Pierre Salinger wrote in his account of the Kennedy Administration that President Kennedy issued a challenge to a few select Americans, including Salinger, to demonstate their strength of character by completing a 50 mile hike. Salinger cleverly escaped this presidential trap but younger brother Robert accomplished the endurance feat while Attorney General of the United States.

Runners saw an opportunity and ran with it - so began an annual tradition in Hagerstown, MD..

November 22nd Event This Year Includes Some Familar Personalities
Bethany Hunter and Connie Gardner switched position from the 2002 edition - Hunter ran slower to finish second behind a speedier Gardner, who won the women's division in 7:20:53.

National Ultra ace Ian Torrence of Utah finished 5th this year in 6:22:11 after taking third in 2002 with a slower time of 6:27:21.

Local Mark Hoon, 39 of Kensington finished twelth in 6:49:30 while Capital Running Company crew member Maureen Tobin, 40 of Washington, DC, ran 8:56:38 for a spot in the women's top twenty. Congratulations!

A Cross Country Representation Among the Top Finishers

Place Name              Age M/F City                  Time    Pace  
===== =================== == = ================== === ======= ===== 
Top 15 Men
    1 DAVE MACKEY         34 M BOULDER            CO  5:55:30  7:05 
    2 ZACHARIAH MILLER    27 M ANN ARBOR          MI  6:10:02  7:23 
    3 ERIC GROSSMAN       35 M LOUISVILLE         KY  6:10:02  7:23 
    4 SERGE ENGLAND-ARBON 38 M BALTIMORE          MD  6:19:10  7:34 
    5 IAN TORRENCE        31 M MOAB               UT  6:22:11  7:37 
    6 MATT MCDONALD       33 M HAGERSTOWN         MD  6:27:19  7:43 
    7 ERIC CLIFTON        45 M ALBUQUERQUE        NM  6:29:15  7:46 
    8 CLARK ZEALAND       30 M KITCHERER          ONT 6:29:29  7:46 
    9 MIKE SANDLIN        48 M BIG ISLAND         VA  6:36:12  7:54 
   10 TIMOTHY CLEMENT     43 M SOLON              OH  6:40:03  7:59 
   11 PATRICK PUCKETT     41 M NOBLESVILLE        IN  6:44:26  8:04 
   12 MARK HOON           39 M KENSINGTON         MD  6:49:30  8:10 
   13 RYNE MELCHER        24 M WATERLOO           ONT 6:53:46  8:15 
   14 BLAKE BENKE         27 M EMERALD ISLE       NC  6:55:38  8:17 
   15 JEFFREY BUECHLER    29 M BOULDER            CO  6:56:14  8:18 



Top 15 Women
   1 BETHANY HUNTER      24 F LYNCHBURG          VA  7:20:53  8:47 
   2 CONNIE GARDNER      40 F MEDINA             OH  7:54:26  9:28 
   3 BARRY SALISBURY     47 F MIDDLETOWN         MD  7:57:08  9:31 
   4 JENN DICK           28 F WATERLOO           ONT 8:11:36  9:48 
   5 KIM MARTIN          38 F MEDINA             OH  8:14:01  9:51 
   6 ALFONSINA STORM     34 F EDMONDS            WA  8:22:57 10:02 
   7 BRIDGET BRUNNICK    35 F BETHESDA           MD  8:24:26 10:03 
   8 CASSANDRA MCCUNE    34 F NASHPORT           OH  8:25:48 10:05 
   9 LORETTA MALANDER    44 F OAK HILL           VA  8:33:52 10:15 
  10 LAURA NELSON        38 F WAYNESBORO         VA  8:36:37 10:18 
  11 JANICE BALES        46 F AFTON              VA  8:42:19 10:25 
  12 JEN ROOT            21 F ANNAPOLIS          MD  8:43:29 10:26  
  13 PATRICIA SOMMERS    50 F KITCHENER          ONT 8:49:35 10:33 
  14 MARCY MARTIN        34 F GREENCASTLE        PA  8:54:20 10:39 
  15 MAUREEN TOBIN       40 F WASHINGTON         DC  8:56:38 10:42   

Cool Max of Big Sky Country Finishes But Receives a Black and Blue Tattoo Near His Right Eye
"Actually, it looked much worse than it felt. Didn't hurt at all and all bleeding stopped. Just needed a couple of stitches." - Senator Max Baucus, in a written remark to Anna Bradford (who provided photo above) on his trip up during the 2003 JFK 50 Miler

This guy is one tough "son of a gun". - Mike Spinnler, race director of the JFK 50 Miler, on a bloody but undefeated Max Baucus

Clean up the sticky, gory stuff and go back to work and on camera..

From the Senator's website, posted the next day: November 23, 2003 (Washington, D.C.) - Montana Senator Max Baucus today chided Congressional negotiators for delaying a new program that would require meats and other perishable products to carry a country-of-origin label, saying the popular program, known as "COOL," will help agriculture producers command higher prices for their products, create jobs, and ensure food safety...

"I'm angered by this shortsighted move to delay COOL," said Baucus, a leading Senate advocate of the program. "Congress passed it, the President signed it, and Montana's ag producers deserve it. It appears they sold Montana and American producers and consumers down the river in attempt to get a deal. That's just wrong. And that's why we'll keep fighting."

Baucus is a politician who knows the pain of running and the satisfaction of reaching the finish line:

Personal bio - "Throughout his career, Max has never forgotten where he came from or who he represents. For a full day each month, Max experiences a "Day-In-The-Life" of citizens all over Montana. He has conducted workdays at farms, ranches, schools, highway construction projects, local ice cream parlors, and hospitals."