Mountain High: Local runner shines at 100 mile Tahoe Trail Run

Posted: Jul 26, 2011 6:02 PM by Andrew Masuda
Updated: Jul 26, 2011 8:57 PM

SLO runner wins Masters title at 100 mile run in Lake Tahoe

A Central Coast man has taken his passion for running to new heights. He's also added new meaning to "century club".

Thomas Reiss is at home on the Irish Hills trail. He's logged about 100 miles per week on trails the last few months. "A standard, easy, morning run is like from my house over up Madonna, back down, through Irish Hills and back home for a twelve mile loop," said Reiss.

Recently, Thomas took his trail running to the extreme at the Tahoe Rim Trail 100 Mile Run. The event dates back to the 1970's when it was a horse race. It includes 22,000 feet of climbing uphill, which is why the run's motto is "A glimpse of Heaven, a taste of Hell."

"It's a very tough course. With the late snow this year in the High Sierrra there was a lot of heavy snow drift where in the morning and at night the snow was frozen over and it was very slippery," said Reiss.

He started at 5am and finished at 2 am the next day. Fueled the last half by just soda, Reiss finished in 20 hours, 58 minutes. He came in second place overall and won the Masters Division for men 40 years and older. He received the coveted silver belt buckle for finishing within 24 hours. "It's just an accomplishment to finish the 100 mile, it doesn't matter how long it takes you," said Reiss. "But yes, getting second in a pretty good field is pretty awesome."

He missed setting the Masters Course record by 16 minutes. Reiss said he wasted three minutes waiting for a bear to get out of the trail. Still, he captured the Road Runners Club of American 100 Mile Ultra Trail Masters Championship.

But why would he do something like this? "It's just way more of an adventure than just like a little jog," said Reiss. "I guess it's just this constant desire to challenge yourself I'd say. Why do people climb Mount Everest?" Who know, maybe that's next on the list.

Reiss plans to run in a 72 mile race around Lake Tahoe in a few months. He also intends to compete in races at Montana de Oro and Santa Barbara this year.

Thomas and a friend started a local trail running group. For more information, click here.