#385 - We Are Mike Melton and a Peek Into the Race Timer's Tent, Part 1
They say that a game is well-officiated when you don’t even notice the referees or umpires. I sure can’t say that about this NBA Finals, where the officiating has been atrocious. But if you’ve ever run an ultramarathon, especially a multiday race, and didn’t notice the timer, it might have been because that was Mike Melton of MCM Timing, the absolute best in the business. I inherited Mike for the American Heroes Run after David unexpectedly passed away less than four months before the race and I suddenly took up the mantle of race director, and boy, did I get lucky because Mike ensured that not only would the race not miss a beat in the transition, but I’ve had a partner ever since that has helped me maintain the highest quality in the race running smoothly, with accurate timing and results. Mike and his company have timed everything from 5Ks to many of the most significant ultras in North America, including the Barkley Fall Classic, Big’s Backyard Ultra, Six Days in the Dome, Across the Years, the Keys 100, and many more. In fact, he is on the road in his Sprinter van that has 500,000 miles on it for 265 days a year. He has seen it all and has some great stories to tell here. In fact, so many that I have split this conversation into two parts. Mike also shares his origin story in the timing business and as a runner. Many might not know that Mike ran 171 miles in 72 hours at Across the Years, and has a very respectable 100-mile PR of 22:49. Mike also tells about how he and David connected for the very first American Heroes Run and how it led to the development of the software that Mike now uses for races that run laps.
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