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Medomak Valley graduate Zak Wieluns runs through the mud at a recent race. |
By Paula Roberts
Medomak Valley 1998 graduate Zak Wielmus is featured in an upcoming film to be aired at Lincoln Theater in Damariscotta on Aug. 7 at 7 p.m. He grew up in Friendship, and is the
son of Sue and Bob Wielmus of Waldoboro.
The film, “100 Head/Heart/Feet” follows the day-to-day life of an ultra-marathon runner, Wieluns, as he trains for and runs a 100 mile race. The event he was filmed
running in was the Vermont 100 Endurance Race, one of the original 100 mile runs in the United States.
The Vermont race is part of the Grand Slam Series of Ultra-running. Each year 300 runners attempt to finish the hilly ultra on Vermont’s back roads and trails under
the 30 hour cutoff point. Only a well trained few finish in under 24 hours.
The course record is 14:53:09.
“If you thought a 26.2 mile marathon was tough, lace up your running shoes for a journey into the world of ultra-running. Some call them adventure racers, extreme
endurance athletes or just plain crazy as they prepare to run a 30 hour, 100 mile race… no stopping, no resting, no whining… just running,” a promotion for the film states.
The make-up of the hilly course is run on 67.5 percent gravel roads, 27 percent trail, and 5.5 percent paved roads.
Wieluns finished the 2013 Vermont 100 in 44th place in a time of 21:45:51. All finishers under 24 hours received a commemorative buckle, and finishers between 24-30
hours received a plaque.
The running time of the film is 1 hour, 42 minutes, followed by a question and answer session with the filmmakers. The cost of a ticket is $8 for adults, and $6 for
Lincoln Theater members and youth 18 and under.
Sarah-Taylor Wieluns, Zak’s sister, was the production coordinator for the documentary and is a member of Zak’s crew team.
