The Arrowhead Ultra 135 considers itself one of the most extreme endurance events in the world. Which makes it an ideal match for Michael Koppy, a septuagenarian runner without equal in Minnesota.
The Hermantown, Minn., man hit the finish line Wednesday evening, Jan. 28, after covering 135 miles between International Falls and Tower, Minn. — at age 75, making him the oldest participant to complete the winter ultramarathon on foot. Racers also compete on skis and bikes.
Historically, about 58% of the field finishes the Arrowhead Ultra 135. Koppy was one of 32 entrants who finished on foot this year; 38 more dropped out during the race.
“It was intense,” said Koppy a week later, still in recovery mode. The tips of his fingers remained numb and his lower back was sore, but he is feeling satisfaction, too. This year’s result was redemption. At last year’s Arrowhead, he had to quit with only several miles to the finish.
Koppy covered the course along Arrowhead Trail in 59 hours, 30 minutes, just beating the 60-hour cutoff. Pulling a sled loaded with 50 pounds of food and gear, some of it required, he overcame an assortment of challenges synonymous with the ultramarathon.
The weather was true to the race’s billing: about 20 below at the 7 a.m. start on Jan. 26 in International Falls. The cold intensified as the wind picked up over the first 70 miles to the checkpoint at Melgeorge’s Resort in Orr, Koppy said.
“It was such a strong wind,” he said. “You put on everything warm you had and still weren’t warm.”
Plus, he was without some key fuel to start. Koppy relies on drinking half of his calories, but he mistakenly put powders containing electrolytes and carbohydrates in a resupply bag at Melgeorge’s, which is about midway. He compensated with water and energy bars, but he struggled with keeping the water thawed, and the bars didn’t sit well.
