AIR's Steve Devlin Wins Ohio 50K

This article is from the October-November 2006 issue of Amelia Island Runners' club newsletter, Runner's Hi. You can download a copy here (an Adobe Acrobat reader is required). The newsletter is mailed bimonthly to Amelia Island Runners club members before it's posted on the Internet.

Runners get their pre-race instructions at the Youngstown Ultra Trail Classic. That's Steve toward the right, in his gold Amelia Island Runners tank-top. Photo courtesy of Jamie Musick.

By Bill Pennington  

   A running Steve Devlin became such a familiar sight on the trails of Fort Clinch this summer that the raccoons almost felt obligated to open a water station.

   Steve spent 10 weeks in the peak of Florida’s hottest, muggiest, sunniest season training 60 miles per week, weaving through the fort’s trails, jostling the early-morning serenity of our island’s furry creatures, with an eye on the Youngstown (OH) Ultra Trail Classic 50K.

   “I wanted to do well,” he said. “I needed 600 miles in 10 weeks to be ready.”

    The 46-year-old Amelia Island Runner not only did well -- he won the thing.

    The ultra-prepared Steve finished the 31.12-mile ultra-trail route with a time of 5 hours, 2 minutes, 56 seconds on Sept. 23, more than four minutes ahead of runner-up Mike Ryan of Ohio (5:07:20). A total of 51 ultra-runners began the race.

Steve on his way to a big win. Photo courtesy of Jamie Musick.

    “It was a great course, and I had a real good day,” Steve said as he was preparing to fly home to Amelia Island. “It had rained a lot the night before and the trail was real slippery. It’s what I would call a real trail run. You couldn’t just run as we think of running. There were lots of stumps, roots, and rocks, and hills. You had places where you had to run up wooden stairs, then other spots where you’d be running up metal stairs.

   “It was hillier and tougher than I had envisioned. If I had known better, I would have worn my trail shoes. There were some spots that you just couldn’t run; you just had to hold onto your knees and walk. On some of the down hills, you had to grab onto trees to keep from falling. It wasn’t the type of running where you could get a rhythm.”

    Another race factor was the course’s complexity that had the competitors snaking around Mill Creek Park in a figure-8 pattern for three loops.

    “I actually got lost a couple of times on the first two loops,” Steve said. “I probably ran about a quarter of a mile extra on each of the first couple of loops. The course was marked okay, but there were still places where you could go the wrong way. I was in second place and had to catch up to the guy who was leading so I would go the right way.” Fortunately, the person leading was someone who lived close to Mill Creek Park, and trains on it.

    Steve stayed a few strides behind the leader for a number of miles, and felt confident enough in the last of the three loops to pass him and go for the victory. “I just looked over at him (Jay Layshock) and said, ‘Sorry, Jay, but I’m feeling pretty good, so I’m going for it.”’  Layshock ultimately finished third overall, in a very respectable 5:08:26.

    It was Steve Devlin’s second excellent performance in as many 50K races.

    Earlier this year, he finished second in South Ponte Vedra Beach’s Guana River 50K Trail Run (March 25) in 4:19:47. The Youngstown win also marked his second race victory in a three-week period. As an ultra-run tune-up, he had won the Amelia Island Turtle Trot 10K on Labor Day weekend with a blazing 39:49. 

    This was the second year for the Youngstown Ultra Trail Classic. The course is described in entry information as follows: A mostly wooded single-track trail next to lakes, streams, and waterfalls, with some hills, rocks, roots, and some pavement. This course is a challenge, but it is great for the novice or experienced ultra runner.

    It was also great for AIR ultra-trail runner Steve Devlin.