Junior Oliver Bieser took second place in a 100-mile ultramarathon in Pennsylvania March 14. Only 56 runners completed the course, though 150 registered to run. 

Bieser finished with a time of 20:49:44 — second place overall and in the 20-29 age group. He averaged 12 minutes and 30 seconds per mile in the Rabid Racoon 100, an annual competition held in Beaver Falls, near Pittsburgh.

Bieser said he has been running since his senior year of high school. 

“I was like the fat kid all through high school, and I thought,  ‘I don’t like this anymore,’” Bieser said. “So I went out and ran 12 miles trying to lose it all at once. Obviously that didn’t work.”

Bieser started taking long distance running more seriously in February of 2022, and, three years later, he began a nine month training regimen to run a 100-mile trail ultramarathon.

“I started by running 70 miles a week, so 10 miles a day,” Bieser said. 

As the race date approached, Bieser said he raised his weekly mileage to 85 and eventually 105 miles.

Junior Katie Edison, President of the Hillsdale Running Club, said Bieser’s work ethic is strong.

“While on our club runs, we only see a fraction of the work and mileage he puts into training,” Edison said. “I think that all the hard work he does when not many people are watching reflects his character.” 

Edison said where Bieser has a potential disadvantage in a lack of a high school running background, he makes up for in his willingness to do hard things.

“His enthusiasm for the sport brings a lot of energy to the club and we’ve had new members show up, excited to meet ‘The 100 Mile Guy,’” Edison said.

Associate Professor of Economics Charles Steele, the running club’s faculty advisor, said he is proud of Bieser. 

“I am blown away by Oliver’s accomplishment,” Steele said. “To run 100 miles is to enter another world. To do well, you have to complete the first 50 miles feeling fresh. That sounds insane to people who have not experienced it, but it is possible, to do it takes not only remarkable training, but a kind of wisdom and self-mastery.”

Bieser said a huge part of a race is a mental game.

“I chose not to listen to music because I couldn’t risk my phone dying, so I had to let my mind wander to anywhere besides that trail,” Bieser said. “I ran scenarios in my head and thought about the week coming up.”

While he was contemplating sitting in class the following Monday, Bieser said he ran a 12.5-mile loop that included a 16,000-foot change in elevation throughout. Bieser said the trail had been rained on the day prior, and with more than 100 runners competing at once, it led to cold and muddy conditions. Bieser said competitors were allowed to have a pace keeper, or someone not in the race running with them, for one lap to give them someone to compete with and keep a specific pace.

“The second to last lap — miles 75 to 87.5 — my mom ran with me as a pacer,” Bieser said. “That was a rollercoaster of a race, and I don’t know if I could have made it the last part without her.”

Bieser crossed the finish line at around 1 a.m. on Sunday, March 15. With his podium finish, Bieser was awarded a silver trophy. 

After nearly a full day of running, however, Bieser said he could not be stopped from running even until the next day.

“I tried to procrastinate as long as I could,” Bieser said, “But I went for a short mile jog at around 11:30 that night.”

Bieser also already has plans for his next races.

“My next big race will be the Le Grizz 50 miler in October,” Bieser said. “Followed by another 100-miler during winter break.”