(From left) Mrs. Bowland (volunteer from Christian Cycling TX in Farmersville), David Rivas (Blue Ridge), Daniel Geary (Burleson) support each other during the Exclamation 5.0 race in Farmersville. Photo courtesy David Rivas
By David Wolman
Exclamation 5.0 held its inaugural “Lone Wolf-Last Runner Standing” race at Chaparral Park in Farmersville on Saturday, June 6.
The race was an intense “last runner standing” ultramarathon in which runners tackle a literal exclamation-mark-shaped course, requiring the participants to complete a 4.167-mile loop every hour on the hour, totaling 100 miles in 24 hours.
If runners completed the loop in 45 minutes, they had 15 minutes to rest, eat and recover before the next loop begins. If they failed to complete the loop within the hour, or if they failed to step into the starting corral for the next loop, they were eliminated. The process repeated hourly until only one runner remains to claim the “Lone Wolf” title.
The field showcased a rare level of generational depth, with the youngest runner only nine years old to its oldest at 74 years old. With a 50-mile finish required to secure the title, the event now stands as the longest ultra-distance race completion on the Northeast Texas Trail.
Farmersville had two residents win awards. Patricia Roberts, 57, won the Top Master’s Major Award (most loops completed for ages 55 and above) after she ran 30 miles. She placed fourth overall in the “Last Runner” standings. Talitha Darling, 45, captured first place in the Single-Loop and Multi-Loop Test accessible 5-mile run.
The Single-Loop and Multi-Loop Test Events are new this year.
Kevin McCormick of Dallas won first place in the 25-mile run.
Daniel Geary of Burleson captured “Lone Wolf” Standing award for being the event’s overall winner and also won the Fastest Exclamation award, which was given to the runner with the fifth-fastest loop entering ultra distance. He ran a total of 50.2 miles.
Declan Rivas of Blue Ridge won the “What the Sigma Award” for most loops completed for runners under the age of 21. Rivas, 9, ran 10 miles and finished third in the overall standings.
Sigmawolf is a local entity based in Blue Ridge, located just 10 miles north of Farmersville. The company is built around giving back to the community and encouraging individuals to pursue difficult, seemingly impossible goals, one mile at a time.
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