KINGSVILLE TOWNSHIP — While most people are tucked safely in their beds, a small group of committed runners are already out on area roads.
That commitment to meet whatever challenge may lie along the roads and trails they travel allowed Bryce Heinbaugh, Michelle Rzeszutek, and Maria Gonzalez to complete a 100 mile run in July, with fellow group member Annie Emery, who completed 34 miles.
The Burning River 100 mile involves trail running through Northeast Ohio that includes stretches of trail in Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Summit County Metroparks.
The trio finished in a time of 29 hours and 23 minutes. The group committed to running together, but Emery was not able to finish the race and the rest of the participants continued.
All four runners said the commitment to the sport and each other has deepened their faith, as well as their relationship with each other. Chris Purola and Erik van’t Veer also train with those who raced.
“To do eight miles a day, we have to start at 4 a.m.,” Heinbaugh said of the group that all have jobs they need to get to after their runs.
The group of four ran the Burning River 50 in 2025 and did not finish a 100 mile event at Mohican State Park in May. Heinbaugh said they got to the 80 mile mark, but did not have time to cover the next 10 miles before the course was to be closed.
“That was fuel to the fire,” Heinbaugh said of their decision to run Burning River in July.
He said it was hard to continue when Emery was unable to complete the race, but they decided to try and meet their goal.
Members of the group said ultra marathoners have to be willing to fail because it is part of the sport.
Emery said she tried her first 50 miler in 2024 and fell in love with trail running.
“There is something entirely different than racing on the roads,” Heinbaught said.
Emery said she believes ultra marathoning parallels life.
Heinbaugh said the challenges are not only physical, but mental as well. They also said there is a spiritual element to their faith that grows as they share together as well.
The runners train about 70 miles a week, but Gonzalez has got as high as 130 miles a week. She said she reduced her training because it was no longer fun at those levels.
“The joy of my every day is running with friend group and having a safe space,” Rzeszutek said.
“I am so glad to be in this group. They found me on the street,” Gonzalez said of a chance early meeting as their paths crossed. The next day they were running together and haven’t stopped.
The group does take Sunday off from the training, but gathers early the next morning to start another week.
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