Ultra-Ohio run: Katie Spotz seeks to log 341 miles in 11 days to break a world record
Written by Emily Morgan
Katie Spotz avoided taking gym classes for as long as she could.She needed one more physical education credit to graduate high school, so she chose the easiest course she could find — walking and running — figuring she could give the least amount of effort and still get an easy A.
Walking soon turned to running and Spotz worked her way up to a mile. She’d never done it before. Unlike in team sports, she felt no pressure or expectations from anyone to succeed. She wasn’t going to disappoint anyone if she failed. She had nothing to lose.“That’s really the seed that planted what would come,” Spotz said.
What came for the now 34-year-old Spotz is competing in multiple ultra-endurance challenges, events that exceed six hours in duration. Her next challenge starts on Monday when she sets course from Cincinnati to Cleveland on the Ohio to Erie Trail, running across her home state of Ohio.
“I’ve done adventures as far as New Zealand and Australia,” Spotz said. “I really wanted to come home and do one.”
Interested in learning more about Katie's fundraising efforts? Click here.
May 9, 2022
Indie Online
The Independent of Massillon, OH, is a local newspaper serving the communities of western Stark County.
LIFE OUTDOORS
MEDIA MENTIONS
My only complaint is that eventually, backflushing won’t be enough. These can clog up after some time and no amount of back flushing will fix its low flow. I went through 2 on the AT. However, it will attach to Smart Water Bottles and most bladders!
MEDIA MENTIONS
Built for backcountry reliability and portability, the Sawyer Squeeze filter is our pick for the best portable water purifier.
MEDIA MENTIONS
The Sawyer Squeeze was (by far) the most common Pacific Crest Trail water filter this year – for the fifth year in a row. It’s a $39, 3 oz / 85 g hollow fiber filter that rids your drinking water of protozoa and bacteria (and floaties). It can be used with Sawyer bags (included with the filter) or with compatible water bottles (Smartwater is the bottle of choice for many hikers).
