to Highway 49.
The soup at Goat Hill was tasty but did nothing for my tired body.
Goat Hill to Highway 49 was again very slow but I knew the “end” was in sight or so I thought. I had to walk the slightest uphill and barely run the downhills. As I got closer to Highway 49, I could hear the cars on the road which awakened my tired legs.
I stopped at Highway 49 to get more water to pour on my head as I made the last climb to the finish. I walked some but I tried to run as much as possible. Got to look good at the finish. Fortunately the last quarter mile is flat and I was able to run to the finish line with a smile on my face.
My time was 45 minutes slower than last year! I must be getting older but I will be back next year if I get picked in the lottery.
To read more tales from the trails click here!
Buffalo Chips Ultra Results
Congrats Chippers on your races!
Firetrails 50 Miles
Lake Chabot, CA – 13 October 2012
Place Name Time
91 Jamey Nye 10:07:08
191 John Feeney 11:49:51
215 Jean Suyenaga 12:22:08
224 Annette Mensonides 12:31:45
238 Mari Bashor 12:48:05
Rock’n River 50 Miles
Auburn, CA – 13 October 2012
Place Name Time
25 Laura Matz 11:04:38
26 Kynan Matz 11:04:38
Cool Moon 6 Hour Run
Cool, CA – 8 August 2012
Overall Gender
Place Place Name Distance
3 1 Bridgette Holzapple 24.5 mi
Skyline 50K
Castro Valley, CA – 12 August 2012
Place Name Time
61 Karen Thernka 5:40:14
Run on the Sly 20 Mile
Pollock Pines, CA – 19 August 2012
Place Name Time
17 Rich Berson 3:43:36
28 Jenny Hitchings 3:52:41
60 Nicole Darby 4:09:28
70 Rachelle Barbour 4:20:41
85 John Feeney 4:26:38
92 Denis Zilaff 4:29:13
141 Manuel Loverde 5:08:33
149 Ron Peck 5:13:34
162 Reina Schwartz 5:43:33
Run on the Sly Half Marathon
Place Name Time
2 Reed Breuer 1:46:04
122 Philomene Smith 3:08:00
127 Heather Bracken 3:09:50
154 Jim Notman 3:21:38
171 Anne Novak 3:34:10
Run on the Sly 12K
Place Name Time
9 Andy Hitchings 1:02:01
Want to join the fun? Check out our Facebook page to see if anyone is running the trails on the weekends or you can email
Galen Farris Barbara Ashe John Blue
Allyson Thomas Conwell John Nichols Laura Matz
Are you interested in venturing into the ultra scene? We highly suggest you talk with our club coach, Coach Jenny Hitchings, who can be found at our Tuesday Night Speed Workouts (join us for some fast fun!) or you can email her, here. Some of the popular races our ultra chips train for are:
Jed Smith Ultras 50 Mile, 50k, and 30k
American River 50 Mile Endurance Run
Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run (For information on our aid station at Western States, Devil’s Thumb, please go here.)
Run on the Sly 12k, Half Marathon, 20 Mile, and 50k
Dick Collins Firetrails 50Mile
For more ultra races in the Northern California area visit Ultra Signup, Run100s, or the Pacific Association Ultra Running Grand Prix Schedule and check out where our club stands .
You might find these magazines chock-full of useful information:
