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Man vs. horse in dessert race03/03/2003
By Jim Benike
Man against horse in a 50-mile race. Who wins? Man or horse?
The 19th annual Man Against Horse 50-mile race was held outside of Prescott Valley, Ariz., last October. Almost 40 horses and riders and 40 runners gathered to race across the desert range land, high chaparral, around Mount Mingus at 7,743 feet and back.
I had previously read reports of the race and had always been curious how I would place against horses in a 50-mile race. Prescott Valley was an easy two-hour drive from Phoenix, and the start of the race was five miles east of town.
Horse trailers, pickups and motor homes surrounded the base camp. An old-fashioned windmill supplied water for the horses but it was obviously high desert range land with grasses and cactus. Farther to the east I could see the foothills of the mountain range and knew that Mount Mingus was miles beyond my view. But such is the nature of an ultra run. One never sees the whole course at once. It reveals itself a little at a time as the day goes on.
The race start was cold in the early dawn. Horses were neighing and anxious. They were ready to race. Riders tried to keep them contained as the horses danced around in tight circles. The runners shivered and tried to keep out of the way of the big horses. Suddenly someone said go and everyone was off.
I had planned to stay in the middle of the pack but now I was just trying to get out of the way of the horses. Dust was flying as we headed down a dusty trail toward the foothills and the rising sun. It was a beautiful, classic moment but I hoped I wouldn't be eating and breathing dust all day.
After a quarter mile I realized my problem breathing wasn't caused by dust but by altitude. We started the race just under 5,000 feet and would go to 7,400 feet and back. I slowed to a pace where I could breath and just enjoyed the sights, as I knew I would only go slower as we went higher.
We came to the first fence crossing at three miles and the next after another four miles following a sandy creek bed. It definitely wasn't a Minnesota cow pasture. After a few hours I reached the foothills. It was cold in the valleys. My water bottles had gone from room temperature to cold.
Ahead of me I saw a runner with long black hair through the high chaparral. It was truly a local runner as this was the area where the U.S. Army once played hide and seek with the Apache chief Geronimo. I could understand why it was a good hiding place in a maze of mountains and shaded valleys. Fortunately the course was well marked as there were many side trails and game trails leading off the course.
Eventually I got to Mount Mingus and from there I could see the red rocks of the Sedona area as well as snowcapped Mount Humphrey off in the distance. The views answered the question of why I run ultras. Someone usually starts one to share the natural scenic beauty of their area.
Unless you know your way on those local trails you are sure to get lost and run out of water.
During the afternoon I saw horses again. They were getting slower and the mountain trails were more difficult. Our aid stations were five miles apart but the horses also had mandatory veterinary checks and rest periods. As I found out later ultra riding has its own set of rules for the safety and health of the horses. At various times, primarily on the steep down hills, the riders walked with their horses, while others stayed on their horses almost the whole race. The horses and riders each had their good and bad spells.
By late afternoon I had seen almost all the scenery my legs could stand. Eventually I saw the horse camp shining in the sun three to five miles away. It always seems to take longer when you see the finish line and it doesn't seem like you are getting any closer.
I finished in 9 hours, 34 minutes for 10th place, and 11 horses finished ahead of me. And, yes, a man finished first in 6 hours, 56 minutes, beating the first horse by almost an hour.
I drank a quart of water and took half a cold shower in the overflow from the horse-watering tank. Someone pointed me to the stock tank filled with pop and beer. As is tradition in ultra running I went back to the finish line and cheered in the balance of the horses and runners.
After everyone finished the western barbecue started. By now the sun had set but there were portable lights powered by a generator. The awards ceremony was interesting because of the prizes and awards the riders received. There were many items from veterinary supply stores. The top 10 riders received horse-sized double water bottle fanny packs similar to the ones runners wear. The horse models fastened to the back of a saddle. Runners received custom-made Man Against Horse 50 belt buckles.
It was the end of a perfect day.
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