Scott Young is a man on the run.
Not from the authorities, but on the roads, hills and trails of Santa Barbara.
Early Saturday morning, he’ll tackle all three routes as a soloist in the Are You Tough Enough Run, a 65-mile journey that starts at Toro Canyon Park near Summerland, goes up Gibraltar Road, takes you along East Camino Cielo, crosses Hwy.154, continues on West Caminio Cielo, follows Refugio Road to Alisal Road and finishes at the entrance to Nojoqui Falls County Park near Solvang
Young is running the event (which uses the acronym RUTE) for the fourth time. His best time is 10 hours, 37 minutes, which he set last year on an unusually cold spring day — the temperature at La Cumbre Peak that morning was 38 degrees.
The course record is 9:23.19, set by Teage O’Conner in 2008.
“Teage was awesome, and I can’t imagine knocking another hour plus off my PR,” Young said about the idea of breaking the record. “Chasing records defeats the purpose (of ultramarathon running). Ultras are a personal challenge and simply finishing is usually enough to satisfy. Quck times are just a bonus, but I believe all finishers deserve equal accolades.”
The other solo runners who will be joining Young for the 4:30 a.m. start are John Hoenigman, who went 12:05 last year, and Jake Sanders.
The race also includes a handful of five-person relay teams. The first leg (Toro Canyon Park to Cold Springs trailhead) starts at 7 a.m.
Direct Relief International, the beneficiary of the race, will have a team entered.
The relay records are 6:20.53 for the men (Robert Hollister, Mike Smith, Don Faith, Randy Twing, and Tom Phillips in 1989), 7:06 for a mixed team (Raise Your Hand If You Like To Run: Kaleena & Nick Bruckbauer, Jimmy O’Dea, Matt Shaner, Taylor Hemming in 2010), and 7:36 for the women (four-runner Tuff Luv: Chrystee Bradley, Michelle McToldridge, Kary O’Brien, Drea McLarty in 2010).
Last year’s relay winner, Pork Chop and the Masters of Delusion (Dave Saunders, Lief Reynolds, Scott Ingraham, Eric Forte, Tim Strand), did it in 7:02, the fastest time in six years.
Race director Jim Kornell said there is great camaraderie among the runners, and the views on the course are fantastic.
“One Italian runner claimed it was the most beautiful course in the world,” Kornell said. “I don’t like that kind of claim, but … it’s not unfounded. It’s not every race that you can look left to islands and the broad Pacific, and then right to a 7-thousand-foot mountain range across a green valley.
“People have fun,” he continued. “Run hard, but the one unbreakable rule of the race is that everyone is out there with everyone else, so if someone needs help, you stop and help them.”
Young always has a good time doing the race.
“This is a great event, very grass roots,” he said. “I love the fact that there are no aid stations; you’re very much on your own.”
Young drops his supplies along the couse the day before so he can run without hindrances.
“It’s a great adventure, and to be completely self reliant and confident is not something a lot of people get to experience these days,” he said of his solo runs. “Dropping onto the fire road past the gun club on the way to Broadcast Peak feels very committing, and you enjoy a sense of isolation.
“On the way to Refugio (Road), the (relay) teams start catching up and sweep you along with tremendous encouragement. The other runners are always incredible, and that’s the best part of the race. Huge thanks to Jim for keeping this race alive. It’s so unique in many ways.”
Young, an account manager at Florabundance, Inc. and a father of four boys, says he feels he was born to do ultra events.
“I was never into marathons — I don’t like the crowds — and I’m not that fast, plus those guys train way too hard.”
Young got into ultra running about five years ago by doing the Nine Trails, an annual November run along the trails in the Santa Barbara foothills.
“I discovered I was pretty good at this trail running stuff and it’s so fun,” he said.
Saturday’s RUTE will be Young’s 12th official ultra race, but he’s done plenty of “long” runs over the last five years.
As for his training, he puts in around 60 miles a week — “much less than one would think,” he says. His usually does a speed workout and a hill run during the week and a 20- to 27-mile trail/road run on the weekend.
Young hopes his passion for long-distance running inspires others.
“Running ultras is not as important as simply running at any level of distance,” he said. “It’s all relative, and I truly applaud anyone who puts on their shoes and heads out the door.”
